Easy Cowboy Chili Recipe
If you're craving something hearty, bold, and full of flavor, you'll love this simple cowboy chili. Made with simple ingredients stored in my homestead pantry, like dried beans and home-canned tomatoes, this soup is just what old-fashioned homesteaders and cowboys on the range would have liked and probably would have had the ingredients to make. This is why I call it "cowboy chili".
Perfect for busy weeknights in the winter months or any time you just want a hearty meal. Everything simmers together in the Instant Pot, letting the spices deepen, and the ingredients blend into a rich, comforting bowl of goodness. Don't have an Instant Pot? Just use canned beans and cook in a pot on the stove or in a slow cooker. This is the ultimate simple chili recipe that can be adapted to many different ingredients and cooking styles.
I've tried many different chili recipes over the years, but my husband (who is a cowboy) never really liked any of them. They must have been too fancy, with too many different flavors. He just wanted a basic chili with classic flavor, so when I stumbled upon this simple recipe, it was just what he wanted. I've since adapted it to the Instant Pot, and it's now one of our staple meals. Grab your favorite toppings, ladle it up, and get ready for a taste of classic comfort food with a cowboy twist.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Simple and Easy Recipe- This cowboy chili can be made in just a few minutes with staple ingredients stored in the pantry, making it the perfect weeknight meal. It’s a very flexible recipe, and you can add more or less of each ingredient, and it still tastes delicious.
- Even Better Leftover- This cowboy chili is even better the next day when all of the flavors have had time to marinate together.
- Slow Cooker Option- If you use canned beans, you can combine all the ingredients in a slow cooker for a few hours on a low setting, and then add cheese on top right before serving. It's always nice to have a make-ahead option so you can come home after a long day to a warm meal.
- Versatile- This recipe is easy to adjust for your meal size, and a great candidate for a freezer meal, so you can enjoy this hearty chili anytime.
- Hearty- It’s loaded with filling beans and ground beef, rich tomatoes, and smoky spices that create a thick, satisfying texture in every bite. The combination of protein and fiber makes it naturally substantial, the kind of meal that truly keeps you full.
Ingredients
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Tools
How to Make This Hearty Cowboy Chili
If using dried beans, add 1 cup of dry beans to the Instant Pot with 2 quarts of water. Close the vent on the lid and cook for 1 hour on high pressure.
If using canned beans, you can skip the first step.
In a cast-iron skillet, saute the onions, green pepper, garlic, and ground beef in a couple of tablespoons of beef tallow or butter.
Season the meat with salt and pepper as desired.
Open the pressure release valve for a quick release of the remaining pressure in the Instant Pot if necessary. If you start the beans early in the afternoon, then you can just do a natural release and let the instant pot cool off slowly. Either way works just fine.
Drain the beans and add them back to the instant pot (or just add canned beans if using those).
Add the meat mixture, tomatoes, beef broth, and spices to the beans in the Instant Pot.
Press the saute function and allow the mixture to cook until heated through.
Turn on the slow cook function and let it simmer for 10-15 minutes. Letting it simmer for a little while allows the flavors to blend.
Serve with cheese, sour cream, corn chips, and sourdough cornbread.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days.
Tips
- For some more heat and a slightly different flavor, add some roasted poblano peppers
- I always make this chili with dry beans in the Instant Pot, but you can use canned beans as well. If you use canned beans, you can saute the meat, onions and peppers in the instant pot, and then just add the rest of the ingredients to it.
- If cooking dried beans in the instant pot, start them cooking early in the afternoon and let the instant pot naturally release (slowly cool), then it will be easy to add the other ingredients for a quick supper
- For something different, try making this chili with a variety of beans like black beans, or kidney beans, instead of pinto beans.
- When I make this in the fall, I just chop up fresh tomatoes and saute them along with the ground beef until they are soft. I always try to save my canned tomatoes for winter time.
- Don’t skip the sauté step. Cooking the onions, garlic, and spices in a large skillet gives this chili a great flavor
- I always double this recipe for my family of 8 and it serves us for 2 meals.
- Sometimes I use our homemade venison breakfast sausage in this recipe instead of hamburger, and it gives it great flavor.
- This chili can be made ahead of time and frozen for easy meals during busy seasons.
More Recipes Like This
Easy Cowboy Chili Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Large pot or dutch oven
- 1 cutting board
- 1 sharp knife
- 1 measuring cups and spoons
- 1 Wooden spoon
- 1 Ladle
Ingredients
- 1 cup cans of canned beans you can also use 2 15 oz cans
- 2 quarts water
- 1 lb. hamburger
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1 quart canned tomatoes, diced
- 2 cups beef broth
- 2 Tbl. chili powder
- 2 teaspoon cumin
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1 tsp. pepper
Instructions
- If using dried beans, add 1 cup of dry beans to the Instant Pot with 2 quarts of water. Close the vent on the lid and cook for 1 hour on high pressure.
- For canned beans, you can skip the first step
- In a cast iron skillet, saute the onions, green pepper, garlic, and ground beef in a couple Tablespoons of beef tallow or butter.
- Season the meat with salt and pepper as desired.
- Open the pressure release valve for a quick release of the remaining pressure in the Instant Pot if necessary. If you start the beans early in the afternoon, then you can just do a natural release and let the instant pot cool off slowly. Either way works just fine.
- Drain the beans and add them back to the instant pot (or just add canned beans if using those).
- Add the meat mixture, tomatoes, beef broth, and spices to the beans in the Instant Pot.
- Press the saute function and allow the mixture to cook until heated through.
- Turn on the slow cook function and let it simmer for 10-15 minutes. Letting it simmer for a little while allows the flavors to blend.
- Serve with cheese, sour cream, corn chips, and sourdough cornbread.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days.
Notes
- For some more heat and a slightly different flavor, add some roasted poblano peppers
- I always make this chili with dry beans in the Instant Pot, but you can use canned beans as well. If you use canned beans, you can saute the meat, onions and peppers in the instant pot, and then just add the rest of the ingredients to it.
- If cooking dried beans in the instant pot, start them cooking early in the afternoon and let the instant pot naturally release (slowly cool), then it will be easy to add the other ingredients for a quick supper
- For something different, try making this chili with a variety of beans like black beans, or kidney beans, instead of pinto beans.
- When I make this in the fall, I just chop up fresh tomatoes and saute them along with the ground beef until they are soft. I always try to save my canned tomatoes for winter time.
- Don’t skip the sauté step. Cooking the onions, garlic, and spices in a large skillet gives this chili a great flavor
- I always double this recipe for my family of 8 and it serves us for 2 meals.
- Sometimes I use our homemade venison breakfast sausage in this recipe instead of hamburger, and it gives it great flavor.
- This chili can be made ahead of time and frozen for easy meals during busy seasons.
