CopycatSpices
Copycat Texas Roadhouse Chili
Texas Roadhouse's hearty chili is a thick, meaty, bean-loaded bowl with bold chili seasonings and a slow-simmered depth that warms you from the inside out.
copycat · texas-roadhouse · casual-dining · soup
🕑Prep15 min
🍳Cook45 min
⏱Total1h 0m
🍽Serves8
⭐DifficultyEasy
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef (80/20)
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
- 1 can (15 oz) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can (15 oz) pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 cup beef broth
- Shredded cheddar, sour cream, and diced onion, for topping
Instructions
- 1.Brown the beef. In a large pot or Dutch oven, cook the ground beef over medium-high heat, breaking it into small crumbles. Cook until well-browned, about 7-8 minutes. Drain excess fat, leaving about 1 tablespoon.
- 2.Cook the aromatics. Add the diced onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- 3.Add the spices. Stir in the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, and cayenne. Cook for 1 minute to bloom the spices and release their oils.
- 4.Build the base. Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, beef broth, kidney beans, and pinto beans. Stir everything together and bring to a boil.
- 5.Simmer low and slow. Reduce heat to low, cover partially, and simmer for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally. The chili should thicken as it cooks. If it gets too thick, add more broth.
- 6.Taste and serve. Adjust salt, pepper, and cayenne to your heat preference. Ladle into bowls and top with shredded cheddar, a dollop of sour cream, and diced onion.
Copycat Texas Roadhouse Chili
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Texas Roadhouse chili is the kind of bowl that makes you forget it’s a starter. It’s thick, meaty, and loaded with two kinds of beans in a rich, tomatoey base seasoned with a blend of chili powder, cumin, and smoked paprika. The smoked paprika is the ingredient that gives it that slightly campfire-like warmth that sets it apart from generic chili.
The technique of blooming the spices in the hot fat before adding liquid is what separates great chili from mediocre chili. Toasting the spices for even 60 seconds releases their essential oils and deepens their flavor dramatically.
Chili Wisdom
- Bloom your spices. Adding dry spices directly to liquid mutes their flavor. Cooking them in fat for a minute first makes them two or three times more aromatic and flavorful.
- Two beans are better than one. Kidney beans hold their shape and add substance. Pinto beans break down slightly, thickening the chili naturally. The combination gives you texture variety.
- Better the next day. Like most stews, this chili improves overnight as the flavors continue to develop. Make it on Sunday, eat it on Monday.
Starter vs. Main Course
A cup of chili at Texas Roadhouse costs about $5-6 as a starter. This recipe makes 8 generous bowls for about $12 total — $1.50 per bowl. It also freezes beautifully in individual portions for quick weeknight meals.
