Our Best Chili Recipes for Cold-Weather Days

By Frances Kim
Updated March 11, 2020
Photography by Justin Walker; Food Styling by Greg Lofts; Prop Styling by Suzie Myers
From beef to turkey, vegetarian to vegan, there are chili recipes here for everyone.
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Photography by Justin Walker; Food Styling by Greg Lofts; Prop Styling by Suzie Myers

There are a few components to great chili. The first is a hearty base—whether you go with classic ground beef, lean ground turkey, or vegetarian beans, this is key to creating the ultimate comfort food. Next are lots of spices and aromatics. Expect to see a combination of cumin, coriander, and chili powder, tomato paste, chile peppers such as poblanos or jalapeños, and perhaps cocoa powder for extra depth. There will be onions, garlic, and diced tomatoes, too.

Start with our Easy Beef Chili recipe and then build your skills and flavor from there. Once you get comfortable with that dish, try making our Chili-Stuffed Peppers, which feel a little more unexpected but are just as delicious. The chili is mixed with steamed white rice and an egg, which binds the mixture together. The result is a super satisfying main meal. Another riff is Chili with Polenta and Vegetables, which makes chili even more comforting; it's ladled it over creamy, quick-cooking polenta. You can even make chili in a flash using some of the most handy kitchen tools. Our Pressure-Cooker Chile Verde, pictured here, couldn't be easier or more delicious.

A recipe that is sure to make the game day crowd go crazy is our Skillet Chili Nachos. Instead of just topping tortilla chips with cheese, ground beef, jalapeños—the works—we whipped up a quick chili to go over each and every crispy chip, along with beans and salsa.

We also have a couple of fabulous vegetarian chili recipes that use a combination of beans and tofu—no one will miss the meat. Our Vegetarian White Chili is made with cannellini beans and spinach, and a Parmesan rind gives it extra umami flavor. Looking for something with more of a kick? This Spicy Vegetarian Chili is made with black beans and red kidney beans, plus chipotle-chile powder for serious heat.

From classic recipes to totally new and inspired iterations, these chili recipes will keep you cozy during the cold weather months.

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Chili with Polenta and Vegetables

Justin Walker
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If you feel like a bowl of chili isn't enough of a complete meal, try this inspired combo. Layer creamy, quick-cooking polenta, our Easy Beef Chili, and sautéed cremini mushrooms with spinach for a delicious dinner.

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Skillet Chili Nachos

Justin Walker
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This is the ultimate party starter for game day. Tortilla chips are topped with our classic beef chili recipe, plus black beans, cheddar cheese, and jalapeño peppers for one super hearty bite.

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Vegetarian White Chili

Bryan Gardner
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This one's for you omnivores! Cannellini beans and plenty of fresh spinach take the place of traditional beef in this better-for-you chili recipe. Serve the sour cream on the side and leave out the Parmesan rind for a vegan meal.

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Spicy Vegetarian Chili

Sidney Bensimon
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Red kidney beans and black beans are the base for this chili, along with a jar of marinara sauce. And while most chili recipes take hours to come together, this one will be on the table in just 50 minutes.

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Chili-Stuffed Peppers

Justin Walker
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Make the most epic stuffed peppers—ours are filled with a beef chili and rice mixture. Harissa paste creates just enough of a kick.

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Shredded Pork in Red Chili

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This Southwestern-style chili calls for braising pork shoulder with an inspired combination of yuca, kidney beans, and dried chiles.

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Instant Pot Turkey Chili

Bryan Gardner
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We love using the Instant Pot for making our favorite recipes fast, and it's a match made in heaven for this lean chili recipe. All of the ingredients here—diced tomatoes, chili and cumin powder, an onion, and chile pepper—are total classics.

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Smoky Tofu Chili

Con Poulos
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A combination of firm tofu and black beans star in this fiery meal. In just one hour, you can create a delicious, vegetarian chili recipe.

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Vegan Sweet Potato Chili

Bryan Gardner
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With their vibrant orange color and nutrient-rich flesh, we welcome any opportunity to use sweet potatoes. Here they float in a rich tomato broth alongside black beans. Each bowl of this flavorful chili is topped with slices of ripe avocado and crushed tortilla chips.

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Cincinnati Chili Dogs

Armando Rafael
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This is no ordinary hot dog. A quick homemade chili tops all-beef franks, along with shredded sharp cheddar cheese and chopped white onions.

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Easy Beef Chili

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Our tried-and-true, back-pocket chili recipe. A few ingredients make this chili really spectacular—fresh jalapeños, chili powder, cocoa powder, and fire-roasted diced tomatoes. Enjoy it on its own, over nachos, or stuffed into roasted peppers.

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Picadillo-Style Chili

Yuki Sugiura
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We love the surprising flavor combinations in this chili, inspired by the traditional Cuban dish picadillo. Ground beef, tomatoes, and poblano chiles are spiced with cumin and cinnamon and served with rice, manzanilla olives, toasted almonds, and currants.

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White Bean Chicken Chili

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Raid your pantry for this one! Canned white beans, chicken broth, and green chiles, plus a bevy of spices—cumin, coriander, and chili powder—are the backbone of this flavor-packed chili.

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Vegetarian Chili with Avocado Cream

Marcus Nilsson
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Here's a recipe unlike any vegetarian chili we've ever had! This unusual riff pairs fennel, tomatoes, lentils, sweet potatoes, black beans, and black-eyed peas with two types of chiles, cumin, and plenty of aromatics. And the avocado cream topping? You're going to want to put it on everything.

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Texas Chili

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This bean-free stew uses both fresh jalapeños and dried ancho and guajillo chiles for a hot influx of flavor.

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Hearty Turkey Chili

Con Poulos
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Mild bell peppers, smoky chipotles in adobo, dark turkey meat, and canned tomatoes and kidney beans make a satisfying dinner any night of the week, especially if you go all out with the garnish. We like adding sliced avocado, lime wedges, diced red onion, grated cheddar, and fresh cilantro.

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30-Minute Chili

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Using ground beef speeds along the cooking time without lessening this chili's ability to hit the spot. It takes just half an hour!

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Turkey Chili

Yuki Sugiura
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Smoked turkey necks or wings, ground dark turkey, ancho chiles, and fire-roasted tomatoes are the secrets to this flavor-packed chili. The best part? It can be made up to three days in advance—the chili gets better the longer it sits.

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Vegetarian Chili

Johnny Miller
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Cumin and chipotle chile powder bring pantry ingredients such as canned tomatoes and beans to life in this quick-cooking meatless chili.

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Chicken Chili

Johnny Miller
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Plum tomatoes and jalapeños are roasted and puréed for the base of this thick chili. Using chicken thighs ensures that the meat stays moist and flavorful. Top with cubes of your favorite cornbread.

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Texas-Style Short Rib Chili

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The Lone Star State likes its chili bean-free, and trust us, you won't miss them in this recipe. Cubes of beef short ribs and chuck are flavored with smoky chipotle and guajillo chiles for a hearty one-pot meal thickened with cornmeal.

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Spicy Turkey Chili

Yunhee Kim
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Turkey thighs and fiery serrano chiles are the only non-pantry ingredients in this easy slow-cooker recipe.

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Vegetarian Black-Bean Chili

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This vegetable-laden chili makes the most of frozen and canned vegetables, which are smart buys when you're not feeling inspired in the produce aisle, as they're preserved at the peak of freshness.

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Chili Verde

Johnny Miller
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Store-bought green tomatillo salsa perks up braised pork shoulder like you wouldn't believe. Serve with fresh cilantro and lime wedges for extra brightness.

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Classic Beef Chile

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It's hard to beat a classic: a variety of dried chiles—ancho, guajillo, mulato, and chipotle—are roasted and puréed to give this beef chili its bold flavor.

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