A Bit More Homemade Chili

Recipes · Soups & Stews

A hearty, family-friendly chili made with ground chuck, mild Italian sausage, fire-roasted tomatoes, beans, and a layered seasoning blend.

This is the kind of dinner that works on a cool Sunday, for a Game Day gathering, or on Halloween night when everyone may be eating at a slightly different time. It can be made ahead on the stovetop and held hot in a slow cooker for serving.

I tested this version in the ABMH kitchen on September 1, 2026. The successful pot used four cups of low-sodium beef broth, skipped both masa harina and apple cider vinegar, and browned the beef and sausage together. The finished chili was really good, hearty, and full-flavored without being aggressively hot.

From the ABMH kitchen: The simpler method won. Browning both meats together worked well, and the one-hour cook produced a satisfying consistency without a separate thickener or acidic finish.

Jump to Recipe Make-Ahead Tips

PrepAbout 20 minutes* CookAbout 1 hour TotalAbout 1 hour 20 minutes* Serves8–10

*Prep and total time are editorial estimates; the approximately one-hour cooking time and 8–10 serving yield were reported from the kitchen test.

Why You’ll Love This Homemade Chili

• Two meats build rich flavor. Ground chuck gives the chili its familiar beefy base, while mild Italian sausage adds richness and another layer of seasoning.
• It is hearty without a separate thickener. The tested pot reached a good consistency without masa harina.
• The heat stays flexible. The base is intentionally mild, and cayenne, jalapeños, or hot sauce can be added to individual bowls.
• It works for make-ahead serving. The chili was cooked ahead and successfully transferred hot to a slow cooker.

A Bit More Homemade: Homemade chili does not require homemade broth, home-canned tomatoes, or hand-ground spices. Use homegrown ingredients when you genuinely have them and good grocery-store ingredients when you do not.

Ingredients You’ll Need

The tested chili uses familiar ingredients, two kinds of beans, and a layered seasoning blend.

Meat and Vegetables

• 1 pound 85/15 ground chuck
• 1 pound mild Italian sausage
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 medium jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced

Chili Seasoning

• 2 tablespoons American-style chili powder
• 1 tablespoon pure ancho chile powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon ground coriander
• 2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• Cayenne pepper, optional and added only after tasting

For the Pot

• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 (28-ounce) can fire-roasted crushed tomatoes
• 4 cups low-sodium beef broth
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon adobo sauce
• 1 teaspoon packed dark brown sugar
• 1 (15-ounce) can dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
• Fine sea salt, added conservatively and adjusted after simmering

Season carefully: Chili powder blends, sausage, broth, Worcestershire sauce, and adobo sauce can all contribute salt or heat. Use low-sodium broth, wait until the chili has simmered before adding salt, and add cayenne only after tasting. Cook the ground meats completely before tasting the chili.

Equipment I Use for This Recipe

• Large Dutch oven or another heavy-bottomed soup pot
• Wooden spoon or sturdy heat-safe spatula
• Chef’s knife and cutting board
• Measuring spoons and liquid measuring cup
• Slow cooker, optional, for holding already-hot chili at serving temperature

How to Make A Bit More Homemade Chili

1. Mix the seasoning.

Combine the chili powder, ancho chile powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, coriander, cocoa powder, and black pepper. Set approximately one-third of the mixture aside to add later in the cook.

2. Brown the beef and sausage together.

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the ground chuck and mild Italian sausage and cook them together, breaking the meat into irregular crumbles while allowing some pieces to brown. Cook until no pink remains. If the pot contains substantially more than 1–2 tablespoons of rendered fat, carefully remove the excess.

The kitchen-tested method browns the ground chuck and mild Italian sausage together in one pot.

3. Cook the vegetables.

Add the onion, red bell pepper, and seeded jalapeño. Cook for 7–9 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute, just until fragrant.

Cook the vegetables until softened before adding the tomato paste and seasoning.

4. Cook the tomato paste and bloom the seasoning.

Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2–3 minutes, until it darkens slightly. Add approximately two-thirds of the seasoning mixture and stir for 30–45 seconds, just until fragrant.

Keep the spices moving: Blooming the seasoning briefly wakes up the flavor, but dry spices can scorch. Stir continuously and move straight to the broth as soon as they smell fragrant.

5. Deglaze and build the chili.

Pour in approximately ½ cup of the beef broth and scrape the bottom of the Dutch oven thoroughly. Add the fire-roasted tomatoes, remaining 3½ cups broth, Worcestershire sauce, adobo sauce, and brown sugar. Stir well and bring the chili to a gentle simmer.

6. Add the beans and finish the simmer.

Reduce the heat to low. During the approximately one-hour cooking time, stir in the kidney beans, pinto beans, and reserved seasoning. Keep the pot partially covered at first, then uncover it toward the end if needed for the consistency you prefer. Stir occasionally so the bottom does not catch.

7. Taste and serve—or hold it hot.

Taste before adding fine sea salt or optional cayenne. Serve with the toppings your household enjoys, or transfer the already-hot chili to a preheated slow cooker and use the warm setting for serving.

Keep the pot mild and let everyone add cheese, sour cream, green onions, jalapeños, or hot sauce at the table.

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Make Ahead · Slow-Cooker Holding

Make It Ahead for Halloween or Game Day

This chili was successfully made ahead on the stovetop and then transferred hot to a slow cooker for serving. Use the slow cooker for hot holding, not for slowly reheating cold chili. Preheat the cooker, transfer the chili while it is already hot, and keep it at 140°F or above while it is being served.

Tomatoes, bell peppers, jalapeños, onions, and garlic also give the recipe a natural garden connection. Use homegrown produce when it is genuinely available, but frozen, properly preserved, farmers-market, and grocery-store ingredients all have a place.

Tips for the Best Homemade Chili

Brown, Don’t Steam

Use medium-high heat and give the meat a moment to contact the Dutch oven before breaking every piece apart.

Salt at the End

Sausage, broth, canned ingredients, Worcestershire, and adobo all bring seasoning. Taste after the simmer before adding more salt.

Let the Pot Reduce

If the chili looks thinner than you like, uncover it near the end and continue the gentle simmer instead of adding masa harina automatically.

Keep Heat at the Table

Serve cayenne, hot sauce, or fresh jalapeños separately so the base stays approachable for more people.

Storage, Reheating and Freezing

Refrigerate leftovers in shallow containers within 2 hours and use them within 3–4 days. Reheat chili on the stovetop or in the microwave until it reaches 165°F; when reheating it as a soup or stew, bring it to a boil. If the reheated chili will be held in a slow cooker, heat it fully first and then transfer it to the preheated cooker.

Freeze completely cooled chili in meal-size portions with room for expansion. Thaw it safely in the refrigerator or reheat from frozen using an appropriate stovetop or microwave method, stirring as needed so it heats evenly. Add delicate toppings only after reheating.

The Honest Cost of Homemade Chili

Prices checked September 2026, current online retail references. Estimated, not receipted.

What it cost to make

• 85/15 ground chuck (1 pound used; current retail estimate)$6.92 used
• Mild Italian sausage (1 pound used; current retail range)$3.92–$4.92 used
• Onion, bell pepper, jalapeño, and garlic (recipe amounts; retail estimate)about $2.52 used
• Fire-roasted tomatoes and tomato paste (one 28-ounce can plus 3 tablespoons)about $5.55 used
• Low-sodium beef broth and beans (4 cups broth plus two 15-ounce cans)about $3.34 used
• Spices, sauces, cocoa, and sugar (recipe portions from pantry packages)about $1.50 used

Per serving, makes 8–10 servingsabout $2.40–$3.10

Estimated batch total: $23.75–$24.75. These estimates reflect the amounts used in the recipe. Your checkout total will be higher if you need to buy full packages, but the remaining ingredients can be used in future meals.
Equipment: Dutch oven, knife, cutting board, spoon, and measuring tools were treated as already-owned reusable equipment. Toppings and cornbread are not included.

Compared to buying it

$2.40–$3.10homemade, per serving vs about $2.38basic prepared canned chili, 15-ounce can

About the same

A basic canned comparison is useful for price context but is not identical in meat content, vegetables, sodium, serving size, or overall quality. Eight to ten cans at that reference price would total approximately $19.04–$23.80.

Time

About 20 minutes of estimated prep. The reported cooking time was approximately 1 hour, including browning, building the pot, simmering, and occasional stirring. Slow-cooker holding time is not included because it depends on the serving schedule.

Worth it?

Worth It If…

It is worth making when you want a generous gathering-size pot, two full pounds of meat, lower-sodium broth, and control over the final heat and toppings. It is not dramatically cheaper than the basic canned comparison, and buying prepared chili may be the more practical choice when time matters more than customization or batch size.

Keep Going With a Bit More Homemade

Buttery Homemade Cornbread Muffins — the kitchen-tested side served with this chili.

A Bit More Homemade Recipe

A Bit More Homemade Chili

A hearty, mild homemade chili with ground chuck, Italian sausage, fire-roasted tomatoes, beans, and a layered seasoning blend.

Prep: About 20 minutes* Cook: About 1 hour Total: About 1 hour 20 minutes* Yield: 8–10 servings

Ingredients

• 1 pound 85/15 ground chuck
• 1 pound mild Italian sausage
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 medium jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons American-style chili powder
• 1 tablespoon pure ancho chile powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon ground coriander
• 2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 (28-ounce) can fire-roasted crushed tomatoes
• 4 cups low-sodium beef broth
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon adobo sauce
• 1 teaspoon packed dark brown sugar
• 1 (15-ounce) can dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
• Fine sea salt and optional cayenne pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Mix the seasoning. Combine all dried seasonings except salt and cayenne; reserve approximately one-third.
2. Brown the meats. Brown the ground chuck and sausage together in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Remove excess fat only if needed.
3. Cook the vegetables. Add onion, bell pepper, and jalapeño; cook 7–9 minutes. Add garlic and cook about 1 minute.
4. Build the base. Cook the tomato paste for 2–3 minutes. Stir in two-thirds of the seasoning for 30–45 seconds.
5. Deglaze. Add approximately ½ cup broth and scrape up the browned bits.
6. Add the liquids. Add tomatoes, the remaining 3½ cups broth, Worcestershire, adobo sauce, and brown sugar. Bring to a gentle simmer.
7. Finish the chili. During the approximately one-hour cook, stir in both beans and the reserved seasoning. Simmer gently, partially covered at first and uncovered near the end if needed.
8. Taste and serve. Add salt or cayenne only after tasting. Serve immediately or transfer the already-hot chili to a preheated slow cooker on warm.

Recipe note: This kitchen-tested version uses 4 cups low-sodium beef broth, no masa harina, and no apple cider vinegar. The beef and sausage are browned together. *Prep and total times remain editorial estimates.

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A Bit More Homemade

A pot of chili does not have to be complicated to feel homemade. Build flavor in a few thoughtful stages, let everyone choose their own toppings, and make the timing work for your home.

Simple Ingredients. Wholesome Living.

You don’t have to do everything. Just start with something—and make your home a bit more homemade one change at a time.