ByDonna Elick
14 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read mydisclosure policy.
5 Ingredient Chiliis packed with flavor and just enough heat to tickle your tastebuds. This classic chili recipe combines seasoned beef, tomatoes, beans, and chiles for a quick and easy meal. Make it tonight in just 15 minutes!
5 Ingredient Chili
Busy days call for lazy evenings with a bowl of delicious comfort food.
With this easy stovetop chili recipe, you can get all of the flavor of a home-cooked meal without spending hours in the kitchen.
If you’re ready for an easy chili recipe, this is a great choice. You can make this an easy dinner for the family or double it to feed a large crowd.
Simple ingredients make the best stove top chili!
Even better, you probably already have everything you need for this recipe right in your pantry!
Use this quick chili on ourChili Cheesy Mashed Potatoes Casserole— it is amazing!
My7 Can Chili Soupis similar to this 5 ingredient chili but has a thinner consistency, extra veggies, and plenty of cheese. Plus, you don’t need to brown any ground beef.
Or, try myCrockpot White Chicken Chiliinstead. Tender chicken and white beans are cooked in a spiced broth, it’s ready and waiting for you at the end of a busy day.
Add somehomemade sweet cornbreadand dinner is ready!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
While every recipe is different, the key components in a classic chili recipe are beans and spices.
Many versions also include some type of cooked meat, including sausage or even shredded chicken.
For this five ingredient chili, everything is easy to find and often already in your pantry!
- Ground beef– Easily swap this out for sausage or a leaner option like ground chicken or turkey.
- Diced tomatoes– I like to use the fire roasted with garlic variety, but any diced tomatoes will do.
- Beans– Chili beans come in a seasoned sauce, which is why this quick chili recipe has so much flavor.
Feel free to use regular pinto beans and add your own spice blend if you prefer.
- Chiles– Diced green chiles add just enough heat, but you can use jalapenos instead if you want to make it spicier.
- Crushed red pepper– A little goes a long way, so taste the chili first before adding this ingredient. You can also substitute a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce.
Toppings for Five Ingredient Chili
While this stovetop chili is perfectly delicious on its own, you can add plenty more flavor and texture with a variety of your favorite toppings!
- Shredded cheese
- Green onions
- Sour cream
- Cilantro
- Bacon crumbles
- Crushed tortilla chips
- Diced avocado
Storage and Reheating
Keep leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator and use within 3 to 4 days for best results.
You could even freeze 5 ingredient chili if you’d like! Store for up to 6 months and thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
For larger batches, portion it out into smaller containers so you use just what you need.
Reheat in the microwave or on the stove, stirring frequently until it’s completely warmed through.
Tips and Tricks for the Best Stovetop Chili
- Cut your cooking time in half.
Useprecooked ground beefinstead! I like to make a large amount at one time and freeze it in portions for easy meals.
Then, replace 1 pound of uncooked beef with 12 ounces of cooked beef in your recipes.
- Make it heartier.
Use this five ingredient chili recipe as a starting point to make it your own! Cook some veggies in the pot until softened before combining all of the ingredients.
Onions, bell pepper, celery, and mushrooms would all be tasty!
- Need to feed a crowd?
Easily double or triple this recipe for a large gathering. You could even use it as a topping for a nacho or baked potato bar!
5 Ingredient Chili FAQ
Do I need to drain the beans first?
No need to drain or rinse canned chili beans since the liquid adds to the flavor and helps to create the sauce for the chili.
Can I make this classic chili recipe in the crockpot?
Sure! Brown the meat (or use pre-cooked beef as mentioned in the tips above), then combine it in your slow cooker with the rest of the ingredients.
Cook on High for 2 to 3 hours or on Low for 4 to 5 hours. It won’t be a quick chili, but it’ll be just as tasty!
What other meats can I use to make a good chili?
You can use ground sausage, ground turkey, or a combination of meats to make this great recipe.
What are other fun ingredients to add to this quick weeknight meal?
Even though I think that this is the best chili recipe as it is written, don’t be afraid to change things up. You can add your favorite types of beans, like black beans or red kidney beans, green chilies, diced red peppers, and even sweet potatoes.
I’ll also add yellow onion, cheddar cheese, and a small amount of chili powder to my own bowl once the soup is done.
A fun way to present new recipes like this is to set up a chili bar! Have this on your radar the next time that you make this chili!
You can let everyone add whatever extra flavor that they want to their bowls. This is a fun way to make this easy 5-ingredient chili recipe in a unique and fun way.
Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.
Don’t miss a thing! Follow us on
Facebook|Twitter|Pinterest|Instagram
5 Ingredient Chili Recipe + Video
Donna Elick
This 5 ingredient chili combines seasoned beef, tomatoes, beans, and chiles for a quick and easy meal. Make it tonight in just 15 minutes!
5 stars from 3 reviews
Tried this recipe?Please comment and review!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Cook Time 15 minutes mins
Total Time 15 minutes mins
Course Soup
Cuisine American
Method Stovetop
Servings 8 Cups
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, to taste, you can add more to taste at the end
- 29 ounce fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes with Garlic, 2 (14.5-ounce) cans
- 31 ounce chili beans , 2 (15.5-ounce) cans, I use S&W
- 7 ounce can diced green chiles, or 1/2 can (4-ounce) diced jalapenos
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper, to taste
Instructions
In a large (4 quart) saucepan over medium-high heat, add ground beef and salt. Break the beef up with a wooden spoon or spatula. Cook until cooked through, stirring occasionally. Add tomatoes, beans, jalapenos and crushed red pepper flakes (to taste – use less for mild, more for hot). Stir. Simmer 5 minutes.
Taste for flavor, if it tastes flat consider adding a little more salt (a pinch at a time).
Video
Donna’s Notes
I love to whip this up with ground beef I have precooked and also it is great with leftover burgers. Just break them up and add them in.
Prepare ground beef ahead for easy lazy day dinners. Buy ground beef and precook it. Then portion it out and pop it in the freezer for easy pantry meals like this one. Replace the cooked beef 12 ounces cooked beef replaces 1 pound uncooked beef in a recipe.
SUBSTITUTIONS: You can use a diced bell pepper sauteed in place of the chiles.
If you like your chili with more liquid you can blend a can of the tomatoes and add it.
If you prefer your chili thicker, you can crush a can of the beans and then add then to the chili.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 | Calories: 253cal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 53mg | Sodium: 1113mg | Sugar: 8g | Fiber: 6g | Calcium: 82mg | Iron: 5mg
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Originally published February 2015, updated and republished January 2024
Disclosure: Posts may contain affiliate links. If you purchase a product through an affiliate link your price will remain the same and The Slow Roasted Italian will automatically receive a small commission. Thank you for supporting us, it helps us keep creating new recipes.
Share
Pin
