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Easy One-Pot Halloween Chili for a Crowd

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This hearty, one-pot chili is perfect for feeding a hungry crowd on Halloween or any fall gathering. Made with ground beef, beans, and a smoky spice blend, it’s forgiving, flexible, and tastes even better the next day.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 pounds ground beef (80/20)
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced (about 2 cups)
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 can (14.5 ounces) fire-roasted diced tomatoes
  • 1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
  • 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can (15 ounces) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup frozen corn kernels
  • 2 cups beef broth (low-sodium)
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • Salt and black pepper to taste (start with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper)
  • Optional toppings: shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, sliced jalapeños, chopped cilantro, diced avocado, crushed tortilla chips

Instructions

  1. Heat the pot over medium-high heat. Add a drizzle of olive oil—about a tablespoon—and let it shimmer. Drop in the ground beef and break it apart with your wooden spoon. Let it brown without stirring too much; you want actual browning, not gray steaming. This takes about 6-8 minutes. If there’s a lot of excess fat, spoon out all but about 2 tablespoons. Leaving a little fat adds flavor.
  2. Add the onion and bell pepper. Stir them into the beef and let them cook for 4-5 minutes, until the onion turns translucent and the pepper softens. The kitchen will start smelling like dinner at this point. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot—that’s flavor gold.
  3. Stir in the garlic and all the spices. Chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, cayenne (if using), oregano. Stir constantly for about 30 seconds until the spices are fragrant. Be careful not to burn them; burnt cumin tastes bitter and there’s no coming back from that.
  4. Pour in the diced tomatoes and tomato sauce. Stir everything together, scraping the bottom of the pot to release any remaining browned bits. The mixture will look a little soupy at this stage—that’s normal. Trust the process.
  5. Add the beans, corn, beef broth, and brown sugar. Stir until everything is evenly distributed. The brown sugar might seem like a strange addition, but it balances the acidity of the tomatoes and rounds out the heat from the spices. Don’t skip it.
  6. Bring the chili to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot with the lid slightly ajar to let steam escape. Let it simmer for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. If you have more time, let it go for 45 minutes to an hour. The longer it simmers, the thicker and more flavorful it gets.
  7. Taste and adjust seasoning. Add salt and pepper as needed. I usually start with 1 teaspoon of salt and add more after the chili has simmered. Remember that canned beans and broth already contain sodium, so go easy at first.
  8. Serve hot with your favorite toppings. Ladle into bowls and let everyone customize their own. Shredded cheese, sour cream, diced avocado, crushed tortilla chips, sliced jalapeños—set it all out and let the chaos begin.

Notes

Brown the meat in batches if needed to avoid steaming. Toast spices for 30 seconds to enhance flavor. Let chili rest 10-15 minutes before serving. Add salt gradually as liquid reduces. For a thicker chili, simmer uncovered or mash some beans against the pot. Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: Halloween chili, one-pot chili, easy chili, crowd-pleasing chili, ground beef chili, fall recipe, comfort food

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