Easy Slow Cooker Beef Chili
This easy slow cooker beef chili is thick, hearty and packed with classic chili flavour. Ground beef, kidney beans, tomatoes, onion and warm spices cook low and slow until the sauce becomes rich and slightly thick. Add shredded cheese, creamy avocado and sliced green onions on top and it looks just like the bowl in your photo.It is an easy Crock Pot chili recipe for busy weeknights, cold-weather dinners, game day or anytime you want a simple comfort-food meal that mostly cooks itself.
Equipment
- Slow cooker or Crock-Pot
- Large skillet
- Wooden spoon or spatula
- Cutting board
- Sharp knife
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Can opener
- Colander for rinsing the kidney beans
- Ladle (for serving)
Ingredients
- 2 lb ground beef lean
- 1 yellow onion medium sized and finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 28 oz crushed tomatoes 796 mL
- 1 can 14 oz / 398 mL diced tomatoes, with juices
- 2 14 oz kidney beans 398 mL each , drained and rinsed
- ¾ cup beef broth
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
For Topping
- Shredded cheddar or Tex-Mex cheese
- Diced avocado
- Sliced green onions
Instructions
Brown the ground beef.
- Add the ground beef and diced onion to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook for 6–8 minutes, breaking the beef into small chunks as it cooks. Drain off excess grease.
Add the garlic and tomato paste.
- Stir in the minced garlic and tomato paste. Cook for about 1 minute, stirring often. Letting the tomato paste cook briefly gives this slow cooker beef chili a deeper, richer tomato flavour.
Transfer to the slow cooker.
- Spoon the browned beef mixture into your Crock Pot.
Add the remaining chili ingredients.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, kidney beans, beef broth, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, cayenne, brown sugar and Worcestershire sauce.
Stir well.
- Mix everything together until the ground beef and kidney beans are evenly coated in the tomato and spice mixture.
Slow cook the chili.
- Cover and cook on Low for 6–8 hours or High for 3–4 hours.
Thicken if needed.
- If you prefer a thick Crock Pot beef chili, remove the lid for the final 20–30 minutes of cooking. Give it a stir once or twice while it thickens.
Taste and adjust.
- Add a little more salt, black pepper or chili powder if needed. Chili is one of those recipes where a final taste really does make a difference.
Add the toppings.
- Spoon the hot chili into bowls. Top with shredded cheese first so it starts to melt, then add chunky avocado and sliced green onions.
Brown the ground beef before adding it to the slow cooker. It only takes a few extra minutes, but it gives the chili much better flavour and prevents the meat from having a soft, boiled texture.
Use only ¾ cup beef broth to start. This keeps the chili thick and hearty. If it becomes too thick while cooking, you can always stir in another splash of broth.
For an even richer homemade beef chili, use fire-roasted diced tomatoes. They add a subtle smoky flavour without making the recipe spicy.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 421kcalCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 28gFat: 31gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 2gCholesterol: 107mgSodium: 727mgPotassium: 627mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 1248IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 60mgIron: 4mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!