GAMEDAY SUPER BOWL CHILI RECIPE

Read Time: 6 minutes
by Karen
12 comments

Chili con carne has always been a favorite in our house. But growing up my mother always used a store-bought seasoning mix when making chili. And I’ll admit that in the first few years of living on my own, I did as well. It wasn’t until I looked at the ingredient list on the back of the packet one day and realized it was all just a bunch of seasonings (along with fillers) that I already had in my cupboard so I set out to try and replicate the chili recipe from scratch. After more than a few tries, and fails (one was so spicy that I had to dilute it in a whole other batch of chili, and even then it was still almost too hot to eat) I finally hit upon just the right combination and this is the seasoning mix that I now use whenever I make chili. You can find my recipe for homemade chili seasoning mix here.

During the colder months, Chili is a favorite comfort food in my house so I always like to keep a jar of this seasoning mix around for a quick and delicious dinner or lunch. It’s so easy to throw together and will keep in a well-sealed container for at least 6 months. When it’s time to make the chili, I just use 2 tablespoons of the homemade mix to replace 1 package of store-bought seasoning mix.

Homemade Chili Seasoning Mix

A small white bowl filled with spices and surrounded by small piles of other spices for chili seasoning.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

It’s easy and quick to make. It’s also great to make ahead as it tastes even better the next day.
It makes a lot and it’s quite economical to make using ground beef, canned tomatoes, and kidney beans.
Leftovers are perfect for freezing for another meal.
It’s a great cold-weather comfort food.

What Ingredients Do I Need To Make This Chili

Onion – 1 medium yellow onion diced.
Lean ground beef – I recommend using lean but if you use a higher-fat ground beef be sure to skim the fat off as it cooks.
My homemade chili seasoning mix – Find the link to my recipe here.
Whole or diced tomatoes – I prefer to use canned whole tomatoes and crush them as they cook but diced works well as well and is less work.
Dark red kidney beans – Canned and drained. No need to rinse them.

Optional Toppings

Cheddar cheese – Grated for serving.
Sour cream – For serving.
Green onions – Sliced. For serving.

Ingredients for chili in bowls on a countertop.

How To Make This Chili

Saute onions – In a large pot over medium-low heat, saute the chopped onions until they’re soft and translucent. Try not to let them brown.
Brown meat – When the onions are soft, add the ground beef and cook until it’s well browned.

Ground beef browning in a large blue stock pot.

Add seasoning – Add the homemade seasoning mix and stir well. Cook for a few minutes to allow the beef to absorb the seasoning.
Add tomatoes and beans – Now add the tomatoes and kidney beans and stir well. Bring the chili to a boil. When it’s boiling turn the heat down to low, cover the pot and allow it to simmer for at least 30 minutes, ideally up to an hour.

Someone adding chili seasoning mix to a pot of ground beef on the stove.

Somone adding tomatoes & kidney beans to a pot of ground beef on a stove.

After 30 – 60 minutes of simmering, dinner is ready and the house smells amazing! At this point, the chili can be served right away or cooled down and stored in the refrigerator overnight to allow the flavors to meld.

A large pot filled with meat chili and a blue napkin on the side.

Recipe Tips And Tricks For Success

Make sure to brown the meat well for a meatier flavor.
For a deeper flavor, simmer the chili as long as possible.

Recipe Variations

This is my basic chili con carne recipe but feel free to add any extra ingredients you’d like. Sometimes I add chopped garlic for a minute or two when the onions have cooked. Occasionally I add sliced mushrooms or chopped green or red pepper for a little variation. I’ve also used different types of beans when I don’t have kidney beans on hand. Cannellini and black beans work well.

Recipe Substitutions

If you’d like to make this chili vegetarian you can use a meat alternative. Just brown it the same way you would the ground beef.

2 white bowls of chili con carne and a small white container of sour cream on the side.

Storage Tips

This chili will keep well covered in the fridge for up to 5 days. Just reheat and serve. It can also be frozen for up to 5 months. I often freeze it in smaller serving sizes for easy lunches or dinners.

Serving Suggestions

I like to serve this chili with an assortment of optional toppings. Some of the best chili toppings are sour cream, grated cheese, chopped tomatoes, chopped green or red onions, and chopped avocado. Crumbled queso fresco is also a favorite. And of course, I always have some great bread to serve alongside. I love to serve this chili with my homemade garlic bread. You can find the recipe here.

This recipe can also be used as a great start for other meals like sloppy joes, chili dogs and burgers, or adding to nachos.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS;

What is the best meat for chili? Ground chuck or ground beef with an 80 % meat to 20% fat is the ideal meat to use for chili so it ends up juicy and rich. Leaner meats will not be as juicy. 

Does cooking chili longer make it taste better? Yes. Your chili will definitely benefit from a longer cooking time. This allows the arromatics like the onion, garlic and spices to release their flavors fully. They also continue to release their flavors as the chili cools. This is why chili often tastes better the next day. 

Is chili supposed to be thick or soupy? A good chili should be thick and hearty. If your chili has too much liquid you can continue to cook it down with the lid off for a while to allow some of the liquid to evaporate. 

Should I sautee onions before adding to the chili? Yes. To allow the onions as well as the garlic or any other vegetables to release their full flavor you should make sure you cook the onions until they are translucent before adding other ingredients.

Storage Tips

Chilis will keep well, covered in the fridge for a few days or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Just reheat to serve. It can also be made a day or two ahead and stored in the fridge until game time. Just heat it up for 30 minutes or so until you’re ready to serve or reheat it in a slow cooker for easy gameday serving.