This is our favorite chili recipe and it’s so easy to make! Thomas’ Easy Chili Recipe is full of flavor and goes perfectly with a side of homemade cornbread!
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Chili is one of those recipes that we love to make when the weather starts to get chilly! It’s simple to throw together, taste great and makes great leftovers for the week.
I love it with a side or cornbread, Thomas loves to crumble cornbread into his chili and my friend Sydni recently told me that she loves chili over pasta! However you eat it, it’ll warm you up for sure!
What you’ll need for this chili recipe: (amounts below in recipe)
- ground mild sausage
- ground beef (85/15 is what we use)
- cumin
- ancho chili powder
- ground mustard
- onion powder
- garlic powder
- chili beans
- tomato paste
- water
What kind of meat do you use to make chili?
When we make this chili recipe we use a mixture of ground mild sausage and ground beef.
You could use all ground beef or even change it up and use ground turkey in this recipe as well.
Can I use diced onions instead of onion powder?
You sure can! We use onion powder because my husband is allergic to onions but if you wanted to add onions to your chili that would work. Just dice about 1/2 an onion (or a whole onion if you really like onion) and toss it in when you’re browning the meat.
Let’s talk about naming chili real quick.
Thomas and I have two totally different views on chili. I call chili the stuff that you put on hot dogs and I call something like this “Chili Beans”
Thomas calls them both “Chili” and thinks that I’m nuts. He also thinks that chili should under no circumstance be made without beans. So tell me, do you call something like this Chili or Chili Beans. I told him that if it had beans that it was Chili Beans….he say’s I’m a weirdo. ???? So let’s settle this, what would you call it?
Whatever you call it, just make sure that you take the time to make it. It’s Thomas’ favorite chili to make and I bet it’ll be one of yours too!
Q&A:
- Can I leave the beans out?
You sure can! If I was going to make this without the beans I might add a little bit more meat to make sure it wasn’t too soupy.
- Can I make this in the slow cooker?
Yep! Just make sure to brown the meat and drain it first before adding it to the slow cooker.
- Do you have an awesome cornbread recipe to go with this chili?
I sure do! You can grab my Southern Skillet Cornbread recipe here.
More Recipes to warm you up!
- Maple Bacon and Ham Baked Bean Chili
- Slow Cooker Taco Soup
- Slow Cooker Beef and Vegetable Soup
- Tuscan White Bean Soup with Ham
Thomas’ Easy Chili Recipe
Thomas' Easy Chili Recipe
This is our favorite chili recipe and it's so easy to make! Thomas' Easy Chili Recipe is full of flavor and goes perfectly with a side of homemade cornbread!
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground mild sausage
- 2 pounds ground beef (85/15 is what we use)
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons ancho chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ground mustard
- 2 tablespoons onion powder
- 2 tablespoons garlic powder
- 6 (15.5 oz) cans chili beans
- 2 (6 oz ) cans tomato paste
- water
Instructions
- In a large pot, brown the sausage and beef, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as you cook it.
- Add 1 tablespoon garlic, 1 tablespoon onion powder, 1/2 tablespoon ground mustard, 1 teaspoon ancho chili powder and 1/2 teaspoon cumin.
- Mix well and drain grease if necessary.
- Add in 2 cans of tomato paste and stir.
- Open and drain the beans. Add them into the pot.
- Add 3 cans worth of water to the pot
- Add the rest of the spices and stir well.
- Bring the chili to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.
- Simmer for 1-2 hours.
If you make this recipe, snap a picture and share it on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter with the hashtag #bigbearswife —
I love to see what your cooking from the blog!
Dorothy at Shockingly Delicious says
I call it chili and I call it GOOD!
angie says
Wow that looks great! and it’s so hard to photograph chili! I love that you added mustard, I’m going to have to try that.
And how much fun getting to walk downtown. Our neighborhood was suppose to put in sidewalks like 2 years ago, and still nothing.
Lauren Kelly Nutrition says
This is my kind of chili! And yes, a little bit of parsley makes it look prettier 🙂
Sandi (@fearless_dining) says
This looks wonderful. I love that you included sausage.
Ashley @ Wishes and Dishes says
How sad is it that I’ve never made a chili like this?? Only chili verde. Love your version!
Michelle @ The Complete Savorist says
I could use a big hearty bowl of this and an equally hearty slice of honey-buttered cornbread.
Laura / I Heart Naptime says
The weather is turning cool again, and this sounds perfect for dinner!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Totally digging the inclusion of sausage in this chili, yum!
Nutmeg Nanny says
OH sorry friend but I have never heard of chili beans….haha. I call this chili 🙂 I think if you wanted to get super critical people in the south always claim true chili should be bean-less BUT I love using them to bulk it up. Also I totally know about re-shooting recipes. There are so many I have not shared because I ended up hating the pictures.
Angie says
hahaha ooo man. haha I love how everyone had different names for everything lol
Cathy Trochelman says
I love a good chili recipe….this looks like a great “go to”!
Karyn @ Pint Sized Baker says
Never heard of chili beans, sorry… Just straight up chili. Doesn’t the chili on a chili dog have beans? I can’t even remember the last time I’ve ordered one. This looks amazing and now I’m craving a big bowl of it!
Angie says
haha I can’t be the only one that calls it chili beans haha. I don’t think hot dog chili has beans…. hahaha I haven’t had one in forever though sooooo I don’t know.
Renee - Kudos Kitchen says
I really am jealous of your neighborhood and I wish we had fun stuff within walking distance here. My poor doggies never get out for walks anymore, and I do live like a hermit. Not good. Oh well, back to your recipe.
Your photos are great, and very appetizing. This sounds like a mighty tasty chili. Hungry.
Serene @ House of Yumm says
The pictures look beautiful!! You can call it whatever you want it looks amazing!! I would still call this chili. In Texas there’s no beans, but I call those bowls chili con carne or Texas Red 🙂 love how every place does things a little different.
colleen kennedy says
Today is COLD where I am so chili may be just the ticket! I too do a combo of beef and sausage…love that! And yes, chili is SO hard to shoot! Yours looks delicious and the photos are light and vibrant…High-five!
Sarah Walker Caron (Sarah's Cucina Bella) says
I would just call it chili — the stuff without beans is beanless chili, and ideal for topping hot dogs! Either way though, this looks delicious.
Melaney says
“Chili with Beans”. I can’t imagine eating any Chili without beans!!
Melaney, Southern California
Angie says
Haha I like my chili with beans too, but some people don’t. (You learn a lot about what people don’t like when you are a food blogger hahahaha)
Melaney says
Also, if I’m using this for Chili Dogs, I mash up some of the chili and beans with a potato masher or my “Zing” masher so it’s a thicker, more congealed mixture. It’s great and doesn’t fall off the dogs!
Melaney
Angie says
ooo I love that idea!
Becky says
This is chili, chili has beans. Hot dog sauce does not lol.
Angie says
Hot dog sauce hahaha I’ve never heard it called Hot dog sauce haha
Teresa Richardson says
the stuff on the hotdog is chili and the stuff you eat out of a bowl is chili with beans
Patty says
Your photo looks scrumptious! This is Chili and the stuff on hot dogs is hot dog sauce. When I was growing up in Ohio, you could buy hot dog sauce in a can. It didn’t have beans and was thicker than chili. I dont know if you can still buy it or not. I cant wait to try this recipe!. It will be a happy change from all the turkey we are about to have lol
Angie says
I know you can still buy like a Chili sauce in a can which is what I would call Hot Dog Chili. We use it when we make Texas Chili Dip.
susan says
In th e U.K we call this chilli…must have beans!
Theresa says
The recipe says mild sausage. Is that Italian or something like Mimmy Dean?
Angie says
Something like Neeses Sausage or Jimmy Deans will work. We just use a mild ground sausage
Cecily Fincher says
Definitely Beans. That picture says it all BEANS , Beans, beans!
Penny says
Just chile, with or without beans. I love the beans, my husband, not so much. Always a pile of beans on his plate. What does he know…????. I will try yours.
Angie says
Hope that you like it!
Lila Kelaita says
If only this site included nutritional values! Can’t attempt any of these recipes without it.
Angie says
I have the nutritional values on some of the newer ones but no the old recipes. I’m not a nutritionist but you can use a recipe like https://whisk.com/recipe-nutrition-calculator/ to calculate any recipe
Helen says
I call it chili beans. I’m allergic to onions also. I can’t believe your husband is also, people think I’m crazy when I tell them I’m allergic to onions.
Angie says
YES!! No one believe him when he says he is allergic to them. They’re always like “are you sure, can you have any onions? what if it’s just a few” goodness.