Mom’s Hearty Chili Recipe with Beans

This hearty chili is based on my mom’s own homemade recipe that’s loaded with ground beef, diced tomatoes, chunks of onions, peppers, beans and chili spice.

My mom’s homemade chili with beans is one of those quintessential dishes that should be a go-to recipe when you want quick and easy dining.

With just minimal ingredients, you’ll find that it’s super quick and easy to feed a crowd or when you want a healthy but homemade stew that is definitely family-friendly.

Deliciously Simple Mom’s Hearty Chili Recipe with Beans

This recipe is dear to my heart. My mom made this chili more times than I can count but I do remember how filling it was and tasty, too.

She used recipes like this to feed our large family not only because it was easy to do because it used accessible pantry items, but also because it was economical to make.

That’s why I turned to this recipe with my own family. So over the years, I’ve made it for easy weeknight dining and when I hosted parties.

It’s a breeze to double or triple this recipe and you’ll find that any leftovers freeze well for meals on the fly.

I’ve even loaded large-mouth thermoses with this chili and took it with us when we’d go sledding or when we needed refueling after long afternoons at soccer tournaments.

Beans or No Beans

Now, some folks are wary about eating chili or kidney beans, and if you are one of those individuals, you can go sans legume but use the rest of the ingredients to make the chili.

However, if you are a bean enthusiast, I’ve included the traditional kidney beans in this recipe but you can substitute or mix and match your favorite bean type—just use the same amount.

For this recipe, I use two different forms of beans: chili beans and dark red kidney beans.

The chili beans imparts a nice layer of flavor in the chili, as does the red kidney beans, plus they offer another protein source, with is definitely a mom-favorite. 

Noodles or No Noodles

Here in the midwest we have differing schools of thoughts as to whether to include noodles (pasta) or not. 

I’ve seen some chilis that use shortened spaghetti noodles, while other recipes use elbow macaroni, still others use shells.

Going back to my mom’s original recipe, she used elbow macaroni most often. This also stretched the chili so that we’d have leftovers for the next day.

For me it varies, as well. If you like noodles, you’ll want to cook yours according to package instructions prior to adding it to the chili. You’ll need approximately two to three cups of cooked noodles for this recipe.

Keep in mind that noodles have a propensity to expand, so if you have leftover chili and refrigerate it overnight, you’ll probably find that you’ll need to add some water to the chili when reheating.

Additionally, you might need to add a bit more spice and/or salt and pepper because noodles do soak in the flavorful broth and it might taste a bit bland if you don’t.

Spice and More Spice

And, speaking of spice, don’t shortchange your chili. This recipe is basically considered mild/medium, if only because of the cayenne pepper. It really isn’t too spicy, but just the right amount of oomph needed to give it the right amount of flavor.

That being said, if you cannot have cayenne pepper in any form, leave it out. This hearty chili recipe will taste just fine.

But, for the diehard aficionados of chili, feel free to go all out and spice it up.

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One Pot Hearty Chili Recipe

This recipe as mentioned several times is definitely quick and easy. It’s a one-pot meal. 

I usually use my ScanPan Dutch Oven to make my Mom’s Hearty Chili Recipe. This allows me to cook it on the stovetop or in the oven.

To Make:

Start by cooking the ground beef. (I prefer using ground chuck, personally, because it is more favorable.

Then you’ll add canned tomatoes. I like using both diced tomatoes and crushed tomatoes. This is because chili tastes amazing with little bits of tomatoes throughout the broth.

To finish, you’ll add the rest of the ingredients, stirring occasionally and simmering for about 45 minutes or so.

Once cooked through, you can add noodles or serve right away.

I like to garnish my chili with shredded cheese, a dollop of sour cream, some chopped green onions, along with a handful of oyster crackers.

Definitely a family-pleaser and hearty to boot. Enjoy!

For more delicious chili and stew ideas, be sure to check out Wisconsin Homemaker’s Recipe Section.