Homemade Chili
This homemade No Bean Chili recipe is hearty, filling, and definitely brings the heat! It’s perfect over corn chips, rice, or hotdogs.
I always say that enchiladas are my favorite meal my mom makes, but this homemade chili without beans is a close second. I finally learned how to make this a few years ago when I entered it in my work’s annual chili cook off. I knew it was delicious, but I never imagined I would actually win!
If you win, you get to represent the department in the company-wide chili cook off. Which translates into an entire day dedicated to cooking chili at an outdoor park. It was a fun experience, but I’m not really a cooking over the fire kind of gal.
I love fall soups and stews, but it’s really not official cold weather until you make chili. We love to eat this chili with white rice, tortilla chips, or corn bread. If there’s any leftover we serve it over hot dogs the next day.
I am a chili purist, (unlike my husband, who prefers this Chili with Beans) so there are NO beans in this recipe. It’s hearty and filling, and definitely brings the heat!
It takes some pre-planning, it’s not a 30-minute dinner, but I think that’s part of what makes it so delicious. The anticipation of it simmering on the stove for a few hours and the smell of all of the flavors cooking together makes it worth the wait.
Ingredients for No Bean Chili
This is the BEST chili recipe with no beans. It has a short ingredient list, yet packs in tons of flavor. Here’s what you’ll need to make beanless chili:
- Beef roast
- Beef broth
- Tomato sauce
- Onion
- Beef bouillon cubes
- Spices (salt, cumin, garlic powder, paprika, white pepper, cayenne, chili powder)
How to Make Homemade Chili without Beans
- Trim the fat and cut the roast into small pieces. Brown the meat and pour off the excess liquid.
- In a large pot, combine the meat, beef broth, and tomato sauce.
- Cover with at least 1 ½ inches of water.
- Add the minced onion and spices.
- Boil for 2 hours, or until the meat is tender.
- Add all remaining ingredients and simmer for 1 hour.
Our Favorite Chili Toppings
This no bean chili is delicious as is, but I also like to load up on the toppings! Here are some of our favorites:
- Sour cream
- Shredded cheese
- Crushed tortilla chips (or Fritos)
- Green onion
- Diced jalapeño
Can You Freeze Homemade Chili?
Absolutely! Make the beanless chili recipe as directed, then let it cool before sealing inside freezer bags or freezer-safe containers. To reheat, you can either bring it up to temperature on the stove or just heat from frozen in the microwave.
Tips for Making the Best No Bean Chili
- If the mixture is too thick, you can thin it with beef broth. If it is too thin, add potato flakes. It will thicken considerably after adding the chili powder, during the last hour of cooking, so keep this in mind.
- This is a fairly spicy chili, so wait to add extra cayenne or chili powder until it’s had time to simmer for a few hours.
- You can enjoy this chili without beans as a soup, or you can spoon it over hot dogs, corn chips, and more!
More Hearty Soup Recipes:
Ingredients
- 3 lbs beef roast (chuck, round, or sirloin tip)
- 14.5 oz beef broth
- 8 oz can tomato sauce
- 5 tbsp minced onion
- 1 tsp salt
- 4 tsp cumin
- 2 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
- 2 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 8 tbsp chili powder
- 2 beef bouillon cubes
Instructions
- Trim the fat and cut the roast into smaller than bite size pieces.
- Brown the meat and pour off the excess liquid. In a large pot, combine the meat, beef broth, and tomato sauce.
- Cover with at least 1 1/2″ of water. (This will depend on the size pot you are using.)
- Add 5 tbsp minced onion, 1 tsp salt, 2 tsp cumin, 1 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, 2 tbsp garlic powder, 1 tsp paprika, and 1/4 tsp white pepper.
- Boil for two hours, until meat is tender.
- Add all remaining ingredients and simmer for one hour.
Prize winning chili recipe! Trust me! 5 time winner in the chili cookoff! Officially retired from the cookoff!
If freezing this, how would you thaw and cook? And would you pre-cook the meat before freezing?
Hi Emily- yes, I would cook the entire recipe and then freeze it after it has fully cooled. To re-heat: you can either bring it up to temperature on the stove or just heat from frozen in the microwave.
This would be yummy with turkey for me