Quick and Easy 15 Minute Chili
This is my go-to, easy-to-make, kid-friendly chili recipe I've been making and perfecting for over 40 years!
Ingredients
- 1-1.5 pounds ground beef or other meat
- 2 cups sweet, white, or yellow onion, chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1-2 cloves garlic, minced, (or about 2 teaspoons. Or 1 teaspoon garlic powder)
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1-2 tablespoons chili powder, to taste
- 3 15-ounce cans small red, pinto, or kidney beans with juice
- 1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes with juice
- 1 can Ro*Tel, optional - see recipe notes
- 1 15-ounce can tomato sauce or 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste, see recipe notes
- 1 8-ounce can green chile sauce or salsa
- 1 tablespoon beef base, (Better than Bouillon), or 2-3 cubes beef bouillon
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, optional
- 1 tablespoon brown or granulated sugar, if needed, see recipe notes
- water, if needed
Instructions
- Brown the beef and onions over medium-high heat. Season with salt and pepper. Drain any excess grease from the pan and discard.
- Reduce heat to medium and add the garlic, oregano leaves, cumin, and chili powder. Sauté for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant.
- Add all of the canned ingredients and salsa. Stir to combine.
- Add the beef base and Worcestershire sauce and stir. Add sugar if needed.
- Serve immediately or simmer, covered, for 2-6 hours. Add water if needed.
Notes
- Any type of meat may be used: ground beef, slow cooked beef or pork, pork sausage, wild game.
- If using a meat such as wild game with very little to no fat, add 2-3 tablespoons olive oil to pan when browning.
- If you have extra peppers such as green, red, or yellow in the fridge, chop and add to the mixture.
- When I use Rotel, I check the heat level of the ingredients. Rotel heat level varies quite a bit and may be too hot for young ones!
- I usually choose either Rotel or canned tomatoes in this recipe. They both work well.
- Tomato sauce or tomato paste works, but I think tomato paste has a richer flavor and also helps thicken. If I use tomato paste, I usually add 1/2 cup of water after cooking all day. If I serve it immediately, no extra liquid is needed.
- If you have leftover sausage or pot roast, etc, chop and add to the chili.
- I add sugar only if the recipe seems a bit too acidic or too spicy.
- This recipe freezes well. Fill Ziplock bags with cooked, cooled, chili and lay flat in freezer. It thaws much quicker when frozen flat instead of in a bowl.