Ground beef baked bean chili features crumbles of cooked beef and crisp bacon simmered in a baked bean base. This recipe makes for an amazing chili that tastes like Grandma had a hand in your game day grub! You’ll definitely want to add to your repertoire during football season and all year long!

There’s nothing I love more than a good bowl full of chili when football is back on tv.

It always hits the spot.

And add baked beans, which are pretty much every Southerner’s bread and butter, and some crispy bacon?

There’s nothing like this!

It’s a bowl of Southern goodness that you need on your table this fall.

Ingredients

To make this you’ll need:

Bacon– Thick cut bacon that you’ve cooked crisp and crumbled.
Ground beef– I recommend using a leaner cut so you don’t have to drain too much fat off.
Onion– Diced white onion
Canned tomatoes– 2 28 ounce undrained cans of petite diced tomatoes
Pork and beans– 2 28 ounce cans. Use your favorite variety.
Beef broth– Or beef stock
Spices– Chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper
Maple syrup– For a little sweetness to balance out all the spice

How to Make

Making this ground beef baked bean chili is pretty similar to making any other chili.

Just, cook the bacon, beef, and onion together in a large skillet until everything is cooked through.

Drain off all of the fat and transfer the meat mixture to a large pot.

Stir in the canned tomatoes, baked beans, broth, seasonings, and syrup.

Let the mixture come to a boil.

Stir the chili and turn the heat down so the chili is just simmering.

Let it keep simmering, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 hours or until the mixture’s thickened and all the flavors have combined.

Serve warm with your favorite toppings.

Enjoy!

Topping Ideas

Even though this baked bean chili is a little different than traditional chili recipes, it still works with all the best chili toppings.

Our favorites include:

crushed tortilla chips
diced jalapenos
shredded cheddar cheese
sour cream

How spicy is baked bean chili?

This chili is not very spicy as the recipe is written.

It is flavorful but not hot.

If you are concerned about spiciness, you can skip the cayenne pepper.

Storing Leftovers

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

The chili will thicken up even more as it sits in the fridge.

When you reheat it, either on the stove or in the microwave, you may need to stir in a little beef broth until it’s your preferred consistency.

Freezing

Baked bean chili freezes so well!

Just make it as instructed above and let it cool to room temperature.

Transfer the chili into freezer safe airtight containers or freezer safe ziplocking bags.

Freeze the chili for up to 6 months.

Thaw it in the fridge overnight or in the microwave on the defrost setting.

Tips and Tricks

While you are going to drain the beef, I like using leaner ground beef so the chili isn’t greasy.
Adjust the seasoning to suit your taste. Use more cayenne for a kick or skip it all together if you don’t like heat.
The chili will thicken up nicely just from slowly simmering thanks to evaporation and the starch in the beans. If it’s not thick enough for you, just let it cook down a little longer!

Other Chili Recipes

Ground beef baked bean chili is a yummy version of classic chili with a Southern twist!

Make it and enjoy!

Looking for other chili recipes?

Try these:

If you’ve tried this GROUND BEEF BAKED BEAN CHILI, or any other recipe on my site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers! You can also follow along with me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes and whatever else we’ve got going on!