Irish Chili
Irish Chili is the hearty chili we all love with a generous dose of Guinness stout beer and a smidge of cinnamon. Fall in love with this easy chili recipe for St. Patricks Day and you’ll be serving it up year-round!

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Looking for a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow? Well, you won’t find it in my delicious Irish Guinness chili recipe, but you’ll definitely discover a rich and flavorful stew that will warm up your taste buds and make you feel lucky.
Why I love this recipe
I’m a sucker for all things St. Patrick’s Day, we are in Savannah after all, home of the country’s 2nd largest St. Patty’s Day parade! It’s a big deal around here, schools close, we dye fountains green, etc.
So every St. Patrick’s Day I try to add to my arsenal of Irish-themed recipes. I’ve made Irish beef stew, Guinness beer bread, and my corn beef and cabbage is a viral hit each year. All of this to say that this Irish Chili is the newest tasty staple in my recipe book.
This recipe is hearty and savory with a hint of cinnamon. The Guinness adds a delicious flavor profile you’re going to love, and its ready in under an hour!
Ingredients
- ground beef
- onion
- garlic
- spices: chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, salt and pepper
- diced tomatoes
- Guinness stout beer
- red kidney beans
- black beans
Step by step
- Brown the ground beef in a large pot or large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Drain if needed and return to the pot.
- Add the remaining ingredients and stir to mix.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium heat and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring often.
- Serve hot with your favorite toppings.
Slow cooker option
After browning the ground beef add it and all remaining ingredients to a slow cooker and cook on low 6 hours.
Instant Pot option
Add olive oil to the Instant Pot and put in sauté mode. Add ground beef and brown. Turn off and drain grease if necessary.
Add remaining ingredients and stir to mix. Close lid and vent and cook on high pressure for 20 minutes. Allow to release naturally for at least 15 minutes before carefully venting to release remaining pressure.
Tips for best results
- You can adjust the thickness of the chili according to your taste, for thinner chili add extra Guinness or beef broth to your desired consistency.
- You can use an 11.2-ounce bottle of Guinness or 14.9-ounce can, the minimal difference in the number of ounces won’t affect the end result.
Variations
Add in more veggies: corn, chopped bell peppers, even diced potatoes, sweet potatoes, or butternut squash.
Substitute ground turkey or ground chicken for the ground beef and use chicken broth instead of beef broth.
Serving suggestions
Serve this Guinness beef chili as is or with all of your favorite toppings: sour cream, chopped green onions, shredded regular or Irish cheddar cheese, diced red onions, tortilla chips, or corn chips all would be great with this chili. Don’t forget some stovetop cornbread on the side!
Storage
One great thing about this recipe is that it tastes even better the next day, so its great for meal prep! Store leftover chili in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days.
It also freezes well. Freeze in freezer bags or a freezer-safe container (affiliate link) up to 3 months. I like to double the recipe and freeze half for easy meal prep!
If you try this recipe please comment and rate it below, I love hearing from you!
PrintIrish Chili
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
Description
This hearty Irish Guinness chili is packed with rich, deep flavor thanks to the addition of a classic dark stout. Perfect for St. Patrick’s Day or any cozy night, it’s a bold and comforting twist on classic chili!
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes
- 11.2-ounce bottle of Guinness
- 15-ounce can of red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
- optional toppings: sour cream, grated cheddar cheese, green onions
Instructions
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, brown the meat. Drain if necessary and return to the pot.
- Add all remaning ingredients and stir to mix.
- Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, lower heat and simmer 30 minutes.
Notes
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: main course
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: Irish
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 255
- Sugar: 4.4 g
- Sodium: 935.7 mg
- Fat: 3.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 28.6 g
- Fiber: 9 g
- Protein: 25.2 g
- Cholesterol: 45.2 mg