Easy Joanna Gaines Chili Recipe: A Cozy Bowl of Comfort

Joanna Gaines’s chili transforms ordinary ingredients into a soul-warming culinary experience that resonates with comfort and simplicity.

Robust spices mingle with tender meat, creating a symphony of flavors that dance across your palate.

Home cooks appreciate this straightforward recipe for its versatility and crowd-pleasing potential.

Warm and hearty, the dish speaks to familiar memories of family gatherings and shared meals.

Carefully balanced seasonings elevate this chili from basic to extraordinary, making it a standout in any home kitchen.

Rich and satisfying, it promises to become a go-to recipe for those seeking delicious and effortless cooking.

You’ll want to gather your ingredients and start simmering this incredible meal: Bon appétit!

Why Everyone Loves Joanna Gaines’ Chili Recipe

• Savor Quick Comfort: This chili recipe delivers a hearty meal in just 25 minutes, making it perfect for busy weeknights when you crave something delicious but don't have hours to cook.
• Embrace Robust Flavor Layers: The combination of ground beef, kidney beans, and stewed tomatoes creates a rich, deeply satisfying taste profile that hits all the right comfort food notes with its perfectly balanced seasonings.
• Master Effortless Cooking: With simple steps and minimal ingredients, even novice cooks can confidently prepare this chili, transforming basic pantry staples into a warm, filling dish that feels like a culinary achievement.
• Customize Your Comfort: The recipe offers flexibility to adjust consistency and seasonings, allowing home cooks to make the chili their own by adding water for a thinner texture or tweaking spices to match personal taste preferences.

Chili Ingredients You’ll Need

• Ground Beef: Rich, hearty protein that forms the foundational flavor of the chili, best with 80/20 lean-to-fat ratio for optimal taste.
• Onion: Aromatic vegetable that adds depth and sweetness to the meat base, fresh yellow onions recommended for best results.

• Tomato Sauce: Smooth base that helps create a silky texture and provides a deep tomato flavor.
• Stewed Tomatoes: Adds chunky texture and additional tomato complexity, including natural juices for moisture.
• Kidney Beans: Protein-packed legume that adds heartiness and authentic chili texture, canned beans work perfectly.

• Chili Powder: Essential spice blend that provides classic chili warmth and signature flavor profile.
• Garlic Powder: Concentrated garlic essence that enhances overall savoriness without raw garlic texture.
• Salt: Flavor enhancer that balances and intensifies all other ingredients.
• Black Pepper: Adds mild heat and subtle background spiciness.
• Water (Optional): Helps adjust consistency if chili appears too thick.

Easy Chili Instructions from Joanna Gaines

Step 1: Brown The Meat And Onions

Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add ground beef and 1 chopped onion. Cook and stir for 5-7 minutes until beef is completely browned and onions are soft and translucent.

Step 2: Build The Chili Base

• Tomato sauce
• Kidney beans, drained
• Stewed tomatoes with juice

Stir ingredients thoroughly. For a thinner consistency, mix in water.

Step 3: Enhance With Seasonings

• Chili powder
• Garlic powder
• Salt
• Black pepper

Taste and adjust seasonings according to your preference.

Step 4: Let The Flavors Marry

Bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to low, cover the saucepan, and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking and ensure even cooking.

Step 5: Serve And Enjoy

Ladle the hot chili into bowls. Optional toppings include shredded cheese, sour cream, chopped green onions, or crushed tortilla chips.

Tips for Bold and Rich Chili

• Maximize Flavor Slowly: Simmer the chili on low heat for at least 15 minutes to allow ingredients to meld together perfectly, creating a more complex and rich taste profile.
• Balance Spice Wisely: Start with 1 teaspoon of chili powder, tasting gradually and adding more as needed to prevent overwhelming heat that could ruin the entire dish.
• Refresh Canned Beans: Thoroughly drain and rinse kidney beans to eliminate excess salt and improve their overall texture, ensuring a cleaner and more appealing final result.
• Chop Onions Fresh: Use hand-chopped onions for maximum crispness and flavor, steering clear of pre-cut options that lack the vibrant taste and texture of freshly cut vegetables.
• Embrace Tomato Depth: Include the entire contents of stewed tomatoes, especially their juice, which adds a robust and layered flavor dimension to your chili.

Storing Leftover Chili Like a Pro

• Freeze in Portions: Divide cooled chili into individual serving sizes using freezer-safe containers or heavy-duty zip-lock bags. Label each container with the date and contents. Flatten bags for easier stacking and faster thawing, maximizing freezer space and ensuring quick meal prep when you're short on time.
• Vacuum Seal for Longevity: Use a vacuum sealer to remove all air from storage containers or bags. This method prevents freezer burn and extends the chili's shelf life up to 6 months. Vacuum-sealed chili maintains its flavor and texture better than traditional storage methods, making it a game-changer for meal preppers.
• Refrigerator Storage Hack: Store chili in glass containers with tight-fitting lids to prevent flavor absorption from other foods. Place the container in the coldest part of the refrigerator, typically the back of the bottom shelf.

Chili Variations That Pack Flavor

• Vegetarian Hearty Bean Chili: Replace ground beef with a mix of black beans, pinto beans, and diced bell peppers for a protein-packed plant-based version. Add extra cumin and smoked paprika to enhance the depth of flavor.
• Southwestern Spicy Chili: Incorporate chopped jalapeños, green chiles, and a dash of cayenne pepper to create a fiery kick. Top with fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime for a zesty finish.
• Slow Cooker Comfort Chili: Transfer all ingredients to a slow cooker after browning the beef and onions. Cook on low for 6-8 hours to develop rich, mellow flavors. This method allows the spices to meld beautifully and creates an incredibly tender meat texture.
• Turkey Lean Chili: Substitute ground beef with lean ground turkey for a lighter protein option. Add a tablespoon of olive oil to prevent dryness and maintain moisture in the dish.

Winding Down with Joanna’s Chili Recipe

Culinary enthusiasts will savor this hearty chili masterpiece straight from Joanna Gaines’ kitchen.

Warmer evenings demand comfort meals with rich, bold flavors that speak directly to soul-satisfying hunger.

Texas-style chili traditions shine through each carefully crafted spoonful, blending robust beef with aromatic spices.

Simple ingredients merge into an extraordinary dining experience that feels both familiar and distinctive.

Home cooks can recreate this recipe with minimal effort and maximum deliciousness.

Passionate palates will crave seconds – so grab your ladle, share this recipe with hungry friends, double-tap if you love homestyle cooking, and spark conversation in comments about your chili adventures!

Joanna Gaines Chili Recipe

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4.6 from 32 reviews

• Total Time: 25 minutes
• Yield: 4 1x

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Description

Gaines family chili brings warmth and comfort to hearty dinner tables across America. Rich ground beef, robust spices, and slow-simmered tomatoes create a soul-satisfying meal you’ll crave on chilly evenings.

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Ingredients

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Main Ingredients:

• 1 pound (454 grams) ground beef
• 1 (15 ounces/425 grams) can kidney beans
• 1 (15 ounces/425 grams) can tomato sauce
• 1 (14.5 ounces/411 grams) can stewed tomatoes

Vegetables and Aromatics:

• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 pinch garlic powder

Seasonings:

• 1 teaspoon chili powder, or more to taste
• salt to taste
• pepper to taste
• 1 ½ cups (355 milliliters) water, or as needed (Optional)

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Instructions

1. Sauté ground beef and diced onions in a large saucepan over medium heat, breaking down the meat and stirring frequently until the beef is fully browned and the onions turn translucent (approximately 5-7 minutes).
2. Pour in tomato sauce, kidney beans, and stewed tomatoes with their natural juices, mixing thoroughly to create a uniform base. If a more liquid consistency is desired, incorporate water and blend evenly.
3. Enhance the flavor profile by sprinkling chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and freshly ground black pepper throughout the mixture. Taste and fine-tune seasonings according to personal preference, ensuring a balanced and robust flavor.
4. Elevate the heat to trigger a gentle boil, then immediately reduce to low temperature. Cover the saucepan and allow the chili to simmer, occasionally stirring to prevent sticking and promote even heat distribution, for approximately 15 minutes.
5. After simmering, remove from heat and let the chili rest for 5 minutes, which allows the flavors to meld and intensify before serving. This brief resting period helps develop a more complex and rich taste experience.

Notes

• Simmering transforms this chili from good to extraordinary, allowing spices and ingredients to meld into a deeply satisfying comfort dish.
• Draining canned kidney beans eliminates excess sodium and ensures a cleaner, more authentic flavor profile in your final chili.
• Fresh onions provide crisp texture and vibrant taste, making pre-chopped alternatives pale in comparison for this hearty recipe.
• Carefully adding chili powder creates perfect heat balance, letting you control spiciness without overwhelming the other robust ingredients.
• Stewed tomato juice delivers unexpected richness, infusing the chili with complex, layered flavor notes that elevate the entire dish.

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Category: Lunch, Dinner
• Method: Simmering
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 4
• Calories: 320 kcal
• Sugar: 6 g
• Sodium: 700 mg
• Fat: 15 g
• Saturated Fat: 5 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 30 g
• Fiber: 8 g
• Protein: 20 g
• Cholesterol: 70 mg