Dutch Oven Chili Recipe

Making homemade chili is one of the best spicy, seasoned dishes I enjoy eating with family and friends. I usually cook my stovetop chili or chili con carne using a regular pot, but recently, I’ve been experimenting with a Dutch oven. And, let me tell you, it’s amazing for making homemade chili. It’s a heavy duty pot that is great at braising meats on high heat, and slow cooking food. Since it has thick walls, the heat is evenly distributed which was perfect for my Dutch oven chili recipe. This spicy, savory dish is loaded with seasoned ground beef, beans, bell peppers, and onions that are just so delicious to eat.

It’s so easy to make this award-winning (if I do say so myself) chili recipe of mine. Start by getting your own Dutch oven. You won’t regret buying one since it’s kind of like a multi cooker on its own where you can easily slow cook, roast, boil, and fry food. They’re also perfect for camping, especially if you buy those pre-seasoned cast iron coated ones. Dutch oven cooking with charcoal briquettes is a classic cooking method for this all-around pot, and with its tight-fitting lid, it can also be used as a pan since it’s made out of the same material. It’s a really durable and versatile pot, so you can make some of the best Dutch oven recipes like this chili dish!

I used a 6-quart cast iron Dutch oven, but you can also choose the enamel coated one. With my cast iron pot, I cooked the lean ground beef first until it’s brown and then mixed in the vegetables until it’s soft. For the meat, you can switch it up with ground turkey, ground pork, or even sliced sausages so it’s extra tasty. Adding in other vegetables as well like corn, carrots, or zucchini slices can make the dish stand out even more. That’s why I love making this dish because I can customize it a lot of times and it’s still delicious and hearty.

After combining the meat and veggies, I mixed in the powdered spices and garlic, and then added in the beans and tomatoes. If you don’t have garbanzo beans, then feel free to use any kinds of beans such as cannellini beans, pinto beans, black, white, or red kidney beans. Mix everything together and let the spices blend with the veggies, beans, and meat. Afterwards, I let it simmer and slow-cooked it for about an hour until the broth was thick. I transferred it to a large bowl and seasoned it with sea salt and the chopped cilantro.

Feel free to add in other toppings as well. I personally love adding sour cream and shredded cheeses into my Dutch oven chili. Sometimes, I would even pair this chili with baked potatoes for a much more filling dish. Additionally, if you want a spicier chili dish, then slice up some jalapenos or use chili flakes. There are a lot of ways you can make this dish a lot tastier, and the inclusion of flavorful toppings is one of my favorite ways to make it the best chili recipe ever.