This thick and hearty slow cooker chili is everything comfort food should be. Ground beef simmers low and slow with kidney beans, diced tomatoes, and a smoky blend of spices until rich, cozy, and ready to ladle over cornbread or pile into a bowl with all the toppings. It’s the ultimate set-it-and-forget-it dinner for busy weeknights, game day crowds, or slow Sundays.

Ladle of beef chili in a slow cooker of chili.

5 star review

“This chili has been on a weekly rotation as soon as we tried it! The flavors are a crowd pleaser with everyone at home, including friends and family who often hang out for dinner. Leftovers reheat well, too, and are often highly sought after for lunch the next day! I haven’t had the chance to see if it freezes well, though, because everyone loves it so much.”

– Mary Catherine
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Crockpot Beef Chili with Ground Beef

Is there anything better than a hearty bowl of chili with all the toppings? The simplicity of this classic one-pot meal really can’t be beat, annnnnnd I do know a thing or two about chili. I mean, do happen to be known for my slow cooker chili recipes, hello top-ranked slow cooker vegetarian chili!

You’d think with all these chili recipes I’d have a good ‘ole classic, basic version, but recently I realized it was missing and so set out to create a really simple crockpot chili with ground beef, beans, canned tomatoes, and an easy homemade spice blend. Now, if you’re a chili purest you may think this one doesn’t “count” because it contains beans.

However, I personally like the addition of beans because they add thickness (this is why I say not to rinse the beans first, but rather just drain and dump), plus heartiness. Annnnnd, they help stretch the beef to feed more people, which in my opinion, is always a bonus.

This really is a quintessential chili recipe, and making it in the crockpot makes it perfect for everything from a slow Sunday, the best game day crockpot recipe, or an easy weekday dinner (bonus: it makes great leftovers for lunch and freezes well). And for another chili to try, my crockpot white chicken chili is the lighter, creamy chicken version that’s won multiple chili cook-offs!

Welcome To My Kitchen, Let’s Make Slow Cooker Beef Chili

Jump to Recipe Instructions
Person pouring cooked ground beef from a skillet into slow cooker.
1. Cook beef, onions, and peppers & transfer to crockpot.
Person pouring can of beans into a slow cooker.
2. Add beans. No need to rinse first, just drain off most of the liquid.
Person pouring can of tomatoes into a slow cooker.
3. Add tomatoes with chilis and tomato sauce.
Person pouring red spice into slow cooker.
4. Add the chili spices.
Person pouring a spoonful of garlic powder into a slow cooker.
5. Don’t forget the garlic powder!
Person stirring chili in a slow cooker.
6. Stir to combine.
Person holding a slow cooker with chili.
7. Cover, simmer, and serve. Enjoy!

Testing Tips for Easy Crockpot Beef Chili

  • Brown the Beef First Don’t skip this step! Browning adds the deep, caramelized flavor that slow cooking alone can’t create. Just 5 minutes in a skillet before the beef goes into the crockpot makes a noticeable difference in the final pot.
  • Don’t Rinse the Beans Drain the kidney beans but don’t rinse them. The starchy liquid clinging to the beans helps thicken the chili naturally as it cooks, which is exactly why this chili comes out thick instead of soupy.
  • Scrape the Pan After browning the beef, add the beef stock to the hot skillet and scrape up every browned bit before transferring to the crockpot. Those bits are pure flavor and make the chili taste like it simmered for hours.
  • Add a Pinch of Sugar A teaspoon of sugar balances the acidity of the canned tomatoes. It won’t make the chili sweet, but it rounds out the flavor and makes everything taste richer, but you can leave it out if you’re avoiding sugar.
  • Taste Before Serving Slow cookers concentrate flavors differently every time depending on how hot yours runs and how long you cook. Always taste at the end and adjust salt, chili powder, or a splash of hot sauce before ladling into bowls.
Slow cooker filled with beef chili.
Ladle of chili in a slow cooker of chili.
5 stars (3 ratings)

Slow Cooker Chili (Thick and Hearty)

Developed and tested by A woman with long blonde hair, smiling, holds and pours a bottle of oil in a modern kitchen setting.Robyn Conley Downs
Servings: 6 servings
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 3 hours
Total: 3 hours 10 minutes
Thick and hearty slow cooker chili with ground beef, kidney beans, tomatoes, and a smoky spice blend. A cozy, crowd-pleasing dinner or game day.
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Ingredients

  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
  • 1 ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 pounds lean ground beef
  • ⅓ cup beef stock
  • 2 (15-ounce) cans kidney beans, drained but not rinsed
  • 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
  • 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chili, such as Rotel
  • 1 teaspoon granulated garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon ground chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon sugar

Equipment

Instructions 

  • Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the olive oil, onion, and pepper, sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt, and cook until just softened, about 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
  • Add the ground beef, sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt, and cook until browned and just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add the beef stock and stir to get any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
  • Carefully transfer the cooked beef and onion mixture to a 5- or 6-quart slow cooker. Add the beans, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, garlic powder, cumin, paprika, chili powder, sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt, stirring to combine.
  • Cover and cook on high for 3-5 hours, or low for 5-7, or until the beef is very tender.
  • Taste and adjust seasons as desired and serve with optional toppings.

Notes

  • Spice Level: This is not a spicy chili. If you’d like more spice, up the chili powder to 2 teaspoons or more, add a chopped jalapeño along with the onion, and/or top the chili with hot sauce.
  • Top it Right: Don’t forget the toppings! You can’t go wrong with guacamole, sour cream, shredded cheese, diced onion, and corn chips.
  • Balanced Flavor: I used a teaspoon of sugar in this recipe to balance out the acidity of the tomatoes. It won’t make the chili sweet, but if you’re watching your sugar intake, you can leave it out.
Course: dinner
Cuisine: American, Mexican

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 1 (of 6), Calories: 277kcal, Carbohydrates: 22g, Protein: 36g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 94mg, Sodium: 608mg, Potassium: 774mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 840IU, Vitamin C: 30mg, Calcium: 35mg, Iron: 5mg
Nutrition disclaimer
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