Slow Cooker Beef Chili with Beans (Printable)
Tender beef slow-cooked with beans, tomatoes, and warm spices for a hearty, satisfying meal.
# What You Need:
→ Meats
01 - 2 lbs beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes or ground beef
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 large onion, diced
03 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 jalapeño, seeded and diced
06 - 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
07 - 1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes
08 - 2 (15 oz) cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
09 - 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
10 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
→ Spices & Seasonings
11 - 3 tbsp chili powder
12 - 2 tsp ground cumin
13 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
14 - 1 tsp dried oregano
15 - 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
16 - 1 1/2 tsp salt
17 - 1/2 tsp black pepper
→ Liquids
18 - 1 cup beef broth
→ Optional Toppings
19 - Shredded cheddar cheese
20 - Sour cream
21 - Chopped cilantro
22 - Sliced green onions
# How-To Steps:
01 - Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the beef in batches to develop rich flavor, draining excess fat as needed. For ground beef, cook until browned and crumbled.
02 - Add the browned beef to the slow cooker insert.
03 - Add diced onion, red bell pepper, minced garlic, and jalapeño to the slow cooker.
04 - Pour in crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, and tomato paste. Add kidney beans, black beans, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, cayenne, salt, pepper, and beef broth. Stir thoroughly to combine all ingredients.
05 - Cover and cook on low setting for 6-8 hours or on high for 4 hours, until beef is very tender and flavors have fully melded together.
06 - Taste the chili and adjust salt, pepper, or spices as desired. Serve hot with your choice of toppings.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- Its practically foolproof and rewards you with that long simmered flavor without standing over a stove all day
- The beef becomes impossibly tender while the beans soak up all those spices creating the most comforting bowl of food
02 -
- Browning the beef first is not optional unless you are using ground beef
- The chili tastes even better the next day so do not be afraid to make it ahead
03 -
- Use a six quart slow cooker or larger so nothing spills over while it cooks
- Drain and rinse the beans well unless you want thicker chili with more starch