Stovetop Chili is super simple and flavorful with a secret ingredient of A1 steak sauce. We love to fill our bellies with hearty chili that uses just 8 ingredients and 5 steps to make. You can also make this in your slow cooker.
Why I love this recipe
This is our favorite stove-top chili, ready in just 15 minutes, but it can also be made in a slow cooker crock pot. You can also easily make a double batch of this great chili.
Need a dessert to go with it? Try this Strawberry Cobbler, this Salted Caramel Chocolate Cake, or this Red Velvet Cake.
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Basic Ingredients
(amounts are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of the post)
ground beef (or ground turkey, chicken)
tomato sauce
onion
mild chili beans in chili sauce (or spicy)
garlic salt
chili powder
Optional – 1/8 cup A1 steak sauce
cumin
parsley
Optional toppings – shredded cheese, sour cream, Fritos, or saltine crackers
Substitutions and Additions
- You can use ground beef, ground turkey, ground chicken, lean beef cubes, or no meat at all.
- Add in some cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, or green chiles to spice it up a bit.
- Use white onion, yellow onion, sweet onion, or red onion.
How to make this classic beef chili recipe
Stovetop Chili Instructions
Equipment used for this recipe
Step 1 – On a cutting board, dice the onion.
Step 2 – Over medium heat, brown the ground beef and onions in a medium sauce pan. Once browned, drain the excess fat using a colander.
Step 3 – To the pan, add the tomato sauce, chili beans, garlic salt, chili powder, A1 steak sauce (optional), cumin, and parsley.
Step 4 – Simmer over medium-low heat for 10 minutes until heated through.
Step 5 – Serve and enjoy with your favorite toppings.
Slow Cooker Chili Instructions
Equipment used for this recipe
Step 1 – On a cutting board, dice the onion.
Step 2 – In a small crock pot (4-quart size), add ground beef and tomato sauce. Mix together until combined. You do not need to brown the meat first.
Step 3 – To the pot of chili, add the chopped onion, chili beans, garlic salt, chili powder, A1 steak sauce (optional), cumin, and parsley. Stir to combine.
Step 4 – Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours.
Step 5 – Serve with your favorite toppings.
Pro Tips
Store leftovers in an airtight container for 4-5 days in the fridge.
Recipe FAQs
Here are some ideas but you can really add anything you like – shredded cheddar cheese, or any flavor, a dollop of sour cream, diced avocados, diced tomatoes, diced jalapenos, tortilla chips, strips, or Fritos (we love Frito scoops), diced white or red onions, diced green onions, fresh chopped cilantro, or parsley.
You may also enjoy
- Crock Pot Creamy White Chicken Chili
- Grilled Salmon with Sweet Chili Sauce
- Slow Cooker Easy Beef Stew
- Beef Enchilada Pizza
- Wet Burritos
Stovetop Chili
Ingredients
- ½ pound of ground beef (or ground turkey, chicken)
- 8- ounce can of tomato sauce
- ½ of a medium onion
- 15.5- ounce can of mild chili beans in chili sauce (or spicy)
- ¼ teaspoon garlic salt
- 1 Tablespoon chili powder
- ⅛ cup A1 steak sauce (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon parsley
- Optional toppings – shredded cheese, sour cream, Fritos, or saltine crackers
Instructions
Stove top instructions
- On a cutting board, dice the onion.
- Over medium heat, brown the ground meat and onion in a medium saucepan.
- Once browned, drain the grease using a colander.
- To the pan, add the tomato sauce, chili beans, garlic salt, chili powder, A1 steak sauce (optional), cumin, and parsley.
- Simmer over medium-low heat for 10 minutes until heated through.
- Serve and enjoy with your favorite toppings.
Slow cooker instructions
- On a cutting board, dice the onion.
- In a 4-quart crockpot, slow cooker add the ground meat or turkey (no need to brown first) and the tomato sauce. Mix together until combined. Click for a 4-quart crockpot slow cooker.
- Add all the remaining ingredients and stir.
- Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours.
- Serve with your favorite toppings.
Video
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for 4-5 days in the fridge.
Nutrition
Hi and welcome. I’m Zona and I have a passion for recipes. I share recipes, tips, tricks, and resources to help you cook for two. Eat, drink, and enjoy!
Fina Zarzar
Tuesday 26th of April 2022
Hi Zona, Can I use tomato puree instead of tomato sauce? It will be an equal amount. Also can I use black beans instead of chili beans?
Zona
Wednesday 27th of April 2022
Hi Fina, those substitutions should work just fine and it sounds delicious. Enjoy!
Tena Miller
Monday 27th of January 2020
I see that you commented that you do not need to brown the beef prior to putting it in the crockpot. Does the same apply if you use ground turkey?
Zona
Monday 27th of January 2020
Hi Tena, yes the same applies. You can brown it if you want to. The meat will be bigger chunks if you do. If you put it in without browning, the meat is tinier chunks and the flavor is the same either way.
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