Easy 5 Ingredient Chili Recipe (2024)

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This 5 ingredient chili recipe is a super comforting dish that is packed with flavor and requires only 30 minutes of your time. Throw canned chili beans in a pan along with just a couple other ingredients for the easiest dinner you’ll see all week!

Original post: June 2019 | Updated: August 2023

Why This Recipe Works

It is hard to write about any chili other than my favorite classic chili recipe because that one really is the best. But I’ve been pondering lately the sad dilemma that involves not having the time to make a full-blown vat of homemade chili.

What if you want to enjoy a comforting bowl of chili without the time commitment? Throwing a football watch party? Have extra family in town?

Or how about those times you need a quick and easy chili recipe for a quick weeknight meal? How about for Chili Dogs or Chili Mac or Chili-Topped Baked Potatoes? Or for when you have teenagers to feed or a large crowd coming over at the last minute?

In these situations, this 5-ingredient chili recipe is the best option for these reasons:

Requiring a baseline of 5 simple ingredients, with the option of adding more to add extra flavor.
It takes less than 30 minutes to throw together and you can count the number of ingredients on one hand.
With just a few ingredients and after a mere 30 minutes of time spent, you’ll be enjoying a bowl of chili that no one would have ever known had a lineage rooted in “canned chili with beans.”
It’s the best chili recipe for meal prep when you’re looking to make dinners easy throughout the week.

So here’s my endorsem*nt, and I don’t endorse things unless I really believe in them: This 5 Ingredient Chili is the most delicious simple chili recipe you will find!

50+ Make-Ahead Recipes For Your Holiday Table

Do you feel overwhelmed just thinking about planning a holiday menu? Then you anticipate the exhaustion that comes after the meal has been eaten?

Within each recipe in this ebook are tips for making the recipe ahead of time to open up space for the people you’re excited to spend the holiday with.Sample menus included, along with mouth-watering photos and tried-and-tested recipes!

Recipe Ingredients

Ground meat – Use ground beef, ground sausage, ground turkey or a combination! Do not exceed 2 pounds total. If using ground turkey, add a tablespoon of olive oil beforehand to help cook and brown the turkey.

Garlic– Minced fresh garlic tastes best, but 1 teaspoon garlic powder is an ok substitute.

Diced tomatoes – Use canned tomatoes with herbs or flavorings, such as chopped onions and garlic. You can never get enough onion and garlic, people.

Chili with beans – Use 2 cans of canned chili with chili beans, any variety (approximately 30 oz. total).

Toppings –Shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, sliced green onions, crushed saltine crackers or tortilla chips.

How to Make 5 Ingredient Chili

You would probably be capable of making this easy chili while blind-folded, but please don’t actually try that. Here’s how to make the best canned chili:

Chili Add Ins – Add Flavor To Chili

Simmering this chili for more than 20 minutes is definitely doable and may result in an even more flavorful meal.
Add a chopped red bell pepper to the onion-garlic mixture for extra crunch and flavor.
For extra crunch add a green bell pepper.
Add an extra can of beans such as kidney beans, black beans or pinto beans for added flavor.
Throw in 1 teaspoon garlic powder and/or up to 2 tablespoons chili powder for extra yum!
For extra spice add a few dashes of hot sauce or a few teaspoons of red pepper flakes.
Open a can of diced roasted green chilies for amazing flavor!
Add 2 tablespoons of brown sugar for a sweet touch.
A 15-ounce can of tomato sauce or 8-10 ounces of tomato juice will add a TON of flavor!
Add spices of your liking, such as ground cumin, chili powder or paprika

How Long Does Chili Last In The Fridge

If you are wondering how long this soup lasts in the fridge or if your batch is still fresh, click over for all the info!

How To Freeze Chili

If you have delicious chili leftovers on your hands, you might want to know the best ways to preserve it. Read on for all the information you’ll need about how to freeze chili.

Can I Make 5 Ingredient Chili In A Slow Cooker?

Yes! Cook the meat, onion, red peppers and garlic as directed and add it to your crock pot along with the remaining ingredients. Cook on high heat for 4 hours.

Check out this Beef Chili Recipe for full instructions.

Can I Make This Recipe In An Instant Pot?

Yes and it is soooo good made in a pressure cooker, but I highly recommend following this Instant Pot Chili recipe if you go that route.

Chili Recipes and Sides!

Click over for chili dinner ideas with a variety of recipes and side dish recommendations, as well. Or use this post as your guide for dinner ideas using leftovers so nothing goes to waste.

Appetizer Ideas

Chili dinners are the best in those cold winter months! If you are looking to round out your meal, peruse this roundup for ideas aboutwhat to serve as appetizers for chili dinner.

How To Thicken Chili

If you make a delicious batch and find that it is not thick enough for your liking, we have some simple methods that will fix it! Read on for tips about how to thicken chili.

Substitute For Beans In Chili

Whether you can’t eat beans or you just don’t have any on hand, learn what to substitute for beans in chili!

FAQ About 5 Ingredient Chili

What to top chili with?

What To Do With Chili Leftovers

If you have 5 ingredient chili leftovers (and it’s very possible that you will because this makes a large batch), please check out these delicious recipes to help use them up:

Baked Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Best Ever Chili Dogs
Chili Mac and Cheese
Chili-Topped Baked Potatoes

How To Make Hot Dog Chili Sauce

Don’t use any old chili recipe to pile on top of hot dogs. This delicious recipe details how to make hot dog chili sauce so the consistency is just right!

Easy Dinner Recipes

If you are looking for other delicious comfort food recipes to feed the masses, you have come to the right place. Here is a teeny-tiny list of some of my favorite comforting meals that are always a hit:

Twice-Baked Potatoes
Best Ever Meatloaf
Goulash
Crockpot Mac and Cheese

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If you make this recipe and love it, stop back and give it a 5-star rating⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and leave a comment. THANK YOU!

Easy 5 Ingredient Chili Recipe

This easy 5 ingredient chili recipe is a super comforting dish that is packed with flavor and requires only 30 minutes of your time.

5 from 7 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes

Servings: 6

Calories: 372kcal

Author: Megan Porta

Ingredients

▢ 1 lb ground beef or sausage
▢ 1 white onion or yellow onion, chopped
▢ 2 cloves garlic minced
▢ 15 oz diced tomatoes
▢ 30 oz chili with beans
▢ cheddar cheese shredded, for topping

Instructions

In a large skillet or Dutch oven, cook the beef (or sausage) over medium heat until no longer pink. Add onion and garlic and cook until veggies are soft and fragrant, about 3-5 minutes.
If there is not enough grease from the meat and mixture is too dry, add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan while veggies are cooking.
Add the diced tomatoes and chili and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer and cook uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Ladle into serving bowls and serve immediately! Top with cheese, if desired.

Notes

Simmering this chili for more than 20 minutes is definitely doable and may result in an even more flavorful meal.
Add chopped red bell peppers to the onion-garlic mixture for extra crunch and flavor.
Add a can of drained and rinsed kidney beans or black beans for added flavor.
Throw in some garlic powder and/or chili powder for extra yum!
Open a can of diced roasted green chilies for amazing flavor!
A 15-ounce can of tomato sauce or 8-10 ounces of tomato juice will add a TON of flavor!

Nutrition

Did you make this recipe?If you loved this recipe, please rate the recipe and leave a comment below!

FAQs

What is the secret to really good chili? ›

Only Add Flavorful Liquids

Instead of adding water to your chili, add some more flavor with chicken or beef broth, red wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, or even beet or wine. Each one of these options brings out different notes and levels of sweetness that will enhance your culinary creation.

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What secret ingredient will deepen the flavor of your chili? ›

Stir some puréed pumpkin into your chili just after sautéing your aromatics (onions, garlic, etc...) and before adding any liquid. This will deepen and sweeten its flavor, making it a great balance for all the chile peppers and heat.

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What is the most important spice in chili? ›

Most Common Chili Spices. Cumin, Chile Powders, and Paprika are the most common spices in chili followed by garlic, onion, coriander, Mexican oregano, and bay leaves. These ingredients can be combined to create a savory and well-balanced pot of top notch comfort food.

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What can I add to chili to make it taste better? ›

A cup of strong, brewed coffee will work wonders for your pot of chili, imparting a deep, roasted flavor that will make the chili taste like it simmered away all day long. For maximum flavor, reduce the coffee along with a blend of tomato paste, aromatic veggies and spices like we do in our Spicy Vegetarian Chili.

What not to put in chili? ›

Beans and non-vegetable fillers such as rice and pasta are not allowed." If that sounds a bit uptight, the ICS's Homestyle Chili competition defines chili as: "any kind of meat, or combination of meats, and/or vegetables cooked with beans, chili peppers, various spices, and other ingredients.

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What is the best liquid for chili? ›

Chili cooks low and slow, so you need enough liquid to tenderize the meat and keep everything from drying out. That liquid should also add flavor to the chili, so use chicken, beef, or vegetable stock, or beer.

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Does chili need tomato paste? ›

Tomato paste is a great way to add bonus tomato flavor, and thickness, to a chili recipe. To get the best flavor it needs to be browned. Add a couple tablespoons (or a whole can if you want a thicker soup base) directly to the pan after cooking the meat and onions.

What does cinnamon do for chili? ›

It's a spice, and it's not sweet at all by itself. I sneak it into tomato soup and beef stew, and a nice big cinnamon stick is one of the flavor enhancers in my beloved recipe for Jamie Oliver's Baked Chicken with Milk. And it is just the thing you need to make your chili taste like a crisp fall day any time of year.

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Do you cook onions or meat first for chili? ›

Making homemade chili is quite simple. You'll first need to cook the onions and garlic. Then you'll add your beef and cook it through. You'll finally add the peppers and seasonings, stirring it together to get that beautiful flavor together.

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What does paprika do for chili? ›

Think of paprika as the gentler, sweeter cousin of hot chili peppers. It enlivens your favorite dishes with fruity notes and a toasty red color without ever taking over the show.

Do you drain beans for chili? ›

Unless the recipe tells you to keep the canned beans in their liquid, you should drain your can and give the beans a good rinse before using. This will improve the flavor and texture of your finished dish.

Find Out More ›

Should I put butter in my chili? ›

Butter smooths out the bitterness and adds its unique richness, making you take another bite without quite knowing why. A dash of sugar and vinegar gives a sweet-sour flavor that also makes the sauce rounder and more satisfying.

What ingredient makes chili better? ›

The addition of peanut butter does a couple things for this chili. For one, the fat in the peanut butter balances out the spices in the most beautiful way. It kind of tames them and enhances them at the exact same time. The peanut butter also acts as a thickening agent to the chili making it feel extra hearty.

How do you fix tasteless chili? ›

Add a hit of soy sauce, Worcestershire, or tamari. These salty, savory powerhouses won't dominate or change the flavor of your chili so much as amplify what's there. Start with one tablespoon, stir, and taste before you add another.

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Should you put carrots in chili? ›

thinly sliced carrots

Carrot "coins" often make an appearance in autumn stews, but they can also add a nutritional punch to beef chili. Plus, isn't the phrase "carrot coin" fun? Plan an activity over dinner with your children to see if they can find (and eat) all the carrot coins.

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What makes the best chili meat? ›

The best chili meat is a combination of meats, often a mix of ground chuck, ground sirloin, brisket, diced tri-tip, and/or some bacon or sausage. Do your best to mix smaller pieces with larger pieces to stack textures and make it your own! Happy cooking!

Get More Info Here ›

What makes a good competition chili? ›

Chili must: LOOK GOOD, SMELL GOOD and TASTE GOOD. If in a competition, it must do so lukewarm in a styrofoam cup. It also must look good on as small plastic teaspoon used for judging and tasting. Chili that doesn't win violates one or more of the three basics.