Chili Bar Recipe

Chili bars are like taco bars, but instead of one communal big chili pot that everyone has to eat the same way, you let everyone assemble their own chili. Got a picky kid who hates beans? Don’t include beans. An adult who wants to go heavy with the meat and cheese? Go for it. Game day crowd who are all strongly opinionated about what good chili looks like? Everybody wins.

How This Recipe Earned Its Spot

The chili bar concept was born out of exasperation. We had four guests coming over for a game and four differing opinions about chili. One person disliked kidney beans. Another person was opposed to ground beef. One wanted more heat while another wanted no tomatoes (wild position to take on chili, but okay). Instead of attempting to create one pot that complied with everyone’s guidelines, I chose to give everyone the building blocks to construct their own chili. This approach was an immediate success. Now this is the type of thing we do for any game or casual dinner where there will be varied opinions.

The chili sauce can be made in a pot with a tomato base, broth, and seasonings. For the ground beef, brown it in a separate pan and add it to the chili sauce. Drain the four varieties of beans and put them in separate bowls. Set the toppings in small separate bowls. Set out self-service bowls, spoons, and ladles. Finally, let guests help themselves.

This meal makes dinner something special, and for kids it means they can create their own masterpieces in a bowl. Plus, adults can appreciate that they’ll only hear the onion-aversion question once. The best part: leftovers are a breeze because all the components are already divvied up.

Ingredient Breakdown

Ground beef (1 lb., browned and drained) 80/20 ground beef gives the best flavor. Brown it in a separate skillet — not in the sauce. One thing I’ve noticed every time: the meat goes faster than the beans at a chili bar. Every. Single. Time. Plan on a little extra meat if you’re feeding a crowd, or have a backup plan (hot dogs, sausage links) that can step in.

Beans (4 cans each, drained) The classics are light kidney, dark kidney, pinto, and red beans. Each bean type is placed in its own bowl with its own spoon so customers can mix and match. Make sure to drain them well as the starchy bean liquid would cloud the chili sauce. Black beans can be added or substituted.

Tomato sauce (1 can, 28 oz.) Use Hunt’s or Contadina canned sauce. Do not use marinara or pasta sauce as they are seasoned for Italian food, not chili.

Stewed tomatoes (1 can, 14 oz.), Adds chunky pieces of tomato into the sauce. As a variation, you could use Mexican-style stewed tomatoes (with green chiles and onions already in them) for a little more complexity with no added prep.

Chicken broth (2 cups) Provides the slenderness for ladling the sauce. Also works and provides a bit richer flavor. Low-sodium is fine – the chili powder provide plenty of flavor.

Chili powder (3 T.) and ground cumin (2 tsp.) Three tablespoons of chili powder may seem excessive for a single sauce, but consider how many bowls this sauce will need to bring flavor to. Don’t instinctively cut it. Cumin is the earthy backbone; it is what differentiates chili from tomato soup. Don’t omit it.

Toppings (served in small bowls) will include at least: shredded cheese, sour cream, and oyster crackers. The more the toppings, the better people feel about getting something customized. Consider including: diced onions, sliced jalapeños, fresh cilantro, lime wedges, hot sauce, Fritos, and crumbled bacon. Pick at least 5.

How to Set Up a Chili Bar

Step 1: Create the chili sauce. Get a large pot or Dutch oven. Layer the pot with the tomato sauce, stewed tomatoes, chicken broth, chili powder, and cumin. Use a medium flame to bring it to a boil, and then turn the flame to low. Let it cook for an hour minimum, stirring occasionally. The sauce will change into a darker color and become more thick. At the end, try some and adjust the seasoning as you like.

Step 2: Brown the meat. While the sauce is cooking, take another skillet and cook the ground beef on medium-high heat. Use a wooden spoon and break the meat. Cook it until there is not a single piece of pink, which takes about 8 minutes. Now, drain the fat and move the beef to a serving bowl. Then, keep it warm in a slow cooker set to warm. The meat loses heat quickly in a serving bowl, and cold ground beef in a chili bar is a bad experience.

Step 3: Drain the beans. Open the cans, and drain using a colander. Rinse them quickly. Put each type into a separate serving bowl. If your guests don’t recognize the types of beans, feel free to label the bowls.

To prepare the toppings, get cheese shredded, onion diced, jalapeños sliced, cilantro chopped, and limes sliced. Put each topping in a separate small bowl with a small spoon for the bowl. Keep the Fritos and crackers in the bag, or put them in a small basket.

Step 5: Establishing the bar. Set up in this order: service bowls and spoons, chili (in the slow cooker on warm), ground beef, four types of beans, toppings, and napkins. Guests go through the line and construct their bowls as they go.

Step 6: Hold hot. The slow cookers are set to “warm” for the chili sauce and the ground beef. That setting is meant specifically for this — to hold the food at serving temperature for 2 to 3 hours without further cooking it. Stir from time to time. If you don’t have a slow cooker, a candle warmer under a pot works for shorter events.

Storage and Make-Ahead Tips

You can make the chili sauce up to two days in advance, and the best part is the flavor is only going to get better. Before serving, refrigerate and reheat in the slow cooker on low for 1.5 to 2 hours. You can brown the beef the day before, and it can be reheated in a skillet. When the bar is done, combine all leftover sauce, meat, and beans into one container. It’s just chili now. You can refrigerate the leftovers for 4 days, or freeze them for up to 3 months.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many people does your recipe feed? The base recipe feeds about 5 to 6 people, maybe more, depending on how big your portions are. Just a little tip to keep in mind: the meat always runs out first, not the beans. This is a guarantee. If it looks like you might be serving 8 or more, you will want to double the meat and the sauce. For the beans, you can usually stick with the same 4 cans and you shouldn’t run short on those.

Can I use ground turkey or chicken instead of beef? Yes! Ground turkey is great — just include 1 teaspoon of beef bouillon while it’s browning to make up for the weaker flavor. Ground chicken is the same. The chili sauce has enough flavor to carry either protein.

Is it possible for me to prepare the chili sauce in the slow cooker? Yes. Place all the sauce ingredients in a slow cooker of 4 to 6 quarts capacity, and cook them on low for a period of 4 to 6 hours. Additionally, you can use the slow cooker on the warm setting to serve the sauce. That means there is one less transition step to worry about.

What is the best way to keep chili sauce hot for the duration of the party? The best option is a slow cooker! These appliances keep food at 140 to 165 degrees Fahrenheit for hours and will not overcook food. Be sure to stir the food every once in a while to make sure it stays warm. If you do not have a slow cooker, you can use a candle warmer to keep a pot of chili sauce warm for a shorter amount of time.

What if i don’t have all four types of beans? Two or three types is fine. Pinto and kidney beans are the most universally liked. Having four different types of beans on display is great for a table but even just two types of beans in separate bowls still gives that “bean bar” feel.

Is the chili sauce overboard for kids? No more than mild. The 3 tablespoons of chili powder add warmth but no heat. For extra-cautious households, set out a small bowl of plain warmed tomato sauce as a kid option and let adults use the full chili sauce.

More Recipes You’ll Love

Try our White Chicken Chili, made with creamy chicken, great northern beans, and zesty green chiles. It’s lighter and brighter than red chili!

Walking Tacos — Frito bags topped with taco meat, cheese, lettuce and sour cream. They have the same build-your-own energy as the chili bar.

Seven Layer Dip consists of the following ingredients: olives, sour cream, green onions, salsa, taco-seasoned cheese, guacamole, and refried beans, all packed into one 9×13 dish.