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 on behalf of the Beef Checkoff for sponsoring this Slow Cooker Chili recipe. I received compensation, but all opinions are my own.
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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 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
Ingredients
- 2 lb lean Ground Beef, (90/10 or 93/7)
- 1 large onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tsp cumin powder
- 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
- Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and sauté beef until it releases fat (4-5 minutes), breaking it up with a spatula.
- 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.
- 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.
Nutrition Per Serving
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
The best chili!!! Always make and my family loves it. I do add 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper. It’s a favorite of ours during the football season 😋
Love this chili! Question though, wouldn’t it be better to sauté the onions first then do the ground beef? This way, your meat isn’t overdone. I’m not the expert here, so just wondering. I usually add a teaspoon of beef Better Than Boullion for extra flavor.
Hi Lynne, you can definitly do it that way if you’d prefer, but then you risk the very small onion pieces burning while the meat cooks through.
I never make comments but this ((( CHILI )))) BEST CHILI EVER !!! I did 8 house slow cook.
My favorite chili! I love meaty, beany chili. This is perfect and has become a regular on the rotation. The only adjustment I make is doing 15oz of the regular diced tomatoes instead of 30oz. I love throwing some Tapatio in my bowl at the end. I won’t tell a soul how easy it is!
I made this recipe once a month, my family love it! Easy ingredients and easy to prepare, just follow the instructions and enjoy!
I’m glad to hear that, Luisa!
My family absolutely loves this recipe and it’s easy breezy!!!
Hi! Can I make this in an instant pot vs slow cooker? What would the cook time be revised to?
Hi Claire. I have not tested it but, one of my viewers said: “I made it tonight in an Instant Pot and it turned out even better than usual. I just did high pressure for 25 minutes with a quick release and it was perfect.”
I hope that helps.
Can I double up this recipe for a bunch of people? Or is there certain things to add more of?
Hi Dylan! If you have a slow cooker that is large enough, you can. You’ll just double all the ingredients.
I’ve been using this recipe for a couple of years and it’s always such a hit!
So happy to hear that, Laurie!
Making this tonight for the second time! My girlfriend and I absolutely loved it the first time and have no doubts it’ll be just as good now. Great recipe and thank you for sharing!!
Hello, is there a way to make this vegetarian? I will be making this exact version this Saturday (9/28), and I am excited. But the Saturday after that (10/5), I will be hosting someone who is a vegetarian. I assume just omitting the ground beef would take away a lot flavor and change the recipe significantly… any ideas/suggestions? Thank you.
I have not tested that version to advise. Let’s see if others here have tried that and can probably share with us.
Hi Diane!
Maybe I can help. We’re not vegetarians, but are trying to incorporate more plant based meals. I have two tips for you: miso paste and vegetarian mince.
1. Miso paste. Should be available in supermarket, usually close to sushi ingredients. It instantly provides that savoury, hearty flavour that we usually get from meat. Add a heaped teaspoon when you add the tomatoes.
2. Vegetarian mince. Try to get one that is precooked and crumbly, those work best. Add it in the last 60-30 minutes.
! veggie mince is often very salty, so do your final seasoning for salt at the very end !
When I make veggie chili, I use both miso paste and vegetarian mince. Not quite the same as meat, slightly different texture, but good stuff. Have some grated cheese topping available, that will also make it more savoury if needed. Good luck!
I have subbed plant based ground beef, and it came out delicious. The fake ground beef can be beyond or impossible.
How much is one serving? I see the calorie amount, but I don’t see the serving size.
Hello Jessica, this whole recipe is for 10 servings. Just divive it into 10 to get the per serving size.
Everyone loves this chili!!! Easy to make!! Not too spicy!
I made recipe, but I substituted the ground beef for elk ground elk It was delicious my husband and daughter found it Hardy and delicious. Thanks for the recipe
Hi! On a scale of 1 – 10, how spicy hot is this recipe? Love all of your recipes!
It’s mild and not super spicy. You can add hot sauce to your bowl if you prefer it to be more spicy.
It says 30 oz cans of kidney beans, 2 15 oz kidney beans. Is that 60 oz of kidneys beans or one or the other two add up to 30?
Hi CIndy, it’s just 30 oz overall kidney beans, drained and rinsed.
Can you mix all the ingredients together (without cooking for 6-8 hours first) and put into the fridge overnight and then start the crockpot in the morning?
Hi Mary. That should be fine to complete all of the steps and then refrigerate it. You can continue the slow cooker part in the morning.
Delicious, easy and spicy(my ((own seasonings).
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Kathleen!
I’ve previously made this as directed and loved it (minus some frustration because stores are now selling 28oz cans of diced tomatoes and sauce instead of 30, but that’s not your fault). Can this recipe be easily adapted for a pressure cooker?
Hi Daniel! I have not tested it but, one of my viewers said: “I made it tonight in an Instant Pot and it turned out even better than usual. I just did high pressure for 25 minutes with a quick release and it was perfect.”
I hope that helps.
If I wanted to use leftover brisket instead of ground beef, would I just skip that step (but still using the spices) and then add the cubed brisket the last 30-60 minutes?
Hi Thom! It would be fine to add it towards the end. I hope you love the recipe!