This Dutch oven chili is hearty, delicious, and jam-packed with tons of bold flavors, making it the ultimate comfort food! It's full of ground beef, fresh vegetables, beans, and homemade chili seasoning. Cook it low and slow on the stovetop or pop it into the oven for a simple and incredibly worthwhile dinner!
Best Dutch Oven Chili Recipe
Chili is one of my favorite comfort meals. It is easy to customize with your favorite spices or vegetables and it is always packed with tons and tons of bold flavors!
There are so many variations out there (take a look at my chili recipes here), all with their own unique twists and tastes. This Dutch oven chili is prepared in a Dutch oven (hence the name) and can be cooked either on the stovetop or in the oven!
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🥘 Dutch Oven Chili Ingredients
While this ingredient list may appear long and intimidating, it really isn't! This chili is loaded with fresh veggies, canned tomatoes, ground beef, beans, and tons of flavor!
- Ground Beef - 2½ pounds of ground beef.
- Onion - 1 large onion, diced. You can use yellow or white onions.
- Red Bell Pepper - 1 large red bell pepper. Remove the seeds and then dice the pepper.
- Anaheim Pepper - 1 large Anaheim pepper. Go ahead and take out the seeds and dice it up.
- Jalapenos - 2 large jalapeno peppers that have had the seeds removed, finely diced.
- Garlic - 1 tablespoon (about 3 cloves) of minced garlic.
- Worcestershire Sauce - ¼ cup of Worcestershire sauce (or you can try a Worcestershire sauce substitute).
- Beef Bouillon - 2 cubes of beef bouillon.
- Beer - 12 ounces of light beer (like Coors or Miller Light). If you don't have any beer, you can use some more beef broth instead.
- Crushed Tomatoes - 28 ounces of crushed tomatoes. I recommend using San Marzano tomatoes.
- Diced Tomatoes - One 14.5-ounce can of diced tomatoes. I like to use fire-roasted tomatoes when making chili.
- Tomato Paste - 1 tablespoon of tomato paste (or a tomato paste substitution).
- White Wine - ½ cup of white wine. Use whichever variety of white wine that you enjoy cooking with. If you want to skip using wine, you can use more additional beef broth.
- Chili Seasoning - 4 tablespoons of chili seasoning. Use my homemade recipe blend, or use your own.
- Brown Sugar - 1 tablespoon of brown sugar (or try a brown sugar substitute).
- Chipotle Pepper Sauce - 1 tablespoon of Chipotle pepper sauce.
- Salt & Pepper - ½ teaspoon of both salt and pepper, to taste.
- Beans - 32 ounces of dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed with cold water. Take a look at my post that covers everything you need to know about the best beans for chili here!
- Chili Beans - One 16-ounce can of chili beans, drained and rinsed.
- Cilantro or Green Onion (optional) - 3 tablespoons of cilantro, green onions, or parsley, chopped for garnish.
*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*
🔪 How To Make Dutch Oven Chili
You can prepare this chili on the stovetop or let it cook in the oven to free up some stove space! To get started, you will need a Dutch oven, a wooden spoon, a cutting board, some knives, and your measuring utensils.
This recipe will make a large, hearty batch of about 12 servings of chili.
Prepare The Chili
- Brown. Place your Dutch oven onto the stovetop over medium heat and brown 2½ pounds (1.13 kilograms) of ground beef until no pink remains (about 5-7 minutes). Drain off any excess grease.
*Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) if you are planning on cooking your chili in the oven. - Add veggies. Add the 1 large white onion (150 grams), 1 large red bell pepper (164 grams), 1 large Anaheim pepper (56 grams), 2 large jalapeno peppers (28 grams), and 1 tablespoon (8 grams) of garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the veggies are tender.
- Deglaze. Add ¼ cup (59 milliliters) of Worcestershire sauce, 2 beef bouillon cubes (8 grams), and 12 ounces (340 milliliters) of light beer. Use a wooden spoon to deglaze the pan, scraping the bottom while you cook the mixture until hot.
- Combine. Add 28 ounces (794 grams) of crushed tomatoes, 14.5 ounces (411 grams) of diced tomatoes, 1 tablespoon (170 grams) of tomato paste, ½ cup (118 milliliters) of white wine, 4 tablespoons (28 grams) of chili seasoning, 1 tablespoon (12 grams) of brown sugar, 1 tablespoon (15 grams) of chipotle pepper sauce, and ½ teaspoon (3 grams) of both salt and pepper. Stir until everything is well combined.
Cook & Serve
- Stovetop Method: Let the mixture come up to a boil and then turn the heat down to medium-low. Place the lid onto the Dutch oven and let it simmer for 90 minutes while stirring occasionally.
Oven Method: Place the lid onto the Dutch oven and transfer the pot into the preheated oven and cook for 30 minutes. - Add beans. Stir in 32 ounces (907 grams) of dark red kidney beans and 16 ounces (453 grams) of chili beans and then let the chili simmer for another 30 minutes on the stovetop (or return it to the oven for another 30 minutes).
- Serve. Garnish your Dutch oven chili with 3 tablespoons (1.2 grams) of cilantro or green onions or parlsey, if desired, and serve immediately.
🥗 Sides
A classic pairing for some hearty chili is some delicious homemade cornbread! Try out my sour cream cornbread, creamed corn cornbread, or Jiffy jalapeno cornbread!
Check out my post on what to serve with chili for some more tasty ideas! Enjoy!
💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
- For an alcohol-free version, you can use additional beef broth and just omit the beer and wine altogether.
- If you are sensitive to spice, you can reduce the number of jalapenos or leave them out.
- Give yourself enough time to let the flavors fully meld together! While the chili may be "cooked" pretty quickly, letting it simmer for the full amount of time will yield the most delicious chili.
🥡 Storing & Reheating
Let your chili cool entirely, and then place it into a sealed container to be stored in the refrigerator for a maximum of 4 days.
Reheating Chili
Reheat leftover chili in short bursts using the microwave or on the stovetop of medium heat.
Freezing Chili
Portion your chili into individual storage bags and squeeze out any remaining air. These bags can be frozen for a maximum of 3 months. When ready, let it thaw in the fridge overnight.
>>>>See all of my recipes here<<<<
❓ Recipe FAQs
Sure! If you prefer to enjoy your chili with no beans, you can easily omit them. You can add extra ground beef or veggies if you prefer, or simply leave the beans out of the recipe.
One of the fantastic things about chili is how customizable it is! As written, this recipe does have some spice. However, you can leave out the jalapeno and Anaheim peppers to make it milder, adjust how much chili seasoning you are using, or reduce the chipotle pepper sauce. For more of a kick, simply increase the amount of these same ingredients!
Of course, you will still be able to make this tasty chili in any pot you may have on hand. However, using a Dutch oven is recommended because it evenly distributes heat and retains it quite well.
🌶️ More Hearty Chili Recipes
- Cincinnati Chili - A unique version of chili that is popular in the Midwest and commonly served over spaghetti.
- Chili Mac - Bold chili is combined with cheese and macaroni noodles for an all-in-one meal.
- Chili Con Carne - An amazing chili option for potlucks, parties, and family gatherings.
- Texas Chili - The perfect variation of chili for anyone who isn't a fan of beans.
- Crockpot Chili - Prepare some hearty chili in a completely hands-off way!
- Venison Chili - If you're a hunter and have some leftover venison in the freezer, then this is the chili for you!
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📖 Recipe Card
Dutch Oven Chili
Ingredients
- 2½ lbs ground beef
- 1 large white onion (diced, or use yellow onion)
- 1 large red bell pepper (diced, seeds removed)
- 1 large Anaheim pepper (seeds removed, diced)
- 2 large jalapeno peppers (finely diced, seeds removed)
- 1 tablespoon garlic (minced)
- ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
- 2 beef bouillon cubes
- 12 oz light beer (such as Coors, or use beef broth)
- 28 oz crushed tomatoes (San Marzano are recommended)
- 14.5 oz diced tomatoes (fire-roasted)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- ½ cup white wine (or use more beef broth)
- 4 tablespoon chili seasoning (try my recipe or use your own)
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon chipotle pepper sauce
- ½ teaspoon each, salt & pepper (to taste)
- 32 oz dark red kidney beans (2 16-ounce cans, drained and rinsed)
- 16 oz chili beans (1 16-ounce can, drained and rinsed)
- 3 tablespoon cilantro (optional, chopped for garnish - or use green onions or parsley)
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
- Place your Dutch oven onto the stovetop over medium heat and brown 2½ lbs ground beef until no pink remains (about 5-7 minutes). Drain off any excess grease. *Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) if you are planning on cooking your chili in the oven.
- Add the 1 large white onion, 1 large red bell pepper, 1 large Anaheim pepper, 2 large jalapeno peppers, and 1 tablespoon garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the veggies are tender.
- Add ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce, 2 beef bouillon cubes, and 12 oz light beer. Use a wooden spoon to deglaze the pan, scraping the bottom while you cook the mixture until hot.
- Add the 28 oz crushed tomatoes, 14.5 oz diced tomatoes, 1 tablespoon tomato paste, ½ cup white wine, 4 tablespoon chili seasoning, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 tablespoon chipotle pepper sauce, and ½ teaspoon each, salt & pepper. Stir until everything is well combined.
- Stovetop Method: Let the mixture come up to a boil and then turn the heat down to medium-low. Place the lid onto the Dutch oven and let it simmer for 90 minutes, stirring occasionally. Oven Method: Place the lid onto the Dutch oven and transfer the pot into the preheated oven. Let it cook in the oven for 30 minutes.
- Stir in the 32 oz dark red kidney beans and 16 oz chili beans and then let the chili simmer for an additional 30 minutes on the stovetop (or return it to the oven for another 30 minutes).
- Garnish your Dutch oven chili with 3 tablespoon cilantro, if desired, and serve immediately.
Notes
- For an alcohol-free version, you can use additional beef broth and just omit the beer and wine altogether.
- If you are sensitive to spice, you can reduce the number of jalapenos or leave them out.
- Give yourself enough time to let the flavors fully meld together! While the chili may be "cooked" pretty quickly, letting it simmer for the full amount of time will yield the most delicious chili.
- To store: Let your chili cool entirely and then place it into a sealed container to be stored in the refrigerator for a maximum of 4 days.
- To freeze: Portion your chili into individual storage bags and squeeze out any remaining air. These bags can be frozen for a maximum of 3 months. When ready, let it thaw in the fridge overnight.
- To reheat: Reheat leftover chili in short bursts using the microwave or on the stovetop of medium heat.
Windy Rossi says
Great recipe! Always looking for different ways to use my dutch oven. The flavor is amazing. I did not drain the chili beans though.