Slow Cooker Hearty Beef Chili (Printer-Friendly)

Hearty beef and bean chili simmers in your slow cooker for effortless comfort food.

# What You'll Need:

→ Meats

01 - 1 pound ground beef

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium onion, diced
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 red bell pepper, diced

→ Beans & Legumes

05 - 1 can (15 ounces) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
06 - 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed

→ Tomatoes & Liquids

07 - 1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
08 - 1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes
09 - 1 cup beef broth

→ Spices & Seasonings

10 - 2 tablespoons chili powder
11 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
12 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
13 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
14 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
15 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
16 - 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

# Step-by-Step Guide:

01 - Heat a large skillet over medium heat and brown the ground beef until no longer pink, approximately 5-7 minutes. Drain excess fat before transferring to slow cooker.
02 - Transfer cooked beef to slow cooker and add diced onion, minced garlic, diced bell pepper, drained kidney beans, drained black beans, crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, and beef broth.
03 - Sprinkle chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, dried oregano, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper over the ingredients in slow cooker.
04 - Stir thoroughly to ensure even distribution of spices and all components are well combined.
05 - Cover slow cooker and cook on LOW setting for 6-8 hours or HIGH setting for 3-4 hours until flavors have melded and vegetables are tender.
06 - Taste the chili and adjust salt, pepper, or spices as needed to achieve desired flavor profile.
07 - Ladle into bowls and serve hot. Optionally garnish with shredded cheese, sour cream, chopped green onions, or fresh cilantro.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The house smells absolutely incredible while it simmers away, making even the gloomiest winter day feel cozy
  • Its practically foolproof even if youre the kind of person who manages to burn toast
  • Makes enough for leftovers that taste even better the next day
02 -
  • The chili will taste slightly different every time you make it, which I finally stopped fighting and started embracing
  • Letting it rest for about 15 minutes after cooking somehow makes the flavors come together even better
  • It thickens up considerably as it cools, so dont panic if it looks a bit thin right when you turn off the slow cooker
03 -
  • Don't skip browning the meat, even though it means washing an extra pan, because that Maillard reaction is worth every bit of effort
  • Let the spices bloom in a tiny bit of hot oil for thirty seconds before adding them to the slow cooker, which unlocks flavors you didn't even know were there
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