Steak Chili Recipe

This steak chili recipe has tender pieces of steak, smoky chili powder, tangy tomatoes, and savory kidney beans. Unlike most chili recipes, this dish also includes fresh, earthy rosemary and rich, tannic red wine for a complex and elegant flavor.

A big bowl of this hearty steak chili with sweet cornbread or Southern cornbread is the perfect antidote to a gray, cold day. Try this recipe on a rainy Sunday for a truly comforting and delicious family dinner.

There is no shortage of chili recipes on CLF! This red chili recipe with ground beef, chipotle chili, vegan chili with butternut squash, and the best turkey chili recipe! It is my favorite weeknight dinner and thankfully my family’s too!

Professional tips for making beef chili

• Use the right cut of beef. Shoulder and chuck roast are the best cuts of beef to use for steak chili. Both cuts have excellent marbling, or intramuscular fat, which will add the most flavor to your chili as the beef becomes tender.
• Simmer the chili over low heat. Tough cuts of beef like those used in chili require a long cooking time over low heat to become tender and tasty. Be patient and let the chili cook for as long as is needed for tender steak. It’s worth the wait! Can’t wait? Make this easy red chili recipe instead!
• Taste for seasoning as you cook. Be sure to taste for seasoning during the cooking process. This will let you know whether the chili is balanced and seasoned to your tastes.

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Ingredients

• Beef: You will need 2 pounds of beef for this recipe. I recommend using either a shoulder cut or chuck roast. You can also use stew meat, sometimes labeled stew beef. I don’t recommend using a cut like sirloin as it does not have enough fat for this recipe.
• Flour: Regular all-purpose flour works best for this recipe. If you are looking for a gluten-free option, try using rice flour or millet flour instead.
• Salt
• Pepper
• Olive Oil: This recipe calls for extra virgin olive oil. If you do not have any on hand, you can try using a neutral oil like grapeseed oil or avocado oil. Both will work well.
• Onions: I recommend using yellow onions or sweet onions for this recipe. Both provide a mild but savory flavor.
• Rosemary: Fresh rosemary is best for this recipe. It is more fragrant and flavorful than dried rosemary.
• Pinot Noir: I suggest using a wine that you would enjoy drinking. This will add the best flavor to your dish. If you don’t like Pinot Noir or can’t find it locally, feel free to use another red wine like Cabernet Sauvignon or Beaujolais.
• Kidney Beans: Use 2 drained cans of kidney beans for this recipe. If you’d like, you can also try using black beans in this recipe. I like the sweetness that kidney beans add to the dish.
• Tomatoes: I recommend using roasted, chopped tomatoes for this recipe. Diced tomatoes or crushed tomatoes are also good options.
• Chili Powder
• Paprika
• Ancho Chili Powder: Ancho chili powder adds mildly sweet, fruity, smoky taste to the recipe with a bit of mild heat.
• Cumin: Cumin adds warmth and depth to this recipe, as it does in my Ground Chicken Tacos. It’s a strong spice, so a little bit goes a long way. 
• Sour Cream: I love topping this recipe with a big scoop of sour cream or 2% Greek yogurt. Both add a tangy, creamy flavor to the final dish.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Variations

• Slow Cooker: To make a hearty slow cooker steak chili, first brown meat on the stovetop, sauté the onions and rosemary, and deglaze with the wine. Then, add all of the ingredients to the slow cooker. Cook on low for about 8 hours or high for 4 hours.
• Instant Pot: You can also pressure cook this recipe in the Instant Pot. Brown the meat in the pressure cooker on sauté mode. Then, deglaze with the wine, sauté the onion and rosemary for about 30 seconds, and add the remaining ingredients. Place the lid on the pot, and cook on the stew function for about 40 minutes.
• Different Spices: Try using different spices in this steak chili to see what you like best. Some of my favorites are oregano, cayenne pepper for an extra bit of heat, and bay leaves for a more savory, earthy flavor. I also love cilantro like in my Cilantro Sherry Chili!

How to Make This Steak Chili Recipe

Use these instructions to make the perfect steak chili every time! Further details and measurements can be found in the recipe card below!

Step 1: Rinse and pat the beef dry. Mix together the flour, salt and pepper in a medium bowl; toss the beef chunks in the flour mixture to coat. 

Step 2: Heat a medium Dutch oven or large stock pot over medium heat until hot. Add the olive oil, just enough to coat the bottom of the pot, brown the beef on all sides; working it batches. Set aside loosely covered to keep warm. 

Step 3: Add a little more olive oil to the pot and cook the onions and rosemary until the onions are translucent and fragrant. Pour 1 cup of the wine into the pot and stir to get up all the delicious browned bits on the bottom; cook for 1 minute. 

Step 4: Add the meat, beans, tomatoes, and spices to the pot and stir to combine. 

Step 5: Cook for 1 hour over low heat, stirring occasionally. Taste for salt and pepper and add the remaining ¼ cup wine. 

Step 6: Cook until the meat is tender and the flavors have melded, about 30 minutes more.

Frequently Asked Questions

Before You Go

I hope you enjoyed this professional chef-tested recipe. Check out our other delicious, chef-developed comforting winter recipes! Or go straight to my Italian Sausage Soup next!