This flavorful homemade chili seasoning is highly customizable, effortless to prepare, and easy to keep on hand for whenever that chili craving hits!
Making your own homemade chili seasoning blend is easy to do in a pinch, and gives you more flexibility than using store-bought mixes in your favorite chili recipes. Plus, most of the ingredients are basic pantry spices likely already in your kitchen!
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Ground cumin - This is the backbone of any traditional chili seasoning recipe. I don't recommend substituting it.
- Dried Oregano
- Ancho powder - You will find this seasoning in the Mexican aisle of your local grocery store. Otherwise, chili powder can be substituted.
- Onion Powder
- Smoked Paprika - Regular paprika or sweet paprika can be substituted.
- Cayenne Pepper - Crushed red pepper flakes can be substituted.
- Garlic Powder
Beyond this seasoning mix, there are additional spices that can be added to a batch of chili. Salt in particular is important. I add about 1 ½ tablespoons of kosher salt to a large pot of chili. Most recipes will also call for fresh ground black pepper.
The spiciness in chili is best balanced by a sweetener. Brown sugar is my sweetener of choice for most chilies. I add approximately 1 tablespoon of brown sugar to my chili.
To make this chili seasoning recipe, simply mix the ingredients together.
How to use it
Use this homemade chili seasoning recipe in place of any seasonings in your favorite homemade chili recipe. Otherwise, the quantities called for in my seasoning recipe below are the ideal ratio to go along with two pounds of meat, if crafting your own recipe.
This is the seasoning base I use in my chili without beans, venison chili, beef brisket chili, and my Midwestern-themed chili with noodles.
Storing Chili Seasoning
My homemade chili seasoning mix can be prepared in advance and stored in an airtight container, or glass jar. This recipe is ideal for scaling up to make a large batch of seasoning.
Homemade Chili Seasoning
Ingredients
- 1 ½ tablespoons Cumin
- 2 teaspoons Oregano
- 2 teaspoons Ancho powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons Onion Powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons Smoked Paprika
- 1 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
Instructions
- Mix all seasonings together and store in an airtight container.
- Makes enough chili seasonings for a recipe with two pounds of meat.
Nutritional Information
This recipe was originally published on January 23, 2019.
Ruth
Can this be made bulk?
Fox Valley Foodie
Yes, absolutely!
Barb
This was flipping fantastic! The only thing I changed was the smoked paprika. I didn't use as much as I am not used to using smoked paprika. And it was still just as tasty!! Just like you basically implemented, this recipe is easy to modify to our taste. This is even a great recipe for anyone watching their sodium intake!! This was my first time trying a homemade chili recipe and I couldn't be more happier! Thanks for sharing!!
Fox Valley Foodie
I am glad you enjoyed it. You are right, modifying the smoked paprika won't ruin the recipe at all. You can even use regular paprika instead if desired.