BEST Sweet Chili Recipe (2024)

Chili can be hit or miss with many kids. But this Sweet Chili Recipe is always a favorite with everyone who tries it! The slightly sweet sauce combined with the baked beans and ground beef are a welcome comfort food all year long! Plus this sweet chilii recipe is super easy to throw together! Thissweet chili recipe brown sugar and baked beansis sure to be a favorite with your whole family.

BEST Sweet Chili Recipe (1)

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Sweet Chili Recipe

Fall is our families favorite season. I don’t know if it is the brisk mornings, the beauty of colorful falling leaves, going to the pumpkin patch or the warm homemade soups with homemade bread. But whatever it is, our favorite sweet chili recipe is perfect to make any day for a quick supper! Fall and winter are the best time to whip up some healthy, easy, warm soup recipes. I know some kids bawk at soup, and to be honest there are lots of soup recipes my kids don’t like. But this sweet chiliis a favorite soup recipe that kids and picky eaters alike will LOVE!

Sweet chilli recipe

Have you heard of people making a sweet chili recipe brown sugar, but weren’t sure what they meant or how to make sweet chili? There are a variety of ways to make this popular chili. You can use sweet chili beans, baked, beans, brown sugar, molasses, or variety of other methods. Let me share with your my award wining,best sweet chili recipe that is both easy to make and the BEST homemade sweet chili you will ever taste!

BEST Sweet Chili Recipe (2)

Sweet Chili

All you need to make this delicious and satisfyingsweet chili are a few common ingredients you can quickly “thow” together.

  • 6-8 slices bacon
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 large sweet pepper
  • 33 ounces tomato sauce
  • 14 cup molasses or brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon dry mustard
  • 2 large cans baked beans
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
  • 1-2 cups corn (optional)

BEST Sweet Chili Recipe (3)

Best sweet chili recipe

Start out by cutting up and cooking 6-8 pieces of bacon in a large stock pot. We use bacon with no nitrates added. Cook bacon over medium, high heat until the bacon is lightly browned. It only takes about 3-5 minutes because it is already cut up.

BEST Sweet Chili Recipe (4)

Sweet chili recipes

Next, chop up one sweet pepper.

BEST Sweet Chili Recipe (5)

Sweet chili recipe brown sugar

Cook the sweet pepper in with the bacon and the bacon grease. You will continue to cook the pepper and bacon in the pan another 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent over growning.

Cooking the pepper in the bacon grease will add some extra flavor to your chili. You can use red, orange, yellow, purple or even the home grown chocolate pepper varieties.

BEST Sweet Chili Recipe (6)

How to make sweet chili

Then add 1 lb of lean ground beef to your easy sweet chili recipe. We use organic 100% grass fed and finished ground beef, but you could use ground turkey or steak meat if you prefer.

Now continue cook while you break apart he beef and stir this quick and easy dinner until the meat is cooked through.

BEST Sweet Chili Recipe (7)

Sweet chili recipe with baked beans

Finally the easy part is dumping in cans of baked beans, brown sugar or molasses, salt / pepper, corn, tomato sauce, and dry mustard (secret ingredient that adds a little something special to your easy sweet chili). Cook until heated thoroughly, about 7-8 more minutes.

BEST Sweet Chili Recipe (8)

Chili with tomato soup and brown sugar

Your recipe can be made quickly in stock pot taking only 20 minutes or you can let it hang out over low heat to let the flavors take longer to mix and develop into a rich, sweet, robust flavor your family will love.

HINT: You can make this crock pot and freezer friendly recipe in an instapot if you prefer by putting it on sauté to cook bacon, pepper, and beef before adding remaining ingredients and setting your pot to cook for 5 minutes.

BEST Sweet Chili Recipe (9)Easy sweet chili recipe

This hearty, satisfyingsweet chili soup is perfect to warm you up on a cold winters day!

BEST Sweet Chili Recipe (10)

Sweet chili recipe crock pot

Serve your yummy sweet chili with fritos, corn chips, tostitoes, or a slice of cornbread!

BEST Sweet Chili Recipe (11)

Molasses in chili

This easy-to-make, satisfying chili can be made ahead and re-heated, cooked conveniently in the crockpot, or whipped up in a jiffy in under 30 minutes for a quick weekday dinner.

BEST Sweet Chili Recipe (12)

Sweet chili soup

There are several different ways you can play around with and tweak your dinner recipe to make it perfect for your family. Here are a couple additional ingredients you can add to make it uniquely yours:

  • fire roasted corn (has a deeper flavor)
  • corn with pimientos (for a little extra kick)
  • jalapenos (give your chili a sweet and tangy flavor
  • 1/2 cup bbq sauce – adding barbecue sauce gives it a litte zesty twist to this chili recipe with brown sugar
  • fire roasted tomatoes to add more healthy vegetables (okay so technically it is a fruit, but it is good for you!)

Breakfast Recipes

  • Amazing Bread Machine Cinnamon Rolls
  • Homemade Oatmeal: Crockpot Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal,Slow Cooker Blueberry Oatmeal. Bannana Oatmeal, Chocolate Berry Overnight Oats, orButterscotch Oats – a really good oatmeal !
  • Cinnamon Zucchini Coffee Cake
  • Family Favorite Blueberry Muffins with a streusal topping
  • Blueberry Breakfast Casserole
  • Fall favorite, Breakfast Apple Cake
  • Breakfast Pizza is such a yummy, Easy Breakfast Ideas
  • Overnight French Toast Casserole
  • Dad’s Healthy Egg McMuffin
  • Heavenly Orange Rolls
  • Super Easy Egg Casserole you can make ahead
  • Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread
  • No Fail Pancake Recipe or our Yummy Banana Pancakes
  • Sourdough Crepes with Bananas Foster
  • Homemade, Bread Machine English Muffins – way better than the store bought and easier than you’d think
  • Pumpkin Waffles are so flavorful and taste like fall
  • Easy Breakfast Casserole with Croutons

Soup Recipes

  • BEST Sweet Chili Recipe
  • Easy Pumpkin Chili
  • Instapot Corn Chowder Soup
  • Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
  • Best ever Tomato Soup with bacon
  • Leftover Thanksgiving Soup
  • Green Chicken Taco Soup
  • Early Autumn Fall Soup Recipes with sausage and apple

Recipes for Salads and Sandwiches

  • Creamy Avocado Egg Salad Sandwich
  • Shredded Chicken Sandwich Recipe that is perfect for company
  • Grilled Brie and Pear Sandwich
  • Kid Favorite Quesadilla Pizza School Lunch
  • Best Oriental Coleslaw with Soy Sauce
  • Beet Pear and Goat Cheese Salad
  • Easy Chicken Salad Recipe
  • Ground Beef Taco Salad
  • Easy Spinach and Berry Salad

Main Dishes

  • Mom’s Easy Lasagna Recipe
  • General Tso Chicken Recipe
  • Easy Cashew Chicken Recipe
  • Delicious Homemade Tortilla Recipe
  • Rich Mac and Cheese Pies
  • Sausage Make Ahead Foil Packet Dinners
  • Easy Barbecue Chicken Recipe
  • Juicy Lemon Chicken Pasta Instant pot
  • Jazzed up Creamed Chicken over Biscuits
  • Best Ever Mac and Cheese
  • Copycat Dave’s Gourmet Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce
  • Easy Cheese Souffle
  • Super Tender BBQ Roast
  • Homemade Copycat Godfathers Taco Pizza Recipe
  • Easy Crockpot Beef Stroganoff
  • Leftover Turkey Pot Pie Recipe
  • How to make homemade pasta
  • Super Flavorful Grilled Pork Loin
  • Healthy Pineapple Fried Rice
  • Seriously the Best, Make Ahead Twice Baked Potatoes
  • Easy Pasta Recipe with Ham, Walnuts, and Parmesan Cheese

Desserts

  • This Easy Oreo Cheeseball can be served as an appetizer or dessert!
  • Making this snow ice cream is one my kids’ favorite annual traditions!
  • Pumpkin Lava Cake is an ooey gooey fall dessert your family will want seconds of!
  • This sandcastle ice cream is so clever and EASY to make! You are sure to be the coolest mom on the block!
  • You don’t need a fancy ice cream maker; here is how to make ice cream in a bag
  • These homemade cinnamon sugar tortilla chips are the perfect dessert to go along with your Mexican dinner
  • If you’ve never tried our melt in your mouth sugar cookies, you are missing out!
  • Whip up a batch of this carmel chex mix for your next game night or potluck!
  • These snicker cookies are so decadent with a delightful melty middle!
  • This soft Gingerbread Man Recipe for kids is my most requested for every cookie swap!
  • I can almost smell this cooking, my perfect every time, best pumpkin pie recipe
  • My kids favorite cookies – Monster Cookie Recipe
  • Or make these classic Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
  • So good their gone, easy homemade brownies recipe
  • Perfect for summer, Lemon Bars with vanilla wafer crust
  • Homemade Ice Cream Cake – this is what I request for my birthday cake every year! YUM!
  • Classic Vanilla Ice Cream in a homemade ice cream maker
  • Our favorite cake ball recipes
  • So good you just can’t stop eating it Peanut Butter Chocolate Fudge
  • Mom’s Homemade Apple Pie

Appetizers

  • Pepperoni Cheeseball Game Day Appetizers
  • My famous pineapple cream cheese dip
  • Zesty Spinach Artichoke Dip
  • Our GO TO Salsa Recipe with gardne fresh tomatoes
  • Grab your veggies, they are going to want to take a dunk in this Southwestern Dip
  • Family Favorite appetizer meatballs with super quick secret sauce!
  • Quick Pineapple Salsa made from scratch
  • Sweet and Sour Bacon and Water Chestnut Appetizer
  • Go to Peanut Butter Dip for Apples
  • It wouldn’t be Christmas without serving up this family traditional Wassail Recipe

Breads and Side Dishes

  • Super Moist Southern Cornbread recipe with creamed corn
  • Easy Bread Machine Hamurger Buns
  • Super Yummy Quick Yeast Rolls
  • Rosemary Crock pot Bread
  • Sweet Potato Sourdough Buns
  • Delicious Yeastless Bread – quick bread recipe no yeast

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BEST Sweet Chili Recipe (40)

How to make sweet chili

BEST Sweet Chili Recipe (41)

BEST Sweet Chili Recipe

BEST Sweet Chili Recipe (42)Beth Gorden

Chili can be hit or miss with many kids. But this Sweet Chili Recipe is always a favorite with everyone who tries it!

4.38 from 40 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Course Main Course, Soup

Cuisine American, Fall, winter

Ingredients

  • 6-8 slices bacon
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 large sweet pepper, chopped
  • 33 ounces tomato sauce (1 box)
  • 1/4 cup molasses or brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon dry mustard
  • 2 large cans baked beans
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
  • 1-2 cups corn, optional

Instructions

  • In a large stock pot cook 4-6 slices of cut up bacon over medium high heat until it looks about half way done – just about 2-3 minutes.

  • Add a chopped pepper (any color) to the bacon and continue to cook another 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.

  • Add 1 lb ground beef and continue to cook until book is thoroughly cooked.

  • Now add the remaining ingredients and continue cooking until heated thoroughly, about 7-8 more minutes.

  • Serve with cornbread or tortilla chips.

BEST Sweet Chili Recipe (43)

Beth Gorden

Beth Gorden is the creative multi-tasking creator of 123 Homeschool 4 Me. As a busy homeschooling mother of six, she strives to create hands-on learning activities and worksheets that kids will love to make learning FUN! She has created over 1 million pages of printables to help teach kids ABCs, science, English grammar, history, math, and so much more! Beth is also the creator of 2 additional sites with even more educational activities and FREE printables - www.kindergartenworksheetsandgames.com and www.preschoolplayandlearn.com. Beth studied at the University of Northwestern where she got a double major to make her effective at teaching children while making education FUN!

BEST Sweet Chili Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to really good chili? ›

Make sure to give your chili some heat by including jalapeños. Add in beef broth or beer (or both). Make sure to season with chili powder*, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper. Maybe a little touch of smoked paprika if you want to introduce some smokiness to the dish.

What makes chili taste sweet? ›

The maple syrup in this recipe pairs perfectly with the savory beef and adds a subtle maple flavoring to the dish. Some sweet chili recipes add as much as ½ cup of brown sugar to the pot! I have found that just a dash of maple adds the perfect hint of sweetness without it becoming a sugar-packed meal.

What secret ingredient will deepen the flavor of your chili? ›

Coffee or Espresso: A cup of coffee can add a rich, earthy depth to your chili. The subtle bitterness of coffee perfectly complements the savory elements of the dish, creating a complex flavor profile.

Is it better to put brown sugar or regular sugar in chili? ›

Brown Sugar– this is a must when making chili! It adds a sweetness that really balances the flavor.

What not to put in chili? ›

Beans and non-vegetable fillers such as rice and pasta are not allowed." If that sounds a bit uptight, the ICS's Homestyle Chili competition defines chili as: "any kind of meat, or combination of meats, and/or vegetables cooked with beans, chili peppers, various spices, and other ingredients.

What adds depth to chili? ›

How to Give Chili a Flavor Boost
  1. Add something acidic. ...
  2. Try to identify what about your chili is boring. ...
  3. Add tomato paste. ...
  4. Drop in some chocolate. ...
  5. Embrace pickling liquid. ...
  6. Stir in some molasses.

What gives chili the most flavor? ›

Tomato paste is a great way to add bonus tomato flavor, and thickness, to a chili recipe. To get the best flavor it needs to be browned. Add a couple tablespoons (or a whole can if you want a thicker soup base) directly to the pan after cooking the meat and onions. Stir the paste occasionally to prevent burning.

Why is sweet chili so good? ›

This sauce is the perfect balance of sweet, sour, and spicy and has an exotic flavor using red chillies and garlic. The sauce is incredibly versatile, as it can be used on its own or as an ingredient to add to your cooking.

How do you make chili taste richer? ›

Try adding spices like paprika, chili powder, cumin, coriander, Mexican oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, cinnamon, cayenne, or even chipotle. Prior to preparing your chili, check the expiration date on your dried herbs and spices. If they're too old, the flavor of your chili may suffer.

What is the most important spice in chili? ›

Most Common Chili Spices. Cumin, Chile Powders, and Paprika are the most common spices in chili followed by garlic, onion, coriander, Mexican oregano, and bay leaves. These ingredients can be combined to create a savory and well-balanced pot of top notch comfort food.

What is the best liquid for chili? ›

If you're going to add liquid, you might as well add flavor, too, so you'll generally want to use broth, not water, as your liquid of choice. The best kind of broth can vary: For a traditional chili recipe, beef broth is best, but white chili is better with chicken broth.

What does cinnamon do for chili? ›

Cinnamon. The beauty of ground cinnamon is that it brings a warmth to your chili, without being spicy. It works well with other flavors commonly found in chili (like tomato, cumin and chile powder) so you only need a little bit to achieve the desired balance.

How do you make sweet chili not so sweet? ›

But don't fret. If you need to balance that sweetness with a little bit of tang, lemon juice's contrasting flavor can do just that, transforming your chili from sweet to spicy and savory.

Is sweet chilli sauce full of sugar? ›

As its name implies, sweet chilli sauce is packed with sugar – around two teaspoons per tablespoon of sauce. Make your own by blending together a deseeded red chilli, two chopped red peppers, 1cm fresh grated ginger, four dates (stones removed), the juice of one lime and a generous pinch of black pepper.

Can I substitute honey for sugar in chili? ›

Up to one cup, honey can be substituted for sugar in equal amounts. For example, you can substitute 1/2 cup of honey for 1/2 cup of sugar called for in a recipe. Over one cup, use about 2/3-3/4 cup of honey for every cup of sugar.

How to make your chili taste better? ›

Try adding spices like paprika, chili powder, cumin, coriander, Mexican oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, cinnamon, cayenne, or even chipotle. Prior to preparing your chili, check the expiration date on your dried herbs and spices. If they're too old, the flavor of your chili may suffer.

What is the secret to competition chili? ›

Additional Depth of Flavor

Ingredients like tomato paste, cinnamon, coffee and liquid smoke can all add flavor hints that will make your chili cook-off entry unique. Roast your vegetables and use broth or beer instead of water for even more flavor in your pot.

Why do you put vinegar in chili? ›

Acids enhance the salty, umami-rich flavors already present in chili, and round out the sweetness, adding intricacy to the dish. Apple cider vinegar is versatile with a light, fruity flavor, but red wine and balsamic vinegar are both good choices for heavier chilis that need something bolder.

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