This Dutch oven chili is filled with tender chunks of beef and a medley of beans cooked in a smoky tomato sauce with a homemade chili seasoning. The slow, loving simmer in a cast iron dutch oven enhances every flavor, resulting in a robust, smoky, and irresistibly hearty chili. Top it with creamy sour cream, sharp cheddar cheese, and fresh cilantro for an explosion of taste and texture that will leave your taste buds dancing in delight!
For more dutch oven recipes, make this dutch oven pot roast and shredded beef tacos!
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As the leaves change colors and the air turns crisper, there's nothing quite like a warm, hearty bowl of chili to embrace the season. This Dutch oven chili recipe is your ticket to a cozy and satisfying fall meal.
Its rich, savory flavors and tender chunks of beef make it the perfect comfort food that the whole family will love. It's also a great recipe for any tailgating or super bowl party during football season!
In this recipe, I'll show you how to create a mouthwatering classic chili recipe that's not only packed with flavor but also easy to prepare. Give this one pot meal a try and experience the magic of Dutch oven cooking for yourself. Happy cooking and happy fall!
Ingredients
(full list of ingredients and exact measurement in the recipe card)
- Bacon - this is my go to ingredient for building a flavorful chili full of smoky notes. We're using the bacon fat to cook the vegetables instead of olive oil for added flava!
- Green bell pepper
- Red bell pepper
- Onion
- Garlic
- Ground beef - I used 80/20 ground beef because I love the flavor.
- Homemade Chili seasoning: brown sugar, smoked paprika, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, and cumin
- Tomato paste
- Kidney beans
- Black beans
- Crushed tomatoes
- Bay leaf
- Beef broth - you can also use chicken broth or vegetable broth in a pinch!
- Beer
- Chipotle Peppers in adobo sauce
- Heavy Cream - I know, you're probably thinking what?! But heavy cream (just a tiny bit) helps smooth out the flavors and bring everything together. Trust me on this one, it's SO good.
Tips for the Best Chili
- Taste your chili as it cooks and adjust the seasoning as needed. You may want to add more salt, chili powder, or other spices to achieve the perfect balance.
- For a richer flavor, consider adding a bit of umami with ingredients like a dash of soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, or even a small piece of unsweetened chocolate.
- Chili often tastes even better the next day, as the flavors continue to meld. Consider making it in advance for an even tastier meal.
- Adjust thickness: if you like a thicker chili, you can cook it longer OR adda. cornstarch slurry to the pot ater it's done simmering (1 tbsp and 2 tbsps of water mixed together). If you prefer a looser texture, consider adding another ½ cup of beef stock or simmer for just 40 minutes and allow it to cool.
How to make Homemade Chili
- Cook the Bacon: cut bacon into chunks and add to a large dutch oven over medium heat. Cook bacon until the fat renders and the bacon becomes crispy, about 10 minutes. Remove bacon (leave the grease behind) from the pan and set aside (We're going to use this later).
- Sauté the Aromatics: add the diced onions and bell peppers and season with kosher salt and black pepper. Sauté them for about 5 minutes until they become soft and slightly caramelized. Stir in the minced garlic and sauté for an additional minute.
- Cook the Beef: add the ground beef over medium-high heat. Brown the ground beef until it's no longer pink. Break it up into crumbles as it cooks, then add the seasonings and tomato paste. Mix together and continue to cook until the tomato paste is evenly distributed. Then add kidney beans, black beans, crushed tomatoes, beer, bay leaf, chipotles in adobo, and beef broth. Stir everything together until well combined.
- Bring to a boil and boil for 5 minutes, then reduce to low heat and simmer for 40 minutes to an hour, uncovered so that the chili thickens. The longer it simmers, the more the flavors meld together, so feel free to let it simmer for 2-3 hours if time allows (if simmering longer than an hour, I recommend covering with the lid so that the chili doesn't dry out).
- Serve and Enjoy: Add the bacon back into the chili. Ladle the hot Dutch oven chili into bowls and garnish with your favorite toppings. Consider options like shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, chopped fresh cilantro, or even sliced jalapeños for an extra kick.
​Variations
Use a different meat - ground turkey, ground chicken, and even ground pork all work great here. I've also heard some people using hot dogs in their chili. It's not my thing but if you enjoy it, throw it in the pot! feel free to use whatever meat that you like to tailor this to make the best chili recipe ever.
Make it vegetarian! Omit the ground beef and bacon and just cook the recipe as listed. It's good with and without the meat!
Spice it up! This recipe has a hint of spice from the chipotle peppers, however, it's not so spicy that it'll burn your mouth. If you prefer your chili to be smoking hot, add cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, and or a diced habanero.
Add more veggies! I love using poblano peppers and corn in the summertime. You can also add in pinto beans too if you'd like to make this into a three bean chili - I've done this several time and it's SO good.
Use leftover chili to make a chili mac and cheese or a chili dog!
Best Toppings for Chili
This is my favorite part - the stuff that goes on top of the chili! Great options for chili toppings include:
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Sour cream
- Tortilla chips
- Slices jalapeno peppers
- ​Avocado
- Sliced green onions
- Bacon Bits
- Cilantro and/or chives
What to Eat with Chili
Without question, every time I make this easy dutch oven chili recipe or shepherd's pie, I make it with my Grandma's Buttermilk Cornbread! Apparently in the midwest, they eat cinnamon rolls with chili. I've never tried it but I bet it's a nice mix of sweet and savory flavors. Other options are:
Storing and Reheating
Storing leftover chili properly is essential to maintain its flavor and freshness. To store in the refrigerator, allow it to cool, then place in an airtight container or resealable plastic bag. Make sure the containers are specifically designed for the freezer or refrigerator to prevent leakage and freezer burn. You can also store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
When you're ready to reheat, place in the microwave until warm.
Recipe FAQs
You can either cook it longer without the lid on or you can add cornstarch or flour to thicken it once it's finished cooking.
Adding seasonings, tomato paste, bacon, fresh herbs, meat, and peppers all make chili more flavorful. You can really elevate the flavor by adding worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, or vinegar too - adding an acid brings all of the flavors together and brightens the dish.
Both methods of making chili are great, it mostly depends on how much time you have. The stovetop option is great for making a weeknight meal. The slow cooker method is good when you're in a time crunch and don't have time to actively cook. Both methods are great!
A crockpot is self heating cooking appliance while a dutch oven requires a heat source like a stove or oven.
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Dutch Oven Chili
Ingredients
- 5 slices BaconÂ
- 1 Yellow Onion (diced)
- 1 Green bell pepper (diced)
- 1 Red Bell Pepper (diced)
- 3 cloves Garlic (diced)
- 2 lbs Ground Beef
- 2 tbsps Brown Sugar
- 1 tbsp Smoked Paprika
- 1 tbsp Chili Powder
- 1 tbsp Onion Powder
- 2 tsp Cumin
- 6 oz Tomato Paste (canned)
- 30 oz Kidney Beans (rinsed and drained)
- 15 oz Black Beans (rinsed and drained)
- 28 oz Fire Roasted Crushed Tomatoes (canned)
- 1 cup Beef Broth
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 12 oz Beer
- 7 oz Chipotle in adobo sauce
- 1 tbsp Heavy Cream
Directions
- Cook the Bacon:Â cut bacon into chunks and add to a large dutch oven over medium heat. Cook bacon until the fat renders and the bacon becomes crispy, about 10 minutes. Remove bacon (leave the grease behind) from the pan and set aside (We're going to use this later).
- Sauté the Aromatics: add the diced onions and bell peppers and season with kosher salt and black pepper. Sauté for about 5 minutes until they become soft and slightly caramelized. Stir in the diced garlic and sauté for an additional minute.
- Cook the Beef:Â add the ground beef over medium-high heat. Brown the ground beef until it's no longer pink. Break it up into crumbles as it cooks, then add the brown sugar, smoked paprika, chili powder, onion powder, cumin, and tomato paste. Mix together and continue to cook until the tomato paste is evenly distributed. Add kidney beans, black beans, crushed tomatoes, broth, beer, bay leaf, and chipotles in adobo. Stir everything together until combined.
- Bring to a boil and boil for 5 minutes, then reduce to low heat and simmer for 40 minutes to an hour, uncovered, so that the chili thickens. The longer it simmers, the more the flavors meld together, so feel free to let it simmer for 2-3 hours if time allows (if simmering longer than an hour, I recommend covering with the lid so that the chili doesn't dry out). Add the heavy cream and stir together.
- Serve and Enjoy: Ladle the hot Dutch oven chili into bowls and garnish with your favorite toppings. Consider options like shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, chopped fresh cilantro, or even sliced jalapeños for an extra kick.
Notes
- Taste your chili as it cooks and adjust the seasoning as needed. You may want to add more salt, chili powder, or other spices to achieve the perfect balance.
- For a richer flavor, consider adding a bit of umami with ingredients like a dash of soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, or even a small piece of unsweetened chocolate.
- Chili often tastes even better the next day, as the flavors continue to meld. Consider making it in advance for an even tastier meal.
- Adjust thickness: if you like a thicker chili, you can cook it longer OR adda. cornstarch slurry to the pot ater it's done simmering (1 tbsp and 2 tbsps of water mixed together). If you prefer a looser texture, consider adding another ½ cup of beef stock or simmer for just 40 minutes and allow it to cool.Â
Hi Britney! 1st wanna thank you for the beer ingredient. I got carded buying it and found out for the last 4 months I've been driving on an expired license! Lol.
Well, I got my license, and I got the beer! Just got off work. I stole a taste, couldn't resist and omg yummy! Can't wait for dinner 2night! That's if there's any left! Lol
LOL Thank you so much!!
Hi! I really enjoyed your other chili recipe so I am excited to try this one. I am going to make this chili this weekend and was wondering can I use any kind of beer and can I also use a stock pot instead of a Dutch oven?
Thanks!
Hey Aleah!! Any large pot will do, my preference is just a dutch oven. Be sure to stir often so that the ingredients don't stick and burn though.
Absolutely amazing! My husband said that I have to make this chili recipe from now on.
I'm so happy to hear this, thank you so much!
I made this chili and the flavor is great. It was too spicy for my taste. Next time, I will use less of the Chipotle in adobo. But, this will probably be my go to chili recipe.
I'm so glad that this is your new go to chili recipe! The chipotle in adobo can be a little spicy, I usually eat this with sour cream so it cuts the heat a little. Thanks so much for your feedback!
Hi! I am excited to try this recipe---but I am VERY confused by some of the comments mentioning a 16 oz bag of frozen veggies? I have read the entire blog post and recipe 10 times and do NOT see these vegetables being mentioned or listed as an ingredient? The only vegetables I see are the onions/garlic and peppers? Am I missing something??
Hi Christine! Great question - I actually changed the recipe a bit to make it easier to make so you can disregard those comments! I hope that you enjoy it!
I will be making this later in the week, but I'm curious about the 16 oz bag of veggies that you want us to add: it seems a bit much. Did you use fresh or frozen? I could not find a 16 oz bag of fresh veggies at my local Safeway, but I will try the other grocery store in town. I may make the chili w/o the extra pound of veggies! I normally serve a salad with chili anyway...
Hello! I used frozen mixed veggies, but you can absolutely omit them and serve with a salad. My house salad recipe goes really well with this chili! Enjoy!
Hi, Britney, do you drain the black beans before adding? Cant wait to try!
Hi Maria!
Yes, I definitely drain the beans and give them a rinse prior to adding to the chili!
Hi! Is the Bag of mixed vegetables in the ingredient list a mistake? It’s not mentioned in the recipe steps, so thought I’d check
Hi Sophia! Step #2 mentions to add the mixed vegetables, it isn't a mistake. I hope this helps!
Thank you! Made this recipe; so delicious. The veggies and the bell peppers made it especially good 🙂