This comforting chili recipe is the perfect dish for your Super Bowl party (2024)

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I love making the Best Damn Chili with tons of veggies.

To make the Best Damn Chili at home, you'll need:

• 2.5 pounds lean ground beef

• 1 yellow onion, chopped

• 1 red bell pepper, chopped

• 1 orange bell pepper, chopped (optional)

• 1 yellow bell pepper, chopped (optional)

• 1 summer squash (optional)

• 1-2 cups cremini mushrooms (optional)

• ½ purple cabbage (optional)

• 4 garlic cloves, minced

• 2 beef bouillon cubes

• 1 28-ounce can crushed San Marzano tomatoes

• 2 16-ounce cans dark red kidney beans

• 1 14.5-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes

• 1 12-ounce can tomato paste

• 1 12-ounce can or bottle of light beer

• 1 cup sour cream, plus extra for serving

• ½ cup white wine

• ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce

• Green onions or cilantro, for serving

• Mexican-blend cheese, for serving (optional)

Here are all the seasonings you'll need:

• 2 tablespoons chili powder

• 2 tablespoons ground cumin

• 1 tablespoon brown sugar

• 2 ½ teaspoons dried basil

• 1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika

• 1 teaspoon salt

• ½ teaspoon dried oregano

• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

• 1 pinch garlic powder

If you want to make your chili spicy, you can also add:

• 2 red jalapeño peppers, chopped

• 1 Anaheim chile pepper, chopped

• 1 tablespoon chipotle pepper sauce

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Most of the work in a chili is just chopping veggies. And we add quite a lot of them to the Best Damn Chili.

My boyfriend Peter and I always love to pack our chili with tons of veggies, so we added a few extra to the original recipe (which I noted with "optional" in the ingredient list). You can also switch things up and just use whatever you have in the fridge.

If you don't want to do a lot of prep, you can always stick to just the onion, garlic, and red bell pepper. I personally think all the extra vegetables are worth the work — they make this chili super hearty, flavorful, and comforting. Plus, the chopping goes by way quicker if you've got the help of a loved one, a good friend, or a great playlist.

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Then, just dump all your hard work into a big pot.

First, add four tablespoons of olive oil to your pot, which should be placed over medium heat.

Then, throw in the onion, bell peppers, garlic, and whatever extra vegetables you decide to use. If you're going the spicy route, this is also when you should add the Anaheim and jalapeño peppers.

As the veggies begin to soften, start cooking the meat.

Add olive oil to a large skillet placed over medium-high heat. Throw in the beef and let it cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat has browned. This step should take around five to seven minutes.

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Once the meat has browned, add the Worcestershire sauce and garlic powder.

During this step, you'll also want to crumble the two beef bouillon cubes over the meat.

Then, throw in the beer.

Keep cooking the beef, scraping the bottom of the skillet with your wooden spoon or rubber spatula until the beer becomes hot. This will take around three minutes.

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Add your beef into the pot full of veggies.

At this point, your kitchen will already smell amazing.

Then, throw in all the tomato products.

Give everything a good stir after you add the crushed San Marzano tomatoes, the fire-roasted diced tomatoes, and the tomato paste.

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Now it's time for the wine and seasonings.

After adding the white wine, season everything with the chili powder, cumin, brown sugar, basil, paprika, oregano, salt, and black pepper. If you're using the pepper sauce, throw that in as well.

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Then, add your kidney beans and bring your pot to a boil before letting it simmer.

The original recipe recommends adding the kidney beans after you've allowed your chili to simmer, but I've misread the instructions and thrown them in early. Either way, it still tastes fantastic.

After your chili has come to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover the pot and let it simmer.

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You should let your chili simmer for at least 90 minutes, but we usually let it simmer much longer.

I love simmering chili on the stove all day, allowing it to develop and thicken. The vegetables still maintain their delicious texture, staying tender rather than mushy, and the overall flavor is incredible —and so worth the wait.

If you opt to add your kidney beans after the initial simmer, the original recipe recommends letting the chili simmer for an additional 30 minutes (which allows the beans to get hot) before serving.

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Top the chili with sour cream and some green onions or cilantro, and enjoy.

The Best Damn Chili is just so rich, hearty, and comforting. The deep, delicious flavor that comes from allowing it to simmer all day is memorable, and all the different veggies work together so beautifully. The dollop of sour cream on top infuses the chili with a nice brightness and tang, and I love the color and crunch the green onions add. We've made this recipe every season of the year, and the Best Damn Chili always hits no matter the temperature.

Plus, even if you go back for seconds, this recipe provides enough leftovers for an entire week of dinners. My boyfriend and I often pack up some leftover chili for our friends, who are also huge fans of it.

Just beware if you make this for a Super Bowl Sunday party — there won't be a spoonful left by the final touchdown.