Slow cooker chili is a hearty stew filled with ground beef, vegetables, beans, and spices in a tomato sauce. This beef chili recipe is hearty, filling, and an easy family favorite dinner.
Slow Cooker Chili is the perfect recipe to start on a cold Sunday morning. The smell of onions, peppers, and spices will fill your home around midday. It’s a wonderful feeling knowing that dinner is cooking itself!
This slow cooker chili is filled with crumbled ground beef, canned tomatoes and beans, bell pepper, onion, and a variety of simple pantry spices. Plus, it's easy to customize to make spicier or milder to suit your tastes.
Serve this slow cooker chili with cornbread (try my skillet cornbread recipe), tortilla chips, or crackers. It's perfect for keeping warm during winter, tailgating during football season, or as a fuss-free weeknight meal.
Ingredients and substitutions
Ground beef can be substituted with ground turkey or ground chicken for a lighter, lower calorie chili.
To make a thinner, saucier chili, substitute half of the canned tomatoes with a can of tomato sauce. This chili turns out chunky and thick when made as written.
Any canned beans can be used in this recipe - I like to use half light kidney and half dark kidney beans simply for variety of color.
Can I use raw beans?
No. Do not add raw or dried kidney beans directly to your chili!
Raw or dried red kidney beans contain a toxin that needs to be heated to a certain temperature, for a certain amount of time, to kill it. Otherwise, according to the FDA, they can cause nausea and vomiting when consumed.
To use dried beans safely, soak your beans for 5 hours in water, then boil for a minimum of 10 minutes. Once you have done this, your beans can safely be used in any slow cooker recipe.
Canned beans are already cooked, so these extra steps don't need to be taken.
For more information: Allrecipes: Why you should never cook kidney beans in a slow cooker
How long to cook chili in a slow cooker
You'll generally have at least two options on your slow cooker - low and high heat. I have cooked this chili dozens and dozens of times, on both low and high heat, and both ways turn out the same.
On low heat, your chili will cook for about 8 to 9 hours.
On high heat, your chili will cook for about 5 hours.
If your chili cooks for slightly longer than this, that's okay too. Chili generally gets better as it cooks. The sauce will thicken and flavors will deepen.
I suggest stirring your chili once during the last half of cooking, so as to not let out too much heat. Repeatedly opening your slow cooker will release heat and slow down the cooking process.
Stovetop directions
Don't have a slow cooker or crock pot? This recipe can be made on the stove top as well.
Simply brown your beef in the bottom of a stock pot, then add your remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer, cover, and reduce heat to low.
Cook for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
You can find both my slow cooker and stove top versions in the recipe card below.
How to freeze chili
You might think chili is only a cold weather recipe, but I make it year round. It’s filling, healthy, and keeps well as a leftover.
Chili is one of those few recipes that is even better the next day. Slow cooker chili leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
And guess what? Chili with beef and beans can be frozen for 3 months or more if stored in a well sealed container. I almost always make a double batch of chili and freeze half for future meals.
Chili can be stored in single serve containers or freezer bags, then removed from the freezer the night before to thaw. Simply reheat in the microwave or over medium heat on the stove top.
What to serve with chili
Aside from toppings like shredded cheese, sour cream, crushed tortilla chips, chives, or green onions, what can you serve with chili? Here are a few ideas.
- Skillet Cornbread
- Buttermilk Cornbread Muffins
- Jalapeño Cheddar Cornmeal Biscuits
- Cowboy Caviar
- Tex-Mex Cheese Quesadillas
- Garlic Bread Cheese Bombs
Slow Cooker Chili
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 large onion diced
- 1 bell pepper diced
- 30 ounces canned kidney beans rinsed and drained
- 30 ounces canned diced tomatoes with juices
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
Slow Cooker
- Over medium heat, crumble ground beef into a hot saute pan and cook until browned.
- Add cooked ground beef to your slow cooker. Add all of your remaining ingredients - onion, bell pepper, beans, tomatoes, garlic, and spices. Stir to combine.
- Cook on low heat for 8 to 9 hours, or on high for 5 hours. Stir sparingly (once during the last half of cooking will suffice).
Stove Top
- Over medium heat, crumble ground beef into a stock pot and cook until browned.
- Add all of your remaining ingredients - onion, bell pepper, beans, tomatoes, garlic, and spices. Stir to combine.
- Bring to a simmer, cover, and reduce heat to low. Cook for 2 hours, stirring sparingly.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- This recipe makes a mild chili. For a spicier chili, add diced jalapenos with your bell pepper, or add additional red pepper flakes and cayenne pepper (to taste).
- Slow cooker chili leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
- Chili can be frozen for 3 months or more if stored in a well sealed container or freezer bag.
- If frozen, remove from the freezer the night before to thaw. Reheat in the microwave or over medium heat on the stove top.
- Top with sour cream, shredded cheese, chives, crumbled bacon, or fresh jalapenos.
Brenda.
Very bland, definitely need more seasonings to taste.
Heather
Hi Brenda, this recipe makes a mild chili. If you're looking for spicier chili, you can absolutely add more spices to taste!
Michelle M
Looking forward to this! I added a can of green chili’s too. It smells wonderful already. Perfect for Super Bowl Sunday! Thanks.
Heather
Hope you enjoy it!
Daniela
Hi! Are the beans cooked before putting in the pot?
Heather
Canned beans are already cooked, so there's no need to do any cooking beforehand. Just drain and rinse them, and add to the slow cooker.
If you're using fresh beans, you'll want to soak them for at least 5 hours, then cook them by boiling in water for 10 minutes. Cooking raw kidney beans in a slow cooker is not a good idea.
Why You Should Never Cook Kidney Beans in a Slow Cooker: https://www.allrecipes.com/article/kidney-beans-slow-cooker/
Mandy
Hi! what do you consider to be 1 serving? 1 cup? or 1 1/2 cups? this recipe is amazing! 🙂
Heather
Hi Mandy, I'm glad you enjoy the recipe! I have never measured the chili once it is cooked, but we get six servings from one crock pot. Maybe one cup?
Susan B
Made this and cooked on low for 10 hours, I thought it would be overcooked but it was perfect!
Jacqueline
Do I add water or stock to the slow cooker chili
Heather
Hi Jacqueline, you do not need water or stock for this chili. It will look thick at the beginning, but the tomatoes cook down into a sauce by the end.
Micah
Hello! I was wondering if it would work if I switched out the diced tomatoes for like tomato juice or sauce? My hubby doesn’t like chunks of tomatoes and we like a little more liquid in our chili.
Heather
Yes you can use tomato sauce instead!
Brynda
Would it still need to be 30 ounces of tomato sauce if I substituted?
Heather
30 ounces of tomato sauce will give you a saucy, thinner chili. If you'd still like a thicker, chunky chili (like this recipe is written) but without tomato chunks, I'd suggest substituting half with tomato sauce, and half with more of your other ingredients - beef, onions, or peppers.