Chili Recipe with Tomato Juice
This hearty chili recipe with tomato juice is bursting with rich tomato flavor in every bite. A perfect meal to warm you up on cooler days.
Why make chili?
Chili is one of our family favorite recipes during the Fall and Winter months. Living in Minnesota, when cold temperatures strike, we lean on hot, meaty meals to warm us from the inside out.
Many offices have chili cook-offs at least once a year around here. So we are serious about good chili. Back in my corporate office days, I took home the top prize a time or two!
I really like this recipe because it’s a mild, chunky chili that can be served a variety of ways. It’s great tasting on its own, but it’s thick, not soupy, so it’s also prefect layered to make alternate meals like a chili-cheese dog, or Frito pie.
Why use tomato juice in chili?
Tomato juice might seem like an odd choice in chili, but using it as a liquid is actually a great base in place of a beef broth or water. It creates a sweet, tomato base that is then amplified with the addition tomato sauce.
What Ingredients do you need for chili?
- ground beef
- onion
- tomato juice
- tomato sauce
- tomato paste
- canned diced tomatoes
- mixed chili beans (I use this brand)
- brown sugar
- chili powder
- jalapeño peppers (optional)
How do you make chili with tomato juice?
In a large pot or dutch oven, brown ground beef (I use 1lb of 85/15)on the stove top. Once cooked, drain off any access grease and discard. I like to use a meat chopper like this one to break up the meat.
Dice an onion into small pieces and add to cooked meat in pot.
Stir in 2 cups of tomato juice, an 8oz can of tomato sauce and 6oz of tomato paste.
Add 1/4 c of brown sugar and 2-3 T of chili powder. I typically start with 2T and add a bit more if I want some more heat.
Over medium heat, bring contents of pot to a simmer and cook for 5-10 mins, stirring frequently.
Open a can of diced tomatoes and drain. Add the tomatoes to the pot.
Add a can of mild chili beans. I like the mixed pinto and kidney beans variety, but if you cannot find it, either regular chili or kidney beans work just fine.
Pro Tip: If you prefer some extra spice in your chili, use medium or hot chili beans. Or dice a jalapeno pepper and add that to the pot as chili simmers.
Scoop into bowls and serve with your favorite toppings like shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, diced onion or diced green chiles.
What do you serve with chili?
- tortilla chips like these
- saltine crackers
- corn bread
- grilled cheese sandwiches
- veggies and ranch dip or curry dip
- pretzels with pretzel dip
- fruit salad
How to store leftovers
Chili is a great meal to have as leftovers. Sometimes it’s even better the next day after the flavors break down and meld together overnight.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in your refrigerator for up to 5 days.
This recipe is fantastic to make ahead of time and freeze. Check out my post on How to Freeze Soups and Chili.
Pro tip: make a double batch, freeze half, and you will have a easy meal to serve in minutes during the cold winter months.
FAQ’s
Sure. Simply omit the ground beef and add in more beans. Black beans, pinto beans and red kidney beans work great together in this recipe. You can also add diced green peppers and have a nice, hearty vegetarian meal.
In a pinch, sure. But you will need to modify the measurements a bit because tomato soup is thicker than tomato juice. Try 1 cup of tomato soup and 1/2 cup of water to start. Add more water to thin chili as needed.
For a heaping cup, this chili has 376 calories, 13 grams of fat and 21 grams of protein. So its a relatively low calorie, high protein dish that will stick with you and keep you nice an full for hours. If you’d like to lighten it up further, you can substitute 90/10 lean ground beef or ground turkey for the 85/15 ground beef. Be sure to drain any excess fat or grease off the meat before adding in the remaining ingredients. You could also add in additional chopped vegetables like bell peppers, carrots or zucchini to pack more vitamins into each serving.
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Chili Recipe with Tomato Juice
Equipment
- 1 large pot
- 1 spoon
- 1 can opener
- serving bowls
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 onion diced
- 2 cups tomato juice
- 8 oz tomato sauce
- 6 oz tomato paste
- 14.5 oz diced tomatoes drained
- 15.5 oz Bush's Mixed Chili Beans note: Kidney or Chili beans work if you cannot find the mixed can
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2-3 T chili powder
Instructions
- In a large pot or dutch oven, brown ground beef (I use 1lb of 85/15) on the stove top. Once cooked, drain off any access grease and discard.
- Dice an onion and add to cooked meat in pot.
- Stir in 2 cups of tomato juice, an 8 oz can of tomato sauce and 6 oz of tomato paste.
- Add 1/4 c of brown sugar and 2-3 T of chili powder. I typically start with 2T and add a bit more if I want some more heat.
- Over medium heat, bring contents of pot to a simmer and cook for 5-10 mins, stirring frequently.
- Open a can of diced tomatoes and drain. Add the tomatoes to the pot.
- Add a can of mild chili beans. I like the mixed pinto and kidney beans variety, but if you cannot find it, either regular chili or kidney beans work just fine. Optional Tip: If you prefer some extra spice in your chili, use medium or hot chili beans. Or dice a jalapeno pepper and add that to the pot as chili simmers.
- Scoop into bowls and serve with your favorite toppings like shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, diced onion or diced green chiles.
