Spicy Five Bean Chili with Steak and Sausage

Tender bites of steak, spicy sausage, five different varieties of beans, tomatoes, and green chili add up to an irresistible steak chili that is a family favorite all winter long.

Start the chili in the morning and let it simmer though the day for a dinner that will have everyone smiling. Does anything smell better in the fall than a spicy pot of chili simmering on the stove?

Once upon a time, probably 15+ years ago now, my friend Shannon brought a huge pot of chili to a party – and that chili was absolutely perfect. I’d been making chili for years and mine was never bad, but it was also never amazing.

I ate two huge servings of her chili and then pestered her for the recipe. Lucky for all of us, she was sweet enough to send it to me. I could not believe that our chili recipes were virtually identical save for one ingredient.

Chili with Ranch Style Beans

That one ingredient though? It made the difference between an “okay” chili recipe and a chili that can knock your socks off. The ingredient is the Ranch Style Beans!

This chili makes me so happy. It makes me grin when I smell it throughout the house and I look forward to dinner all day long. Whether I make it on the stove or in the slow cooker, the smell of chili simmering brings so much joy and comfort to my day.

Tender steak, spicy sausage, five different varieties of beans, tomatoes, and chilis all combine to make this a spectacular chili. Don’t be fooled by the long list of ingredients! This is a very simple recipe and it doesn’t take long to pull it together in the morning.

I like to let it simmer on low most of the day whenever possible. Allowing it to simmer for several hours helps all the flavors of the steak, sausage, and chilies to mingle. I never can resist grabbing a bowl of this chili for lunch if I start it early enough.

5 Bean Chili

This steak chili recipe is similar to many other chili recipes I’ve tried, with the exception of one ingredient. The ranch style beans make all the difference in the taste. They’re tossed in with all the other beans and something about them is just magical. I kid you not.

15 years ago, I had never bought a can of these beans before in my life. And now? I keep about a dozen cans on hand at all times. Ranch style chili beans are full of delicious spices that work well along with the sausage and steak in this recipe.

Steak Chili

I’ve made my share of chilis, both with and without steak. Sometimes I use chicken, often we use ground beef, or sausage, and we even make Vegetarian Chili every so often.

Chili with steak has a distinct flavor and texture that you don’t get when chili is made with other kinds of meats. I also enjoy cooking and crumbling spicy sausage in this recipe, the added flavors and textures are great with the steak.

Serve this chili over baked potatoes, macaroni, or rice or alongside a thick slice of cornbread. It’s delicious topped with cheese, sour cream, Cornbread Croutons, or enjoyed on its own.

Steak Chili Recipe

This recipe starts by cooking your steak. The way you cook the steak doesn’t matter too much. You can grill, broil, or cook the steaks on the stove and they will turn out just fine. I like to season my steak with salt, pepper, and garlic on each side while it cooks.

If I don’t happen to have leftover steak on hand, I usually just sear the steak in a large stockpot prior to cooking and crumbling the sausage.

When both meats are done, simply add them to the pot along with all of the beans, tomatoes, green chile, onions, bell peppers, and taco seasoning. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, and then reduce heat to low.

Simmer (technically, mine doesn’t quite simmer, but maintains close to that on low heat) all day or for at least 4-6 hours. Stir every hour or two, taking care to stir the bottom of the pot, and try to resist the urge to eat it all day long. Serve topped with cheese and sour cream for the perfect fall meal.

In my experience, cooking this chili for a longer time over lower heat results in the best flavor. So even though you might be tempted to dig in after a few hours, try to resist. The longer it simmers on the stove or in the crock-pot the better it will be.

Crockpot Directions: FIRST – reduce the recipe by HALF, the full recipe will not fit in any crockpot I’ve ever seen. Cook the meats and then combine all ingredients in the slow cooker, stir, and cook on low all day.

Slow cookers or crockpots are an appliance of which I have more than one. If you are an avid slow cooker user like I am, you might understand the need for more than one. So, let’s talk about my favorites:

First up is this 6-quart slow cooker that has a locking lid. These crockpots are fantastic for transporting foods. Mine has gone everywhere from church potlucks to barbecues, game nights to Thanksgiving dinner. However, fair warning, these slow cookers run crazy hot. Low is closer to a boil than a simmer, the warm setting actually simmers. So trust me when I say HIGH is high.

My everyday slow cooker is this 8-quart Crockpot. It’s my go-to appliance for cooking large roasts and big batches of chili. Fun fact: did you know that a full 4-quart cooker, actually cooks more slowly than a half-full 8-quart cooker?

For just cooking a few pounds of chicken to shred for enchiladas or other smaller recipes, this 3-quart version is perfect.

Thanksgiving has become a breeze since I have mastered how to hold all of the side dishes using these medium-sized round slow cookers.

If you aren’t a fan of the idea of keeping more than one slow cooker in the house, these CrockPockets are a game-changer when it comes to preparing and holding multiple dishes at the same time. They slide into a standard 6-quart crockpot, dividing it into two sections that are perfect for serving different side dishes or keeping taco fillings warm for parties.

Beef and Sausage Chili

In case you can’t tell at first glance, this is a HUGE recipe. It can serve my whole family with plenty left over. This makes it a great meal to make for parties and big family gatherings.

I usually make the full batch and then freeze it in large and small containers for full family meals and for individual lunches. No one ever regretted having extra chili in their freezer!

Spicy Five Bean Steak Chili is even better the next day, so I often make it ahead of time and then warm it up on the day I want to serve it. It heats up beautifully on the stovetop or in the microwave.

This recipe could easily be reduced to make less chili but I enjoy having it in my freezer whenever possible, so I rarely make a smaller batch. I figure if I am going to let it simmer most of the day, I might as well get several meals out of it.

How To Freeze Chili

Let the soup cool completely before transferring it to freezer-safe containers. Soup can be reheated in the microwave or it can be thawed first and then reheated on the stove-top.

For a few more delicious chili recipes, try a Hearty Pepper Chili. Bell peppers, tomatoes, cilantro, and lime add fresh flavors to this chili. It’s filled with sausage, beans, and an abundance of vegetables.

White Chicken Chili is a creamy soup filled with tender chunks of chicken, soft white beans, green chile, and plenty of spices. Truly more soup than chili, this has been one of our favorite rainy day meals for several years now.

This Vegetarian Chili was inspired by an impromptu trip to our cabin and an unexpected craving for chili. I pulled this together with only ingredients from the cupboards and it turned out deliciously. It was so good, I took notes in order to share it with you later.

originally published 10/18/11 – recipe notes updated 11/27/24