Homemade One Pot Chili From Scratch 🌶️

Name: Homemade One Pot Chili
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h 15 min
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 lbs ground beef (80/20); 2 jalapenos; 1 green bell pepper; 1 red bell pepper; 1 large onion; 3 tbsp chili powder; 1 tsp all purpose seasoning; 2 tsp cumin; 1 tsp smoked paprika; 1 tsp onion powder; 1 tsp garlic powder; 1/4 tsp cayenne; Pinch of cinnamon; 2 to 3 tbsp brown sugar; 2 tsp beef bouillon; 6 oz tomato paste; 15 oz tomato sauce; 15 oz black beans; 15 oz red kidney beans; 1 cup beef broth; 1 cup beer

October 21, 2026 · Toni

Bowl of homemade chili topped with sour cream and cheese

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It had been raining for days, and that is chili weather. Even in Florida.

Now, as a Haitian girl, chili was not on the menu growing up. But my husband grew up in Ohio and he raves about the chili from his house. So this pot had something to prove. He went back for a third bowl and started talking about leftovers. I do not think he knows what leftovers means.

No packet, just the pantry

I use 80/20 ground beef and let it brown before I break it up. I do not drain it. Most of the fat cooks down on its own and that is flavor.

Then jalapeños, green and red bell peppers and onion. The seasoning is chili powder, all purpose, cumin, smoked paprika, onion and garlic powder, a little cayenne and a pinch of cinnamon. Two to three tablespoons of brown sugar round it out, and beef bouillon goes right on the bottom of the pot so it cooks into everything. To me it is not spicy at all. But I am Caribbean, so taste it yourself.

Tomato paste gets a minute to cook before the tomato sauce goes in. Then black beans, red kidney beans, beef broth, and part of a can of beer. Somebody in the kitchen will volunteer to finish the rest. Then it simmers for about an hour and the whole house smells like it.

Homemade One Pot Chili

Ground beef chili with three kinds of peppers, black and kidney beans, brown sugar and beer, simmered for an hour.

Prep

15 min

Cook

About 1 1/4 hrs

Serves

6 to 8

Ingredients

2 lbs ground beef (80/20)
2 jalapeños, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 large onion, diced
3 tbsp chili powder, plus more to taste
1 tsp all purpose seasoning
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp cayenne
Pinch of cinnamon
2 to 3 tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp beef bouillon
1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained
1 can (15 oz) red kidney beans, drained
1 cup beef broth
About 1 cup beer
For topping: sour cream, shredded cheese, onions

Instructions

Brown the ground beef in a large pot over medium high heat, letting it sit before breaking it up. No need to drain.
Add the jalapeños, bell peppers and onion and cook until softened.
Stir in all the spices, the brown sugar and the bouillon. Cook a minute or two.
Add the tomato paste and let it cook on the bottom of the pot for a minute, then stir in the tomato sauce.
Add both beans, the beef broth and the beer. Stir.
Simmer uncovered on low for about 1 hour, stirring now and then. Taste and add more chili powder if you want it spicier.
Serve topped with sour cream, cheese and onions.