Texas Roadhouse Chili Copycat Recipe

This Texas Roadhouse chili copycat brings the thick, beefy, deeply spiced bowl from the restaurant straight into your kitchen. It’s a no-bean chili with a rich tomato base and enough smoky heat to keep you coming back for seconds, ready in about an hour on a weeknight.

It uses pantry staples you likely already have, and the whole thing comes together in one pot.

Why I Love This Recipe

The beef stays in satisfying crumbles rather than a fine mince, so every spoonful has some real texture. The combination of chili powder, cumin, and smoked paprika builds a flavor that tastes like it simmered all afternoon even when it hasn’t.

This is the version I keep coming back to when the weather turns cold. No fuss, one pot, and it tastes better the next day once everything settles in.

Recipe Ingredients

• 1.5 lbs ground beef (80/20) – The fat content keeps the meat juicy and adds body to the sauce
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced – Yellow onion melts into the base without oversharing sweetness
• 4 cloves garlic, minced – Fresh garlic only here; garlic powder gives a different, flatter taste
• 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce – Forms the smooth, thick backbone of the chili
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained – Adds texture and a little brightness to balance the spice
• 1 cup beef broth – Thins the base slightly and deepens the savory flavor
• 3 tbsp chili powder – This is the main spice driver; use a fresh jar for the best result
• 1.5 tsp ground cumin – Warm and earthy, it rounds out the chili powder
• 1 tsp smoked paprika – Gives a subtle smokiness without adding heat
• 1 tsp garlic powder – Works alongside the fresh garlic for a fuller, deeper garlic note
• 0.5 tsp onion powder – A background note that ties the aromatics together
• 0.5 tsp black pepper – Freshly ground is worth it here
• 1 tsp salt, plus more to taste – Season as you go and adjust at the end
• 0.5 tsp cayenne pepper – Adds real heat; reduce to 0.25 tsp if your chili powder is already hot
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce – Adds a savory, slightly tangy depth you won’t quite identify but would miss
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil – For browning the beef without it sticking

Variations / Substitutions

• Ground turkey instead of beef – Leaner and lighter, but the chili will be less rich; bump the smoked paprika to 1.5 tsp to compensate.
• Ground bison – Swaps in almost one-to-one; slightly leaner than 80/20 beef with a clean, mild flavor.
• Ancho chili powder instead of standard chili powder – Deeper and fruitier with less sharpness; good if you want more complexity and less raw heat.
• Chipotle powder instead of cayenne – Adds smokiness on top of the smoked paprika for a fuller, darker heat profile.
• Coconut aminos instead of Worcestershire – Works for a dairy-free or soy-light swap; the savory depth is similar.
• Add 1 can of kidney beans – Not authentic to the Texas Roadhouse version, but if you want beans, dark red kidney beans hold up best in a long simmer.

If you like a chili-adjacent dish with a little more acidity, check out a Tex-Mex beef and tomato soup recipe for a lighter weeknight alternative.

How To Make Texas Roadhouse Chili

Step 1: Brown the Beef

Heat the 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the 1.5 lbs ground beef and break it into rough crumbles with a wooden spoon. Cook for 7 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until no pink remains and the bottom of the pot has some brown bits forming.

Don’t break the beef too fine. Slightly larger crumbles give the finished chili a meatier texture. If the pot looks like it has more than 2 tbsp of fat pooled at the bottom, drain most of it off before moving to the next step.

Step 2: Soften the Aromatics

Reduce the heat to medium. Add the diced yellow onion to the pot with the browned beef and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring every minute or so, until the onion turns translucent and starts to soften at the edges.

Add the 4 cloves minced garlic and stir for 1 full minute until fragrant. The garlic should smell toasty rather than raw, but pull back before it browns.

Step 3: Bloom the Spices

Add the 3 tbsp chili powder, 1.5 tsp cumin, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp garlic powder, 0.5 tsp onion powder, 0.5 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp salt, and 0.5 tsp cayenne pepper directly into the pot. Stir constantly for 60 to 90 seconds over medium heat, coating the beef and onion mixture with the dry spices.

This short bloom in the hot fat wakes the spices up and gives the chili a warmer, rounder flavor than adding them straight into a liquid. The pot will smell noticeably more fragrant after about 45 seconds.

Step 4: Simmer the Chili

Pour in the 15 oz tomato sauce, the 14.5 oz diced tomatoes with their liquid, the 1 cup beef broth, and the 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce. Stir everything together and bring the pot up to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to low.

Cover loosely with a lid slightly ajar and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. By the end, the chili should be noticeably thicker and the fat from the beef will be fully incorporated into the sauce rather than pooling on top.

If it thickens too fast before the 30 minutes are up, add a splash of beef broth, 2 to 3 tbsp at a time, to loosen it without watering down the flavor.

Step 5: Taste, Ladle, and Garnish

Taste the chili and adjust the salt, then ladle it into bowls. Finish each bowl with a spoonful of sour cream in the center, a small handful of shredded cheddar, and a few sliced green onions on top.

Recipe Tips

• Use 80/20 beef, not leaner. A leaner blend will give you a drier, grainier texture. The fat is what makes the chili feel silky rather than crumbly.
• Let it sit before serving if you can. Even 10 minutes off the heat lets the spices settle and the texture thicken slightly.
• Taste the chili powder before you use it. Older chili powder can be dusty and flat. If yours smells faint, use 3.5 tbsp instead of 3, or grab a fresh jar.
• Double the batch for meal prep. This chili holds well and the flavor deepens overnight, so it’s worth making extra.

Oven bake times by casserole dish are not relevant here since this is a hob recipe, but cook times by pot size are worth noting:

How To Store

• Refrigerate – Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The flavor is noticeably better on day 2.
• Reheating – Reheat on the hob over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, adding a splash of broth if it has thickened too much. Or microwave in 90-second bursts, stirring between each.

What To Serve With Texas Roadhouse Chili

Warm cornbread is the most natural companion because its slight sweetness cuts through the heat and gives you something to drag through the thick sauce. A simple green salad with a sharp vinaigrette also works well alongside the bowl, since the acidity refreshes the palate between bites. If you want to lean into the Roadhouse angle, a side of plain buttered white rice stretches the chili into a fuller meal and tones down the spice level slightly for anyone at the table who runs hot.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this chili in a slow cooker?

Yes. Brown the beef and aromatics on the hob first through Step 3, then transfer everything to the slow cooker with the liquids and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours or high for 3 to 4 hours.

Can I freeze Texas Roadhouse chili?

Yes. Let it cool completely, then freeze in airtight containers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat on the hob over medium-low.

How do I thicken the chili if it looks too thin?

Remove the lid and simmer on medium for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. The liquid will reduce and the chili will tighten up without any added thickeners.

Is this chili very spicy?

It has a noticeable kick from the cayenne, but it is not aggressive. Drop the cayenne to 0.25 tsp or leave it out entirely if you are cooking for kids or anyone sensitive to heat.

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Texas Roadhouse Chili Recipe

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 50 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1.5 lbs ground beef (80/20)
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 cup beef broth
• 3 tbsp chili powder
• 1.5 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 0.5 tsp onion powder
• 0.5 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 0.5 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil

Method

 

1. Heat the 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a large pot over medium-high heat, add the 1.5 lbs ground beef, and cook for 7 to 8 minutes, breaking into crumbles, until no pink remains. Drain excess fat if needed.
2. Reduce to medium, add the diced onion, and cook for 5 minutes until translucent. Stir in the 4 cloves minced garlic for 1 minute until fragrant.
3. Add all 8 spices (chili powder through cayenne) to the pot and stir constantly for 60 to 90 seconds to bloom them in the fat.
4. Pour in the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, beef broth, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low and simmer loosely covered for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until thick.
5. Taste and adjust salt, then ladle into bowls and top with sour cream, shredded cheddar, and sliced green onions.

Notes

This chili tastes even better the next day, so making it ahead is worth the small effort. If you are sensitive to heat, start with 0.25 tsp cayenne and add more at the end once you have tasted the finished pot. Leftovers keep for 4 days in the fridge and freeze well for up to 3 months.