Chili Batch Size Calculator

This calculator scales a classic beef chili recipe up or down. The base recipe feeds 4 people generously (about 1.5 cups per serving).

Base recipe for 4 servings:

• Ground beef: 1 lb (450g) — use 80/20 for flavor, 90/10 for leaner
• Kidney beans: 1 can (15 oz / 400g, drained)
• Diced tomatoes: 1 can (14.5 oz / 400g)
• Tomato paste: 2 tbsp (32g)
• Onion: 1 medium (about 150g), diced
• Bell pepper: 1 medium (about 120g), diced
• Garlic: 3 cloves, minced
• Beef broth: 1 cup (240ml) — adjust for your preferred thickness
• Chili powder: 2 tbsp
• Ground cumin: 1 tsp
• Smoked paprika: 1 tsp
• Salt: 1 tsp
• Cayenne pepper: 1/4 tsp (increase to taste)

Scaling tips:

Spices do not always scale linearly. If tripling the recipe, start with 2.5× the spices and adjust at the end — three times the cayenne is easy to over-do. Garlic scales more aggressively than most ingredients; adding even half a head extra is rarely a mistake.

For large batches (12+ servings), use a Dutch oven or stockpot rather than a standard skillet. Cook the beef in batches of 1-1.5 lb maximum to get proper browning instead of steaming.

Chili freezes exceptionally well. A batch of 12 servings stored in 2-serving containers gives you six ready-to-heat meals. The flavors actually improve after 24 hours in the refrigerator — something about the spices melding.