Slow Cooker Chili Recipe
An easy slow cooker chili recipe with Ground Beef, beans, tomato sauce, and the best homemade chili seasoning. It putters away in the slow cooker for the juiciest beef and rich flavor.
Thank you to Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner. on behalf of the Beef Checkoff for sponsoring this Slow Cooker Chili recipe. I received compensation, but all opinions are my own.
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
The Best Way to Cook Chili:
Slow Cooking chili is a classic way to cook chili. It’s the easiest chili because you can set it and forget it and this is how the award-winning chilis are achieved. The low and slow cooking process melds the flavors of the chili seasoning into every bite and the beef becomes so tender, juicy, and irresistible. You can slow cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high heat for 3-4 hours.
Ingredients for Slow Cooker Chili:
- Ground Beef – no other protein does it quite like beef and Ground Beef tastes amazing. We use lean (90/10 or 93/7) to eliminate the need to spoon out excess fat. If yours has a higher fat content, you can spoon out the excess fat when it renders in the skillet.
- Onion – we love a generous amount of onion because it adds amazing sweet notes to the chili and disappears into the chili as it slow cooks.
- Beans – you can change up the beans based on what you have on hand, but the classic beans for chili are kidney beans (we love dark red), and black beans. Be sure to rinse and drain the beans in a colander for the best chili consistency and color.
- Tomatoes & Tomato Sauce – We love the combination of canned diced tomatoes (with their juice) as well as tomato sauce to give the chili a saucy consistency with great texture. For added flavor, we add a can of diced tomatoes and green chilis.
- Chili Seasoning – we make a simple homemade blend with chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, oregano, salt, and pepper.
Do you Prefer a Spicy Chili?
To keep it kid-friendly, this classic chili is mild and not spicy. If you prefer a spicy chili, you can either add hot sauce to your bowl when serving or if you want the entire batch to be spicier, add an extra tablespoon of Chili Powder and 1/4 to 1/2 tsp of Cayenne Pepper to give it a spicy kick.
How to Make Slow Cooker Chili:
Making chili in the slow cooker doesn’t get any easier. It’s as simple as browning the beef and onions then adding all of the canned ingredients to the slow cooker and turning it on. If you have a multicooker with a slow cooker function, you can saute and slow cook all in the same pot.
- SAUTE the beef and onions in a skillet then add garlic and seasonings to the pan.
- TRANSFER the beef mixture to a 6 Qt Slow Cooker.
- ADD REMAINING INGREDIENTS – rinsed and drained beans, diced tomatoes with their juice and tomato sauce.
- SLOW COOK – cover and set slow cooker on low 6-8 hours or on high 3-4 hours then season more to taste if needed.
Our Favorite Chili Toppings:
We love to serve this family-style where everyone can build their own chili bowls with the toppings they love. Toppings can vary based on what we have in the fridge, but these are our favorite toppings for chili –
- Cheese – mild cheddar is the classic choice, but Mexican shredded cheese works equally well
- Onion – chopped green or red onion adds a fresh pop of color and flavor
- Avocado – because we can’t help putting avocado on everything, especially chili.
- Cilantro – for garnish and adding fresh flavor
- Sour cream – balances the dish (especially great when chili is served over a baked potato)
- Sliced jalapenos – you can use any hot pepper for a spicy kick
How to Serve Chili:
Chili keeps really well in the refrigerator so we love to get creative with leftovers. There are so many ways to serve classic chili and really it can be served almost any time of day. Some of our favorites include:
- Chili Cheese Dip – Sprinkle chili with cheddar cheese and serve as an appetizer with tortilla chips.
- Chili Dogs – Top a hot dog with chili and shredded cheese to transform it into a chili cheese dog.
- Chili Stuffed Baked Potatoes – topping a baked potato with hot chili is a delicious gluten-free option and fun way to serve a crowd.
- In a Bowl – loaded with all of the toppings and tortilla chips or pita chips on the side (this is our family favorite)!
Why We Love This Family Friendly Dinner:
With so many families staying home together now, juggling homeschool, and cooking more than ever, it’s a great time to get kids in the kitchen and teach them through cooking. This slow cooker beef chili is a great way to teach your children cooking skills. Children can learn:
- Food safety tips like washing hands after handling raw meat
- The importance of using separate plates and utensils for raw and ready to eat foods to prevent cross-contamination
- How to measure spices and weigh ingredients
If you let kids help with preparing the meal, they are more likely to enjoy eating it. It also makes for a memorable photo-op moment!
More Beef Recipes You Will Love:
- Juicy Burgers – the secret to perfect burgers
- Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry – with the best sauce
- Quick Beef Chili – an easy 30-minute recipe
- Beef Stroganoff – classic and packed with flavor
- Beef Tenderloin – incredibly juicy and tender
- Easy Meatloaf – with the best glaze
Get the print-friendly recipe below for this Classic Slow Cooker Beef Chili.
Classic Slow Cooker Chili Recipe
An easy Slow Cooker chili recipe with Ground Beef, beans, tomato sauce, and the best homemade chili seasoning. It putters away in the slow cooker for the juiciest beef and rich flavor.
Ingredients
- 2 lb lean Ground Beef, (90/10 or 93/7)
- 1 large onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tsp cumin powder
- 1 1/2 Tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 30 oz kidney beans, two 15oz cans, drained and rinsed
- 30 oz diced tomatoes, with their juice
- 10 oz diced tomatoes and green chilis, with their juice
- 30 oz tomato sauce
Instructions
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Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and sauté beef until it releases fat (4-5 minutes), breaking it up with a spatula.
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Add onion to the skillet and sauté until tender (4-5 minutes). Add minced garlic and seasonings: cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, dried oregano, salt and pepper. Cook another 30 seconds stirring constantly. Transfer to a 6 Qt slow cooker.
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Add remaining ingredients into the slow cooker: rinsed and drained beans, diced tomatoes with their juice, diced tomatoes and green chilis with juice and tomato sauce. Stir to combine and cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours. Season to taste if desired and serve warm.
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
Natasha Kravchuk
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
Thanks Natasha! 5 Stars for you! I followed the recipe exactly, low heat for 7 hours. Fed about 18 people. Absolute perfection. If you want a friendly chili with awesome taste, this is it.
Thank you, Pablo! I’m so glad it was a hit.
I made your chili recipe today! It was delicious! I followed your recipe and the spices were spot on! The only thing I added was a green bell pepper. This will be my chili recipe from now on!
So glad to her that, Sylvia! Thank you for sharing.
Great recipe but I’m not clear on how many ounces/cups are in a serving size if made exactly as stated on the recipe. Can you let me know? Thanks.
Hi Mary Kay, the whole recipe serves 10 people. You can divide this whole recipe into 10 to get the accurate per-serving size, but it should be about one to one and a half cups per serving.
I have a 4QT slow cooker, how much ground beef would be better for that size? Thank you!
Hi Sarah! I have not tested that specific size to give the exact measurements. You may have to do some experimenting to make sure all of your ingredients fit. Currently, the recipe is set to 10 servings for a 6 qt. You have the option to change the number of servings in the recipe card, just hover over the number of servings highlighted in red and slide it to how many servings you would like to make. If I had to take a guess, I would experiment between 5-7 servings. I hope that helps. Let us know how it turns out.
Going to try and make this today. My crock pot is smaller. I’m guessing that I can just use 1/2 of all the ingredients and it will turn out? Thank you!
Hi Jerry, depending on your pot size you may need to make adjustments to ensure it all fits. I recommend clicking “Jump to recipe” at the top of the post, it will take you to our printable recipe where you’ll have the option to change the number of servings. Hover over the number of servings highlighted in red and slide it to how many servings you would like to make. I hope that helps!
Could I add mushrooms to this and if so, would you recommend fresh or whole canned ones?
Hi Sue! Yes, you can if you’d like. I think either would be fine.
I’ve made it as written a couple time with just adding a green bell pepper. It’s fantastic, but how could I made it spicier? Would adding cayenne pepper and a fresh diced jalapeño work with the spices already included? Thank you!
Hi Ericka! I’m glad you love the recipe. I think the jalapenos would be great. You can definitely experiment with it, red pepper flakes, hot sauce, etc.
Does the recipe call for 30oz kidney beans AND two 15oz or just either one? Thanks.
Hi John, this recipe calls fo 30oz kidney beans which we got from two 15oz cans. I hope that helps.
Made this for my family today and we enjoyed it immensely. I added an extra 1/2T of chili powder and also a T of brown sugar. Will definitely make this again; it was easy and delicious, thank you!!!
Wonderful to hear, Paula! Thanks so much for sharing.
Just made this Chile. I did use a pound of hamburger and a pound of sausage. Turned out great!
Wonderful! Glad you liked the recipe, Terry. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks for the great recipe! I made this and it turned out wonderful. I made one adjustment: instead of 30 oz of tomato sauce I used 15 oz tomato sauce, a small can of tomato paste and 30 oz of beef stock. Love it. Thank you again!
You’re very welcome, Kara! I’m so glad you loved the recipe. Thank you for the feedback.
I doubled this recipe and cooked it in an 8-qt slow cooker with these exceptions (to make it fit) and it turned out fantastic! Thank you, Natasha!! I doubled all the ingredients except the beans and diced tomatoes:
1. Beans: I used 2 cans of kidney and 2 cans of black.
2. Diced tomatoes: didn’t double
3. Cooked on high for 4 hours
*I added some cocoa powder, maple syrup and worcestershire sauce. I also added some of the chili and garlic powder while the meat was browning to seal the flavors in.
Hi Chris! Thank you for sharing that with us! I’m glad you loved the recipe.
Great but not crazy about all the diced tomatoes. Any variation to no have so many but still taste great?
Hi John! I suppose you could try to puree them so they are not chunky. That way you will still have the flavor without the texture.
Hi! Is this a gluten free recipe? If not, what can I leave out/substitute so it is?!
Hi Sara! Yes, it should be but you’ll want to double-check your ingredients (specifically those canned or packaged) beforehand to make sure.
Made this exactly as written and it came out beautifully! Flavors were absolutely delicious and just right. I honestly was surprised at how flavorful it was with these simple ingredients. My husband couldn’t get enough and the kids liked it, too! This recipe is definitely one to hold onto and one we’ll be adding into our dinner rotation. Thank you!
I’m so glad you found another favorite to add to your meal rotations. Thank you for sharing, Brie.
This is a really great recipe and I’ve made it a couple times and made my own adjustments according to my family’s preferences. I like to add chopped celery and carrots and a can of sweet corn for more veggies. I also added about a cup of beef broth. I definitely add more spices like paprika and red chili powder. And I also add a spoonful of honey to balance the heat, acids and salt. We love it served with cilantro, cheese and sour cream with cornbread on the side.
This recipe needs to be less ambiguous about the type of beans used. It calls for “rinsed and drained” beans but doesn’t say specifically that you mean CANNED beans.
I just had to throw away my entire chili pot because I used dry beans, which apparently are dangerous unless cooked extremely well
Hi Jacob! I’m sorry that happened. I have updated the wording to prevent this from happening again. Thank you for the feedback.
Tried your chili recipe for the first time. It is now my go to recipe. I’ve been looking for a good recipe for a while. This is very good! Thanks.
I’m so glad you found it on my blog, Rich!
Started making this before I realized my crockpot was 5qt not six. Left out one can diced tomatoes and added 8oz beef broth instead. I also barely like onions so I used half an onion and a green bell pepper. Serving with cheddar cheese and Fritos. Yum.
Unable to find tomatoes with green chillies. What to sub?
Faithful follower and enjoy the results.
Hi Helen, you can make your own by mixing together fire-roasted diced tomatoes, diced green chilies, lime juice, and a little bit of fresh cilantro.
OK, I’m going to ask you a question I have wondered for a very long time. I’ve always been a person who doesn’t drain canned foods, because I figure a lot of the nutrition and good stuff is in the juice. So why are we always directed to drain and rinse beans? Is there anything wrong with keeping the bean ‘liquid’? …especially when it’s going in a soup. TIA 😀
Hi Julie, alot of times that juice can make your recipes taste like tin or discolor your recipe (as in the case of black beans). There is also usually some salt in there that can throw off a recipe and lastly it depends on whether or not you want the liquid in the recipe (a chili can get soupy with too much liquid). The answer is – it depends but I usually drain.
Hi I only have a small crock pot 4.5 qts I want to make your chili. What to do.
Hi Hank! The one I used for this recipe, as shown in the photos above, is a six qt. I hope that helps with your adjustments.
Hank, you should halve the recipe. That’s my plan for my 4-qt slow cooker.
I just had to write a review on this Chili. This is an amazing receipe and my family loves it. On a cold winter night my family came home after a long day in the cold weather and we had this for dinner and they absolutely loved this chili. It was so so easy to make and it was absolutely delicious. They request this dinner at least one a week to get them through the cold winter months. Thank you for sharing this receipe. It’s my favorite and so so easy to make for dinner. Love it from start to finish. I’m a crockpot queen and this is so so easy to make for any occasion. Thank you!!
Hi Patti, it’s my pleasure. I’m happy to know that you and your family too enjoyed this chili recipe!
Hey I am making this tomorrow but I didn’t have a big enough crockpot because I’m using that one for something else. Can I make it in a stockpot? How long??
Hi Tricia! You can use the stove stop recipe here.
Wonderful Chili. Will make again for New Year’s Eve. Only change I make is to use 75 oz of Pork ‘n Beans with juices included.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
This is a great recipe. The Chili is delicious. However, I can not prep in 10 minutes like the recipe states. It takes me much longer to prep. How do you prep in 10 minutes?
Hey Natasha! Love your recipes! For the chili – if I make it without beans, do you recommend changing the amount of spices or other ingredients?
Hi Meg. I have not tested that to provide instructions. I would guess that it may require some adjustments. Let us know how it turns out if you experiment.
Natasha,
Does the 10oz of diced tomatoes and green chilis come in one can, or do you buy them separately?
Hi Anne, yes, it comes in one can.
I used Rotel with green chilies. A little spicy but delicious! Natasha, this is the best chili I have ever made. All of your recipes that I have made deserve a five star. I am a huge food snob too! Ha
Hi Rhea! Thank you for sharing your awesome review! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Absolutely delicious and easy chili recipe!! I made it exactly as the recipe goes (and added a few Serrano peppers for spice) and loved how it came out. I will definitely be making this again! For my personal preference I will most likely only do 2 cans of beans as it felt like bean overload but that’s a personal preference! Thank you Natasha!!
Thank you for sharing, Amber! I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe.
What brand chili powder do you recommend? I’ve found different brands can yield a little different flavor, and would like to try this with what you use since every other recipe of yours I’ve used has turned out spectacular.
Hi Bud! I”m so glad you love my recipes. I don’t have a specific brand that I use but I often will look for well know name brands and organic products when I can.
This is good chili! Just hard for me to give anything 5 stars…sorry..
Anyway I used my large Dutch Oven and cooked the burger. I removed the meat and sautéed the onion and garlic then added the spices and stirred in. Then added the liquid tomatoes, then the beans and finally put the burger back in. Easier for me to get everything incorporated. I used blue agave sriracha and fresh oregano. Finally i added about 3 T of chocolate powder. Everyone seems to like it a lot! THANKS!
Nat probably didn’t actually try to make this in a 6qt slow cooker because it overfills the cooker and drips out the sides onto the counter. Perhaps you meant 1 1/2 lbs of beef?
HI Tommy, I’ve never had that happen before in this 6 qt slow cooker.
What model slow cooker did you use? I used Rival Crockpot, a model probably owned by millions around the country.
I plan to make this today and have chili sauce on hand. Can you substitute chili sauce for tomato sauce?
Hi Cynthia! I have not tested that substitution to advise.
I’ve made the same chili recipe (moms) since a young adult. We decided to switch it a bit and your recipe is a hit!! Thank you!
I’m so glad you love the recipe. 🙂
My favorite chili I’ve ever had. I cut the recipe in half(family of 3) but added a green bell pepper and can of corn. It was fantastic! Will definitely be adding to rotation in the colder months.
Although next time I’m going to add some Serranos for spice because my SUPER picky 4 year old won’t even try it. If only he knew what he was missing out on.
That sounds amazing! I’m so glad you loved the recipe!
Could I just cook it very very slowly on keep warm?? I work very early morning and really don’t have time to cook it tomorrow when I get off
Hi Haley! This reheats well, so it can be made ahead and reheat.
Very good chili, this is for 10 servings. I guess I kind of guesstimated, what is one serving, 1or2 cups? Ty
Hi Kevin! I don’t have the exact amount of each serving, we get about 10 bowls.
I made this for family dinner last night and it was a big hit! The best chili I have ever made. I added a can of sweet corn to it and it was amazing. Will def keep this recipe!!!!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Jamie!
Can I use it in the instant pot but cook it in the slow mode button instead? If so, how many hrs would I cook it for?
I have not tested this recipe in an instant pot. You may find this recipe helpful, instant pot chicken chili.
Stop 🛑 looking for a chili recipe! This is the one to use. My kids LOVE my mom’s chili, but I wanted my own that my kids would love just as much. Natasha has never steered me wrong with any of her recipes (and I’ve made oodles of them!). I made this and all my kids devoured it and asked for seconds.
I made two slight modifications to use what I had on hand (used crushed tomatoes instead of diced & diced with green chili’s; used 2 cans of black beans and 1 can of kidney beans instead of the other way around). Next time I will do it exactly as the recipe is written and I have no doubt it’ll be just as good if not better!
Delicious! Even I liked it and would happily eat it again and again (and I’ve never been a fan of chili).
What a great message and feedback, Gretchen. Thank you for sharing and yes, that sounds like a plan!
Made this recipe today. Oh so good! I use a lot of your recipes. Never disappointed.
I’m so happy to know that you’re enjoying our recipes!
Delicious Chili! I didn’t make any substitutions and it’s a family favorite. Thank you!
You’re welcome, Dee! Thanks for sharing, we’re glad that this is one of your family’s favorite recipes.
SO easy to make and results looked exactly like the pictures. My family serves chili with cheddar cheese & fritos on top and a little bit of hot sauce to taste. It was absolutely delicious.
I’ll definitely be making this often. Thank you!
That is the best when the family loves what we make. That’s so great!
Wow! What an amazing recipe! The flavor is great, I made it today and it was amazing my husband loves it ! We been looking for a Chili recipe and this one is by far our favorite ! We will try to do nachos with the left over ! Thank you Natasha all you food is delicious.
You’re very welcome! So glad you loved it.
This will be my first time trying to cook chili thanks for this. Do you recommend cooking on low if time permits?
Hi Christopher! This can be cooked on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours. I hope you love the recipe!
I’ve put this recipe in my bookmarks and I make it quite often. It’s easy to make and is absolutely delicious.
That’s great that you found another go-to recipe!
I would love to try this recipe. I will be making it for 2 people. Can I make it successfully by using 1 lb of hamburg and a can each of the beans etc.?? Thank you.
Hi Sue! I have not tested that specifically but if you reduce the number of servings at the top of the recipe card to “five” it will convert the ingredients list for you to use 1 lb of ground beef. Hover your cursor over the number of servings in red and slide to the left to decrease.
Amazing recipe!! I ended up adding four jalapeños, half a Serano, and a small container of chipotle peppers in adobo. Came out so good and had that kick!
Sounds great! Thank you for sharing your experience trying out this recipe!
Really wonderful! I’ve never used black beans or cumin in my chili but I could taste the delicious difference.
Glad you enjoyed this recipe!
I decided to make this last week and I’m making it again this week. Wonderful easy recipe. High recommended.
Thank you, Eddy! I’m glad you enjoyed it.
Made this for first time. Very easy and it was a hit! Will be making again soon.
I’m glad you loved it, Ray! Thank you.
Delicious! I didn’t have any tomatoes with chili’s on hand, so I added a can of chipotles in adobo sauce as well as an extra can of tomatoes. It came out perfect! lots of flavor, a little bit of heat.
Hi Stephnie, good to know that the substitution that you used worked well in this recipe! Thanks for sharing.
I love chili, but honestly none of the crockpot recipes I’ve tried ever turn out quite right. Well this one was so easy, and it was a crowd pleaser at a family birthday party. It’s definitely going in the regular rotation!
I’m so glad that it turned out, Christa! Thank you for trying my recipe.
Does this freeze well? If so, How long can it be in the freezer.
Hi Catherine! I haven’t tried freezing it to advise. One of my readers reported good results freezing it.
How big is the serving?? I’ve made this recipe many times and I love this recipe.
Hi Eli, the whole recipe serves 10 people. You can divide this whole recipe into 10 to get the accurate per serving size.
Can I skip adding the black beans? Not really a fan…Thanks! making tonite!
Hi Linda, I think that’s alright. I saw others share that they used cannellini beans instead.
Honestly, this is a GREAT recipe. Cooking it tonight for the wife to enjoy!
Thank you, Joey. I hope your wife will love this recipe too!
Do you drain the grease from teh ground beef before putting it in the crock pot?
No, I do not. But you can if you’d like to.
made this tonight. Excactly as per the recipie. It was fantastic. So flavourful and so easy.
Hi Doug, good to know that you liked it!
Hi. I’ve made this a few times and love it. I usually add frozen corn and/or or frozen green beans. Dumb question…since using already cooked canned kidney and black beans, the only reason to cook so long is to marry the flavors. Is that correct?
Hi Michelle! Thank you, I’m glad you love my recipe. Yes, basically, and it’s just very simple to brown the beef and onions then add all of the canned ingredients to the slow cooker and turn it on.
Just wondering what I can substitute for the cumin, if anything? I don’t have any on hand and the local store doesn’t either! Want to make this for tonight but don’t want to ruin the recipe, please help?!
Hi Terra! You should be able to just leave it out. Add some more of the other spices if needed for more flavor. I hope you love this recipe.
I made this chili yesterday, using everything except the tomatoes with peppers and black bean ( did not have either) and it was delicious. My husband said it was the best he had ever eaten. This will definitely become my go to recipe for chili.
That’s wonderful, Marsha! Thank you for sharing.
Going to make this tonight! My kids don’t like tomatoes in their chilli. How much sauce do you recommend if just using tomato sauce? Thank you.
Hi Melissa! I have not tested this recipe with just tomato sauce to advise on the exact quantity. You’d have to experiment with it. You could also blend the diced tomatoes with their juice to get rid of the chunky pieces of tomatoes.
I made this tonight and it’s very good. It’s a little “hot” so next time I will cut back on the cumin so the kiddos can enjoy too
Sounds good, yes please adjust the level of hotness next time according to your personal preference!
Hey! I’ve made chili many times, and from my experience it isn’t the cumin that gives it extra spiciness, but the chili powder and the juice from the “diced tomatoe and green chillies”. I only add a small amount of the chili powder and drain the juice from the green chillies can, that way even my youngest ones can tolerate the heat. My husband and I just add some extra cayenne to ours;) Thought I would share in case it could help someone:)
Hi! I made this recipe and its delicious and will make it again!
I was wondering what the serving size. Thank you!!
Hello Paige, this recipe serves 10 people. You can divide the whole recipe to 10 to get per serving exact size.
Hey can I make this in a 4 quart crock pot? Recipe looks devine!
Hi Vee, I haven’t tested this in a 4 quart, but only in a 6 quart. I think it would overwhelm a 4 quart. If you wanted to scale it down, click on the servings in the recipe card and you can adjust the list of ingredients.
Hello, What if I want the serving to be 15-16 because I am cooking for a larger group? My slow cooker is 6-quart, but I am afraid it will overwhelm it.
Hi Allison! A Larger slow cooker would work but not sure if a 6qt can handle that. If you have a larger pot, you could try the stove-top version beef chili and double the ingredients.
This is a very good recipe. For those who like more heat, I divided it in half for our company and added some spices. I also sprinkled a little corn meal in, not much.
Thank you for the feedback, Vicki! I’m glad you liked this recipe.
I love your recipes especially the roast veggies on the grill. I don’t have a slow cooker. Can I make the chilli recipe without it on stove top?
Hi Patty! For stove top, I recommend my turkey chili RECIPE (you can replace the turkey with beef) or my stove top beef chili RECIPE.
My work had a chili competition and I needed something quick and easy to make. This was definitely quick and easy! I looked at so many recipes and am glad I chose this one! I browned the beef with the spices and onion and garlic the night before and put in the fridge. In the morning I put it in my crockpot and added the rest and cooked on high in my office before the event. There were 10 others who entered and mine came in second place and it was all gone! Will definitely save this one as it was delicious!
That’s so great, Melissa! Thank you for your wonderful review!
I want to make this tomorrow but is it alittle soupy with the 70oz of tomatoes ?
Made this chili yesterday…absolutely loved it. We all (4 of us) liked it very much. Easy, but still nicely homemade. Not too spicy, flavorful and great texture. Will definitely be a regular on our table!
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite, Debby!
I’m literally chomping at the bit for 6am so I can go grocery shopping for a few ingredients that I need to make this! It sounds so delicious. I am going to add un chopped green peppers as well. I just love the flavor it brings and ties everything together. Thanks for the recipe!
You’re very welcome! I’m so glad you love it.
I’m wondering if you can use ground beef in your beef land broccoli ramen stir fry? We eat very little steak and I’m hoping I can substitute. Thank you.
Hello Joyce, I think it will work but you will have to experiment on that.
I used a mixture of ground sirloin and ground beef and Contadina Fire Roasted Tomatoes. It was pretty good! Reminded me a lot of a Wendy’s knock-off recipe. I think next time I will use a tri-blend of ground beef, ground sirloin, and italian sausage and see what that does!
Sounds delicious!
This is the same chili recipe that my mom used to make when i was growing up.. so i am excited to make this. I also wanted to let you know that i LOVE every single recipe i have tried of yours and so does my family.. thanks so much Natasha 😊
Aww, that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me. I’m all smiles
I’m making this tonight for dinner but I don’t have any tomato sauce on hand. I just have tomato paste. Can I use it as a substitute somehow?
Hi Jordan, the paste is more concentrated so that would cause it to taste a lot like tomatoes
A 1:1 ratio of tomato paste and water makes for an easy tomato sauce substitute in a pinch! If I don’t have tomato sauce on hand, I ALWAYS do this. I whisk the paste in to form a sauce.
dilute the paste with 1-1/2 c water and add some sugar. Will be about the same as tom. sauce!
I make my chili pretty much the same. I do use cannellini beans instead of the red kidney beans with the black beans. I also add 2 t cocoa powder to give it a richer flavor.
Good to know and thanks for sharing!
How can I make this the day before? Need to serve for large crowd the next day.
Hi Angela! This reheats well, so it can be made ahead.
This is the best chili I’ve ever made! I added some more seasonings and some of Brenn’s medium salsa and wow! Delicious!
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite, Autumn!
I made this recipe at home; it was very quick and easy. I have always done the storebought chili mixes in the past; but this recipe was so much better. Usually, the kids and wife are saying it is too spicy. This recipe was perfect, mild and good flavor. For those of us that like spice (cayenne is your friend).
Definitely a go-to; thank you!
Love it! Thanks for sharing your feedback with us, Ryan. Happy to hear that you love this recipe!
Updated. As I forgot to add 5 stars rating.
Made this yesterday. OMG! This is the BEST Chili I’ve ever had. My husband commented he could smell the aroma of the chili cooking and couldn’t wait to have it. He said it was the best Chili hands down too and that it was perfect..😊 Followed recipe… The seasonings were spot on. We can’t wait to have leftovers today. Natasha, I’ve made many of your recipes and have not found any that I didn’t like. You Rock! Thank you for sharing.
So glad to hear that, Darla! Thank you for the wonderful feedback and review.
I made this last night and it was 😋 delicious. It had just the right amount of heat. I buy 8 lbs. of ground beef, cook it and then season it lightly. I then divide it up into individual packets and freeze it. I used two of those and then partially cooked the onions in the microwave. Dumped everything in the crock pot. So easy and no mess to clean up. Love all of your recipes.😋💕
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Joan!
I followed the recipe exactly except only used two cans of beans and my husband deemed it perfect! Just the right amount of spices, love it!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Mary!
Best chili recipe out there! I did venison instead of beef and was amazing as well.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Donna!
Hello! What size crockpot did you use for this recipe? I believe I have a smaller crockpot, so should I use half the ground beef? I’m eager to try this recipe out tonight. Thanks!
Hi Jen, The one I used for this recipe, as depicted in the photos above, is a six qt. I hope that helps 🙂
Thank you for your quick response. It does help. I have a 3-quart crockpot. I’ll just cut the recipe in half.
You’re welcome, Jen!
Love your recipes! I made chili today too. I have my own tomato juice and chunky tomato’s canned. We do add some elbow macaroni the next day–not proper, but we like some. We make it a day ahead and tomorrow it will have gotten together. Stay warm.
Thank you, Pam. So glad you love my recipes. That sounds delicious. 🙂
Pam, the elbow macaroni makes it “chili-mac”. I grew up on it. MY FAVORITE and my family’s. You did good 👍
This recipe was delicious. I’ve made it 3 times within the last 3 weeks and even my picky eater loves it. I’m excited to try more recipes from this site.
That’s great, Mia! That’s the best when kids enjoy the food. I hope you find many more recipes to enjoy.
This recipe looked really good from the ingredients but once I made it it actually left me flat it has very little flavor even though I added all the ingredients from the recipe and I added additional salt to see if that would help and it did not all I tasted pretty much was tomato sauce. Maybe it’s because I’m Sicilian and I like a lot of flavor to my food who knows. so probably going to go back to my salsa chili Crock-Pot recipe instead.
Hi Kelly! Thank you for trying my recipe. Did you by chance use tomato paste instead of tomato sauce? The paste is more concentrated so that would cause it to taste a lot like tomatoes. I’m sorry you did not enjoy this recipe. I have some other chili recipes if you are interested, such as slow cooker chicken chili that you may enjoy.
I’m making this tonight and can’t wait to try it!! Looks amazing! Have you tried adding corn to it? Was it good? I love corn, but wasn’t sure how it’ll taste!
Hi Oderra! I think corn would taste great with this.
I love your facial expressions that make your video’s so much fun to watch. I forgot what we were making. lol.
Thank you, Jim! 🙂
I am thankful, by accident that I found your cooking tutorials.
Always like watching your new recipes. Excellent videos. And awesome recipes. Thanks..
Welcome to our blog, Shawn! I’m so glad you found them by accident too! I hope you get to try and love more of my recipes soon!
Am I reading this right?
A total of 45 oz of beans and 40 oz of tomatoes for just 2 lbs of grd beef? It seems like a lot, especially for the amount of seasoning. Even with the beans and tomatoes drained is it soupy?
Yes, that is correct. We like the consistency of this chili, it is plenty chunky, not too soupy.
I just love all of your recipes. You are my go-to when searching for a recipe. When are you coming out with a cookbook? I want to be on the list for a couple copies, one of which will be a gift to my sister. Thanks-A-Bunch
Thank you, Linda! So glad you enjoy them. My cookbook will be released Fall of 2023. 🙂
I do not have a slow cooker, can I do this in the oven at a low temperature, 250, for 6 hours?
Hi Julie, I have not tested this in the oven to advise. You can experiment with it if you’d like or I recommend my turkey chili RECIPE (you can replace the turkey with beef) or my stove top beef chili RECIPE.
You can do it on the stove top and simmer it for a few hours. The longer the better. Give more time for the flavor to marry
Why not add a can of refried beans as well! Helps the consistency and taste great!
So I live in a very rural area of Minnesota. The closest grocery store is 20 miles away. So I did a little bit of substituting. I had a pound of hamburger but I also oh have a Chuck Roast. I chopped up the truck roast extremely small and cut most of the fat away. It was probably a little bit more than a pound but I Browned all of it together with onion got rid of the fat. The other substitution I made was I did not have tomatoes with Petite chili’s. So I chopped up some jalapenos pretty small and added some of the juice. My husband likes it spicy anyway I’ll let you know how it comes out
Hi Cheri! Yes, I would love to hear how you enjoyed the recipe. 🙂
I found this to be a very good base recipe for me. I made it once falling a recipe and it was good. Just not spicy enough for me. The next time I made it I substituted Diced bell pepper for one of the cans of kidney beans, added some smoked paprika And one diced jalapeno for a little spice. I would definitely recommend this recipe to anybody who asks for one.
Hi Rich! I’m glad you liked this recipe. Thank you for the feedback.
Hi! Great recipe so far. My house smells amazing! I have a question? I misread the recipe for the diced tomato’s with green chilies! I added 2 cans of diced tomatoes and 2 4.5oz cans of green chilies. Will this make the the chili too spicy? If so what can I do to tone the spice down? Thank you,
EB
Hi Ebony! I think it would be ok unless you used spicy hot green chilies. I’m not sure what you could do to tone it down after it’s cooked. It would require adding more of the other ingredients to help level the spice out. You could try a dollop of sour cream and other ingredients when serving this, it may help mellow it out.
Plan on making this on Saturday. Can I cook the beef/onions the day before and add it to the crockpot Saturday morning?
Hi Nadai! I think that would be fine.
Thanks.
It’s for a football game with an early start, so I don’t want to be up at 6am browning meat and stuff.
Your slow cooker chili is now my favorite, and my husband’s too! Another home run recipe!!
Thank you Natasha!! 😁
Aww, that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Ann Marie! I’m so happy you found a favorite on my blog. I’m all smiles
Hi, Natasha!
This chili recipe is the bomb! I have made it several times, and it is so easy. My family loves your recipes. Thank you!
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Taryn!
Haven’t made this yet and can’t wait to try! We use a yellow onion, not white, correct?
I hope you love this recipe, Heather! That’s correct, yellow onion!
Your chili recipe rocks! One of my favorite things to cook in the fall and winter. Thank you, Cal
You’re welcome, Cal! I’m glad you love this recipe.
Hi Natasha, I’m so excited about this recipe & can’t wait until I try it.
I’m a huge fan of your recipes. You’re doing a fabulous job, thank you.
I’m glad I found you some years ago!
I spread the word between my kids & my friends & they all use your website now.
I sent you several messages on Facebook but for some reason I can’t get to them a second time to check for you replies. Now I know better to message you straight on your website.
I love you & your family! I follow you on Facebook!!
God bless ❤️
Soad
Hi, Soad! I’m so glad you and your family enjoy my recipes. Thank you for spreading the word, I appreciate the support. God bless!
Wow I’ve made many pots of chili and this is by far the best! Thank you for the recipe!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Joseph!
I just realized my slow cooker is too small. So I’m using an instapot instead. Any tips on how to cook it in an instapot?
I have not made this specific recipe in the instant pot but you may find this blog post helpful for my instant-pot-white-chicken-chili.
If I were to use ground turkey instead of beef, should I just increase the spices a bit? Any suggestions?
Hi Joni, you can try our Turkey Chili recipe instead.
I have made this recipe several times…Love it!!
Natasha’s Kitchen is my go to site for recipes, it’s the best especially the videos!!
Thank you!
Aww, thank you, Joanne! I’m so glad you enjoy my recipes!
Added fire roasted corn and jalapeños (because I like the spice) and it was awesome. Great recipe. I would easily make again.
Hi Joe, thanks for sharing and I’m glad that worked out fine!
Can I place everything including the meat in the slow cooker raw without browning it first?
Hi Lindsay, I think that’s okay but just I just follow this process so it’s tastier and cooked so well.
This recipe references canned beans. This recipe can also be made in crockpot with rinsed dry beans, correct?
Hi Ann. We make this recipe with rinsed canned beans, not dry beans. One of my readers has reported using dry beans but they added them after they were already cooked in a pressure cooker first.
Can i diced a green pepper and 2 ribs of celery and sauté it with the onion and ground beef? Thanks
Hi Bridgette, I don’t see why not. 🙂
Gosh it smells great! Does this freeze well? I would like to have it on hand when unexpected company comes. Thanks for this easy recipe!
Ho Carola! I have not tried freezing this recipe to advise if it freezes well. If you experiment, please share the results with us. 🙂
Hello, I haven’t made THIS chili, but I do slow cook chili and I freeze it all the time. And it thaws and reheats perfect. I just simmer on low while keeping an eye on it. But yes, and the beans are not mushy at all.
I make chili every year for the winter and I freeze it and it’s great ….just saying
That’s great! Thanks for sharing.
Hi Natasha,
I’ve made lots of your recipes, and I appreciate your help.
I feel like this chili needs a tsp or 2 of sugar though.
What do you?
Kent
Hi Kent, thanks for appreciating what we do. For the sugar, never felt that sugar needs to be added but feel free to try adding a tsp first to try!
hello!
This looks fantastic.
I know light/dark kidney beans are great for chili but only have black beans on hand. Ugh! 😀 Would it work if I subbed black beans for the kidney? Thx so much!
Hi Faith. That should be fine.