Thick, hearty, and full of flavorful spices, this curry chili recipe will keep you warm on the coldest of days.

curry chili in a bowl topped with sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese

Curry Chili Ingredients

Ground beef (80/20 preferred)
Yellow onion, diced
Bell pepper, diced
Garlic, minced
Chili beans
Diced tomatoes
V8 juice (or tomato juice)
Water
Chili seasoning
Curry powder
Sugar
Salt
Pepper
Toppings, such as shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, green onion, oyster crackers
Cooked macaroni, if you’re in the mood for chili mac!

Make it Mild or Hot

To make this curry chili hotter, add a little cayenne pepper or Tabasco sauce, or add some diced jalapeno when cooking the onion and ground beef mixture.

To make it milder, use the ingredients as listed in the Ingredients section, but use a MILD version of chili seasoning.

Instructions for Making Curry Chili Recipe

In a large pot over medium high heat, cook ground beef, diced onion, diced bell pepper, and minced garlic 8-10 minutes or until the meat is no longer pink. Drain off grease.

cooking ground beef, onion, garlic, and bell pepper in pot on stove

cooked ground beef, onion, bell pepper, and garlic in pot

Add all other ingredients. Stir well.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer with the lid on, but cracked, 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cracking the lid contains any splatter that may occur while also allowing the chili to thicken.

cooking curry chili on stove with lid cracked

Add toppings of your choice and serve.

curry chili in bowl topped with sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese — Curry chili topped with sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese

Enjoy!

FAQs

Is 80/20 ground beef the best? When ground beef is packaged, it’s labeled as 80/20, 90/10, 70/30 and so on based on its fat content. 80/20 beef, typically “ground chuck,” simply means it’s made up of 20% fat and 80% lean beef. 80/20 is great for chilis and stews, but is also iconic for burgers because it’s got enough fat to keep it flavorful, yet lean enough to keep burgers from falling apart.
Is chili better the longer it cooks? How long does chili need to simmer? The longer it simmers, the more developed the spice flavors become. Although 30 minutes is usually long enough for simmering chili, you can certainly simmer it longer if you wish, but no more than two hours at a very low simmer. If you do simmer it longer than 30 minutes, it’s best to keep the lid on. The flavor also improves in the fridge, in my opinion. I always prefer to eat chili a day or two AFTER it’s made!
How long does chili last in the fridge? Refrigerated chili should be eaten within three to four days.
How do you make curry powder? Curry powder is easy to make if you have all the right ingredients, such as ground coriander, cumin, turmeric, pepper, chili powder, and ground ginger. In fact, click here for an easy homemade curry powder recipe.
Is buying beef in bulk cheaper? Ground beef, much like anything else, is typically cheaper when bought in bulk… sometimes substantially less expensive. To save money, look for five- or ten-pound packages at the grocery store. Better yet, here in the midwest, it’s not unusual to contact a farmer directly for farm-fresh beef once or twice a year. When you buy a half or whole cow, as long as you have the freezer space, it’s typically a lot cheaper per pound and it’s really good, fresh meat. In our family, we don’t eat a ton of red meat, but when we buy it, it’s usually in a ten-pound package, which we apportion into freezer bags of one or two pounds each.

ground beef bought in bulk and stored in freezer bags

Freeze It For Later

Have leftover chili? Place it in a freezer bag, squeeze out all the air, label and date the bag, and pop in the freezer. If storing chili in the freezer, eat within six months.

Pin It For Later