Guinness Spiked Irish Chili
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Nothing says comfort like a hearty bowl of Guinness chili. This rich and flavorful Irish-style chili is perfect for a casual dinner or a game-day snack. It’s simple to make in one pot, and it’s ready in under an hour!
This Guinness-spiked Irish chili is rich, hearty, and exactly the kind of meal I crave on a cold day. A bottle of Guinness adds a subtle depth that makes this chili feel a little different from the classic version, bringing roasted, malty notes that pair beautifully with the beef, tomatoes, beans, and spices.
The Guinness doesn’t overpower the chili or make it taste strongly of beer. Instead, it quietly adds complexity, enhancing the savory flavors while contributing hints of coffee, chocolate, and caramelized richness in the background. It’s one of those ingredients that makes people ask why the chili tastes so good without being able to put their finger on exactly why.
I also love how easy this recipe is to make. A handful of vegetables, ground beef, spices, tomatoes, beans, and Guinness simmer together into a thick, flavorful chili that tastes like it cooked all day. It’s perfect for cozy dinners, game days, or stocking the freezer with future meals you’ll be grateful to have on hand.
More ways to cook with Guinness
If you love the flavor of Guinness too, try one of our other delicious recipes:
- Sticky Guinness Chicken
- Guinness Beef Stew
- Guinness Chocolate Cake with Irish Cream Frosting
What to serve with Guinness chili?
A bowl of chili with Guinness tastes great with cornbread (we love our zucchini cornbread muffins), corn chips, or tortilla chips. We also love serving it with a crusty loaf of bread, garlic bread, or a buttered slice of our whole wheat Irish soda bread. For a hearty meal, scoop it over rice with a side salad like our kale apple salad.
Make-ahead and store
Can I make it ahead of time? Absolutely! This is a great make-ahead recipe, and some might say it tastes better the next day.
How do I store leftover chili? Store any leftover chili in a covered container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Just be sure it’s cool before refrigerating it.
Can I freeze leftover chili? Definitely! If you don’t plan to eat it right away, store any leftover chili in an airtight container in the freezer for 4-6 months.
Guinness Irish Chili Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1 large yellow onion (chopped)
- 4 stalks celery (chopped)
- 2 bell peppers (chopped)
- 4 cloves garlic (grated on a Microplane or very finely minced)
- 1 ½ lb lean ground beef
- 2 tablespoons EACH: chili powder and paprika
- 2 teaspoons EACH: ground cumin and coriander
- 1 teaspoon EACH: oregano, sea salt, and pepper
- 1 cinnamon stick (or ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon)
- 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes
- 14 ounce can of Guinness – see notes (440ml)
- 19 ounce can of red kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
- Optional toppings: sour cream, grated cheddar cheese, green onions
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion starts to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the celery, peppers, and garlic and cook for 5 more minutes.1 tablespoon avocado oil, 1 large yellow onion, 4 stalks celery, 2 bell peppers, 4 cloves garlic
- Add the ground beef to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Stir the chili powder, paprika, cumin, coriander, oregano, salt, pepper, and cinnamon stick into the pot. Add the tomatoes and Guinness and stir together well. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook uncovered for 30 minutes, or until the chili is nice and thick.1 ½ lb lean ground beef, 2 tablespoons EACH: chili powder and paprika, 2 teaspoons EACH: ground cumin and coriander, 1 teaspoon EACH: oregano, sea salt, and pepper, 1 cinnamon stick, 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes, 14 ounce can of Guinness – see notes
- Add the beans to the pot then season to taste with additional salt and pepper. Serve the chili with any or all of the toppings.19 ounce can of red kidney beans, Optional toppings: sour cream, grated cheddar cheese, green onions
Notes
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
My husband and friends absolutely loved this recipe. I doubled it, added some white pepper and a little brown sugar in place of the cinnamon. It was DELICIOUS!!! I was able to thicken it to my liking by creating a slurry. You are so right about having fresh seasonings; makes a big difference. I’ll be making this again. Thanks for the recipe.
You’re very welcome, Donna!
How many battles of Guinness would I need for 10 serving of chili
I would triple the recipe. You’ll have a little extra, but it will be easier to figure out the quantities. You’ll need three (14-ounce) cans of Guinness.
Thank you for the inspiration! Made a few tweaks based on what I had (or didn’t have) and submitted it to a chili cookoff tonight and WON! Made mine a bit smoky with smoked paprika and a smoked beef/pork sausage on top of the ground beef. It was a hit! Thanks!
So good!
I made this vegan with Yves ground round and some vegan beef bouillon instead of beef. I also added sugar, extra salt, and a little less on the spicy seasonings for the kids. I also used a Guinness Draught, a tall can. Fantastic!
This Chili was absolutely FANTASTIC!!! It was so popular in my household and with my neighbors that I am making it again tonight. IT so rich and delicious. The spices really turn it around from being a run of the mill chili. I highly recommend it if you are looking to try something new and different.
Delicious
I made this recipe yesterday. The family loved it. Used shredded beef though instead of hamburger and I couldn’t find avocado oil so I just used vegetable oil. I also used and entire 6-pack of Guinness. I did it all up in a 14″ dutch oven.
I got the coals going and had 2 sirloin roasts (about 5lbs) browning by 9:30 in the morning. I added 2 bottles 15 minutes later and slow cooked the meat until 2:00. Then I sherdded the roasts and added the spices. At 4:00, I added the veggies. We were eating by 6:30. Guinness was added as needed. I also did up a pan of cornbread for a side.
I’d definitely make this recipe again and I’d love to play around with it a bit.
This was great! Another reviewer had mentioned that it came out really watery/tasteless; if I had followed the seasoning measurements exactly, mine would’ve been pretty bland as well. Once the chili had been simmering for about 25 min, I started adjusting for taste. In the end, I would say I ended up tripling the measurements for all the seasonings across the board. I also added 2 tablespoons of tomato purée to add a little extra flavor and to thicken the chili a little faster. Otherwise, loved this recipe and will save it to cook again.
Guinness dosent travel well, not that problem in Ireland
That’s what I’ve heard! I need to plan an Irish vacation so I can try the real stuff. 🙂
I really enjoyed this recipe. I used bottled Guinness, it has a richer stout taste here in the states. I also omitted the cinnamon and added sugar instead to suit my personal taste. I made everything else as stated and will be making again! I tried to give it 5 stars but not sure if it posted…
I’m so happy you like the recipe! Thank you for the 5-star rating!
Kristen, My husband is from County Cork, Ireland and has had his share of Irish Chili. He wants me to tell you that yours is the best yet! He has always talked about the Irish Chili his Grandma used to make and now he talks about how much better yours is compared to his Grandma’s. That is a true compliment! Pat yourself on the back.
Oh my goodness Patty, I’m so blown away. That really is a great compliment. You totally made my day!!!
This turned out watery and flavorless. My guests actually took one bite and threw it away. I followed recipe and added plenty of salt and spices.
That’s really strange that it ended up flavorless, especially if you followed the recipe since there is a heafty dose of spices in here. You might want to check the date on your chili powder. Dried spices will lose their potency if they’re left to sit for a while. Sorry it didn’t work out for you.
Part of your lack of enthusiasm for Guinness is what you suspected–the export version is not quie the same. Also, even the Guinness we get is best served around 60 degrees–not ice cold–and that makes a tangible difference. Thanks for the recipe!
I had a feeling that was what was going on. I’ll have get to Ireland and try a real Guinness soon!!
I LOVE chili in all its variations. This came out excellent, and I know I’m going to make it again and again. I also added coriander, thyme, smoked paprika, and fresh cilantro for good measure. Thank you for this recipe.
Me too! I can never get enough chili. Smoked paprika is one of my fav flavours, too.
Definitely because you haven’t had a Guinness in Ireland!! I went there and it’s such a difference ! I agree a nice thick stout!! Yummy
I’ll have to book a ticket to Ireland and change that stat!
Kristen,
How can I find out more about your underground restaurant?
Hi Darryl!
You can check out the website for the supper club here: http://www.theendlessmeal.ca 🙂