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A bowl of crockpot chili topped with shredded cheddar, sour cream, green onions and tortilla strips

Easy Crockpot Chili

A thick, hearty ground beef and bean chili with warm spices, slow cooked until rich and flavorful. Perfect for a toppings bar.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 390
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Beef and aromatics
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 pounds lean ground beef 85 or 90 percent lean (900 g)
  • 1 large yellow onion diced
  • 1 large green bell pepper diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
Spices
  • 3 tablespoons chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt plus more to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar optional
Slow cooker
  • 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes (794 g)
  • 1 14.5-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes with juices (411 g)
  • 2 15-ounce cans kidney beans rinsed and drained
  • 1 15-ounce can pinto beans rinsed and drained
  • 1 cup beef broth (240 ml)

Method
 

Brown the beef
  1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, onion and bell pepper and cook, breaking up the meat, until the beef is browned and reaches 160°F (71°C), 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the excess fat.
  2. Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika and oregano and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
Slow cook
  1. Transfer the beef mixture to a 6-quart slow cooker. Add the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, kidney beans, pinto beans, broth, salt, pepper, cayenne and brown sugar. Stir to combine.
  2. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours.
  3. Taste and adjust the seasoning. For thicker chili, cook uncovered on high for the last 30 minutes.
  4. Serve hot with your favorite toppings such as cheddar, sour cream, green onions and tortilla chips.

Notes

Toppings bar: Keep the chili on the warm setting and set out cheese, sour cream, avocado, green onions, jalapeños and chips.
Storage: Refrigerate for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 4 months. Reheat to 165°F (74°C).
Nutrition is an estimate per serving without toppings.