Easy Stovetop Chili Recipe - Thrift and Spice (2024)

FAQs

What spices add flavor to chili? ›

Most Common Chili Spices. Cumin, Chile Powders, and Paprika are the most common spices in chili followed by garlic, onion, coriander, Mexican oregano, and bay leaves. These ingredients can be combined to create a savory and well-balanced pot of top notch comfort food.

Common spices and pantry staples can also upgrade your meal.

Manuel Hewitt, executive chef and owner-operator of The Barrel Room, also suggested "adding some extra chili powder, black pepper, and cumin" to "deeply expand and deepen" the dish's flavors.

Only Add Flavorful Liquids

Instead of adding water to your chili, add some more flavor with chicken or beef broth, red wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, or even beet or wine. Each one of these options brings out different notes and levels of sweetness that will enhance your culinary creation.

If you are making chili that will cook for 30 to 40 minutes, diced tomatoes will work best. If you want to make a quick, fresh-flavored tomato sauce with basil, choose the crushed tomatoes. You will only need to cook the sauce for about 20 minutes to get the right thickness and a balanced flavor.

Spices: Freshly ground cumin is a must. If it's not fresh, then don't bother. Secret Ingredients & Technique: I like extra hot chili, so I round up all spicy ingredients. I cool it down by piling on lots of fresh fixins' including scallions, cilantro, and sour cream.

If you want more of a smoky flavor, add cumin, Spanish paprika, ancho chili powder, or a combination. If you are looking for more heat, add cayenne, crushed red pepper, or Hungarian paprika. If it's too spicy add a little brown sugar and some sweet paprika.

INGREDIENTS: WATER, BEEF AND PORK, BEANS, CONCENTRATED CRUSHED TOMATOES, CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF MODIFIED CORNSTARCH, TEXTURED SOY FLOUR, CORN FLOUR, SALT, CHILI POWDER (CHILI PEPPERS, FLAVORING), SUGAR, FLAVORING, GREEN CHILES (CONTAINS CITRIC ACID), ONIONS, SPICES JALAPENO PEPPERS, VINEGAR.

Open the can, dump contents into a pan, turn burner under pan on - heat slowly to stirring regularly. Bring to slight boil, turn off stove, remove from burner. Ladle chili into a bowl, top with shredded cheese, onions, or crackers whatever you like. Enjoy.

Chili cooks low and slow, so you need enough liquid to tenderize the meat and keep everything from drying out. That liquid should also add flavor to the chili, so use chicken, beef, or vegetable stock, or beer.

Beans and non-vegetable fillers such as rice and pasta are not allowed." If that sounds a bit uptight, the ICS's Homestyle Chili competition defines chili as: "any kind of meat, or combination of meats, and/or vegetables cooked with beans, chili peppers, various spices, and other ingredients.

What does cinnamon do for chili? ›

Cinnamon adds a different spice profile than chili powder or red or cayenne pepper would. It is a common savory spice in Indian food and I believe it's also used in savory dishes in Chinese cooking. It's a very versatile spice :).

Amp up the seasoning: chili powder, cumin, fresh garlic, oregano, lime juice, minced onion, and minced jalapeños. I also add vegetable broth (just as needed) instead of water, and I use the expensive San Marzano whole canned tomatoes (they make a big difference in flavor).

However, canned beans are soaked in a canning liquid that can throw off your dish's seasoning and texture, so it's best to drain and rinse your beans before pouring them into your pot of chili. Canning liquid can also water down and dilute the flavors of your chili.

Yellow Onions: These are the most versatile and widely available type of onion, and are a good choice for chili con carne. They have a slightly sweet, sharp, and tangy flavor that adds depth and complexity to the dish.

Soy Sauce or Tamari

Soy sauce (or its gluten-free cousin, tamari) may seem like a strange addition to chili, but it brings the umami richness vegetarian chili is often missing and balances out any sweetness in the pot.

Make your own spice blend

Although canned chili will already have some seasonings, fresh herbs and spices will add bolder flavor. You can upgrade your chili using ingredients you likely already have on your spice rack, such as chili powder, ground cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper.

Acids enhance the salty, umami-rich flavors already present in chili, and round out the sweetness, adding intricacy to the dish. Apple cider vinegar is versatile with a light, fruity flavor, but red wine and balsamic vinegar are both good choices for heavier chilis that need something bolder.