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 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. 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. 
When you add all tomato sauce, tomato juice, etc at the end do you mix all together or is it supposed to be added how the 4 pictures above look ?
Hi Mariah, once the beef is cooked, I add the remaining ingredients to the pot (see the print-friendly recipe with specific instructions).
This was great! Perfect and easy!
Thank you for your nice comment, Kristina!
Fantastic chilli recipe! I used a pound of beef and a pound of ground chicken. I like a few more veggies so I added a chopped red pepper, sliced mushrooms and corn. I topped my first bowl with avocado, plain Greek yogurt and a few shots of Frank’s hot sauce. Delicious! I’ll be freezing the leftovers for when I need a quick meal.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Cynthia! I’m happy you enjoeyd this recipe!
Delicious! Best chili we’ve had in awhile!! So easy and directions were simple to follow! Thank you!
I’m so glad to hear that! Thanks for the great review.
I have lots of uncooked beans. Cani used them in this recipe inthe slow cooker?
Hi Arneta, you would need to cook the beans first to use in this recipe.
Hi Natasha,
I love your recipes, I’ve tried many of the and my family loves each and everyone of them. You are awesome. Thank you for all you do.
Aww, that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me. I’m all smiles
This was such an easy recipe to make! My family loved it
Can you add red pepper to the chili? If so, should I sautee quickly in the pan with the rest of the mixture and then add to the slow cooker?
Hi Stefanie, I haven’t tried that personally but I imagine that would also work but be careful and just make sure not to add too much of it. Please share with us how you liked that if you try!
Do I have to add the black beans and the tomatoes with green Chili’s can I leave those out of this recipe?
Hi Melissa, I haven’t tried doing this without beans yet, and I have not tried any other substitute. Sorry about that.
I add some molasses to my chili
I always add a can of tomato juice to my chili
Hi Kim! Thank you for sharing that with me!
Can this be cooked on the stove
Hi Jennifer, it sure can, here is what one of our readers wrote: “I made this Chili Friday I didn’t Make it in a crockpot. I made it on the stove in a heavy pot ( was going to (ut caanged my mind at the last minute) Followed the instructions given and it turned out delicious. Everyone went back for seconds. Thank you so much for the recipe.” I hope this helps.
So easy to create and it taste spectacular!! It is a recipe that I will surely keep in my family!!
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review, Joanne!
Can someone clarify the ingredients. Is it 15 oz or 30 oz of kidney beans?
Hi Joseph, we used 30 oz which comes from two 15oz cans.
Nevermind. My wife printed recipe halved….it stated “15 oz kidney beans two 15 oz cans” instead of “30 oz kidney beans two 15 oz cans”
Hi Natasha ,
Made this chili for my family and it was amazing. I actually loved it even more the second night. Can’t wait to try another recipe of yours. Thank you. Elsa
Hello Elsa, thank you so much for your good comments and feedback. I hope that you will love every recipe that you will try!
This recipe is easy and delicious! I added a can of diced green chili for a bit more spice and everyone loved it.
I’m so happy you all enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
How many much is one serving? I see this serves 10 but I would like to know what serving size I should use to track what I am eating.
Thank you
Hi Lauren, a serving size is about one to one and a half cups.
Hi Natasha! I love your recipes. Do you need to add any broth to this chili before slow cooking? Thanks!
Thank you, Nika. I didn’t add any broth to this recipe.
Hi Natasha,
I made your chili dish tonight and it was phenomenal! I had only one question with this dish.
In the cooking instructions you state to add the onions and cook it with the ground beef for 4-5 minutes, THEN add the minced garlic and dry seasonings afterwards.
Is there a reason why you don’t cook the minced garlic WITH the onions for 4-5 minutes, then add the dry seasonings for 30 seconds?
Thank you so much for your recipe!
Hi Blake, It keeps the garlic more flavorful without cooking it for too long on higher heat.
I made your crockpot chili today and it was SO good!!!! I did add some jalapeño peppers to add some heat. This recipe is added to all my other recipes. Yum! Yum!
So great to hear that you enjoyed this recipe, Mary!
If I’m making 1/2 the recipe do I still cook it same time
Hi Angela, I haven’t tested that but I think it could work. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe
Made this Chili today, following the recipe exactly.
And it was FANTASTIC!
Will definitely be my go to chili recipe. Thank you Natasha 🙂
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Yay, that is awesome! Thank you, Kevin.
Looking at the ingredients you use (1) 30 oz can of tomato sauce ?
Yes, that is correct. 30 oz tomato sauce
Dear Natasha, what if i use not canned beans but the fresh ones soaked overnight? Do you have an experience? Will be cooking time 8 hours enough? I dont have a single slow cooker but the instant pot and slow cooking is one of function. But only 1 degree,not possible to choose the temperature. Thank you for your recepies
Hi Lucie, the beans would really have to be cooked before putting them into the chili. We have a tutorial on how to cook beans here.
I use 1/2 pd of ground pork, removes the dryness of the beef. Also add tbsp white vinegar to beef and pork. Adds acidity to meat. 14oz can of Bush’s baked beans, use potato masher to mash at least half the can then add…. Try it!
Sounds great, thanks for sharing that with us, William!
Simple, basic chili, super easy to make and really delicious. Will be our default chili recipe from now on.
That’s just awesome, Greg! Thank you so much for that wonderful review!
Used 3 cans Rotella tomatoes chilin fixing 2 hot Rotella. used roasted tomatoes large can mexican tomato sauce 2 cans black beans 16 0z hot sausage
Sounds good, how did it go? I hope you liked it!
how much does the avocado lobby pay u?? u put them in everything
Can you tell we love avocado!
There’s always room for avocado! And very healthy.
Absolutely!
This is a deliciously flavorful chili. Will be my go-to from now on!! Thanks for sharing!
You’re welcome, Paula! It sounds like you found a new favorite!
I made your recipe I didn’t change anything, made it in crockpot and it was absolutely perfect for me. Even my husband liked it and he is not a chili “fan” lol. I froze left overs and the chili tastes as good when reheated. I use the leftovers to make Wendys copycat taco salad and it comes out way tastier and cheaper. Thanks for sharing!
That is so awesome! Thank you so much for your wonderful feedback, Liz. It’s great to hear that you and your husband loved this chili recipe.
Made this Chili and it was fantastic! I did it all in the slow cooker so I did not have to transfer the sautéd beef and onion from a pan. So happy I found your website and FB page. Love your videos and recipes.
I’m so happy you’re enjoying our recipes, Larry! That’s so great! Thank you for your wonderful feedback and comment!
Not sure what I did wrong but the chili has a lot of liquid. What can I add to make the chili thicker?
Thank you
Hi Theresa, normally this is a very hearty and thick chili once it has completed slow cooking. Did you swap any of the ingredients? You could simmer it uncovered for a little longer to thicken up if needed.
A great base chili and I think you can dial-up or down the taste depending on what you like. My 3 boys (<15 y-o) and husband loved it! We'll definitely make it again as it was a winner with everyone.
Yes, you’re right about that. This recipe is versatile you can adjust it according to your preference. Thanks for your good feedback!
This tasted great! Family loved it. I would definitely edit the recipe for novice cooks to pre-soak and pre-cook beans for at least an hour as they won’t be cooked properly in the slow cooker– its actually a pretty common issue with slow cooking beans, and the beans cause food poisoning if undercooked. Otherwise a great recipe- tastes like classic chili!
Thank you for sharing that with us Tammy!
But aren’t canned beans already cooked….?
This recipe calls for canned beans. No need to pre-soak or pre-cook. Since canned beans are already cooked, no poisoning here 🙂
Thank you! I wish I had read this first. This is our first time making chili and the black beans are not cooking like the kidney beans. 😫
Hello- how much is a serving size? 1 or 2 cups?
Hi Krista, a serving size is about one to one and half cups.
I made this Chili Friday I didn’t Make it in a crock pot . I made it on the stove in a heavy pot ( was going to (ut caanged my mind at the last minute) Followed the instructions given and it turned out delicious. Everyone went back for seconds. Thank you so much for the recipe.
You’re most welcome, Ella. I’m glad to hear that everyone loved this chili recipe! Thanks for sharing that with us.
Isn’t the flavor so good! I’m happy you enjoyed this recipe Ella!
hi Natasha! pls what is a substitute for cumin? and also, there are various chili recipes on your blog, so personally, which one is your favourite?
Hi, the one we make the most often is our turkey chili because it’s so quick.
I don’t want to use canned. Can I still use this recipe using fresh tomatoes and dried beans? How would I extend the cooking time?
Hi Lori, I imagine that should work although I haven’t tested that yet to advise of the cooking time.
Hi Natasha. My husband is not a big fan of beans. Have you tried this without them? I’m just concerned it would be to sausy.
Hi Isabel, I haven’t tried doing this without beans yet and I have not tried any other substitute too sorry about that.
This is very similar to mine, except I use coriander, cinnamon and sugar (small amounts of each). My family seems to like it. 4 of us can almost kill the whole pot in one sitting.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me Juan!
hi Natasha! pls can the chili be made with any other type of beans? and I gotta ask, how do u get all these ideas for such amazing recipes?
Hi Annah! Yes! other beans should work here too! We love to take in our reader’s suggestions!
We are just 2 people so I was wondering if I could freeze this into 2 people portions?
Hi Jo-Ann, if you are at the recipe, you may click “Jump to recipe” and you can click on the number of servings to adjust the ingredients. Hope that helps!
I just love your blog! I was getting hungry just reading this, and all of the different suggestions about how to use it!
I’m so glad you’re enjoying our blog, Melanie! I hope you give our recipes a try soon!
Just put this into my slow cooker and sat back with a beer and waiting for the 4 hours to go by… I’m not much of a cook but this recipe looked fool proof, I mean what could go wrong??
I did think 30 ounces of tomato sauce was a lot but thought hey ho, that’s what needed, so must be right. But then it dawned on me that the recipe calls for ‘tomato sauce’ and not ketchup!
In the US they call it ketchup but here in the UK, ketchup is commonly known as tomato sauce. Somehow, I’m not so eager for the next 4 hours to go by after all.
Hi Paul, oh bummer! Yes ketchup is very different from tomato sauce in the US.
Hahaha!!! Wondering what happened??
Hi Natasha, have you made this in the Instant Pot? How long would it pressure cook for? Thanks!
Hi Nancy, I have not tested that to advise. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
Hi Natasha,
I was wondering if this recipe Could be made using a stove at a very low temperature for a few hours instead of using the slow cooker?
I do not have a very big slow cooker it’s only 2.5 QT. If this is not an option, I was thinking about cutting the recipe in half. What do you think?
Just can’t wait to taste this recipe.
Thank you.
Jean
Hi Jean, I haven’t tested that but I think it could work. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe
I made your chili and is was the hit. My co-workers and friends loved it
thank you
So wonderful to hear that! Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Natasha, This is a winner, even with my Texas friends. We don’t have the tomatoes with Chilly in Australia so just added a chopped red chilly. I also just discovered the metric option for the measurements, I’m so blonde. Many Many Thanks Tarnya
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Tarnya! Thank you for the wonderful review!
Hello i have a 2 quart slow cooker, i usually use 1lb and it’s fine, that being said, what will change if i half the beef part of recipe? What would be the adjustments…i also don’t need it to serve 10 people and this recipe is 10 servings?
Hi Julie, I recommend our recipe serving slider. Scroll down to the printable recipe card. Where is says “servings: X people” Click the red number and that will make a slider appear allowing you to slide left or right to the number of servings desired. Bringing that number down to x amount of servings and that should give you the recipe based on x lbs of meat that you have. I hope that helps.
I made this yesterday as the weather in Northeast Ohio was in the 30s. Brrrrr! I improvised with things I had on hand like ground turkey and fire roasted tomatoes. Also added some ground chorizo. Followed the seasonings though. My house smelled amazing all day! Thank you for a great chili recipe I will definitely be making again.
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it!
Could you please share the recipe for home made Chili Seasoning? I can see the ingredients but need the amount of spoon/oz..Thank you much!
Hi Sadeta, we have the amounts listed in the recipe. Scroll down to the bottom of the post and you will see them in the ingredients list on the printable card option. I hope that helps. See: “2 tsp cumin powder, 1 1/2 Tbsp chili powder, …” etc.
This is the best dinner! My whole family loves it!
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review!
We are a chili loving family around here. This one really hit the spot. It’s so nice to be able to put it in the crockpot, set it and forget it. So good!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
The seasoning you used was perfect! So delicious and I just loved the smell of it cooking all day!
Isn’t it amazing! The flavor is so so good! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe!
This is such a delicious dinner!! My family loves it! Thanks so much for sharing!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed that!