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
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If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
Made this chili yesterday for my husband’s birthday dinner with our family. It was a hit with him & my adult sons! Really good & easy. Thank you for the great recipe!
I have been making chili for years in my crockpot. All of your ingredients are the same as I have used. But the difference is that I put all in the pot and the ground beef is raw. I use 85/15 ground beef (not much grease). Spoon chop the beef up with the tomatoes etc. Cook on low for 7-8 hours on low. Saves cleaning extra pan!
Came across this recipe looking for a new one to try. And I will say it did not disappoint.
We have the InstantPot slow cooker, so we are able to sear and then set to slow cook.
A made a couple tweaks: 1st was using some beef tallow to cook down the onions and brown the meat.
2nd was using fire roasted tomatoes.
Definitely a keeper!
Hi! I was wondering if I could add a jalepeno for some extra spice. Do you think that would be fine? Thanks!
Hi Samantha, I bet that could work! I hope you love this recipe.
I plan to use canned red beans instead of red kidney beans. Will they get mushy in the slow cooker?
Hi Ann, I haven’t tested that but I think it could work. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
This chili was a huge hit last weekend with my two kids, who both claim to hate tomatoes! They couldn’t get enough of it! I made two slight tweaks to the recipe: I used petite diced tomatoes instead of regular diced tomatoes because I was worried my kids might reject the larger tomato chunks, and I added a bit of smoked paprika to the spice mixture just for fun. I’m making another batch this weekend at my kids’ request.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Alex!
Hi! I’m making your chili for my husband’s birthday get together with family. I don’t have any cumin so would it be okay if I leave it out?
Thank you!
Hi Debbie! You can leave it out but the cumin does add quite a bit of flavor so you may need to adjust the other seasonings.
Made this chili for Halloween and it was a big hit with adults and kids alike!! This recipe will be my new go-to. Question regarding the cans of diced tomatoes….my husband isnt a fan of tomatoes (so annoying!). Could I sub one of the cans of diced tomatoes for another can of tomato sauce? Assume the texture will be a little different but will it compromise the taste?
Hi Cammie, I haven’t tested that but I think it could work with a texture change like you said. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
So easy and so delicious! My new go to for chili. Make it and enjoy!
Superb chili recipe, easy to follow and create! This is the perfect chili to be enjoyed during cooler weather!
Hi again, Can you please give me stovetop directions? I plan to transfer the Chili to the Crock Pot to warm up. How long will it take to warm up and what temperature? TYIA!
Hi Cheryl, We have a stove top Beef chili recipe you may love!
Question – I need crockpot recipes for my busy workdays. It says 6-8 hours my question is what will happen if I leave it in for 11 hours??
Hi Mary, it may still be okay after 11 hours if cooked on low. The beans may likely break down more than desired and have an overall softer mushy texture and the overall flavor of the chili will likely be more instance. I would se it to the lowest setting you have and if your slow cooker has a timer maybe that can help with a shut off or keep warm option.
I won first prize in a chili cookoff with this recipe + 2 tweaks. I used double the amount of chili powder and used 6 chili powder. I also added cocoa for the knock it out of the park taste. It was excellent!! I also made it on low the night before and warmed it up slowly the next day.
Hi FlorAnn! That’s amazing to hear. Thank you for sharing. We love this recipe too!
How much cocoa powder did you use?? Always looking for unusual ingredients to add some pop!
Hi! How much cocoa did you use? This sounds like a great flavor add.
Please please PLEASE,
1. exact measurement of the cocoa
3. was this measurement using the two pound Hamburg recipe?
I’m super excited to use your variations! 💜
So You doubled the Chili Powder and added 6 Chili Peppers?? Could You Please share how much Cocoa Powder You added. Was it just traditional Hershey Brand?? Thank You for sharing 😋
Easy and tastes amazing! Made this for a frito chili pie and everyone loved it. Will definitely keep this as an easy go to chili recipe.
That sounds delicious!
Hi! Question- I am making this recipe for a work Chill Contest on Halloween. It will need to be ready to eat at 11:00 am. Would you cook the day before or what is your advice? TYIA.
Hi Cheryl! This reheats well so it can be made in advance.
Would you suggest cooking it in the crockpot the night before, keeping in the fridge overnight and then reheating in the crockpot for 3-4 hours?
Hi Julia! I am not sure how long it will take to reheat in the crockpot. I don’t think it will take a full 3 to 4.
Amazing! Can you share what a serving size is approximately- if it’s 10 servings? Thanks so much!
Hi Shauna! Each serving would be around 1 to 1.5 cups.
I loved this chili! My new go to recipe. Just spicy enough for my family
Can I freeze this but not cook until the day of serving? or is it better to cook in slow cooker then freeze? Im afraid of it being overcooked if I cook, freeze, then warm up again for a couple hours?
Hi Charlotte. I haven’t tried freezing this but several of my viewers have reported great results freezing leftovers.
Hi Natasha. What are your thoughts on substituting stew meat with ground beef? Will this affect flavor?
Hi Katie, I imagine with a few adjustments that may work, but with out trying it myself, I’m not able to advise.
Do you drain the burger before adding to crockpot?
Hi Stephanie! I do not, but if your meat is very greasy, you can.