Slow Cooker Hearty Beef Chili (Print version)

Hearty beef and bean chili with tomatoes, spices, and vegetables. Simmers all day in your slow cooker for an effortless comforting meal.

# 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, optional

# Directions:

01 - In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef until no longer pink, approximately 5-7 minutes. Drain excess fat. This step is optional for a true dump-and-go method but enhances flavor development.
02 - Transfer the cooked beef to the slow cooker. Add the diced onion, minced garlic, diced bell pepper, kidney beans, black beans, crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, and beef broth.
03 - Sprinkle the chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, dried oregano, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper over the mixture.
04 - Stir all ingredients together until well combined and the seasonings are evenly distributed throughout.
05 - Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours, until the chili reaches desired consistency and flavors have melded.
06 - Taste the chili and adjust salt, pepper, and spices as needed before serving.
07 - Ladle the chili into serving bowls. Optionally garnish with shredded cheese, sour cream, chopped green onions, or fresh cilantro.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It actually gets better the longer it sits, so make it the night before and reheat without guilt.
  • One of those rare dump-and-go meals where you can genuinely ignore it and still end up with something restaurant-quality.
  • The spice blend is balanced enough that even cautious eaters will come back for seconds.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the beans—it removes starch and sodium that can make the chili cloudy and overly salty by the time it finishes cooking.
  • If you choose to brown the meat, do it in a separate skillet first and drain the fat; this prevents the chili from being greasy and makes the broth clearer and brighter.
03 -
  • Taste the chili about 30 minutes before serving and adjust seasonings then—flavors intensify as it sits, so what tastes right early on might be perfect by the time you serve it.
  • If you want extra smokiness without the heat of cayenne, add a chipotle pepper in adobo sauce and blend it into the liquid for a subtle, sophisticated depth.
Go back