By Laurel Perry
Updated Feb 18, 2025
This hearty, rich Texas chili recipe is packed full of tender chunks of beef, three kinds of chili peppers, jalapeños, and more! It’s super spicy, super thick, and super flavorful. I love making Texas chili to warm my belly on cold nights. If you’re looking for a chili recipe without beans, this is the one!
Texas Chili Recipe
There’s a great debate about the right way to make chili, but if you ask me, there’s no wrong way to make chili. This Texas chili recipe is famous for its spicy broth made with three kinds of chili powders and its beanlessness…is that even a word? When I’m looking for a hearty, meaty, spicy chili, I turn to this Texas chili to warm my belly.
Tips for Beginners
- Don’t skip searing the beef; all that caramelization adds tons of flavor to the finished chili.
- Resist the urge to boil the chili, as this can overcook the meat and make it turn rubbery.
- I love using masa harina to thicken up this chili, but if you can’t find it, I have had success mashing up a half cup of cooked pinto beans to thicken up the texture.
- If you taste the chili at the end and feel like it’s a bit too rich, try adding a squeeze of fresh lime juice or some red wine vinegar to help brighten the flavors. I have found it more necessary when I pick up a fattier chuck roast, so taste and adjust as needed.
Ingredients1x2x3x
- ▢ 3-4 pounds boneless beef chuck roast cut into 1-inch pieces
- ▢ 3 teaspoons kosher salt divided
- ▢ 1 teaspoon ground black pepper divided
- ▢ 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- ▢ 3 jalapeno peppers diced
- ▢ 8 cloves garlic minced
- ▢ 2 tablespoons ground pasilla chili powder
- ▢ 2 tablespoons dried ancho chili powder
- ▢ 1-2 teaspoons dried New Mexico chili powder this one is spicy so adjust to taste!
- ▢ 2 cups low-sodium beef broth
- ▢ 2-2½ cups water
- ▢ 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
- ▢ 2 tablespoons corn flour aka: masa harina (not cornstarch!)
- ▢ 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- ▢ 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- ▢ 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- ▢ ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ▢ Chopped fresh cilantro optional, for serving
Video
Instructions
- Pat the beef dry and season it all over with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. 3-4 pounds boneless beef chuck roast, 3 teaspoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the beef in a single layer, cooking in batches if needed, and brown on two sides, about 10 minutes. 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- Remove the beef from the pot. Leave any oil behind and turn the heat down to medium. Add the jalapeno peppers and garlic. Cook until softened, about 3-4 minutes. 3 jalapeno peppers, 8 cloves garlic
- Stir in the pasilla chili powder, ancho chili powder, new mexico chili powder and cook, stirring constantly until fragrant. 2 tablespoons ground pasilla chili powder, 2 tablespoons dried ancho chili powder, 1-2 teaspoons dried New Mexico chili powder
- Add the beef broth, 2 cups water, crushed tomatoes, corn flour, brown sugar, dried oregano, cumin, cinnamon and remaining salt and pepper. 2 cups low-sodium beef broth, 2-2½ cups water, 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes, 2 tablespoons corn flour, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 2 teaspoons dried oregano, 2 teaspoons ground cumin, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Add in the cooked beef and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover leaving the lid slightly askew to let some steam escape, and cook for about 2 hours until the beef is very tender. Chopped fresh cilantro
Becky’s Tips
- Ground pasilla, ancho, and New Mexico chili powders create a beautiful depth of flavor and add spice to the chili. You can rehydrate and use whole dried chili peppers if you’d like, but most grocery stores carry packets of ground chilis in the international aisle. These powders gave me all the flavor with added ease.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How to Make Texas Chili Step by Step
Season the Beef: Pat 3-4 pounds of boneless beef chuck roast dry and season it all over with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper.
Sear the Beef: Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the beef in a single layer, cooking in batches if needed, and brown on two sides, about 10 minutes.
Sauté the Jalapeno and Garlic: Remove the beef from the pot. Leave any oil behind and turn the heat down to medium. Add 3 diced jalapeno peppers and 8 minced cloves of garlic. Cook until softened, about 3-4 minutes.
Add the Chili Powders: Stir in 2 tablespoons of pasilla chili powder, 2 tablespoons of ancho chili powder, and 1-2 teaspoons of new mexico chili powder and cook, stirring constantly until fragrant.
Simmer the Chili: Add 2 cups of beef broth, 2 cups of water, 1 cup of canned crushed tomatoes, 2 tablespoons of corn flour, 1 tablespoon of brown sugar, 2 teaspoons of dried oregano, 2 teaspoons of ground cumin, ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon and remaining 2 teaspoons of salt and ½ teaspoon of black pepper. Add in the cooked beef and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover leaving the lid slightly askew to let some steam escape, and cook for about 2 hours until the beef is very tender.
How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover Texas chili in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating in a pot set over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until warmed through.
Serving Suggestions
For me, there’s no better side for spicy, chunky Texas chili than cornbread . These cheesy garlic cornbread drop biscuits are another favorite that I think goes especially well with this spicy chili. Yum!!
more chili recipes to try!
Creamy White Chicken Chili
Chili Mac (One Pot Recipe)
Instant Pot Turkey Chili
Instant Pot Chili Verde
Texas Chili Recipe
Ingredients
- 3-4 pounds boneless beef chuck roast cut into 1-inch pieces
- 3 teaspoons kosher salt divided
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper divided
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3 jalapeno peppers diced
- 8 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons ground pasilla chili powder
- 2 tablespoons dried ancho chili powder
- 1-2 teaspoons dried New Mexico chili powder this one is spicy so adjust to taste!
- 2 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 2-2½ cups water
- 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons corn flour aka: masa harina (not cornstarch!)
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Chopped fresh cilantro optional, for serving
Instructions
- Pat the beef dry and season it all over with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. 3-4 pounds boneless beef chuck roast, 3 teaspoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the beef in a single layer, cooking in batches if needed, and brown on two sides, about 10 minutes. 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- Remove the beef from the pot. Leave any oil behind and turn the heat down to medium. Add the jalapeno peppers and garlic. Cook until softened, about 3-4 minutes. 3 jalapeno peppers, 8 cloves garlic
- Stir in the pasilla chili powder, ancho chili powder, new mexico chili powder and cook, stirring constantly until fragrant. 2 tablespoons ground pasilla chili powder, 2 tablespoons dried ancho chili powder, 1-2 teaspoons dried New Mexico chili powder
- Add the beef broth, 2 cups water, crushed tomatoes, corn flour, brown sugar, dried oregano, cumin, cinnamon and remaining salt and pepper. 2 cups low-sodium beef broth, 2-2½ cups water, 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes, 2 tablespoons corn flour, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 2 teaspoons dried oregano, 2 teaspoons ground cumin, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Add in the cooked beef and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover leaving the lid slightly askew to let some steam escape, and cook for about 2 hours until the beef is very tender. Chopped fresh cilantro
Video
Notes
- Ground pasilla, ancho, and New Mexico chili powders create a beautiful depth of flavor and add spice to the chili. You can rehydrate and use whole dried chili peppers if you’d like, but most grocery stores carry packets of ground chilis in the international aisle. These powders gave me all the flavor with added ease.
Nutrition
By Becky Hardin
Published Jul 12, 2017
This Essential Grocery List is an absolute life saver for my family on the busy weeks. When I started this journey to learn how to cook, I quickly realized that the first step in cooking is having staple ingredients on hand. I want to avoid having to run out to the grocery store every single time I prepare a new recipe. Having a well-stocked pantry has made my life in the kitchen so much simpler, because when it’s time to cook, I have what I need.
Essential Grocery List
It’s so helpful to have a basic grocery list to help me remember which foods to buy at the store. This food shopping list is my go-to!
It’s better to stock up on things like grains, seasonings and spices, baking essentials, oils, condiments, canned and frozen foods, etc. so I can just grab them when I need them. These things have a long shelf life , so I keep them in my kitchen for convenience.
However, I do have to go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’s a way to make that trip easy and hassle-free: I keep a grocery list! If I go in blindly, I’ll leave with things I don’t need, and nothing that actually helps me prepare a good meal.
In the list below, I’ve compiled everything I always have on my stock-up grocery list.
I’ve got you covered! I created an easy grocery list filled with all of the essentials. Plus there’s a free printable version that you can take with you to the grocery store. It has everything you need to stock your pantry, your freezer, and your refrigerator.
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List
What to Buy at the Grocery Store
This is the perfect grocery list filled with all the basics and essentials. It should help get you going if you’re new to cooking, or if you’re just left staring helplessly at an empty pantry and don’t know how to fill it.
When I first started cooking, things could seem overwhelming. I quickly realized that they more prepared I could be, the more confident I felt. If you already have the basics in your kitchen, then you can shop stress-free.
So print out our easy grocery list, stock up your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be cooking in no time!
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Fresh Produce
- Apples
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- Avocados
- Bell Peppers
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Garlic
- Lemons/Limes
- Onion
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Basil
- Potatoes
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
GRAINS
- Breadcrumbs
- Pasta
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Sandwich Bread
- Tortillas
MEAT/PROTEIN
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Ground Beef
- Sliced Turkey
- Lunch Meat
DAIRY
- Butter
- Sliced Cheese
- Shredded Cheese
- Milk
- Sour Cream
- Greek Yogurt
BAKING GOODS
- Baking powder
- Baking Soda
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Flour
- Honey
- Vanilla Extract
- Dry Yeast
- Chocolate Chips
- Cocoa Powder
- Powdered Sugar
FREEZER
- Fruit and Berries
- Frozen Veggies (Corn, Peas, Broccoli, etc)
- Juice Concentrate
- Pizza or Other Convenience Meals
- Pie Crust
- Cookie Dough
CANNED/DRIED GOODS
- Chicken stock/broth
- Salsa
- Diced Tomatoes
- Jam/Jelly
- Peanut Butter
- Pasta Sauce
- Beans (Black Beans, Chickpeas, Baked Beans, etc)
- Soups
- Tuna
- Green Chiles
- Canned Veggies
- Coffee or Tea
Get more details on the best non-perishable and pantry foods
CONDIMENTS/SPICES
- Black Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Cinnamon
- Crushed Red Pepper
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Mayo
- Nutmeg
- Paprika
- Salt (Course Sea Salt and Kosher Salt)
- Soy Sauce
- Steak Sauce
- Hot Sauce/ Buffalo Sauce
- Salad Dressings
OILS/VINEGARS
- Apple cider vinegar
- Balsamic vinegar
- Coconut Oil
- Olive Oil
- Vegetable/Canola Oil
- Red Wine Vinegar
- White Vinegar
- Cooking Wine
- White Wine Vinegar
SNACKS
- Crackers
- Nuts
- Quick Oats
- Popcorn
- Tortilla Chips
- Cereal
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Click ☝🏻 for my FREE Grocery List Printable!
I hope this essential grocery list can help you buy what you need and make your home cooking so much easier!
Stock Your Kitchen
Find more ideas for your grocery list, stock up your kitchen, and print more cooking guides and charts to keep handy!
Non-Perishable Foods to Stock Up On
Frozen Vegetables to Stock Up On (and Recipes to Make)
Ultimate List of Cooking Herbs for Your Kitchen
Ultimate List of Cooking Spices for Your Kitchen
Cooking Oil 101: Types of Cooking Oils to Use
26 Types of Pasta and When to Use Them
What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season?
Meat Temperature Chart (Free Printable)
How to Meal Prep (Guide for Beginners)
Basic Cooking Measurements & Kitchen Conversion Chart
