My sister told me my 'cheap' chili tasted like nothing so I finally wrote down what I was doing

Finley Nelson · 2026-09-15T19:55:05.015378+00:00

I make a big pot of chili every Sunday because it feeds my crew of 5 for like $12 total, and I was proud of it until my sister Dana tried it in Phoenix and said flat out it tastes like watery tomato soup. That stung but she was right, I was just dumping two cans of diced tomatoes and a pound of ground beef in a pot with some cumin and calling it done. So I started browning the beef hard first, adding a can of tomato paste, and using a whole onion plus a tablespoon of chili powder instead of a teaspoon. Turns out the fix cost me maybe 80 cents extra per pot. Anyone got a cheap trick that adds real depth without buying fancy ingredients?

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My sister told me my 'cheap' chili tasted like nothing so I finally wrote down what I was doing | Budget Friendly Meals - HW Forums