This chili recipe, inspired by The Pioneer Woman, is a hearty and flavorful dish that’s perfect for any occasion. Combining a rich blend of seasonings with ground beef and beans, this recipe is incredibly versatile. Whether you prefer to cook on the stove top, in a Crock-Pot, or an Instant Pot, this chili will quickly become a family favorite. Get ready to discover your new best chili recipe!
Serve this delicious chili with a side of warm Cornbread for a complete and satisfying meal.
Before finding this recipe, making homemade chili felt like a challenge. Everyone has their own idea of what makes the perfect chili. What’s great about this Pioneer Woman chili recipe is that it provides a fantastic, easy-to-customize base. You can easily adjust it to please everyone at your table.
For those who like simplicity, this chili is wonderful just as it is – featuring meat, beans, a flavorful sauce, and a perfectly balanced seasoning mix.
However, if you prefer a chili loaded with vegetables, feel free to enrich it with bell peppers, onions, or even celery and mushrooms.
How do you prefer your chili? Let us know in the comments!
Making Pioneer Woman Chili: Stove Top Instructions
The stove top method is classic and allows for a hands-on approach to creating this flavorful chili. Follow these simple steps to make a delicious pot of chili on your stove.
Step 1: Brown the Ground Beef
Begin by cooking your ground beef in a large pot over medium heat. As the beef cooks, crumble it with a spoon. Once the beef is fully browned, make sure to drain off any excess grease. This step is crucial for preventing your chili from becoming too oily.
Step 2: Add Aromatics and Tomato Sauce
Introduce the diced garlic to the pot and sauté for about a minute until fragrant. Then, pour in the tomato sauce and stir to combine with the beef and garlic.
Step 3: Season and Simmer
Now it’s time to build the flavor. Add the chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and cayenne pepper to the pot. Stir well to ensure the seasonings are evenly distributed. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let your chili simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. This simmering time allows the flavors to meld together beautifully.
Step 4: Thicken with Masa Harina
In a small bowl, whisk together the masa harina and water until smooth. This mixture acts as a thickening agent, giving your chili the perfect texture. Pour the masa harina mixture into the chili pot and stir it in thoroughly.
Step 5: Add the Beans and Finish Simmering
Finally, add the drained and rinsed kidney and pinto beans to the chili. Stir them in gently. Continue to simmer for another 10 minutes to heat the beans through and allow the chili to thicken further.
Step 6: Serve and Garnish
Your stove top Pioneer Woman chili is now ready to serve! Ladle it into bowls and let everyone customize their serving with their favorite garnishes. Popular choices include shredded cheddar cheese, lime wedges, sour cream, tortilla chips, or diced green onions.
Adding pinto beans to a pot of chili and stirring to combine all ingredients.
Crock-Pot Chili Instructions
For a hands-off approach, the Crock-Pot method is ideal for making Pioneer Woman chili. It’s perfect for busy days, allowing the chili to slowly develop deep flavors.
- Brown Beef and Sauté Aromatics: Just as with the stove top method, start by browning the ground beef in a large pot or a stove-top safe Crock-Pot insert. Drain the grease. Add the garlic and tomato sauce, cooking for an additional minute.
- Season and Transfer: Stir in all the seasonings: chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and cayenne pepper. Mix well and then transfer the mixture to your Crock-Pot.
- Add Thickener and Beans: In a small bowl, combine masa harina with water until smooth, and stir this into the Crock-Pot. Add the drained and rinsed beans.
- Slow Cook: Cook on low heat for 4 hours, or for a longer period if needed. The longer it cooks, the richer the flavors will become.
- Adjust Consistency and Serve: Before serving, you can adjust the chili’s consistency by adding more masa harina mixture to thicken or water to thin it out. Serve hot with your favorite toppings.
Instant Pot Chili Instructions
The Instant Pot offers the quickest way to enjoy Pioneer Woman chili, perfect for when you’re short on time but still crave that homemade flavor.
- Note: For the Instant Pot version, it’s recommended to use 14.5 ounces of diced tomatoes with their juice to ensure there’s enough liquid for pressure cooking.
- Sauté Beef and Aromatics: Set your Instant Pot to the Sauté function. Brown the ground beef, crumbling it as it cooks. Drain any excess grease. Add the garlic and tomato sauce, sautéing for about a minute.
- Add Seasonings: Stir in the chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and cayenne pepper.
- Combine All Ingredients: In a small bowl, mix masa harina with water until smooth. Add this mixture to the Instant Pot, along with the diced tomatoes (with juice), and the drained and rinsed kidney and pinto beans. Stir everything gently to combine.
- Pressure Cook: Secure the Instant Pot lid, ensuring the pressure valve is closed. Select the Chili/Beans setting and set the cooking time for 20 minutes.
- Release Pressure and Serve: Once the cooking cycle is complete, you can either allow for a natural pressure release or perform a quick release. Stir the chili, and it’s ready to serve with your choice of garnishes.
Dealing with the Burn Indicator: If you encounter the burn indicator on your Instant Pot, don’t worry. Often, it simply means some food particles might be sticking to the bottom. Try to scrape the bottom of the pot with a silicone spatula before sealing the lid to minimize this. The burn message usually resolves itself shortly after pressure is reached.
👉 Pro-Tip: Regardless of your chosen cooking method, you can always adjust the chili’s thickness by adding more masa harina and water mixture to reach your desired consistency.
Masa Harina Substitutes for Chili
If you don’t have masa harina on hand, you can still achieve a great chili texture with these substitutes:
- Flour or Cornmeal: These can be used to thicken the chili, but be aware that they may slightly alter the flavor profile compared to masa harina.
- Cornstarch: Mix cornstarch with an equal amount of cold water to create a slurry, then stir it into the chili. This is an effective way to thicken chili and is flavor-neutral.
Freezing and Storing Leftover Chili
Good news – Pioneer Woman chili freezes exceptionally well! This makes it a fantastic option for meal prepping or saving leftovers.
Freezing: Allow the chili to cool completely before transferring it to freezer-safe containers or bags. Properly stored, it can last in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Reheating: You can thaw frozen chili in the refrigerator overnight or use the microwave to defrost it. Reheat it gently either in the microwave or on the stove top until heated through.
What to Serve with Pioneer Woman Chili
Chili is a versatile dish that pairs well with a variety of sides and toppings. Here are some popular serving suggestions:
Close-up of Pioneer Woman chili in a pot with melted cheese and a wooden spoon.
- Cornbread: A classic companion to chili, cornbread’s slightly sweet and crumbly texture complements the rich and savory chili perfectly.
- Tortilla Chips or Fritos: For added crunch, serve chili with tortilla chips or Fritos. They are great for scooping up the chili or crumbling on top.
- Garnishes: Set up a garnish bar with options like shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, diced onions, cilantro, jalapeños, and lime wedges to let everyone customize their bowl.
- Salad: A fresh side salad can provide a light and refreshing contrast to the hearty chili.
- Baked Potato: Top a baked potato with chili for a filling and comforting meal.
The Pioneer Woman Chili Recipe
This is the recipe card for Pioneer Woman Chili, inspired by Ree Drummond, providing all the details you need to make this delicious dish.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 6 people
Rating: 4.8 stars from 53 ratings
Print Recipe | Email Recipe | Pin Recipe | Save RecipeSaved! | Leave a Review
Description: This hearty chili recipe from The Pioneer Woman features a perfect mix of seasonings, ground beef, and beans. Prepare it on the Stove Top, Crock-Pot, or Instant Pot for a guaranteed best chili experience!
Ingredients
- 2 lbs ground beef, 80% lean
- 2 cloves garlic, diced
- 8 oz tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ cup masa harina, white or yellow
- 15 oz kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 15 oz pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 14.5 oz diced tomatoes, Instant Pot version only
Garnish Options:
- Shredded Cheddar
- Lime Wedges
- Sour Cream
- Tortilla Chips or Fritos
- Diced Green Onions
Instructions
Stove Top:
- Cook and crumble ground beef in a large pot over medium heat until browned. Drain excess grease.
- Add garlic and tomato sauce; cook for 1 minute.
- Add seasonings: chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, cayenne pepper. Stir to combine.
- Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Add ½ cup water if too dry.
- Combine masa harina with ½ cup water, stir, and add to chili. Adjust masa/water for desired consistency.
- Add drained and rinsed beans. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- Serve with garnishes and cornbread.
Crock-Pot:
- Brown ground beef in a pot (or stove-top safe crock pot) and drain grease.
- Add garlic and tomato sauce, cook for 1 minute.
- Add seasonings: chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, cayenne pepper. Stir to combine. Transfer to Crock-Pot.
- Combine masa harina with ½ cup water, stir, and add to Crock-Pot. Add beans, stir gently.
- Heat on low for 4 hours or all day. Adjust masa/water for consistency as needed.
Instant Pot:
- Use 14.5 oz diced tomatoes with juice for Instant Pot.
- Set Instant Pot to Sauté. Brown ground beef and drain grease.
- Add garlic and tomato sauce, cook for 1 minute.
- Add seasonings: chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, cayenne pepper.
- Combine masa harina with ½ cup water, stir, and add to Instant Pot with diced tomatoes (with juice), and beans. Stir gently.
- Optional: Adjust water/masa for consistency.
- Close lid, ensure valve is shut. Set to Chili/Beans for 20 minutes.
- Quick or natural pressure release. Serve with garnishes.
Recipe Notes
Masa Harina Substitute:
- Flour or cornmeal can thicken but alter flavor slightly.
- Cornstarch slurry (cornstarch + water) is a flavor-neutral thickener.
Nutritional Information: Estimate per serving (6 servings total).
Nutrition Facts: Calories: 613kcal, Carbohydrates: 42g, Protein: 40g, Fat: 32g, Saturated Fat: 12g, Cholesterol: 107mg, Sodium: 734mg, Potassium: 1198mg, Fiber: 14g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 999IU, Vitamin C: 4mg, Calcium: 110mg, Iron: 8mg
Did you try this recipe? Tag @TheCozyCook on Instagram or use #thecozycook!
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Mexican
Author: Stephanie
Recipe Source: The Food Network
Beef Recipes Crock Pot Recipes Dinner Recipes Freezer Food Recipes Instant Pot Recipes One Pot Recipes Favorite Recipes Pioneer Woman Recipes
