Dutch Oven Chili is a beef and bean chili that is made right on the stovetop. Hearty, comforting, and loads of flavor in every bite of this stovetop chili recipe.
With fall coming up, making comfort foods is my favorite thing, especially on Sundays during football season. This is the best chili recipe I have made! Tons of flavor from the onions and garlic. Then add the meat and beans; it is hearty and delicious.
Slow Cooker potato soup, zero-point taco soup, or Instant Pot stuffed pepper soup.
Dutch Oven Chili Ingredients
- ground beef
- olive oil
- onion, diced
- pepper, diced
- pepper, diced
- jalapeno peppers, chopped (remove seeds if you don’t like it too spicy)
- garlic, chopped
- crushed tomatoes
- tomato sauce
- tomato paste
- chili powder
- sugar
- cumin
- salt
- black pepper
- garlic powder
- crushed red pepper flakes
- water
- kidney beans-2 cans beans, drained
- white (navy) beans, drained
- Fresh chopped cilantro, sour cream, and shredded cheese for serving
Topping Ideas For This Easy Chili Recipe
- Sour Cream
- Cilantro
- Hot Sauce
- Diced Tomatoes
- Red Chopped Onions
- Green Onions
- Green Chilis
- Saltine Crackers
- Cheddar Cheese
- Cornbread
Step by Step Directions for Dutch Oven Chili
Step 1
In a pan over medium heat, brown ground beef until no longer pink, breaking into small pieces as it cooks. Drain fat and set it aside.
Step 2
Place dutch oven on medium heat, saute onions and peppers in the olive oil until soft (about 3-5 minutes).
Add chopped garlic and saute for one more minute. Add in cooked ground beef and mix.
Step 3
Turn heat to low, add the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato paste, and mix. Stir in chili powder, sugar, cumin, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes.
Once well combined, add water until desired consistency (I recommend adding 1 cup).
Step 4
Add the kidney and white beans and stir.
Bring to a slight boil; chili may splatter, so be careful. Reduce heat to low and cover. Let simmer for 30 minutes.
Stir every 5 minutes, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pot.
Tips and Tricks for Dutch Oven Chili
- Adding too much water to the chili will make it very thin, so make sure to add only enough to help it boil and simmer.
- Wear rubber gloves while cutting the jalapeno to avoid it getting into cuts or sensitive skin.
- If you don’t like too much spice, use only one jalapeno with the seeds removed.
- To make a sweeter chili, add up to ½ cup of sugar.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you want to make this into a crockpot chili, go ahead and cook ground beef, onions, and garlic in a skillet. Then when done, transfer to crock pot.
Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Or high for 3-4 hours. The longer you cook your beef chili, the more flavorful the soup will be.
Honestly, you can use any beans you want for chili. Whether you do all one kind of bean or mix and match. Popular beans for are kidney beans, white beans, pinto, and black beans.
Go ahead and allow your chili to cool down a bit. Then transfer into an airtight container and store for a few days in the fridge.
Or, if you want, you can freeze leftovers as well. Place in a sealable freezer bag or airtight container. Just remember, as the chili freezes, it will expand a bit, so leave room in the container for it to freeze.
Chili can freeze for up to three months. Then thaw in the fridge overnight before you go to reheat it. You can reheat in a microwave, stovetop, or slow cooker.
Substitute beef with ground turkey, chicken, or pork.
Use it in a taco salad, on chili dogs, or top baked potatoes with your chili, cheddar cheese, sour cream, and green onions.
Planning to feed a crowd? Go right ahead and double this recipe if you would like. The biggest thing is to make sure your dutch oven has room to hold all the chili.
Why Make Chili In Dutch Oven
- Easy prep
- Quick cook time
- Hearty
- Flavorful
- Simple
- Affordable
Here Are More Dinner Ideas To Make This Week
Dutch Oven Chili
Dutch Oven Chili is a beef and bean chili that is made right on the stovetop. Hearty, comforting, and loads of flavor in every bite of this stovetop chili recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 to 1½ lbs ground beef
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 red pepper, diced
- 1 green pepper, diced
- 1 to 2 jalapeno peppers, chopped (remove seeds if you don’t like it too spicy)
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 cup water
- 1 (15.5-ounce) can kidney beans-2 cans beans, drained
- 1 (15.5-ounce) can white (navy) beans, drained
Instructions
- In a pan over medium heat, brown ground beef until no longer pink, breaking into small pieces as it cooks. Drain fat and set it aside.
- Place dutch oven on medium heat, saute onions and peppers in the olive oil until soft (about 3-5 minutes).
- Add chopped garlic and saute for one more minute. Add in cooked ground beef and mix. Turn heat to low, add the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato paste, and mix. Stir in chili powder, sugar, cumin, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes.
- Once well combined, add water until desired consistency (I recommend adding 1 cup). Add the kidney and white beans and stir.
- Bring to a slight boil; chili may splatter, so be careful. Reduce heat to low and cover. Let simmer for 30 minutes.
- Stir every 5 minutes, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pot.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 397Total Fat: 19gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 76mgSodium: 751mgCarbohydrates: 29gFiber: 6gSugar: 12gProtein: 29g
Mary Smith
Saturday 4th of February 2023
This was fantastic chili! We loved it! Great balance of seasonings. I was able to use my own home grown peppers and tomatoes in it which was great too. I was a little disappointed when I went to print it because I usually try not to print pictures to save ink and there was no option to do this. But, great recipe! Thanks!
Diana
Tuesday 31st of January 2023
This was so delicious - great recipe. Minus all the chopping, this was quick and easy. I added diced carrots, cayenne, and onion powder. The bell peppers added a juicy and sweet crunch. Was going to add corn, but now I’m glad I didn’t, it wasn’t needed! Thanks for sharing this recipe. 🤤
Derek Peniz
Wednesday 18th of January 2023
"1 (15.5-ounce) can kidney beans-2 cans beans, drained 1 (15.5-ounce) can white (navy) beans, drained”
This is really unclear. How many total cans of beans?
Brandon
Thursday 7th of July 2022
In the instructions, the recipe never says to add the beans. Might want a slight revision
Adventures of a Nurse
Thursday 7th of July 2022
Thanks I will fix
Kathy Hildebrand
Saturday 29th of January 2022
Are these green bell peppers? That seems like an awful lot of bell peppers to put in a recipe.