Some of the best recipes happen when you’re tired, hungry, and just trying to use up what’s in the fridge. That’s exactly how this slow-cooked beef chili came to life in my kitchen one night. I had a handful of ingredients, very little energy, and a pot on the stove. An hour later, the result was one of the most satisfying chili recipes I’d ever made.
This beef chili is hearty, rich, and incredibly flexible. It’s packed with ground beef, beans, spices, and a secret ingredient that adds amazing depth of flavor: red wine. The slow simmer gives the spices time to blend together into something warm and comforting. It’s perfect for meal prep, cozy dinners, or transforming leftovers into nachos, tacos, and more.
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What’s in This Beef Chili Recipe?
One of the reasons this chili works so well is that the ingredient list is flexible. The base recipe uses a few classic chili staples, and you can build from there depending on what you already have in your kitchen.
Core ingredients include:
- Ground beef
- Kidney beans
- Bell pepper
- Garlic and onion
- Chili spices
- Red wine (optional but highly recommended)
The red wine adds a deep, savory flavor that makes the chili taste like it simmered all day. If you’ve never cooked with alcohol before, this recipe is a great place to start. As it cooks, the alcohol cooks off and leaves behind a richer flavor.
Another key step is mashing some of the kidney beans. This thickens the chili naturally and gives it that classic texture—not too soupy, but not dry either.
From there, feel free to add anything that works with beef and beans.
(If you are looking for a vegetarian chili recipe, this one is great! We love all kinds of chili.)
And if you want to enjoy this chili with some delicious cornbread as we did, we recommend Jiffy mix! Or, try out our savory cheddar muffins!
The three things that make this chili awesome are:
- The wine, which adds a depth of flavor
- Mashing the kidney beans, which gives it that distinct texture so it’s not soupy, but not dry either
- Letting it cook for an hour on the stove while you chill out so those flavors get a good chance to mingle with each other
Related: 12 One-Pan Dinner Ideas You Can Also Meal Prep For The Week
How to Make Slow-Cooked Beef Chili
This chili recipe is straightforward and forgiving, which is exactly what you want for meal prep.
Basic steps:
- Brown the ground beef in a large pot.
- Add chopped bell pepper, garlic, and onions.
- Stir in spices and cook briefly to release the flavor.
- Add kidney beans, tomatoes, and red wine.
- Mash some of the beans to thicken the chili.
- Let everything simmer for about one hour.
That hour of simmering is the magic. The flavors deepen, the chili thickens, and your kitchen smells incredible.
Use that time to clean up the kitchen, relax with a show, or prep other meals for the week.
If you’re new to meal prep, check out our guide to Meal Planning for Beginners for simple strategies to make cooking easier during busy weeks.
How to customize this beef chili recipe
Chili is so easy to customize. Really, any vegetable or leftover meat (not fish, though!) you have can go in this. Do you have extra cooked grains, like rice, couscous or quinoa? What about barley? Ever cooked millet? (It’s reminds me of corn and goes well with chili!) That can go in, too! Mushrooms, tomatoes, cauliflower, carrots, celery, red onion and red cabbage (all chopped very small) would be my first picks for veggies to add. But you do what you like.
- If you don’t want to use wine, you can use beer.
- If you don’t want to use alcohol at all, use meat stock (chicken or beef) instead, which will cut down on cook time slightly. A beef stock cube or a few teaspoons of stock paste will work, too! In a pinch, you could use a bit of tamari, soy sauce, or coconut aminos (which are like a gluten-free soy sauce sub!)
- Instead of ground beef, you can use ground turkey or even chicken. Feel free to also mix different proteins here! Why not?
- If you’re missing a few ingredients, don’t worry. Just skip them. The stars of the dish are beef and kidney beans and the spice mix.
One thing to not sacrifice though is the cooking time. Give it an hour while you clean your kitchen, catch up on a Netflix show or finally call your grandparents/parents/sibling/friend, etc — whatever you have to do.
Related: 70+ Best Camping Meals
How to Serve Beef Chili
This chili is perfect on its own, but it’s also incredibly versatile for meal prep.
Try serving it with:
- Cornbread or cheddar muffins
- Rice or quinoa
- Baked potatoes
- Tortilla chips for nachos
It also works beautifully as a topping for:
- Burgers
- Mac and cheese
- Enchiladas
- Burritos
- Tacos
Leftover chili is basically a meal prep shortcut because you can transform it into completely different meals throughout the week.
If you love easy, cozy meal prep dinners like this, you might also enjoy our Cold Lunch / No-Reheat Meal Prep Ideas for balancing out your weekly plan.
If You Don’t Want to Eat Chili All Week
One pot of chili can stretch a long way. The good news is it’s incredibly easy to repurpose.
Ideas for leftovers:
- Chili nachos
- Chili-stuffed baked potatoes
- Chili quesadillas
- Chili tacos
- Chili burrito bowls
You can also freeze half the batch and enjoy it later when cooking feels like too much work.
Learning how to stretch meals like this is one of the easiest ways to save money on groceries. Our guide on How to Make a Food Budget shares more strategies for doing exactly that.
If you’re not into eating beef chili for days…
You can repurpose it! I made the most incredible nachos out of this chili over the weekend after it was made. It was a great choice. Using this in a burrito, in a quesadilla, in tacos, or stuffing a potato (or other veggies) with this chili would work too.
When in doubt, just freeze it!
Related: 5 Essential Freezer Meal Prep Tips
How to store and reheat this beef chili
This chili stores beautifully, which makes it perfect for meal prep.
Fridge storage
- Store in airtight containers.
- Keeps for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
Freezer storage
- Freeze for up to 6 months.
- Portion it into individual containers for easy meals later.
Reheating
You can reheat chili two ways:
- Microwave for 2–3 minutes, stirring halfway through.
- Reheat in a saucepan on the stove over medium heat.
Adding a little extra shredded cheese when reheating makes it even better.
FAQs
Yes. Brown the beef and vegetables first, then transfer everything to a slow cooker. Cook on low for 6–8 hours or high for 3–4 hours. This method creates an even deeper flavor.
Absolutely. Simply leave out the beans and add extra vegetables or meat if you’d like. The chili will still be rich and flavorful.
Mashing some of the beans thickens the chili naturally. It creates a hearty texture without needing flour or cornstarch.
Beef chili lasts up to 5 days in the refrigerator when stored in an airtight container. It’s a great option for meal prepping lunches or dinners for the week.
Yes! Chili freezes extremely well. Store it in freezer-safe containers for up to 6 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stove or in the microwave.
Related: How Long Are Leftovers Good For? (And What to Do With Them)
And don’t forget to try our other delicious comfort foods!
- Our Favorite Mac and Cheese recipe
- Individual Chicken Pot Pies
- Veggie Meal Prep Ramen
- Thai Coconut Curry Soup with Chicken
- Chicken Tikka Masala for Meal Prep
The Best Slow Cooked Beef & Bean Chili
Ingredients
- 1 TBSP olive oil
- 1 onion chopped
- 16 oz ground beef sub ground turkey
- 2 clove garlic chopped
- 1 TBSP tomato paste
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/3 cup red wine sub beer, beef/chicken stock, beef stock cube
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- 15 oz can of kidney beans rinsed and drained, lightly mashed
- 15 oz can of diced tomatoes
- 1 cup broth veggie, beef, or chicken broth works
- 3 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp chipotle powder
- 2 tsp brown sugar sub maple syrup, agave, or granulated sugar
- 1 lime chopped in half
- 1-1/2 cup shredded cheese optional
- 1 cup cilantro chopped, optional for garnish
Instructions
- Add the olive oil to a large pot (you need a big one) over a medium flame and let it warm up for a minute or two. Add the chopped onions and stir. Cook for about 5 minutes, until fragrant. If they start to burn, add a splash of water.
- Add the ground beef, garlic, and tomato paste with salt and pepper to taste. Break up the beef with a wooden spoon and stir until everything is incorporated. Let the beef cook through completely (about 6-8 minutes).
- If using, add the wine or beer. Cook over medium heat for another 5-7 minutes so the alcohol evaporates completely. Then add the bell peppers and stir. Cover the pot so they soften quickly and let them cook for about 5 minutes.
- Add the lightly mashed kidney beans (this helps thicken the chili) followed by the diced tomatoes, broth, chili powder, paprika, cumin, chipotle powder, and brown sugar. Stir everything together well and bring it to a low boil. Then reduce to a simmer and cook uncovered over low heat for 45-60 minutes (trust me).
- When it’s done cooking, most, but not all of the liquid in the chili should have completely evaporated. The mixture will be thick, but still a little liquidy. Taste it and adjust the spices as necessary. You may want to add more salt, make it spicier, etc. (An easy way to add be would be stirring in siracha). Squeeze half a lime over the chili and stir. If meal prepping, divide between three (or four depending on how much you want to eat) meal prep containers. Garnish with extra lime wedges and cilantro if desired. Keep shredded cheese on the side to add right before heating up!
