Slow Cooker Beef Chili – Little Sunny Kitchen

Slow Cooker Beef Chili is the easiest, coziest dish that’s perfect for game day, family dinners, or meal prep. This beefy chili with beans crockpot recipe requires minimal prep, can be cooked while you’re at work, and is freezer-friendly.

Ingredient Notes

Keep your pantry stocked with canned tomatoes, beans, and Rotel, and you’ll be ready to make this easy slow cooker recipe whenever you’re hungry for it!

Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

• Ground Beef: I generally like to use very lean ground beef to make my chili, so look for a couple of pounds that are labeled 90/10 or leaner. We will make up for the lack of fat with tons of flavor instead! Plus, fattier beef will cook down too much, leaving you with less meat in your chili. This recipe will also work well with ground turkey.
• Onion and Garlic: Use fresh onion and garlic to create a savory depth of flavor.
• Canned Beans: I like to use one can of kidney beans and one can of pinto beans, although you can also just use two of the same type if you prefer. Drain and rinse the beans before adding them to the Crockpot. If you’d rather cook dried beans for this recipe, you’ll need a total of 3 cups of cooked beans.
• Canned Tomatoes: This recipe uses 2 cans of diced tomatoes, 2 cans of tomato sauce (Italian passata works too), and one can of diced tomatoes with green chilies (aka, Rotel). I use the mild Rotel, but you can use the spicy one if you want some extra flavor. Don’t drain the tomatoes; we want all the juice from the cans in the chili!
• Spices: I add a perfect medley of chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, dried oregano, salt, and ground pepper.
• If you’re in the UK, or otherwise outside of the US, some of these ingredients might be harder to find! Look for beef mince 10%, borlotti beans instead of pinto beans, and chopped tomatoes in a can. Use “mild chili powder blend” rather than straight “chili powder” which will be too spicy. You likely won’t find Rotel or canned chilies, so try this with half of a diced fresh jalapeno instead.

Recipe Tips

• This recipe can also be made on the stovetop! Follow the directions as written, but cook in a covered Dutch Oven at a simmer for 2-3 hours to let the flavors develop.
• For thicker chilileave the slow cooker lid slightly ajar during the last 30 minutes of cooking.
• Before adding the beef to the slow cooker, it must be cooked. If you’re cooking with a multi-cooker with a saute function, you can cook the beef right in the cooker before adding the other ingredients and switching to the slow cooking function.
• Leftovers can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days, or frozen for up to 3 months. I like to freeze soups and chilis in individual serving sizes so I can easily reheat them for quick lunches.

How to Serve Slow Cooker Beef Chili

I love adding tons of delicious toppings and mix-ins to my chili, and I generally set out the toppings in separate bowls and let everyone choose their own adventure.

Try shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, diced avocado, sliced jalapenos, green onions, hot sauce, and fresh cilantro.

I really love adding some crushed tortilla chips or corn chips to my bowl to give it a little bit of crunch, too!

This is the classic slow cooker beef chili recipe that you’ll want to make again and again. Save this recipe for the next time you need an easy, family-friendly dinner idea!