One Pot Texas Chili Recipe (Takes Just 15 Minutes Of Prep Work) (2024)

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This Texas chili recipe is loaded with flavor. It combines perfectly seasoned ground beef with diced tomatoes, beef broth, onions, and garlic to create a dish that's to die for. But it's not just super delicious, it's super easy to make too. In fact, this Texas chili recipe is made entirely in just one pot, and as far as prep work goes, just 15 minutes is all you'll need to invest to make it.

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The Best Texas Chili Recipe

There are a lot of different kinds of chili recipes out there - and I've made quite a few chili recipes already myself - but I think this Texas chili is one of the best ones I've made yet.

I mean, it's filled with the perfect mix of flavors from seasonings like ancho chili powder, spices like paprika, diced tomatoes, and tomato paste for the classic base, and brown sugar for a touch of sweetness. Then, of course, each bite is filled with ground beef for added protein and heartiness.

Also, since this is a true Texas chili, it doesn't have any beans in it. And, honestly, I don't think it's more delicious that way. Ground beef is the star of the dish and gives the chili the perfect amount of substance and flavor. Beans definitely aren't needed here.

Now, not only is this Texas chili recipe delicious, but it's also one of the easiest chili recipes you can make. All you have to do is cook the ground beef with the garlic and onions, then add the rest of the ingredients to the same pot and let it all cook.

Honestly, the entire recipe is pretty much passive cooking, and you barely have to do anything. That means that while the chili is cooking, you can make this cowboy cornbread to go with it. It's by far the most delicious thing you can pair with this chili recipe. Dipping the cornbread in the chili is just a match made in heaven.

Ingredients

Now, although this Texas Chili recipe is packed with flavor, it's made almost entirely with kitchen/pantry staples. In fact, you probably have most - if not all - of them at your house already.

Anyway, here's what you'll need to make this Texas chili recipe:

1 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 cup onions, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb. ground beef (or beef chuck roast)
½ tsp. salt
2 tbsp. ancho chile powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. paprika
1 tbsp. brown sugar
2 cups diced tomatoes
3 tbsp. tomato paste
3 cups beef broth or beef stock

Pretty simple stuff, right?

By the way, you can use almost every single one of these ingredients to make this chili cornbread casserole recipe. So you'll definitely want to check that out next. And that's especially true if you end up with some extra ingredients after making this recipe.

Ingredient Substitutions & Suggestions

Now, I pretty much almost always make this Texas chili recipe with the ingredients listed above, but there are some changes you can make to it, and it'll still turn out great.

Swap the Beef

Most Texas chili recipes are made with ground beef, just like this one. However, you can use stew meat or chuck roast to make this recipe, and it'll turn it into more of a Texas chili con carne. With that said, if you use large cuts of chuck meat, chopped beef chuck roast, or stew meat, you'll want to brown the meat in the pot over medium-high heat - just like you'd cook the ground beef. However, it will take a few minutes longer to cook the meat, so just keep that in mind.

Add Peppers

This Texas style chili recipe doesn't have any peppers in it, but adding some peppers is a great way to give it more texture and a little spice.

Honestly, you can add in any peppers you want, like chipotle peppers, pasilla peppers, jalapeno peppers, chili peppers, serrano peppers, dried ancho peppers or ancho chiles, or just simple bell pepper. As for the seasonings, you can add in a sprinkle of cayenne pepper and even some red pepper flakes to increase the spice.

Add Toppings

Now, this Texas chili is delicious on its own, but it's even more delicious with some toppings. Really anything you want goes excellent on top of it. With that said, a few of my favorite things to pot on top of it are shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, avocado, and tortilla chips or corn chips for dipping.

How to Make Texas Chili

So, I know I mentioned it earlier, but it's worth saying again - this Texas chili is incredibly easy to make.

It's made in just three simple steps that consist of cooking the ground beef, adding the rest of the ingredients to a large dutch oven, and then letting everything simmer in the pot. Honestly, the hardest part is just waiting for the chili to cook, so you'll want to find something to keep you occupied for about an hour!

Anyway, let's stop wasting time and get cooking!

Step 1: Cook the Beef

First, you'll want to take out a large dutch oven - or pot - and add the vegetable oil to it. Let it heat up for a minute, then add the onions to the pot and cook them for about 6 minutes or until they're translucent and aromatic. Also, be sure to stir them occasionally so they don't burn.

Next, you'll want to add the garlic to the pot and cook it for about 1 minute - stirring it around the pot the entire time as it cooks.

Now you can add the ground beef to the pot and cook it for about 6 minutes or until it's browned on all sides. Also, while you're cooking it, you can break the beef apart into smaller chunks as it cooks.

Step 2: Season and Make The Chili Sauce

Once the beef has cooked, it's time to add the flavor. So, to do that, you'll want to add the salt, ancho chili powder, ground cumin, paprika, and brown sugar to the pot and stir all the seasonings together with the beef, cooking for about 1 minute.

Next, you can add the diced tomatoes and tomato paste into the pot and then whisk them until they combine with the rest of the ingredients. Finally, once those are well incorporated with the other ingredients, you can add the beef broth to the pot and give everything one last big stir.

Step 3: Simmer and Serve

After you add the beef broth to the pot, you can bring the chili mixture to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook the chili for about 1 hour. Also, while the chili is cooking, you'll want to give it a stir every 15 minutes or so to blend all of the flavors together.

Finally, when the chili is done cooking, serve it in a couple of bowls with some sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, or any toppings you want. Enjoy!

How to Store Texas Chili

This recipe for Texas chili makes about 6 servings, so there's a chance you'll have some leftovers. If you do, this chili tastes incredible the next day, so consider yourself lucky!

Anyway, you can store any leftover chili in an airtight container in the fridge for about 3-4 days.

Alternatively, if you want to store the chili for even longer, you can keep it in an airtight container - or freezer-safe bag - in the freezer for about 4-6 months.

How to Reheat Texas Chili

Whenever you're ready to eat this Texas chili again, you'll definitely want to reheat it and enjoy it warm.

My favorite way to reheat chili is to put it back in a pot and heat it over medium heat on the stovetop until it's warm. Just make sure you stir it occasionally as you do.

However, if you're looking for an even quicker way to reheat the chili, you can use a microwave. Just heat it in the microwave in 30-second increments, stirring between each one, until warm.

Wrapping it Up

Well, that's how to make Texas chili!

I know I'm biased, but I think this is one of the best Texas chili recipes you can make. It's just chock-full of flavor, and it's so, so easy to make! Honestly, it's tough to beat.

Anyway, this is one of my go-to chili recipes - especially during the winter months - and I hope you and you're family enjoy it as much as we do!

As always, if you give this Texas chili recipe a try, leave a comment below and let us know how it went.

More Recipes

If you're looking for more delicious recipes - just like this Texas chili - we have a bunch on the blog that you can try next.

Here are some fan favorites:

John Wayne casserole
Beef enchilada casserole
Texas chicken spaghetti
4 ingredient potato soup
White chicken chili with cream cheese
Bacon wrapped armadillo eggs

Oh, and for even more tasty tastiness, be sure to follow us on YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. We post new recipes on them every single day.