Savory Beef Chili Recipes That'll Feed a Crowd

Pork Chili Verde
Photo: Hector Sanchez

One of the holy grails of Southern stews, beef chili has had a place across every Southern kitchen since the early twentieth century. Originating in Texas, classic beef chili is an irreplaceably hearty dinner that isn't too hard to make. We've expanded upon and updated the classic Tex-Mex original with a few flavorful Southern additions. We've compiled our best chili recipes so it's easy to make the comfort food classic any night of the week. Loaded with savory, simmering ground beef, these vegetable and beef chili recipes are the perfect dinnertime staple. With flavorful ingredients like fire-roasted tomatoes, chunks of tender steak, filling beans, unexpected black-eyed peas, and spicy jalapeño peppers, these mouthwatering beef chilis are some of our best yet. Whip up our quick and easy ground beef chili for a weeknight dinner in a flash, let a pot simmer all day in your slow cooker, or make a huge batch ahead for a crowd-pleasing supper. Top with cheese, tortilla chips, sour cream, and avocados for a delicious bowl of classic Southern comfort food.

01 of 20

Beef-and-Bean Chili

Pork Chili Verde
Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Beef-and-Bean Chili

This classic red chili has chunks of stew meat and ground beef along with tomatoes, red beans, and spices. Fire-roasted tomatoes add a note of smokiness to the mix. If you can't find fire-roasted, use plain tomatoes and add a pinch of smoked paprika.

02 of 20

Quick Beef Chili

Quick Beef Chili
Becky Luigart-Stayner

Recipe: Quick Beef Chili

This hearty chili has mouthwatering chunks of meat cooked to perfection in a Dutch oven before being combined with the other ingredients. For this chili we suggest rich, beefy petite tender—the quick-cooking foundation of this stew and a supermarket steak that is cut from the shoulder. It looks and tastes like tenderloin but costs a third of the price. Can't find it? Try chuck-eye steak, which has good flavor but may need a little more trimming. Whatever you choose, this quick chili, spicy, hot, and delicious, will have you filling your bowl for seconds. Smother it in green onions, sour cream, or many other great toppings.

03 of 20

Slow-Cooker Texas Chili

Slow-Cooker Texas Chili
Greg Dupree; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Texas Chili

With two types of chiles (ancho and guajillo) in addition to the jalapenos and chipotle chile powder, it's safe to say this Texas-style chili will give you a good kick.

04 of 20

Classic Beef Chili

Classic Beef Chili
Greg DuPree

Recipe: Classic Beef Chili

This traditional chili recipe will become your go-to for easy weeknight dinners and weekend entertaining.

05 of 20

Pork Chili Verde

pork chili verde
Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Pork Chili Verde

If you love chili but are ready to branch out from a traditional beef chili recipe, we think you'll love the flavor profile of this chili Verde.

06 of 20

Game Day Chili

Game Day Chili
Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas

Recipe: Game Day Chili

These meaty favorite is perfect for a football party. It freezes beautifully for a super quick meal another day.

07 of 20

30-Minute Chili

30-Minute Chili, easy chili recipe
Southern Living

Recipe: 30-Minute Chili

Having delicious chili doesn't mean having to wait all day. With this recipe for 30-Minute Chili you can enjoy one of our quick-fix suppers in no time. While you'll marvel at its slow-cooked flavor, this chili recipe only has six ingredients, so it is always going to be simple to make. The hardest part is simmering the ground beef; after that, you just pour everything else in, and stir. For an Italian-style take on this 30-Minute Chili, you can spice up the flavor and make this with 1 pound of ground sausage and 1 pound of ground beef. Whether you prefer a traditional chili or Italian-infused flavors, this easy-to-make chili will be ready when you are.

08 of 20

Super Quick Chili

Super Quick Chili
Beth Dreiling Hontzas

Recipe: Super Quick Chili

This seven-ingredient chili recipe is ready to eat in less than 30 minutes. For a fun presentation, slice tops from hearty round dinner rolls or larger bread bowls and fill with chili.

09 of 20

Cheesy Chili Hash Brown Bake

Cheesy Chili Hash Brown Bake
Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Cheesy Chili Hash Brown Bake

This five-ingredient casserole features convenient frozen hash brown potatoes, a can of Sloppy Joe sauce and can of chili.

10 of 20

Big Batch Chili

Big Batch Chili
Lee Harrelson

Recipe: Big Batch Chili

This top-rated slow-cooker chili is a tasty crowd-pleaser, perfect for tailgating, Super Bowl parties, and other cool weather gatherings.

11 of 20

Easy Chili

Easy Chili
Lee Harrelson

Recipe: Easy Chili

Look no further for the ultimate classic, easy chili recipe. Made in a slow cooker for simple a weekday meal. Top with shredded Cheddar cheese and corn chips.

12 of 20

West Texas Chili

West Texas Chili
Southern Living

Recipe: West Texas Chili

Unlike traditional chili, this Texas-style chili recipe omits beans and tomatoes but is still packed with flavors from spices.

13 of 20

Beef-and-Black-Eyed Pea Chili

Beef-and-Black-Eyed Pea Chili
Becky Luigart-Stayner

Recipes: Beef-and-Black-Eyed Pea Chili

You'll be pulling the cornbread fresh out of the skillet when you smell the aroma of this Beef-and-Black-Eyed Pea Chili. Fill a Dutch oven with chili meat, sweet onion, black-eyed peas, beer, and more, and in under an hour you can be sitting down to a delicious bowl of chili. Serve it as it comes, or top it with jalapeño pepper slices, Cheddar cheese, or pico de gallo. However you enjoy it, you can't go wrong. So grab a spoon and enjoy this chili today.

14 of 20

Slow-Cooker Brisket Chili

Slow-Cooker Brisket Chili
Hector M. Sanchez

Reicpe: Slow-Cooker Brisket Chili

For the last hour, uncover the chili and let it continue to cook on low to allow it to slightly thicken.

15 of 20

Instant Pot Chili Mac

Instant Pot Chili Mac
Photography and Styling: Caitlin Bensel

Recipe: Instant Pot Chili Mac

Whip up a quick and easy supper all in the Instant Pot with this chili mac. Start by sautéing the ingredients before adding the noodles and letting the pressure cooker do the rest. Dinner in 30? We say yes.

16 of 20

Chunky Beef Chili

Chunky Beef Chili
Beth Dreiling Hontzas

Recipe: Chunky Beef Chili

Chuck roast replaces ground beef in this meaty dish.

17 of 20

Best Slow-Cooker Chili

Big Batch Chili
Lee Harrelson

Recipe: Best Slow-Cooker Chili

This recipe isn't the best for no reason—it yields a whopping 18 cups and guarantees to satisfy a crowd. Plus, the slow cooker does most of the work, and we can't say no to that.

18 of 20

Beef-and-Butternut Squash Chili

Beef-and-Butternut Squash Chili Recipes
Southern Living

Recipe: Beef-and-Butternut Squash Chili

We've loaded this chili with veggies like butternut squash, corn, and green bell peppers.

19 of 20

Red Bean Chili

red bean chili
Southern Living

Recipe: Red Bean Chili

A short ingredient list and hands-off cooking method will make this chili recipe one of your new favorite weeknight dinners.

20 of 20

Black Bean Chili

black bean chili
Southern Living

Recipe: Black Bean Chili

Don't be fooled by the name; this chili is as hearty as they come. Black beans and sirloin swim in a rich sauce alongside peppers and spices that'll fill everyone up.

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