This post may contain affiliate links.
Slow Cooker Chili is the cozy, hands off dinner that fills the whole house with the smell of a simmering pot of comfort, with seasoned ground beef, hearty pinto beans, and rich crushed tomatoes that taste like they cooked all day. I started leaning on this on *busy fall weekends* when the girls had practice and I needed dinner to take care of itself, and it has been our go to ever since. It is just as easy as our white chicken chili.
The secret is toasting the seasonings with the beef before everything goes into the crockpot, which is exactly why this chili tastes so deep and rich.
Slow Cooker Chili Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 10 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 4 hours
- ⏳ Total Time: 4 hours 10 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 8 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 414kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Rich, beefy, and warmly spiced with a thick, hearty texture
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, a true dump and go crockpot meal like our award winning chili
Quick Answer
Brown ground beef in a skillet, then stir in chili seasoning, cumin, chili powder, onion powder, and garlic powder and cook until fragrant. Add the seasoned beef to the slow cooker along with drained pinto beans and crushed tomatoes. Stir, cover, and cook on low for four to ten hours, then serve with your favorite toppings.
Jump to:
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- The slow cooker does all the work. Once the beef is browned and seasoned, everything goes into the crockpot to cook low and slow, so dinner is ready whenever you are.
- Toasting the spices builds deep flavor. Cooking the seasonings with the beef for a few minutes before slow cooking blooms them, which is the single biggest reason this chili tastes so rich.
- It only takes ten minutes of hands on time. A quick brown and dump is all the effort required, making this perfect for busy weeknights and game day.
- Crushed tomatoes give it body. Two cans of crushed tomatoes melt into a thick, luscious base that clings to the beef and beans instead of turning watery.
- It is endlessly customizable. Add more beans, swap the protein, or crank up the heat, and the recipe still works beautifully every time.
- It feeds a crowd and freezes great. This makes a big batch that is perfect for leftovers, meal prep, or stashing in the freezer for later.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It is a true set it and forget it dinner that practically cooks itself.
- It feeds a hungry crowd and tastes even better the next day.
- It is cozy comfort food at its finest, right up there with our cheeseburger tater tot casserole.
Key Ingredients
A short list of pantry staples is all you need for this hearty chili. Here is what each one brings.
- Ground chuck: the hearty, beefy base, with enough fat to keep the chili rich and flavorful.
- Chili seasoning packets: an easy shortcut to a balanced, classic chili flavor without measuring a dozen spices.
- Cumin and chili powder: layered on top of the packets for an extra warm, smoky depth.
- Pinto beans: creamy and tender, they soak up all that seasoned tomato goodness.
- Crushed tomatoes: melt into a thick, rich base, much like the sauce in our chili mac and cheese.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
Make this chili your own with a few simple swaps.
- Add an extra can of beans, or stir in black or kidney beans for variety.
- Use ground turkey or a mix of beef and sausage in place of the ground chuck.
- Crank up the heat with diced jalapenos, a pinch of cayenne, or a chipotle in adobo.
- Stir in a diced onion and bell pepper with the beef for a fresher, from scratch feel.
- Serve it over rice or alongside our jalapeno cornbread to soak up every drop.
How to Make Slow Cooker Chili
- In a large skillet over high heat, brown the ground beef, breaking it up into crumbles. Drain off the excess grease and return the beef to the skillet over medium heat.
- Add the chili seasoning packets, cumin, chili powder, onion powder, and garlic powder. Stir to combine and cook for about three minutes so the spices become fragrant. This step is the key to a deeply flavored chili.
- Pour the seasoned beef into the slow cooker set on low. Add the drained pinto beans and crushed tomatoes, then stir everything together to combine.
- Cover and cook on low for four to ten hours, stirring occasionally every few hours if you are able to.
- To make it ahead, assemble everything in the slow cooker insert the night before, refrigerate, then pop it into the base in the morning and cook on low.
- Serve hot with your favorite garnishes like shredded cheese, sour cream, sliced jalapenos, and green onions.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Do not skip toasting the spices. Cooking the seasonings with the beef for a few minutes is what makes this chili taste like it simmered all day.
- Drain the beef well after browning so the finished chili is rich and thick instead of greasy.
- Low and slow is best. The longer cook time lets the flavors marry, so aim for the full time when you can.
- Rinse the beans before adding them to keep the chili from tasting starchy or too salty.
- It tastes even better the next day, so make a double batch for easy lunches like we do with our chili mac.
- Set out a toppings bar with cheese, sour cream, onions, and jalapenos so everyone can build their own bowl.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
This chili is a hearty meal all on its own, but it loves a good base. Ladle it over a scoop of rice or a baked potato, or pile it high with shredded cheese, a dollop of sour cream, and a handful of crushed tortilla chips for crunch.
For a true comfort food spread, serve big bowls alongside a wedge of warm jalapeno cornbread to soak up every bit of the rich sauce. It is the kind of cozy dinner the whole family gathers around.
Leftovers are pure gold. Spoon the chili over hot dogs or fries, stuff it into our taco joes sandwiches, or freeze portions for an easy future dinner that reheats in minutes.
Slow Cooker Chili FAQs
Yes. Brown and season the beef as directed, then add the beans and crushed tomatoes to a large pot. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook over low heat for at least an hour, stirring occasionally, until thick and flavorful.
Cook it on low for four to ten hours. The longer it goes, the more the flavors deepen, so it is very forgiving. There is no high setting needed since the beef is already cooked before it goes in.
Pinto beans are classic and turn creamy as they cook, but kidney beans, black beans, or a mix all work great. Add an extra can if you like a really bean heavy chili.
Absolutely. Let it cool completely, then freeze in airtight containers for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave.
Add diced jalapenos or a chopped chipotle in adobo with the beef, stir in a pinch of cayenne, or use a hot chili seasoning packet. You can also pass hot sauce at the table.
Cornbread, rice, baked potatoes, and tortilla chips are all classic pairings. It is also fantastic spooned over hot dogs or fries, or topped with cheese and sour cream for a loaded bowl.
For another easy crockpot dinner the family loves, try our award winning chili next.
Slow Cooker Chili
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground chuck or ground beef of your choice
- 2 packets chili seasoning, mild (I use McCormick brand)
- 2 tablespoons ground cumin*
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 16 ounce pinto beans drained and rinsed (add an extra can if you like a lot of beans)
- 2 28 ounce cans crushed tomatoes
Instructions
- In a large skillet over high heat, brown the beef, breaking it up into crumbles. Drain, return to skillet over medium heat. Add the seasoning packets and all the dried seasonings. Mix to combine and cook an additional 3 minutes so the spices become fragrant. This is an important step and why this chili is so good!2 pounds ground chuck
- Pour ground beef into the slow cooker set on low. Add the remaining beans and crushed tomatoes. Stir to combine. Cover and cook for 4-10 hours, stirring occasionally, every few hours if you can.2 pounds ground chuck
- Alternatively, you can make everything and place into the slow cooker pot the night before, placed in the fridge, and in the morning, pop it into the base and turn on low, still cook 4-10 hours.2 pounds ground chuck
- Serve with desired garnishes.2 pounds ground chuck
Notes
- This recipe can be made the night before, just put everything in the crockpot and place in the refrigerator. Remove in the morning and turn on.
- This recipe cane be frozen, see my tips above.
- You can top this with any of your favorite toppings.
- You can swap out the pinto beans with chili beans or kidney beans if you like that flavor better.
- This can be left on anywhere from 4-10 hours.
Nutrition
Love This Recipe?
Follow @ThisSillyGirlsKitchen on Instagram and @danadevolk on Pinterest for more!
Yes
Can I omit ground cumin in this recipe if I don’t like it?
I would like to make this sometime this week. It looks and sounds delicious.
This looks so good. I love that you added some jalapeño slices on top. I like my chili spicy 🙂
This slow cooker chili looks so good. It would be perfect for guests watchung the game sunday.