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This easiest ever 3-ingredient chili recipe is thick, hearty, packed with flavor, and comes together in only 30 minutes. Serve with your favorite chili toppings for a quick and easy weeknight dinner that is sure to warm up everyone’s bellies.
Chili is one of the best comfort foods for cool weather. I usually make a big batch of beef chili in my crockpot, but when I am short on time I turn to this easy 3 ingredient chili recipe.
It is super quick to prepare and a family favorite throughout the Fall and Winter.
And with only 3 ingredients, this easy weeknight dinner is very economical and budget-friendly as well.
3-ingredient chili is also great for game day and football parties. Try topping your french fries and hot dogs with some of this one-pot chili – so good!
You could even create a chili bar with loads of tasty chili toppings (think shredded cheese, green onions, sour cream, tortilla chips) and let your guests go to town.
However you serve up this quick and easy stovetop chili, it is sure to be a hit.
For another quick and easy meal give my 3-ingredient slow cooker salsa chicken, 5-ingredient reuben pizza rolls or 3-ingredient slow cooker ranch pork chops a try.
This section includes ingredient notes and substitution options. Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable recipe card at the end of this post.
ground beef – I used ground beef but you are more than welcome to swap with a ground turkey or shredded / diced chicken
chili beans – A 15 or 16 ounce can, undrained.
chili-stylediced tomatoes – I prefer using DelMonte Zesty Chili Style Diced Tomatoes or Hunt’s Chili Starter Seasoned Diced Tomatoes In Sauce for Mild Chili, but a can of Rotel will also work.
Switch up thebeans: Try the recipe with kidney beans, pinto beans, black beans or any other style of bean you would like.
Turn up the heat: Add chili powder, hot sauce, or a pinch of red pepper flakes to give your chili more of a kick.
Make it soupy: Prefer soupy chili? Add a small can of tomato sauce.
How to Make 3-Ingredient Chili
Brown ground beef in a large pot over medium heat.
Mix in chili beans and diced tomatoes and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for 25 minutes.
Serve with your favorite chili toppings such as sour cream, shredded cheese, corn chips, chives, etc..
Storing
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
As an added bonus I always find that chili tastes better the next day as the flavors have had a chance to really meld together.
FAQ
I can’t find any chili-style diced tomatoes. What can I use instead?
If you can’t find chili-style tomatoes you can use a can of plain diced tomatoes (undrained) and spice to your liking with chili seasoning (I recommend 1-2 Tablespoons).
Can I freeze this chili?
Yea! Freeze in a freezer bag or airtight container for up to 3 months. That in the refrigerator overnight and reheat on the stove.
Can I make it in my crockpot?
Sure! Simply brown the meat and add to the crock-pot with the can of chili beans and diced tomatoes. Cook on low 4-6 hours or on high for 2-4 hours.
This easy 3-ingredient chili is thick, hearty, packed with flavor, and comes together in only 30 minutes!
Ingredients
1poundlean ground beef
115.5 ounce can chili beans, undrained
114.5-ounce can chili style diced tomatoes
Instructions
Brown ground beef in a large pot over medium heat, using your spoon to break up the ground beef as it cooks. Drain grease, leaving behind about 1 Tablespoon of grease in the pot for added flavor if desired.
Stir in the chili beans and diced tomatoes. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to medium-low and allow the chili to simmer for about 25 minutes.
Serve warm with your favorite chili toppings (sour cream, shredded cheese, corn chips, scallions, chives, etc).
Notes
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
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.
Cook for a minimum of 45 minutes. If you have the time, it is best if it simmers all day or as long as possible. Serve with sour cream, cheese, cilantro and the remaining bacon.
Putting raw ground beef directly into your chili without cooking it separately first can result in several issues, including food safety concerns and undesirable texture.
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.
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.
Bush's Chili Magic Campfire Style chili starter brings tender pinto beans together with smoky chipotle and green bell peppers for quick, unforgettable chili any night of the week.
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.
Chili can be cooked uncovered or covered, but both are preferable. Chili cooked uncovered will thicken and reduce in liquid, making it a more hearty dish. When covering your chili, you will keep the heat in and prevent it from boiling over.
However, canned beans are soaked in a canning liquid that can throw off your dish's seasoning and texture, so it's best to drain and rinse your beans before pouring them into your pot of chili. Canning liquid can also water down and dilute the flavors of your chili.
It depends on the cooking method. In the crock-pot/slow cooker I would never stir it or even take off the lid until it should be close to done. In a pressure cooker, the same thing. On the stove top, I stir often because as it thickens, you want to stir to prevent possible scorching on the bottom of the pot.
In a large pot over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the onions, garlic, and red pepper; cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the beef and increase the heat to high; cook, stirring with wooden spoon to break the meat into ¼-inch pieces, until the beef is browned, 10 to 12 minutes.
Raw meat and pot of chili are two things that just don't belong together. If the recipe includes any type of ground meat, bacon, chorizo, or cubes of beef, it should always be browned first. Try this: The first order of business before adding anything else to the pot is to brown any meat in your recipe.
Many chili recipes call for ground chili powder, which is a mix of dried ground chiles and other spices like garlic and onion powder. But that doesn't mean you should skip using fresh garlic and onions in your chili. They add a depth of flavor the dried stuff can't match.
When making chili, former Southern Living Test Kitchen Director, Robby Melvin, recommends using a mix of ground chuck and ground sirloin. "It's the best of both worlds," he says. "You get a balanced lean-to-fat ratio from the chuck and the hearty, beefy leanness from the sirloin."
What is the best meat for chili? The best meat for chili depends on the type you're making, but professionals generally use a combination of ground chuck, brisket, short ribs, or diced tri-tip sirloin mixed with bacon and sausage to layer multiple textures and flavors.
Change up the beans. Use black beans, pintos, or a combination of beans to give more flavor. Cook the chili! If you don't cook it long enough (or put in a pressure cooker to speed up the process), it won't taste quite right.
Now for the piece de resistance: 1-2 heaping Tablespoons brown sugar. The chili tastes completely different without the brown sugar so if you like a subtle sweetness in your chili then you've just got to go for it! Trust me, it will not make your chili taste like candy.
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