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There’s nothing better than a hearty bowl of chili to warm you up on a cold day. And if it’s spicy enough to warm your tastebuds up too, that’s even better.
There’s a plethora of chili recipes to explore, from quick-cooking Instant Pot pork versions to big bowls of Texas red — no beans allowed. When your tried-and-true chili recipe gets a little boring, try one of these recipes instead.
Ground turkey is a health-conscious swap for beef in this fast-cooking and few-ingredient recipe. This is about as simple as it gets, but you can add anything you might have to use up, including peppers, mushrooms, or frozen corn.
Recipe: Smitten Kitchen
Letting chili slow cook in a crock pot all day long is a great way to make the house smell wonderful — and let all the flavors meld. This recipe has you make your own simple chili powder seasoning, and includes a can of beer for rich depth of flavor.
Recipe: Spend With Pennies
Some people can get a little snippy about chili, and many of them would probably approve of this recipe. It uses chuck roast instead of ground beef, and there’s no beans to be found. Plus, you can’t go wrong with bacon or rich, dark ancho chile powder.
Recipe: Once Upon a Chef
Sweet potatoes and black beans are a classic combo for a reason: they’re delicious together. Along with cumin and smoked paprika, they’ll make a fantastic vegetarian chili. Top it with avocado, sour cream, and onions to your heart’s content.
Recipe: Nora Cooks
If you’ve never tried white chicken chili, you’re in for a treat with this recipe. Roasted chiles, onions, and garlic get pureed into a smooth, smoky base that’s studded with white beans and shredded chicken. Don’t skimp on the pepperjack cheese, which makes it a little bit creamy.
Recipe: Serious Eats
The chili that goes on top of hot dogs is not the same as chili we eat on its own. It’s a simple recipe that includes ketchup for that specific tang and sweetness that goes so well with hot dogs. If you’d like more tang, add a little squeeze of mustard, too.
Recipe: AllRecipes
Instant Pots make everything much faster to cook, including chili. This is a pretty classic ground beef and bean chili recipe adapted for electric pressure cookers. It will only need to cook for 20 minutes, but it’ll taste like it cooked for hours.
Recipe: Dinner at the Zoo
Forget beef altogether and opt for pork in this green chili. It includes dried and fresh chiles, plus green tomatillos, the same veggie in salsa verde, as a base for the tender cubes of pork. Masa harina, or corn flour, helps thicken the chili.
Recipe: Food & Wine
Cinci style chili has Greek roots. A little bit of cinnamon and allspice give it that unmistakable flavor. Serve it like they do at Skyline: over a bed of spaghetti and topped with onions and a huge pile of shredded cheddar cheese.
Recipe: Spend With Pennies
If you’re interested in adding more vegan meals to your rotation, chili is a great place to start. Red lentils make up the bulk of it, along with colorful bell peppers and beans. Frozen diced butternut squash is an unusual but delicious addition that doesn’t add any more prep time.
Recipe: Food Network
Could there be any more comforting meal than chili mac? This is a simple, one-pot recipe that’s creamy and beefy (a.k.a. everything you’d want in a chili mac). The seasonings are pretty mild for that Hamburger Helper vibe, but feel free to add more chili powder or some cayenne.
Recipe: Budget Bytes
This is a decadent chili recipe of braised beef short ribs. It includes red wine for richness and depth, plus no shortage of ancho chile powder. Canned chipotles add heat and smokiness, while a topping of easy pickled red onions cuts through all that richness.
Recipe: Food & Wine
Why not mix beef and pork in a chili? This recipe uses both cubed beef chuck and pork shoulder for a chunky, meat-foward chili. Dried guajillo chiles make things smooth and rich, and chiles de arbol add heat. You’ll definitely want diced avocado to garnish this one.
Recipe: Food Network
This is an interesting cross between chili and sloppy joes. It’s made with beef stew meat, though you could use ground beef if you prefer. Chili sauce, paprika, yellow mustard, and worcestershire put the “barbecue” in this chili.
Recipe: Food Network
Chipotle chile powder and cumin give this Instant Pot recipe tons of flavor. Cubed pork shoulder becomes tender in no time so that you can shred it before eating. A quick creamy slaw of shredded cabbage is an inspired topping.
Recipe: Southern Living
Canned pumpkin has lots of vitamins and fiber, and it makes this chili thick and hearty. Fire-roasted canned tomatoes are a great way to add smoky flavor without the heat you’d get from chipotles. Picky kids won’t even realize there’s pumpkin in here.
Recipe: Southern Living
This recipe for a fast, simple skillet chili calls for equal parts ground beef and chorizo for extra flavor. Using store-bought pico de gallo is also a smart shortcut to add lots of necessary ingredients all at once.
Recipe: Food & Wine
Tamale pie is skillet chili baked with cornbread crust on top, and it’s fantastic. Black beans and frozen corn bulk up the pound of ground beef in this recipe economically. While the homemade brown butter cornbread topping is delicious, you can take a shortcut with your favorite cornbread mix instead.
Recipe: Serious Eats