Dutch Oven chili made with ground beef, black beans and topped with some crispy bacon. This hearty chili is the perfect meal for a cold night or to serve at your next game day. Simmers in a Dutch Oven pot for hours bringing out all the flavors. Use the bacon grease to make a side of cast iron skillet cornbread for a pure comfort meal.
Is there any better meal to make in the middle of winter than a big pot of soup! More specifically, a hearty chili?
This Dutch Oven chili recipe is a favorite in our house. It's quick to put together, simmers for a few hours, and is the pure comfort food we need on those colder days.
This is the best chili recipe and is always a hit! We pre-make it for camping, we serve it with chili dogs, use in a batch of chili mac or serve on its own to feed a large crowd. It never disappoints!
Bacon in chili? Yes please! Bacon is a great topping on this chili and a little bit of the bacon fat helps develop a great flavor.
Leftover chili? Add it to this chili cheese dip for the perfect game day appetizer.
Want more soup ideas? If you love ground beef in soups be sure to check out this beef taco soup or This ground beef and vegetable soup.
Do you love cooking in a Dutch Oven? Get my list of recipes to make in a Dutch Oven.
🫘Ingredients
Bacon: I like to use a thick cut bacon for this chili. Cook it first until crispy then keep just a bit of the bacon grease to sauté the peppers and onions in.
Smoked Paprika: Regular paprika will work great as well. However, if you can find smoked paprika it really adds a lot to this dish.
Ground Meat: The preferred meat for this chili is a lean ground beef but a ground turkey or even venison can be used as well.
Diced Tomatoes: The best diced tomatoes to use in this chili are a Rotel style. They are cut up smaller and come with some diced green chilis.
Water: This chili can be really thick, so adding water will help thin it out. Start with ½ cup and add until your desired consistency.
Topping Ideas: Cheddar Cheese (or pepper jack), green onion, or sour cream.
See full information on ingredients and quantities in the recipe card.
🔪How to Make
Step 1: Start off by warming up a large dutch oven or other heavy large pot over medium heat.
Step 2: Cook the diced bacon until crispy. Remove from the pot and place on a paper towel on a plate.
Step 3: Carefully remove the excess grease, leaving just a little bit on the bottom. Just enough to cover the bottom of the pot. Don't forget to save a tablespoon to make a cast iron skillet cornbread
Step 4: In a now empty pot, add the olive oil and onions. Sauté until soft and translucent. About 5 minutes. (Image 1).
Step 5: Add the peppers and jalapeños and continue to cook until soft. About 5 more minutes.
Step 6: Add the ground beef. Using a wooden spoon, break up the beef and cook until fully browned. (Image 2).
Step 7: Drain the excess grease.
Step 8: Add in garlic and spices and mix well. Cook for 30 seconds until garlic is fragrant.
Step 9: Then add in tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and beans (Image 3). Mix until fully incorporated.
Step 10: Add in the water. Add in ½ cup at a time until you have reached your desired consistency.
Step 11: Allow chili to simmer on low heat for 20-30 minutes with the lid on. Stir often. The longer it simmers the better it is. I will let it go as long as 2 hours. If you have time, it is worth the wait!
Step 12: Serve warm with the bacon and your other favorite chili toppings.
🍽Ways to Serve
This Dutch Oven chili can be topped with lot's of different things and served with some fresh bread. Here are some ideas on what to serve with this chili.
- Cheddar Cheese
- Pepper Jack Cheese
- Green Onions
- White Onions
- Sour Cream
- Cast iron skillet corn bread
- Irish soda bread
- Homemade Sourdough Bread
- Make a Chili Dog
- Dutch Oven Potatoes
❓Recipe FAQs
While any large pot can be used to make chili, it does seem to turn out better in a Dutch Oven. Dutch Ovens are great at retaining heat and provide even cooking which helps draw out all the flavors of the ingredients.
If making a pot of chili in a Dutch Oven, it is best to make use an enamel coated Dutch Oven. While a raw cast iron can be used, make sure that it is very well seasoned and cleaned out completely once done. The acidity in the tomato sauce can eat away at it. An enamel coated dutch oven is a better way to go.
🥘Other Dutch Oven Recipes
📋Recipe
Dutch Oven Chili
Equipment
Ingredients
- 10-12 Strips of Thick Cut Bacon - Diced
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 Large Yellow Onion - Diced
- 2 Red Bell Peppers - Diced
- 1.5 Pounds Ground Beef
- 3 Cloves Garlic Minced
- 2 Tablespoons Chili Powder
- 1 teaspoon Cumin
- 1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper to taste
- 1 15oz Can of Tomato Sauce
- 1 10oz Can of Rotel Tomatoes - Or other diced tomatoes
- 2 15oz Cans of Black Beans - Drained and rinsed
- ½ Cup Water - More or less depending on your desired consistency
Toppings
- Shredded Cheese
- Diced Green Onion
- Sour Cream
- Bacon
- Fresh diced Jalapeños
Instructions
- Start off by warming up a large dutch oven or other heavy large pot over medium heat. Cook the diced bacon until crispy. Remove from the pot and place on a paper towel on a plate. Carefully remove the excess grease, leaving just a little bit on the bottom. Just enough to cover the bottom of the pot. Save a tablespoon worth to make a cast iron skillet cornbread
- In a now empty pot, add the olive oil and onions. Sauté until soft and translucent. About 5 minutes. Add the peppers and jalapeños and continue to cook until soft. About 5 more minutes.
- Add the ground beef. Using a wooden spoon, break up the beef and cook until fully browned. Drain the excess grease once the meat is done.
- Add in garlic and spices then mix well. Cook for 30 seconds until garlic is fragrant.
- Then add in tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and beans. Mix until fully incorporated.
- Add in the water. Add in ½ cup at a time until you have reached your desired consistency.
- Allow chili to simmer on low heat for 20-30 minutes with the lid on. Stir often. The longer it simmers the better it is. I will let it go as long as 2 hours. If you have time, it is worth it!
- Top with the bacon and your other favorite chili toppings.
Chili is my favorite fall meal! This recipe looks amazing, thank you for sharing!
I LOVE chili this time of year. Nothing beats a classic chili! This looks delicious!!
What a perfect classic chili recipe! Thanks for sharing!
All these chili recipes sound so good! And cooking the corn bread in bacon grease would be amazing!! You had me at the words 'bacon grease', lol.😆
No mention of what to do with the bacon.
You could mix it back into the chili but honestly it makes the best topping. Mixing it in can make it softer so it's which ever you prefer.