This slow cooker chili is thick and hearty, made with ground beef, beans and chili spices. It’s one of our favorite make-ahead meals for busy evenings and game day, and perfect for serving with cornbread and your favorite chili toppings!
The Secret to the Best Crockpot Chili
Chili is one of my favorite meals to make for dinner, and this slow cooker chili is the perfect make-ahead meal for busy days. It’s thick, hearty, comforting and perfectly spiced with rich, bold flavors. My kids love this meaty chili and so do I! It simmers in the crockpot for hours to develop the flavors, and it’s even better the next day for lunch!
The secret to making the best slow cooker chili is to brown the ground beef and toast the spices and tomato paste on the stove before simmering the chili in your crockpot. This greatly improves the texture of the ground beef and gives this crockpot chili amazing rich, deep flavor. It’s 100% worth the extra 10 minutes of prep on the stove.
Ingredient Notes
Here are a few notes about key ingredients. Find the full ingredient list with measurements in the recipe card below.
- Ground Beef: I use 2 pounds of ground beef in this chili so that it’s extra meaty and hearty, perfect for feeding a crowd. I recommend using lean ground beef and/or draining off excess grease after browning the meat to avoid a greasy chili.
- Tomato Paste: The tomato paste adds richness and depth of flavor. I cook it briefly in the skillet with the meat to caramelize the natural sugars in the tomato paste and cook off any raw, acidic taste.
- Brown Sugar: This is my secret chili ingredient! I add just a tiny bit of brown sugar to balance out the acidity of the tomatoes – it gives this slow cooker chili the best flavor! I do the same in my award-winning classic Chili Recipe, Turkey Chili Recipe and Instant Pot Chili.
- Seasonings: My chili spice mix consists of chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper.
- Fire Roasted Crushed Tomatoes: I always use fire roasted canned tomatoes in my chili because I love the depth of flavor, richness and subtle smoky flavor that they bring.
- Beans: I use three types of canned beans: kidney, pinto and black beans to make this chili hearty and filling.
How to Make Slow Cooker Chili
- Cook the onion and ground beef on the stove. In a large skillet, cook the onion in olive oil for 2 minutes until softened. Then add the ground beef and cook it until browned. Add the garlic, tomato paste and seasonings to the pan and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Then stir in the beef broth and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Transfer the contents of the skillet to the slow cooker.
- Add remaining ingredients to slow cooker: fire roasted tomatoes, brown sugar and beans. Stir to combine everything.
- Slow cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours. Then serve and enjoy!
Tips for the Best Crockpot Chili
- Measure out the spices before you cook the onion and beef so that they’re ready to add to the skillet all at once.
- Adjust the amount of chili powder to your tastes. I use 1 1/2 tablespoons for a mildly spicy chili. Use 2 tablespoons (or more) for spicier chili.
- I’ve tested this recipe with ground turkey and it was very good for a leaner option! You can also add more vegetables to this chili recipe. Try finely chopped carrot, small cubes of sweet potato, chopped bell peppers, zucchini, celery or corn.
What to Serve with Chili
Here are my got-to’s for serving with any chili recipe:
- Have some fun with chili toppings! My favorites are shredded cheddar, sour cream, avocado and crumbled tortilla chips. Also try chopped red or green onion, jalapeños and fresh cilantro.
- I always serve my homemade cornbread or cornbread muffins with chili. It’s so good topped with honey butter.
- My simple green salad pairs perfectly with this crock pot chili.
More Favorite Slow Cooker Recipes
- Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili – Another delicious slow cooker chili recipe, made with chicken, white beans, green chiles and corn.
- Carnitas – This Mexican shredded pork makes the best tacos and the slow cooker makes it so easy.
- Slow Cooker Taco Pasta – My most popular crockpot recipe! It’s a delicious mashup of taco flavors and pasta, made with ground beef, pasta shells and cheese.
- Tuscan Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs – With sun-dried tomatoes and spinach in a creamy sauce.
Made this recipe? I’d truly appreciate if you leave a comment and star rating below! Your review will help others who want to try this recipe. Thank you! 💛
Best Slow Cooker Chili Recipe
This is the best ever crockpot chili! With ground beef, beans and the perfect blend of chili spices, it's thick, rich and hearty. I love this recipe as a make-ahead meal for busy days or game day!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 2 pounds lean ground beef
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 6 ounce can tomato paste
- 1 ½ tablespoons chili powder, use 2 tablespoons for spicier chili
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 ¼ cups low sodium beef broth
- 28 ounce can fire roasted crushed tomatoes, or fire roasted diced tomatoes
- 1 ½ tablespoons brown sugar
- 15 ounce can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 15 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 15 ounce can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet on the stove over medium-high heat. Add the onion to the pan and cook until it starts to soften, about 2 minutes.1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 medium yellow onion
- Add the ground beef to the pan and cook until browned, crumbling with a spoon or spatula. Drain off excess grease as needed.2 pounds lean ground beef
- Add the garlic, tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, pepper to the pan and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Then stir in the beef broth and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Transfer the contents of the skillet to the slow cooker.4 cloves garlic, 6 ounce can tomato paste, 1 ½ tablespoons chili powder, 1 tablespoon ground cumin, 1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano, ¾ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, 1 ¼ cups low sodium beef broth
- Add the crushed or diced tomatoes and brown sugar to the slow cooker. Stir.28 ounce can fire roasted crushed tomatoes, 1 ½ tablespoons brown sugar
- Gently stir in the kidney beans, black beans and pinto beans.15 ounce can red kidney beans, 15 ounce can black beans, 15 ounce can pinto beans
- Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours.
- Serve chili with toppings as desired.
Notes
- If you can’t find fire roasted diced or crushed tomatoes, regular diced or crushed tomatoes will work.
- I’ve tested this recipe with ground turkey and it was very good for a leaner option! You can also add more vegetables to this chili recipe. Try finely chopped carrot, small cubes of sweet potato, chopped bell peppers, zucchini, celery or corn.
- Store leftover chili in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. I like to freeze individual portions for quick meals. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. Reheat in a covered pot on the stove or in the microwave.
Calories: 382kcal, Carbohydrates: 41g, Protein: 37g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 70mg, Sodium: 1171mg, Potassium: 1500mg, Fiber: 13g, Sugar: 11g, Vitamin A: 1001IU, Vitamin C: 18mg, Calcium: 137mg, Iron: 8mg
Nutrition information is an estimate.
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I originally shared this recipe in December 2019. Updated September 2025 with a retested & improved recipe (doubled the beef, removed the bell peppers and adjusted the seasoning amounts), more helpful tips, new photos and a step-by-step recipe video.
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If I was to double the recipe, would you add more time? Would doubling be better suited for the instant pot method?
Always enjoy your recipes! Thanks you!
Hi Tyne,
It is difficult to say how much longer the cooking time might be for doubling slow cooker recipes. Most of my recipes make pretty large portions and doubling them may exceed the heating capacity of some slow cookers. If you have a smaller crockpot or if you add too much for your particular slow cooker, it could take a lot longer, hours longer. There can also be food safety concerns if the slow cooker is overfilled with cold ingredients that are too much for the heating ability of the slow cooker. See my complete slow cooker guide that explains this issue and others more thoroughly.
With the Instant Pot, when doubling the pressure cook time will remain the same but it may take longer to come to pressure.
I haven’t made chili in years so I had to go to the internet. I liked this slow cooker version. The spices were just right. Next time I make it I will a little more salt for my preference but overall, delicious!
I’m glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment. 🙂
We really liked it so. Much better than packaged mixes.
Truthfully, I’m convinced the large amount of green peppers really makes this dish.
Excited to try this recipe Kristine. I’ve not tried one of your recipes that I’ve not loved. Thank you for all the hard work you put into testing & posting these recipes so we can serve our families yummy meals. I so appreciate that.
(I love so many of your recipes but I think my favorite is your beef stew! Delicious!)
Thank you Gretchen!
Should the diced tomatoes be drained before adding to the slow cooker?
No, do not drain them. Add the tomatoes and all of the juices to the slow cooker. I hope you enjoy the chili!
This was the best chili I have ever made and I am old…?
Do you need to drain the beans?
Yes, you should drain and rinse the beans.
If making this as a freezer meal, should the meat still be browned before putting it in the freezer bag?
You don’t have to, but I like to brown ground beef before adding to a freezer meal because I think it improves the flavor and texture. If you do brown it, be sure to let it cool before adding it to the bag with the other ingredients.
How would omitting the bell peppers change other ingredients and/or cook time?
You can omit the bell peppers without making any other changes.
I am not fussy about the cumin
Excellent:
This is a very simple & quick recipe…(note )I’m a little heavy handed on my dry ingredients BUT that’s just me. I recommend this recipe very highly…😉
We made this last night and it was great! We always add a diced banana pepper or two from our garden as well. I did just 1 tbs of chili powder and it was still very flavorful.
Can I use beans not from a can?
Yes but they should be already cooked and not dry.
Can you prepare the ingredients the night before and put the removable crock pot in the fridge?
Hi Deb,
It may not be recommended to put a cold stoneware insert into the base to heat up. You can check your crock pot’s manual to see if it is ok to do this. Otherwise, you can prepare the chili mixture and store it in another covered container in the fridge overnight, then transfer it to the slow cooker insert when you are ready to start it cooking in the morning.
Very nice! I added a little cocoa powder for extra flavour.
I really liked this chili recipe, no bell peppers so I used celery instead. No diced tomatoes, but I had tomatoe sauce and tomatoe paste, so I did that. Thank you very much! And I used pinto beans instead of black beans! 10/10!
If making this into freezer meal when would I stop do I cook everything and then freeze??
I would suggest cooking the ground beef in the skillet and then adding the garlic to the skillet as well to sauté for 30 seconds. After browning the meat, let it cool before adding it to the freezer bag with the other ingredients, then freeze.
If making from freezer. Do you let to thaw completely then cook in slow cooker?
Yes, let it thaw for up to 24 hours in the refrigerator and then cook in the slow cooker.
Cant wait to make this this weekend! I will update once we try it, but I wanted to say how amazing and easy it was to get this recipe, THANK YOU!! I cant wait to discover other recipes :))
Love trying different chili recipes and this one was delicious. Kept true to the ingredients but next time will add more spice and a few of your additional ingredients.
I liked using the bell pepper in this recipe. I saw you took it away, what step did you add this? Also, I need to double the recipe. Can I put half in the crockpot and the other half in my Dutch oven at low heat? How would that work?
If you want to add chopped bell pepper, add it to the slow cooker when you add the canned tomatoes. If you want to cook part of the chili in a Dutch oven, use the cooking time in my stovetop Chili Recipe: once you’ve added everything to the Dutch oven, cook it on the stove at a low simmer (covered) for 1-2 hours, stirring occasionally. Cover the chili during the first part of the cook time and then uncover during the last 30 minutes as needed to thicken the chili.