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 lovely feeling knowing that dinner is cooking itself.
Slow cooker chili is a hearty meal that pairs well with cornbread (try my skillet cornbread recipe), tortilla chips, or crackers. I like to top mine with some sharp cheddar and a dollop of sour cream.
I’ve also made a Slow Cooker Taco Chili. All your favorite flavors from Taco Tuesday – in a chili.
How to freeze chili
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.
Ingredients
Making chili in a crock pot or slow cooker is incredibly easy. It’s as simple as opening a few cans and browning beef on the stove top.
To start, gather your ingredients.
For this recipe, you’ll need canned tomatoes (I like petite diced), kidney beans, minced garlic, diced onions, ground beef, spices (chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt, red pepper flakes, and cayenne pepper), and green bell pepper.
If you haven’t yet, cook your ground beef over medium heat in a saute pan until browned.
As you prepare each ingredient, toss it into your slow cooker.
My chili recipe produces a low to medium heat chili. If you are sensitive to heat, omit the red pepper flakes and cayenne pepper and do a taste test first.
If you want a spicy chili, try adding more red pepper flakes and cayenne pepper.
Once all of your ingredients have made it into your slow cooker, stir to combine everything.
How long to cook slow cooker chili
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 chili directions
Stovetop chili directionsDon’t have a slow cooker or crock pot? You’re in luck! 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.
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
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/4 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
Notes
- 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.
Nutrition
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.
Do I add water or stock to the slow cooker chili
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.
I just noticed the recipe card stated to drain the tomatoes – this is incorrect. I have just updated the recipe card, the canned tomatoes should go in with the juices! Hope this helps.
Made this and cooked on low for 10 hours, I thought it would be overcooked but it was perfect!