The perfect classic chili recipe is for everyone who prefers their chili without beans! It’s thick and hearty, with delicious flavor–the perfect way to warm up on a chilly night!
Is there anything that says “it’s getting cooler outside” more than a big batch of chili? In the summer months, the last thing I want to eat is something warm and hearty like this, but once the weather starts cooling off, it’s one of the first things I crave. It warms you from the inside out and feels like cozy comfort food.
Much like soup, there are never-ending varieties of chili. It’s versatile, and every region and family seems to have their favorite spin. Heck, on this blog alone, we’ve got a lot of chili recipes–everything from Cozy Slow Cooker Chili, to Salsa Verde Chicken Chili, to Cincinnati Chili to Pumpkin Chili! But this classic chili recipe always hits the spot, mostly because…
This No-Beans Chili Recipe is Thick, Hearty & Warming
A big bowl of chili is so cozy when it’s chilly outside, and makes a great dinner for a crowd. This classic chili recipe definitely fits the bill! From the ingredients, to the flavor, there’s so much to love!
🥣 EASE: If you’re not a fan of beans in your chili, this is the recipe for you. It’s just simple ingredients + no fancy techniques! If you can stir, you can make this easy chili recipe!
🌶️ FLAVORS: This is a classic chili, so you’ll get flavor notes from classics like onions & peppers, chili powder, cumin, and garlic. Then we add extra depth with smoked paprika and chipotle chili powder. The flavors only get better with time!
💡 TOP TIPS: Follow your tastebuds here, and feel free to add more seasoning, if you like. Don’t miss our tips below for turning up the heat if you like spicy chili!
Happy cooking! xo, Emily
Gather Your Ingredients
How To Make Chili Without Beans, Step By Step
As always, you can find the full recipe with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.
- Brown The Beef. In a large Dutch oven or large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the ground beef and cook 7-8 minutes, or until cooked through. If desired, drain excess fat from the pan (I never do this).
- Cook Veggies. Add onions and bell peppers and cook 4-5 minutes, or until tender.
- Build Flavor. Next, add garlic, spices, salt, and pepper and cook 1-2 minutes more, until fragrant. Stir in tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, and 2 cups beef broth. Stir to combine.
- Simmer. Bring chili to a simmer. Cook 20-30 minutes on medium low heat, stirring occasionally until thickened and flavorful.
- Serve & Store. Enjoy warm with your favorite toppings, like sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, grated cheese, sliced green onions or diced onion, minced cilantro, sliced jalapeños, and more! Store leftover chili in an airtight container in the fridge 3-4 days, or freeze up to 2 months.
Slow Cooker Directions
We almost always make this chili on the stove, but it’s also a great recipe for the slow cooker on a busy night! Here’s what you’ll do differently:
If desired, brown beef and saute onions and peppers as directed in stovetop directions, then transfer cooked beef and sautéed onions and peppers to the crock of your slow cooker. (Or simply, add all the ingredients to the crock of your slow cooker and stir to combine. Cook on LOW 7-8 hours, or HIGH 3-4 hours.
Serving Suggestions & Toppings To Try
One great thing about this no-bean chili recipe? It’s naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, paleo, AND whole30 approved, so it’s a great chili recipe for a lot of different dietary needs! That also means you have a lot of flexibility around how to serve it. Here are a few of of our favorites:
- In a Bowl With Toppings! Obviously, we’ll start with the classic! Serve this beef chili in a bowl topped with your favorite chili toppings, from dairy-free options like avocado, cilantro, or jalapeños, to cheddar cheese, sour cream, or plain Greek yogurt.
- On Hot Dogs! This classic chili recipe makes a great topping for chili dogs in the fall or for game day!
- Over Baked Potatoes. Or, you can scoop it over a baked potato or baked sweet potatoes for an easy, nourishing dinner.
- With Cornbread or Corn Chips! Try it with these Gluten-Free Corn Muffins, a side of Maple Cornbread, or your favorite tortilla chips for dipping!
FAQ + Tips And Tricks For The Best No Beans Chili
Turn Up The Heat! If you want a spicier chili, you have a few options: mince a jalapeño and add it with the bell peppers and onions, increase the chipotle chili pepper, or add a few shakes of your favorite hot sauce!
Can I Add Beans? This a beanless chili recipe, but yes, for sure. But, if you’re going that route, I recommend just using our Gluten-Free Chili recipe that has a mix of beans and beef!
Can I Use Ground Turkey Instead? Sure! If you like the flavor of ground turkey, you can absolutely use it here. I’m not a fan of the flavor, so I prefer making this with lean ground beef.
Freeze Some For Later! This no-beans chili recipe makes a generous batch (about 10 cups!), so I usually freeze half of it for another day. I like using the leftovers for topping baked potatoes or making chili mac!
Did You Make This Recipe?
Tell me all about it! Leave a star rating below when you try our Classic No-Beans Chili recipe. I can’t wait to hear how it goes!
Classic No-Beans Chili
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 2 pounds extra lean ground beef (I like 93% lean)
- 1 onion diced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 Tablespoons chili powder
- 1 1/2-2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1-1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1/4-1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 2 cups beef broth (I like bone broth for more protein!)
Instructions
- Brown The Beef. In a Dutch oven or large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the ground beef and cook 7-8 minutes, or until cooked through. If desired, drain excess fat from the pan (I never do this).
- Cook Veggies. Add onions and bell peppers and cook 4-5 minutes, or until tender.
- Build Flavor. Next, add garlic, spices, salt, and pepper and cook 1-2 minutes more, until fragrant. Stir in tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, and 2 cups beef broth. Stir to combine.
- Simmer. Bring to a simmer. Cook 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened and flavorful.
- Serve & Store. Enjoy warm with your favorite toppings, like sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, grated cheese, sliced green onions or diced onion, minced cilantro, sliced jalapeños, and more! Store leftover chili in an airtight container in the fridge 3-4 days, or freeze up to 2 months.
Notes
- Beef. I recommend using lean ground beef for this recipe. I like 90-97% lean so I don’t need to drain any fat from the pan. If you prefer, this recipe can also be made with ground turkey or ground chicken.
- Turn Up The Heat! If you want a spicier chili, you have a few options: mince a jalapeño and add it with the bell peppers and onions, increase the chipotle chili pepper, or add a few shakes of your favorite hot sauce!
- Slow Cooker Directions: If desired, brown beef and saute onions and peppers as directed in stovetop directions, then transfer cooked beef and sautéed onions and peppers to the crock of your slow cooker. (Or simply, add ingredients to the crock of your slow cooker). Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Cook on LOW 7-8 hours, or HIGH 3-4 hours.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition facts are an estimate only and will vary based on brands and amounts used.
Find it Online:
https://www.onelovelylife.com/perfect-classic-chili/Recipe originally published September 2016. Fully updated with improved recipe, new photos, video & notes and republished October 2025.
So cozy! This chili is easy to make and incredibly hearty.
This was absolutely delicious! I followed the recipe exactly except that my peppers were quite large so I used half for each one. I plan to make this again for a Super Bowl party this weekend!
Hooray! So glad you loved it!
Came out awesome..👍😌
Thank u🙏🏽
Yay! I’m so glad. Thanks for sharing!