Spicy Beef Chili Cheddar

The first snow of the season was just starting to stick to the windows when my roommate walked in with a bag of groceries and announced we were making chili that night. I'd always thought of chili as something that came from a can, something you ate at football games or cheap Tuesday specials. But watching her dump ingredients into that old Dutch oven, smelling the onions hit hot oil and the spices bloom in the steam, completely changed my mind. Now every winter, when the temperature drops below freezing, my kitchen automatically starts smelling like cumin and simmering tomatoes.

I made this for a Super Bowl party a few years back and honestly people were more excited about the chili than the actual game. My friend Sarah, who claims she hates beans in everything, went back for thirds and finally admitted she'd been wrong her entire life. There's something about a big pot of chili on the stove that makes people linger in the kitchen, grabbing spoons and taste testing, telling stories while it bubbles away.

Ingredients

• 1.5 lbs ground beef: The 80/20 ratio gives you enough fat to carry all those spices without needing to add extra oil
• 1 large onion, diced: Yellow onions work perfectly here they sweeten as they cook and build that classic chili foundation
• 1 red bell pepper, diced: Adds a subtle sweetness and beautiful color contrast against the deep red tomatoes
• 3 cloves garlic, minced: Fresh garlic makes all the difference dont be tempted to use the pre minced stuff in jars
• 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped: Leave some seeds in if you want real heat but seeded gives a nice background warmth
• 1 can kidney beans and 1 can black beans: The combination of both beans gives you different textures and makes the chili feel substantial
• 1 can crushed tomatoes and 1 can diced tomatoes: Crushed tomatoes create the body while diced add little pockets of tomato texture
• 1 cup beef broth or stock: Homemade stock is amazing but a good quality store bought one works perfectly fine
• 2 tbsp chili powder: This is the backbone of your flavor use a fresh container if you can
• 2 tsp ground cumin: Earthy and essential that distinctive chili taste comes mostly from cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika: Adds this incredible smoky depth that makes people think you cooked it over a fire
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper: Start with half and add more at the end if you want to kick it up
• 1 tsp dried oregano: Adds a subtle herbal note that balances all the heavy spices
• 1.5 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese: Sharp cheddar has more flavor and melts better than mild cheese

Instructions

Brown the beef base:

Heat a drizzle of oil in your large Dutch oven over medium high heat and add the ground beef breaking it up with your spoon as it cooks. You want it nicely browned all over not just gray which takes about 8 to 10 minutes and gives you way more flavor.

Build the vegetable foundation:

Add the diced onion red bell pepper jalapeño and garlic to the pot with the beef. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes stirring occasionally until the onions are translucent and your whole kitchen smells amazing.

Wake up the spices:

Stir in the chili powder cumin smoked paprika cayenne oregano salt and black pepper. Let them cook for just 1 minute until you can really smell them blooming in the fat this is where all the flavor gets locked in.

Add everything else:

Pour in the crushed tomatoes diced tomatoes beef broth kidney beans and black beans. Give everything a good stir making sure to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot that's pure flavor right there.

Let it simmer and meld:

Bring the mixture to a boil then immediately drop the heat to low. Let it simmer uncovered for 45 minutes stirring occasionally until it's thickened and the flavors have had time to really get to know each other.

Final adjustment:

Taste your chili and add more salt cayenne or chili powder if it needs it. This is also the time to add a splash more broth if it's thicker than you like though keep in mind it will thicken slightly as it cools.

Serve it up:

Ladle the hot chili into bowls and pile on the shredded sharp cheddar cheese while it's still steaming so it gets all melty and wonderful. Top with fresh cilantro and sliced green onions if you're feeling fancy.

Save

My dad came over to help me fix a leaky faucet last winter and I had a pot of this going on the stove. He ended up staying three hours longer than necessary just eating bowl after bowl and talking about how his mother used to make something similar when he was growing up in Chicago. Food has this way of unlocking memories and starting conversations that nothing else can quite manage.

Make It Your Own

I've played around with this base recipe so many times and it always works. Sometimes I'll add a can of corn or swap in ground turkey when I'm trying to be slightly healthier. The best version I ever made happened on accident when I ran out of kidney beans and used all black beans instead somehow the texture was even better.

Serving Suggestions

Cornbread is obviously the classic pairing and honestly I don't think you need to overthink it. But my sister in law puts this over baked potatoes and it's kind of life changing. The potato soaks up all that spiced tomato broth and suddenly dinner feels like a complete meal without much extra effort.

Storage & Freezing

This chili keeps beautifully in the fridge for up to 4 days and honestly tastes better on day 3 or 4 when all the spices have really settled in. I freeze it in 2 cup portions which thaws overnight in the fridge and reheats perfectly on the stove or in the microwave.

• Let the chili cool completely before freezing to avoid ice crystals
• Label your containers with the date because frozen chili all looks the same after a month
• Leave about an inch of space at the top of containers since liquids expand when frozen

Save

There's something so comforting about knowing there's chili in the fridge ready to be warmed up after a long day. It's the kind of food that makes a house feel like a home.

Recipe FAQs

→ How can I adjust the heat level?

Add extra cayenne pepper or include an additional jalapeño for more spice, or omit the jalapeño for a milder version.

→ Can I substitute the beef with another protein?

Ground turkey or a plant-based meat alternative can be used to lighten the dish while maintaining the hearty texture.

→ What side dishes pair well with this chili?

Try serving with cornbread, tortilla chips, or baked potatoes to complement the rich flavors and textures.

→ Is this dish suitable for gluten-free diets?

Yes, if using gluten-free broth and spices, the dish remains gluten-free but always check ingredient labels.

→ How should leftovers be stored?

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days or freeze for longer storage without losing flavor.