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Taco chili is a fun twist on two family favorites! This hearty chili recipe is loaded with seasoned beef, beans, and all the taco flavors you crave, served up in a bowl and topped with sour cream, cheddar, and crumbled tortilla chips.
Look. It was only a matter of time before I turned a taco into something that you could eat with a spoon, you guys.
Cozy Chili + Tacos, All In One!
I’m taco obsessed. My fried tacos are a favorite. My taco pasta is divine. My carnitas tacos are life. I even turned tacos into sliders. I’m a taco fan.
But, when the weather cools down and football games are on the TV, there is only one thing I can think of…chili.
Our Taco Chili is perfect for game day or just a cozy dinner on a cold night. It’s hearty thanks to the seasoned beef and beans, and it’s kid-friendly because hello – tacos.
If you’re not topping this Taco Chili with a dollop of sour cream, some crumbled tortilla chips (maybe even Doritos if you’re into that sort of thing), and a pile of shredded cheese, you’re doing it wrong.
What We Love About This TACO CHILI Recipe:
- Flavor: Chili recipes are never short on flavor with all that seasoning, and this recipe is no exception! The taco seasoning really spices it up, and the green chiles and other ingredients help too. This taco chili recipe has great bold flavor!
- Gatherings: It’s hard to beat a great big pot of chili for parties, family gatherings, or potlucks at work. This recipe makes a lot and will feed a crowd!
- Meal Prep: Making a big pot of soup or chili is perfect for meal prep. Just portion into individual containers and grab and go!
Ingredients & Substitutions:
Bean Soup Mix – We’re using a 15 bean soup mix, loaded with a variety of dried beans like navy, black, pinto, and more. You can use a different mix of beans or even only one variety if you prefer! The recipe card includes instructions for using canned beans as well.
Ground Beef – We use a lean ground beef, but any variety will do. Swap this out for ground turkey, if you prefer.
Taco Seasoning – You can keep it simple and use a couple of packets of your favorite store bought taco seasoning, or try this homemade taco seasoning recipe! You can control exactly how much spice if you make it yourself.
Garlic & Onion – Some minced garlic and chopped sweet onion will add even more flavor to this taco chili recipe.
Cumin & Chili Powder – A must in chili, if you ask me!
Canned Ingredients – You can save time and effort by using a few simple canned ingredients including diced tomatoes, diced green chiles, and enchilada sauce. For more of a kick, swap the green chiles for canned jalapenos.
Dried Beans Vs. Canned:
This is a really easy recipe, but it does start with a package of dried beans. We love using dried beans because they’re so economical and I just feel like a champ when I cook up a pot full of tender beans.
If you’re using dried beans, just follow the recipe as directed. You won’t even need to soak your beans before using them – just let the cook on the stove for a few hours and they’ll turn out perfect.
If you’d like to use canned beans, use 3 to 4 cans of your choice of beans, depending on how many beans you’d like in your chili. You’ll also reduce the liquid down from 8 cups to 2-3 cups, depending on how liquid-y you like your chili.
How To Make Taco Chili:
Beans: Rinse and sort through your dried beans to remove any debris. Add the beans to a large pot with 8 cups of water. Bring your beans and water to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover the pot.
Let this cook for 90 minutes stirring every half hour.
Helpful Tip!
Cooking Dried Beans
- Soaking is optional – you can soak the beans before using or skip this step. I don’t notice a difference aside from cook time, so I generally do not soak beans before cooking them.
- Don’t salt your beans until they’re partially cooked. The beans won’t get as tender if you add salt to the cooking water.
Ground Beef: When the beans are tender, brown the beef, onions, and garlic until it is cooked through and drain the fat. Add one packet of taco seasoning to the meat and stir to coat. Add the meat to the pot of beans along with the rest of the ingredients.
Cook: Cover and cook on low heat for another 45 minutes.
Serve: See below for suggestions on toppings! We also love to serve this taco chili with homemade cornbread. My sweet cornbread contrasts nicely with the spice, or try my jalapeno cheddar cornbread for even more heat!
My Favorite Dutch Oven!
This gorgeous Dutch oven is perfect for making soup, pot roast, and more. It goes from stove to oven as needed and looks pretty enough to leave out on your stovetop as decoration.
Taco Chili Toppings:
The taco chili is pretty good as is but there’s no reason you can’t make it even better! That means loading it up with all your favorite taco toppings. Try it with any (or all) of these:
- Avocado
- Sour Cream
- Black Olives
- Tortilla Chips
- Tortilla Strips
- Frito Chips
- Green Onion
- Shredded Cheese
- Sliced Jalapenos
Storage & Freezing
Let the chili cool a bit before storing in a covered airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days.
You can also freeze this taco chili recipe for up to a few months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in the microwave or on the stove.
More Homemade Chili Recipes!
- Slow Cooker Chili
- Pulled Pork Chili
- Keto Chili
- White Chicken Chili
- Chili Sloppy Joes
- Chili Dog Casserole
Taco Chili
Ingredients
- 20 ounces dried 15 bean soup mix see notes
- 8 cups water
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 large sweet onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 packets taco seasoning
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 14 ounces canned diced tomatoes
- 10 ounces canned enchilada sauce
- 4 ounces canned diced green chiles
- 1 teaspoon salt more to taste
Instructions
- Rinse and sort through the dried beans, removing any debris. Add beans to a large stock pot over high heat and pour in the water.
- Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cover the pot.
- Let cook for 1 hour and 30 minutes, stirring every 30 minutes.
- When beans are tender, brown the beef, breaking it up as it cooks. Once the meat is broken up, add the onion and garlic and continue cooking and stirring until the beef is cooked through. Drain the fat from the beef.
- Add the meat to the pot of beans, along with the taco seasoning, cumin, chili powder, diced tomatoes, enchilada sauce, green chiles, and salt. Stir well.
- Cover and continue cooking on low for 45 minutes or until beans are fully cooked. To thicken the chili, continue simmering the chili with the lid off to cook down the liquid.
- Serve with your favorite taco toppings, such as grated cheddar, avocado, sour cream, and tortilla chips.
Amy @ The Blond Cook says
This looks just like what I need today! It’s a cold windy day here and I’d love to have a big pot of that simmering right now… looks amazing!
Joann says
Hi Karly, I just saw the recipe for the Taco Chili and it looks delicious. I do have a question, it’s probably a dumb one, but I just want to make sure before I mess it up (hahaha). But when you cook the beef and drain it, you add 1 Pkg. of taco seasoning. Do you also add the water recommended on the pkg. for the taco seasoning? Thanks for any help you can give me. Keep the recipes coming and have a Wonderful Day.
Karly says
I don’t add the water, but it won’t hurt anything if you do. The meat is getting mixed into the soup, so the extra water isn’t going to make much of a difference. 🙂
Chava @ Almost Kosher says
I’ve been craving chili something bad. I think it’s all the cold weather. Or maybe it’s the upcoming Superbowl. Either way, yours looks delicious.
Annie says
This looks great! My husband doesn’t love soups but taco +chili… he’ll be sold. Thanks!
romain | glebekitchen.com says
Tacos and chili. That’s match made in heaven. And lots of beans. Very healthy too. I like it!
Jackie {The Beeroness} says
these are totally the “chili months” I could eat it ever day.
Zainab says
I love the sound of this chili. I am adding to our weeknight rotation.
Steve says
After I cook the beans, do I also drain them before adding the meat, it doesn’t say?
Karly says
Nope, the beans will soak up most of the liquid, so there won’t be a lot left to drain anyway. 🙂
Christin@SpicySouthernKitchen says
Now that’s a bowl full of flavor! Perfect for a chilly night!
Morgan @ Host the Toast says
Tacos and chili are two of my all-time faves. Great idea, and it looks DELICIOUS. Plus I’m totally with you. Bean-filled chili is the best chili, for sure.
Amy @Belly Full says
JUST had a debate on FB as to whether beans belong in chili. For ME the only answer is yes. Because DUH. So, naturally I love this recipe and would like a big ‘ol bowl of it STAT, k?? Thanks.
Kristie says
We absolutely loved your slow cooker chili recipe and your refried bean recipe is AH-MAZING! Would Hurst’s pinto or chili beans work in this taco chili recipe?
Karly says
Sorry for the delay! Sooooo, I THINK that using pinto beans or chili beans would be fine here. I’m not sure if they’ll soak up the same amount of water as they cook, so your chili might be a bit thinner because of that, but you could always drain off the liquid and then add it back in to get it as thick as you like. Otherwise, it should work perfectly.
And I’m so glad to hear the chili and refried beans were a hit for your family! <3
Carlee says
Um, yes please! My football watching crew would love this. We adore tacos and chili so there’s no way this isn’t good!
Cheryl says
Have you tried this in the Instant Pot? I would think it work, but I’m not sure of the time to cook.
Holly N @ Spend With Pennies says
This looks delicious! We absolutely LOVE chili and always serve it with cheese toast or corn bread! I can’t wait to give this taco version a try!