What's not to love about a big bowl of homemade Chili Soup loaded with sour cream, cheese, and green onions? It's even better when it only less than 30 minutes to make and you can enjoy it all week long.
This chili soup recipe is perfect because it has big hearty flavors but it's not super heavy.
This easy chili soup recipe is tied in our family as "Most Favorite" alongside my Tortilla Soup recipe. It pairs well with these Fried Mac & Cheese Balls or these Pimento Cheese Sandwiches.
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Homemade Chili Soup Ingredients
Use pure tomato juice in this recipe, not vegetable juice like V8. Tomato juice gives the soup a clean base. This lets the meat and beans stand out.
- lean ground beef
- sausage
- cumin
- chili powder
- onion
- garlic
- tomato juice
- canned diced tomatoes
- canned red kidney beans, (rinsed and drained)
- salt & pepper
- Optional toppings: parsley, green onions, cheese, sour cream
See the chili soup recipe card at the bottom of this post for quantities.
Chili Soup Instructions
Step 1: Season sausage and hamburger with chili powder and cumin. Then brown the meat over medium-high heat. Use a paper towel with tongs to soak up the excess fat.
Step 2: After the meat has browned, stir in the onions and garlic. Cook the onions and garlic with the meat until soft, about 5 minutes.
Step 3: Transfer the meat mixture into a slow cooker. Then stir in the tomato juice.
Step 4: Stir in the remaining ingredients: kidney beans and diced tomatoes. Then turn the slow cooker or crock pot on low for 8 hours.
Step 5: Taste chili soup and add salt and pepper if needed. Top with (optional) parsley.
Step 6: Top with your choice of parsley, green onions, cheese, and/or sour cream. Enjoy!
Hint: If you want to wash fewer dishes, consider cooking the chili soup on the stove. Try an enameled cast iron Dutch oven, like the Le Creuset 5.5 quart. You can brown the meat and simmer the soup all in one vessel. I have one and I love it!
A Dutch oven on the stove isn't as hands-free as a slow cooker. You will need to occasionally stir it from time to time and don't leave it unattended.
This recipe was adapted from Betty Crocker's Slow Cooker recipe. My recipe is more of a soup than a thick chili and the sausage gives it another layer of flavor. Betty also uses garlic powder instead of fresh garlic. It's a great recipe too, just a little different.
Chili Soup Substitutions
Here are some suggestions for switching up the chili ingredients to make it lower in fat, or if you choose not to eat pork.
- Hamburger and Sausage - instead of ground hamburger or pork sausage, use ground chicken and/or ground turkey.
Easy Chili Recipe Variations
This is a great recipe to play with. Try some of these ideas and have fun with them.
- Spicy - add red pepper flakes while cooking the meat to add a little extra heat to the soup. If you like a 10-bell fire alarm in your mouth, go for bird's eye chilis or habanero.
- Deluxe Chili Bar - Lay out a whole line of fun toppings in addition to the ones above. Try guacamole, crispy onions, chives, oyster crackers, Fritos, fresh diced tomato, shredded lettuce, and/or sliced black olives.
- Bean Lovers - Replace half of the dark red kidney beans with an equal amount mix of canned pinto beans and black beans (rinsed and drained).
Equipment
If you want to walk away from this soup while it's simmering, a slow cooker is a must. I've used several different brands over the past several decades and right now I love using the All-Clad 7-quart slow cooker. I've had the same one for 10 years and it's never let me down.
Storage
Keep this soup for up to 5 to 7 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container. It also freezes well for up to 3 months.
Top Tips
- Even though this chili soup comes together quickly, to get the most flavor let it simmer for at least 1 hour.
- When browning the meat in this homemade chili recipe, do not constantly stir the meat. Too much stirring steams the meat and doesn't allow it to brown. Browning = great flavor!
FAQ
Chili soup has more liquid and chili is much thicker.
Browning the meat, simmering the chili soup for at least an hour, and adding sausage all add more flavor.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with this easy homemade chili soup:
Easy Homemade Chili Soup
This easy homemade chili soup recipe that's perfect for any occasion and comes together in less than 30 minutes. Packed with hearty ingredients, it will warm you up in no time!
Ingredients
- 1 pound sausage Italian or spicy
- 1.5 pounds lean ground beef
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin powder
- 2 medium onions diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 92 ounces tomato juice 2 large cans
- 2 cans dark red kidney beans rinsed and drained
- 2 cans tomatoes diced
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
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Season the sausage and ground beef with chili powder and cumin in a large skillet.
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Brown the meat mixture over medium high heat, about 8 minutes.
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Use a pair of tongs and a paper towel to soak up the excess fat. Discard paper towel.
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Stir in the diced onion and garlic and cook for 5 minutes until the onions are soft.
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Transfer the meat mixture to a slow cooker. Set the slow cooker on low for 4 hours.
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Pour in the tomato juice, kidney beans, and diced tomatoes. Stir.
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Taste and season with salt and pepper.
Recipe Notes
The chili soup can be eaten immediately after all the ingredients are in the slow cooker. However, the best flavor will come after it simmers for at least 1 hour. It's even better the next day.
Store the chili soup in the refrigerator for up to 5 to 7 days in an airtight container.
Freeze it in small portions for up to 3 months in an airtight container.