Mama K’s Famous Homemade Chili is the ultimate comfort food—rich, hearty, and full of bold, savory flavor. Made with a perfectly seasoned blend of ground meat, beans, tomatoes, and warm spices, it’s slow simmered to bring out every delicious layer of flavor. Whether you’re serving it up for game day, a cozy family dinner, or meal prepping for the week, this chili hits the spot every time.

Jump To Recipe

If you’ve read my other recipes, you’ll know that my husband has a rotating list of favorite dishes of mine, and this chili was the FIRST to make that list. It’s possible that this chili got me my stamp of approval from my father-in-law. It’s that good. And I mean, I truly can’t blame them. This chili is filled with hearty meats, tender vegetables, and intense flavor profiles that will have you re-thinking chili for the rest of your life… Okay, that might be a little dramatic, but who doesn’t love a little drama.

But really, jokes aside, I have spent yeeeaarrrss perfecting and tweaking this recipe. It guarantees optimal taste and freshness. I managed to achieve this without having to break my wallet in the process. And I truly can’t wait to share this one with you guys!

Why I Love This Recipe

As a busy mom, I thrive on crockpot meals or meals that I can set it and forget it until it’s time for dinner, and what I love about this recipe is that I can cook it either in the crockpot or on the stovetop, depending on the mood. When done on the stove, it’s an easy one-pot meal that can stay simmering on the stove all day. Just transfer meat mixture into a bowl instead of the crockpot and add back in once veggies are cooked! Then, add the rest of the ingredients, give it a good stir, and leave it alone!

Growing up in New England, when the weather started to get cooler, the meals would become warmer and heartier – and this chili feels like a nice big hug in a bowl, with a little kick. I love the versatility in the ingredients. I’m capable of tailoring the recipe based on what I already have on hand at home. This avoids a costly trip to the grocery store. My husband also loves that it’s left-over friendly, so he can take the leftovers (or what’s left of them) to work for the rest of the week for a quick and filling lunch!

Storage

This recipe is both refrigerator and freezer friendly!

Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. Alternatively, store cooled leftovers in a freezer safe and airtight container, and pull out as needed for a quick and easy meal!

Ingredients

Ground Beef: I use 1LB 80/20% ground beef in this recipe, as my family prefers a meatier chili, but you can use less if preferred or any variation of ground beef on hand. Alternatively, you can omit for a vegetarian version!

Ground Sausage: I use traditional ground sausage in this recipe, but I have also used hot sausage for an extra kick. If too much spice isn’t your thing, but you still want the kick of hot sausage, try reducing the amount by half (1/2LB hot sausage), I find that this adds just a touch of heat without overpowering the rest of the chili.

Peppers: For this recipe, I used a combination of red, yellow, and orange peppers, though you can use whichever variation or color pepper your family prefers. If you want extra pepper spice, try adding a chopped jalapeno to the pepper mixture!

Garlic: Garlic is the foundation of almost every recipe in my household, thanks to my Sicilian roots. I use five cloves of garlic in this recipe, but you can use less or more (guilty lol) if you prefer!

Onion: I use one large white onion for this recipe, as I think it balances the peppers and cooks down well in the sauce, but you can use any other onion you prefer.

Chopped Tomatoes: I recommend using canned chopped tomatoes rather than fresh, because they won’t break down in the sauce like fresh tomatoes will. I prefer my chili on the thinner side rather than very thick, so I do not drain the can before adding it to the crockpot. You can drain it before adding if you prefer a thicker sauce.

Beans: In this recipe, I prefer a combination of black beans and red kidney beans, but you can use any beans that you prefer!

Tomato Sauce: I like adding a small amount of canned tomato sauce to my chili to really amp up the base tomato flavoring that the chili relies on.

Green Chilies: I love the freshness and lift that green chilies give this chili! I use a 4oz can from my grocery store, but you can use fresh if preferred.

Seasonings: I love a really flavorful chili, which means that I use seasonings throughout the cooking process, and a lot of them! You can use any seasonings that you prefer, just be sure to watch the sodium content in your spices, especially if you use a pre-made spice blend! Omit the added salt if using a pre-made spice blend (or more than one), as they have a very high salt content.

Chocolate: This is my secret weapon with this recipe! I like adding just a touch of chocolate to the chili towards the end of cooking. The sweetness of the chocolate balances the savory and acidic flavors that are layered throughout the chili, and deepens the flavor profile. You can omit this if preferred, but don’t knock it till you try it!

Directions

Step 1: The first step is to prep your veggies. After washing, dice your peppers and add them to a medium sized bowl. Dice the onion, and transfer to a separate bowl, then mince the garlic and transfer to another small bowl. Keeping the vegetables separated will make your life the easiest, because they each get added at different intervals.

Step 2: In a large pan, add 1/2Tbs of Olive Oil and allow to come to temp on medium-high heat. I do not recommend increasing amount of olive oil, as the natural fats within the ground beef and sausage will create its own oils. Once hot, add 1/2Tbs of minced garlic to the pan and allow to cook until just fragrant, or about 1 minute. Be sure to keep moving the garlic around the pan at this time to prevent the garlic from burning. Fresh garlic is prone to burning quicker than jarred, as it has a naturally lower water content than jarred. Add ground beef, sausage, and seasonings to the pan, and brown the meat together until cooked through and no pink is left.

Step 3: Once the meat is fully cooked, use a slotted spoon to transfer the mixture into a crockpot. Do not drain the grease! This grease is flavor gold and I love cooking the vegetables in this leftover grease for added flavor!

Step 4: To the pan that you just cooked the meat in, add the remaining minced garlic and allow to cook in the leftover grease for one minute. Then, add the diced onion and allow to cook for 2-3 minutes or until just starting to turn translucent. Finally, add the peppers and cook for 3-4 more minutes. Even though the vegetables will absorb the seasonings and flavors in the grease, I like to repeat the same seasonings that I used in the meat, except for sodium-based seasonings, to really drive the flavor into the chili. Finally, transfer the vegetables to the crockpot.

Step 5: To the crockpot, add the beans, tomato sauce, green chilies, and chopped tomatoes and stir until well combined. I prefer a thinner chili, so I do not drain the chopped tomatoes before adding them, although, you can drain if you prefer a thicker chili.

Step 6: Cook on low in the crockpot for 6-7 hours, taste throughout and adjust seasonings as needed to fit your taste.

Step 7 *OPTIONAL*: About two hours prior to serving, I like to add about 3Tbs of chocolate to the chili. I use regular chocolate chips, but you can also use other chocolate variations.

Step 8: Garnish with your favorite toppings and enjoy! Chili toppings are personal business, but I prefer some cheddar cheese, sour cream, and avocado. Try adding a handful of red onions and cilantro to really pack a punch! I like to serve chili with my homemade Honey Cornbread, to really bring the whole meal together.

Want to make the stovetop version?

Step 2: In a large pot, like a Dutch oven, add 1/2Tbs of Olive Oil and allow to come to temp on medium-high heat. I do not recommend increasing amount of olive oil, as the natural fats within the ground beef and sausage will create its own oils. Once hot, add 1/2Tbs of minced garlic to the pan and allow to cook until just fragrant, or about 1 minute. Be sure to keep moving the garlic around the pan at this time to prevent the garlic from burning. Fresh garlic is prone to burning quicker than jarred, as it has a naturally lower water content than jarred. Add ground beef, sausage, and seasonings to the pan, and brown the meat together until cooked through and no pink is left.

Step 3: Once the meat is fully cooked, use a slotted spoon to transfer the mixture into a medium bowl and set aside. Do not drain the grease! This grease is flavor gold and I love cooking the vegetables in this leftover grease for added flavor!

Step 4: To the pot that you just cooked the meat in, add the remaining minced garlic and allow to cook in the leftover grease for one minute. Then, add the diced onion and allow to cook for 2-3 minutes or until just starting to turn translucent. Finally, add the peppers and cook for 3-4 more minutes. Even though the vegetables will absorb the seasonings and flavors in the grease, I like to repeat the same seasonings that I used in the meat, with the exception of sodium-based seasonings, to really drive the flavor into the chili.

Step 5: Add meat mixture back to the pot and stir until well combined. Add remaining ingredients (with the exception of the chocolate) and bring to a simmer on medium heat. Allow to cook for 20 minutes, and then reduce heat to low, cover, and allow to cook for 1.5 hours covered. After 1.5 hours, remove the lid and allow to cook for another 2 hours on low, stirring occasionally to avoid it sticking.

Step 6: Garnish with your favorite toppings and enjoy! Chili toppings are personal business, but I prefer some cheddar cheese, sour cream, and avocado. Try adding a handful of red onions and cilantro to really pack a punch! I like to serve chili with my homemade Honey Cornbread, to really bring the whole meal together.

Be sure to let me know what you think in the comments! Don’t forget to subscribe to stay in the know about new recipes and cooking tips!