Chili with Beef Broth is a hearty ground beef chili that uses beef broth as its liquid instead of water: lean beef browned with onion and two bell peppers, bloomed with chili powder, cumin and smoked paprika, then simmered in 3 cups of beef broth with fire-roasted tomatoes, green chiles and kidney beans. It serves 8.
How to make it: Soften the onion and peppers, brown the beef, and stir in the tomato paste, garlic and spices for a minute or two. Add the green chiles, tomatoes and beef broth, bring it to a gentle boil for 10 minutes, then add the beans and simmer on low for at least 30 minutes.
Why You’ll Love It
- Richer than water: beef broth gives the chili a deeper, meatier flavor.
- One pot: everything cooks in a single Dutch oven.
- Feeds a crowd: 2 pounds of beef and two cans of beans make 8 bowls.
- Toppings bar ready: set out cheese, sour cream, avocado, chips and jalapeños.
Ingredient Notes
Beef broth: Three cups. Low-sodium broth leaves you in control of the salt, which matters with canned tomatoes and beans in the pot.
Lean ground beef: Two pounds, browned well and broken into small pieces.
Onion and peppers: One white onion and one each of red and green bell pepper, chopped.
Spices: Chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder and a little chipotle powder, plus 2 teaspoons of brown sugar.
Tomatoes and chiles: A 14.5-ounce can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes, a 4-ounce can of mild green chiles and 2 tablespoons of tomato paste.
Kidney beans: Two 15.5-ounce cans, drained and rinsed.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium white onion, finely chopped
- 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
- 2 pounds lean ground beef
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar, light or dark
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
- 4 ounces mild green chiles (1 can)
- 14.5 ounces fire-roasted diced tomatoes (1 can)
- 3 cups beef broth, low-sodium if you like
- 2 cans red kidney beans (15.5 ounces each), drained and rinsed
How to Make Chili with Beef Broth
1. Soften the vegetables. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or stock pot over medium heat. When it shimmers, add the onion and bell peppers and cook, stirring, for 5 to 7 minutes, until tender.
2. Brown the beef. Add the ground beef and break it into pieces with a wooden spoon. Cook, stirring now and then, for 6 to 7 minutes, until browned and cooked through (160°F).
3. Bloom the spices. Stir in the tomato paste, garlic, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, brown sugar, garlic powder, chipotle powder, salt and pepper. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until fragrant.
4. Add the broth. Add the green chiles, diced tomatoes and beef broth and stir. Cover and bring to a gentle boil for about 10 minutes.
5. Simmer. Uncover, turn the heat to the lowest setting, add the beans and simmer for at least 30 minutes. Taste, add salt if needed, and serve with your favorite toppings.
Beef Broth in Chili: Why, How Much, and Which Kind
Why broth instead of water? Water only adds liquid. A little beef stock or broth adds a rich depth of flavor along with it.
How much to use. It depends on how thick you like your chili and what else is in the pot. This recipe uses 3 cups for 2 pounds of beef with only one can of tomatoes. A pot built on a large can of crushed tomatoes needs just 1 to 2 cups, and one that adds an 8-ounce can of tomato sauce works with about 1 1/2 cups. Two cups of beef bone broth also works for 1 to 1 1/2 pounds of beef.
Which broth. Beef broth or stock for beef chili; beef bone broth works the same way. Choose unsalted or low-sodium so you can season the pot yourself. For chicken or turkey chili, use chicken stock, and for a meatless pot, vegetable stock.
Getting the thickness right. Keep the lid on while the chili simmers if you want it brothy. For a thicker chili, take the lid off for the last 15 to 20 minutes so some of the liquid cooks away. If it gets too thick, stir in a splash more beef broth, crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce.
A splash of wine first. For even more depth, pour 1/2 cup of red wine into the pot after the spices bloom, scrape up the browned bits, then add the broth.
Tips for Success
Why add the spices before the broth?
Stirring the spices into the hot beef and vegetables for a minute or two, before any liquid goes in, lets them release their flavor into the chili.
When should the beans go in?
Near the end. Added for the final simmer, they warm through and take on the chili flavor without turning mushy.
Does the brown sugar make it sweet?
No. A small amount balances the acidity of the tomatoes. Start with the 2 teaspoons here; you can go up to 1 tablespoon.
Variations
- Slow cooker: brown the beef and vegetables and bloom the spices on the stove, then move everything except the beans to a slow cooker. Cook on LOW for 4 to 6 hours or HIGH for 2 to 3 hours, and stir in the beans for the last 30 minutes.
- Long simmer: cover the pot and simmer on low for about 1 hour, stirring now and then so the bottom doesn’t scorch.
- With mushrooms and Worcestershire: sauté 8 ounces of finely chopped mushrooms with the onion and add 2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce with the broth.
- Chicken or turkey chili: use ground chicken or turkey with chicken stock instead of beef broth.
Storage & Reheating
USDA FSIS says to refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow, covered containers and eat them within 3 to 4 days, or freeze them for 3 to 4 months. Thaw frozen chili in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat it covered in a saucepan over low heat, stirring now and then, until it reaches 165°F, and add a splash of broth or water if it has thickened.
What to Serve With It
Top bowls with shredded cheese, sour cream, chopped avocado, cilantro, sliced jalapeños and corn or tortilla chips. Leftovers make chili dogs or loaded baked potatoes; try it over taco stuffed baked potatoes. For a copycat bowl, there’s Wendy’s chili, and for more hearty pots, Instant Pot beef stew, beef and barley soup, slow cooker 15 bean soup and million dollar soup.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is beef broth good to make chili?
Yes. It adds a rich, meaty depth of flavor that water can’t, and it is the liquid in this recipe.
Can I use beef broth in chili instead of water?
Yes. Use it in place of the water. Use low-sodium broth and taste before adding salt at the end.
What kind of broth is best for chili?
Beef broth, stock or bone broth for beef chili; chicken stock for chicken or turkey chili; vegetable stock for a meatless one. Unsalted or low-sodium gives you the most control.
What is the best liquid for chili?
Broth plus the juices from canned tomatoes, with tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes to thicken or loosen it. Red wine can go in first to deglaze the pot.
Final Notes
Use low-sodium broth, bloom the spices, and adjust the lid to get the thickness you like. If you have a question or make this, tell me how it turned out in the comments.
Chili with Beef Broth
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Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium white onion finely chopped
- 1 medium red bell pepper chopped
- 1 medium green bell pepper chopped
- 2 pounds lean ground beef
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 4 cloves garlic finely minced
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar light or dark
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
- 4 ounces mild green chiles 1 can
- 14.5 ounces fire-roasted diced tomatoes 1 can
- 3 cups beef broth low-sodium if you like
- 2 cans red kidney beans 15.5 ounces each, drained and rinsed
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or stock pot over medium heat. When it shimmers, add the onion and bell peppers and cook, stirring, for 5 to 7 minutes, until tender.
- Add the ground beef and break it into pieces with a wooden spoon. Cook, stirring now and then, for 6 to 7 minutes, until browned and cooked through (160°F).
- Stir in the tomato paste, garlic, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, brown sugar, garlic powder, chipotle powder, salt and pepper. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until fragrant.
- Add the green chiles, diced tomatoes and beef broth and stir. Cover and bring to a gentle boil for about 10 minutes.
- Uncover, turn the heat to the lowest setting, add the beans and simmer for at least 30 minutes. Taste, add salt if needed, and serve with your favorite toppings.
