Easy Multi Purpose Chili

 

If you love a good bowl of chili, keep reading…

Starting a homestead journey can feel a little overwhelming at first. Spend even a few minutes on social media and you’ll see beautiful farms with chickens roaming the yard, cows in the pasture, goats in the barn, and large gardens stretching across several acres. It’s inspiring, but it can also make you feel like homesteading is something that only happens on a big piece of land.

The truth is, you can begin a homestead lifestyle right where you are.

What we now call homesteading is really just what our grandmothers called everyday life. They cooked from scratch, used what they had, and found simple ways to provide for their families.

Sure, you might decide to add a few hens to your backyard someday, or grow herbs and vegetables in pots or a raised bed. Those are wonderful steps. But there’s another step that’s actually just as meaningful—and it starts right in your kitchen.

Learning to cook your own food instead of relying on premade ingredients is one of the simplest and most powerful ways to begin. When you start making your own staples, you know exactly what’s going into your meals, and you can skip the long list of additives and fillers that often come with packaged mixes.

Today I’m sharing a quick and easy chili recipe that can become the base for several different meals throughout the week. If your family enjoys Taco Tuesday, this will quickly become a favorite. Once you see how simple it is, you may find yourself saying goodbye to those little taco seasoning packets for good.

Simple Homemade Chili 

Ingredients

• 1 pound grass-fed ground beef (we like Wild Pastures)

• 1–2 tablespoons chili powder

• 1–2 teaspoons cumin

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1 teaspoon onion powder

• Cayenne or jalapeño pepper powder, to taste

• 1 teaspoon dried cilantro (or fresh cilantro if you have it)

• 1 can organic tomato sauce

• Salt and pepper, to taste

Note: All ingredient amounts can easily be adjusted to fit your personal taste.

Instructions

In a skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef until fully browned. Break the meat apart as it cooks so you have small crumbles.

Once the beef is cooked, drain excess fat if desired.

Add the chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, dried pepper powder, and cilantro. Stir well so the meat is evenly coated with the spices.

Pour in the tomato sauce and stir everything together.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Reduce heat and let the chili simmer for about 10 minutes so the flavors can blend together.

Serving Ideas

This simple chili mixture isn't just great on hot dogs, but also it makes a great base for several meals. Use it for taco filling, taco salads, burritos or  burrito bowls, spoon it over baked potatoes or rice, top tortilla chips for nachos, fill baked butternut squash, and more.

It’s quick, flavorful, and a great way to skip the store-bought seasoning packets while still keeping Taco Tuesday easy.

One of the things I love most about a simple recipe like this is how many ways you can use it. A single batch can easily turn into tacos, taco salads, burrito bowls, or even a hearty chili bowl on a cool evening. It’s the kind of recipe that becomes a dependable staple in the kitchen while helping you move one step closer to cooking more from scratch. I’d love to hear from you—how would you use this chili recipe to create one of your family’s favorite meals? Share your ideas in the comments so we can all gather a few new dinner inspirations together.