Tomato Juice Chili is a meaty, mild stovetop chili that uses a 46-ounce can of tomato juice as its liquid. A pound of ground beef is browned with a large onion, then simmered with petite diced tomatoes, chili powder, Worcestershire sauce, a teaspoon of sugar and a can of mild chili beans. It serves 6, and most of its 70 minutes is hands-off simmering.
How to make it: Brown the beef and onion in a large pot and drain the fat. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato juice and seasonings, bring it to a boil, then cover and let it simmer. Add the chili beans for a final uncovered simmer and serve it hot.
Why You’ll Love It
- Pantry staples: canned tomato juice, a can of tomatoes and a can of chili beans do most of the work.
- Meaty and mild: a full pound of beef, mild chili beans and chili powder you can set anywhere from 2 to 3 tablespoons.
- One pot: the beef browns in the same pot the chili simmers in.
- Easy to change: swap the beans or the beef, add a little cayenne, or stir in noodles at the table.
Ingredient Notes
Tomato juice: One 46-ounce can. It is the main liquid in the pot, and together with the tomatoes it turns the chili a bright red.
Petite diced tomatoes: A 28-ounce can, added with all of its liquid, so there are small pieces of tomato in every bite.
Mild chili beans: One 16-ounce can. They go in after the first long simmer.
Seasonings: Chili powder, salt, a teaspoon of sugar and a tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce. Start with 2 tablespoons of chili powder for the mildest pot and use 3 if your family likes more chili flavor.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 large onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
- 28 ounces petite diced tomatoes (1 can), with liquid
- 46 ounces tomato juice (1 can)
- 2 to 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 16 ounces mild chili beans (1 can)
How to Make Tomato Juice Chili
1. Brown the beef and onion. In a large pot, cook and stir the ground beef and onion until the beef is lightly browned and cooked through (160°F). Drain the fat.
2. Add the tomatoes and seasonings. Stir in the diced tomatoes with their liquid, the tomato juice, chili powder, salt, sugar and Worcestershire sauce.
3. Simmer covered. Bring the chili to a boil, then reduce the heat. Cover and simmer for about 45 minutes.
4. Add the beans. Stir in the chili beans and bring back to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes, until hot. For thicker chili, keep simmering, stirring occasionally, until it is as thick as you like.
How Much Tomato Juice to Put in Chili
The ratio in this pot. One 46-ounce can of tomato juice and one 28-ounce can of petite diced tomatoes for 1 pound of ground beef and one can of beans. That gives you 6 servings.
For a bigger batch. Double everything: 2 pounds of ground beef, two 46-ounce cans of tomato juice, two 28-ounce cans of petite diced tomatoes, two cans of chili beans and twice the seasonings.
Cooking it down. If the chili still looks thin after the bean simmer, keep it simmering uncovered, stirring now and then. It also thickens as it stands.
Loosening it. If it ends up thicker than you like, stir in a little more tomato juice at the end.
Tips for Success
Should I drain the beef?
Yes. Once the beef and onion are browned, pour off the fat before the tomatoes and juice go into the pot.
Can I make it a day ahead?
Yes. This chili is even better on the second day. Cool it and store it as below, then reheat it the next day.
Can I add noodles?
Cook them in a separate pot. Drain about 3/4 of the water and let the noodles sit in what is left, stirring now and then so they don’t stick. Let everyone add their own, since noodles left in warm chili turn soggy. Elbow macaroni is the usual choice.
Variations
- Ground turkey: use lean ground turkey in place of the beef and cook it through to 165°F.
- Kidney or pinto beans: use a 16-ounce can of drained red kidney beans, or rinsed and drained pinto beans, instead of the chili beans.
- A little more heat: add 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne pepper with the chili powder, and more if you want the chili spicier.
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. This chili freezes nicely in lidded containers. Thaw frozen chili in the refrigerator. Reheat it covered on the stove, bringing it to a rolling boil, or in the microwave until it reaches 165°F. Don’t reheat leftovers in a slow cooker; heat them on the stove first, and then a slow cooker can keep the chili hot for serving.
What to Serve With It
Serve bowls with corn chips, cornbread or rice, top them with cheese, or spoon the chili over corn chips for a Frito pie. It goes well with tamales too, and a tamale casserole brings the same idea to the oven. For a bigger pot made with tomato purée, kidney and pinto beans, celery and green pepper, try my ground beef and bean chili. More hearty pots to keep in the rotation: quick and easy taco soup, slow cooker 15 bean soup and old fashioned goulash.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you make chili with tomato juice?
Yes. Tomato juice can be the only liquid you add. Along with the liquid from the canned tomatoes, it is all this chili needs, and it gives the pot its bright red color.
Can you use tomato juice instead of tomato sauce in chili?
Yes. Tomato juice works as the whole tomato base when it is paired with a can of diced tomatoes, as it is here. It also works alongside tomato sauce in the same pot.
Is this chili spicy?
No, it is a mild chili. The heat comes from the chili powder and mild chili beans, so use 2 tablespoons of chili powder for the gentlest pot.
Can I make tomato juice chili in a slow cooker?
Yes. Brown the beef and onion on the stove first and drain them. Put the rest of the ingredients in a large slow cooker, stir in the beef and onion, and cook on LOW for 5 to 7 hours.
Final Notes
Taste the chili before serving and add salt and pepper to taste if it needs it. If you have a question or make this, tell me how it turned out in the comments.
Tomato Juice Chili
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Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 large onion chopped (about 1 cup)
- 28 ounces petite diced tomatoes 1 can, with liquid
- 46 ounces tomato juice 1 can
- 2 to 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 16 ounces mild chili beans 1 can
Instructions
- In a large pot, cook and stir the ground beef and onion until the beef is lightly browned and cooked through (160°F). Drain the fat.
- Stir in the diced tomatoes with their liquid, the tomato juice, chili powder, salt, sugar and Worcestershire sauce.
- Bring the chili to a boil, then reduce the heat. Cover and simmer for about 45 minutes.
- Stir in the chili beans and bring back to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes, until hot. For thicker chili, keep simmering, stirring occasionally, until it is as thick as you like.
