Slow Cooker Chili with Ground Beef and Two Beans

Slow Cooker Chili

This slow cooker chili has distinct ground-beef crumbles, kidney beans, and black beans in a thick but spoonable tomato sauce. Browning the beef, softening the onion, and briefly cooking the spices in a skillet build flavor before everything goes into the cooker. The tomatoes supply the liquid, so there’s no need to add broth at the start. Serve the finished batch untopped and let everyone dress their own bowl.

Makes 8 generous servings. Allow about 25 minutes to prepare, plus 6 to 8 hours on LOW or 3 to 4 hours on HIGH.

Ingredients for Slow Cooker Chili

• 2 pounds lean ground beef (about 900g)
• 1 large yellow onion, diced (about 200g)
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes (about 795g)
• 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, with juices (about 410g)
• 1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce (about 225g)
• 1 can (15 ounces) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon neutral cooking oil, only if needed for the onion

You’ll need a large skillet and a 6-quart slow cooker with room to stir the chili.

How to Make Slow Cooker Chili

1. Brown the beef: Heat the skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook for about 10 to 12 minutes, breaking it into crumbles and turning it until no raw-looking meat remains and some edges are browned. Work in batches if the pan is crowded so the beef browns instead of steaming. Transfer it to the slow cooker, draining excess fat but leaving a little in the skillet for the onion.
2. Soften the onion and cook the spices: Reduce the skillet heat to medium. Add the onion and cook until softened, 5 to 7 minutes; add the teaspoon of oil only if the skillet is dry. Stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook briefly, stirring, until fragrant without scorching the garlic or spices.
3. Fill the slow cooker: Add the onion mixture to the beef. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes with their juices, tomato sauce, kidney beans, and black beans. The mixture should be thick and moist; do not add broth.
4. Cook covered: Cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or HIGH for 3 to 4 hours. Start checking near 6 hours on LOW or 3 hours on HIGH. The chili is ready when it is hot throughout, the onion is tender, and the tomato and spices no longer taste sharp. Slow cookers vary, so use those cues along with the time window.
5. Taste and serve: Stir the chili and taste before adding more salt; canned ingredients vary in sodium. The sauce should coat the beef and mostly intact beans but still ladle easily. Adjust the thickness if needed, then serve untopped from the slow cooker.

How Thick Should Slow Cooker Chili Be?

The canned tomatoes and tomato sauce provide enough liquid for the covered cook. If the finished chili is too thick to ladle, stir in water or broth a few tablespoons at a time.

If it is too thin, mash a small spoonful of beans into the sauce, leaving most beans whole. You can also cook it uncovered on HIGH for 15 to 30 minutes, checking as it thickens.

When to Add the Beans

Adding the drained beans at the start is simplest and lets them soften into the chili. For firmer beans, hold back both varieties and stir them in for the last 30 to 45 minutes instead.

Serving Ideas

Offer shredded cheddar, sour cream, sliced scallions, or tortilla chips for individual bowls. Serve the chili with cornbread or spoon it over baked potatoes. For another beef-and-bean variation, see classic beef chili with green pepper.

Storage and Reheating

Cool leftovers promptly and refrigerate in airtight containers for up to 4 days. Freeze cooled chili in airtight, portion-sized containers for up to 3 months; thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.

Reheat portions in the microwave, stirring as needed, until hot throughout. For a larger amount, reheat in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Add a splash of water or broth if the sauce has thickened.

Nutrition

Approximate nutrition per serving, based on 8 generous servings without optional oil or toppings: 350 calories, 30g protein, 12g fat, and 30g carbohydrates. Approximate values per 100g: 95 calories, 8g protein, 3g fat, and 8g carbohydrates. Values vary with the leanness of the beef, how much fat is drained, and the canned ingredients used.