Texas Roadhouse Chili Recipe (2024)

For the Chili

• ▢ 2 tablespoons neutral oil olive oil, avocado oil, etc.
• ▢ 1 medium yellow onion diced, approximately 2 cups
• ▢ 2 tablespoons minced fresh garlic
• ▢ 2 pounds lean ground beef 90/10 or higher
• ▢ 3 ½ teaspoons cumin
• ▢ 2 packed tablespoons brown sugar
• ▢ 2 tablespoons chili powder
• ▢ 1 ½ tablespoons smoked paprika
• ▢ ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper more or less to taste
• ▢ 3 ½ teaspoons salt more or less to taste
• ▢ 2 14-ounce cans crushed tomatoes
• ▢ 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• ▢ 1 14-ounce can kidney beans rinsed well, drained well; optional, see Notes
• ▢ 1 cup low-sodium beef broth
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes more or less to taste, optional

Serving Suggestions (All Optional)

• ▢ shredded fresh cheddar cheese
• ▢ finely chopped red onions
• ▢ thinly sliced green onions
• ▢ sour cream
• ▢ tortilla chips
• ▢ yeast rolls

• Heat dutch oven on stovetop over medium heat. When pot is warm, add 2 tablespoons neutral oil. Continue heating dutch oven, swirling and tilting pot occasionally to distribute oil across entire surface, until oil is hot and shimmery.

• When oil is hot, add 1 medium yellow onion and stir to incorporate. Sauté diced onion 3 to 4 minutes or until translucent, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.

• Once onions have softened, add 2 tablespoons minced fresh garlic and stir to incorporate. Sauté 30 to 60 seconds, until garlic is just fragrant.

• Add 2 pounds lean ground beef to dutch oven and break ground beef apart into smaller chunks. Cook ground beef 5 to 7 minutes, stirring often and breaking up chunks into smaller pieces, until beef is browned through and crumbled.

• When ground beef is ready, add 3 ½ teaspoons cumin, 2 packed tablespoons brown sugar, 2 tablespoons chili powder, 1 ½ tablespoons smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper, and 3 ½ teaspoons salt. Simmer mixture 30 to 60 seconds, stirring until spices are fully incorporated into ground beef mixture.

• Add 2 14-ounce cans crushed tomatoes, 3 tablespoons tomato paste, 1 14-ounce can kidney beans, and 1 cup low-sodium beef broth to dutch oven. Stir well to fully incorporate all ingredients. If desired, stir in ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes.

• Reduce heat under dutch oven to medium-low. Simmer chili, uncovered, 20 to 30 minutes or until beans and tomatoes are softened and warmed through and chili has thickened. Stir chili occasionally to prevent sticking or burning.

• Remove chili from heat and set aside to cool 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, portion chili into serving bowls and top with shredded fresh cheddar cheese, finely chopped red onions, thinly sliced green onions, and sour cream if desired. Serve chili warm with tortilla chips or yeast rolls (optional).

• Beans: Texas Roadhouse offers their chili withandwithout beans, so we do, too! No big changes or substitutions needed. If you prefer a Texas Red chili without beans, just omit them entirely.
• Leftovers: Let any leftover chili cool completely, then transfer chili to an airtight container. Refrigerate leftover chili up to 4 days. Reheat on the stove over medium-low heat, stirring often, until the chili is warmed through.
• Freezer-Meal Option: Prepare the chili as instructed above. Let the chili cool completely, then portion it into quart- or gallon-size sealable freezer bags. Seal bags completely, removing as much air as possible, and place bags flat on a large baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the freezer for at least 30 minutes. Once the chili has frozen flat, you can remove the baking sheet and store the freezer bags horizontally or vertically up to 6 months. Defrost the chili in the fridge overnight before reheating on the stovetop.