Chili is comfort food and we eat it many different ways around here! Below is a list of our favorite recipes.

Toppings make chili. We often serve chili at parties with a “choose your own toppings” bar so everybody can make their own choices and have some fun! Ideas for a toppings bar included below.

Tried and True Recipes

Classic: Simple, Perfect Chili - Ree Drummond
- This is the recipe you want if you are craving stick-to-your-bones, meaty chili. It’s simple, unassuming, and delicious. This is our go-to for Super Bowl parties! I use Ancho Chili Pepper (from Penzey’s) which has a deeper, richer flavor. Don’t skip the masa harina, it’s the secret ingredient. You can order on Amazon if you can’t find it in the store. I usually order the 4-pack and use it to make my own tortillas and in cornbread recipes.
Modern: California Turkey Chili - Giada
- So savory and healthy. The spice blend is perfect and while the celery seems out of place it ties all the veggies together. I love the pilaf recipe she includes but if I’m in a rush I don’t always make it with the chili.
Vegetarian: Slow Cooker Black Bean Chili - The Kitchn
- Out-of-this-world good! It surprised me how much both Joe and I loved this recipe the first time I made it. It’s quickly become our favorite chili recipe as it’s stupid healthy and stupid easy! The cocoa powder with the chili pepper come together to heighten the flavor of the beans and tomatoes. It can be hard to eat healthier but this makes it easy.
Fall Festive: Pumpkin Chili - Bri McKoy
- We first made pumpkin chili as Hurricane Sandy crept up the coast towards the Northeast in 2012. There was flooding, the power kept going out and it was freezing, but we ate well! This is a solid recipe for the version I make (also can be done in a slow cooker). I don’t use pumpkin beer, but that’s solely because I prefer a darker beer (porter or stout) in my recipe.

Chili To Go!

Chili is a great workday lunch. Changing up the recipe keeps it interesting. I scoop into microwavable bowls & prep toppings in a small container to dress up chili at the office!

Meal Block Plan | 6 Lunches/Dinners

If packing for work:

allow chili to cool and then package into portable lunch containers
make an equal amount of small toppings containers
Optional: wrap up an equal number of tortilla chip bags
Pro tip: if you like hot sauce as much as I do keep a bottle at work

The recipes above, on average, make 6 lunch or dinner blocks. Too much? Chili freezes nicely and keeps for several months. Cool until you can handle, then scoop into freezer bags. Cool overnight in fridge (cold food freezes better). Then freeze flat so bags stack nicely. Always label bags with content and the date (mo/yr).

Ree’s Simple, Perfect Chili with toppings.

Ideas for a Toppings Bar

A chili bar is a fun option for an informal house party. You can make the chili a day before, reheat and set up in a crockpot to keep warm during the party. Serve with a basket of warm cornbread muffins and set up an array of toppings near the crockpot bar. I like to assign toppings to guests when they ask what to bring. Everyone helps out and my shopping and prep is even easier! Have the bowls and spoons ready for each topping and then you and the guests can set them up together as they arrive. Everybody gets involved and nothing is too much work!

It can be fun to provide smaller bowls so guests feel good about trying to or three bowls of chili with various topping combinations. If you’re serving a big crowd or going all-out, make two or three versions of chili for endless combinations. Here’s a list of possible toppings but feel free to pick and choose or customize with your favorites:

Avocado (toss with lime juice so they don’t brown)
Cilantro
Chives
Cheese (we love cheddar but options can be fun too! Try pepper jack, Colby, cheddar, or even goat cheese with a California white bean chili.)
Sour Cream or Greek Yogurt (for a lighter option)
Diced Peppers (any kind, if you use hot pepper label for your guests to know the spice level!)
Diced Onions (Red, Green, White, or Yellow. I use Green because I can’t eat many raw onions)
Lime Wedges
Rice
Quinoa pilaf (see the California Chili recipe above)
Corn
Hot Sauces
French Onion Dip
Guacamole
Tortilla chips, strips or scoops
Corn chips or scoops
Salt & Pepper (grinders for these are fun)