Slow-Cooker Chili

Slow-cooker meals can keep you well-fed during an otherwise hectic week. Pick one to make on the weekend and then enjoy it throughout the week, or prep one on a busy weeknight so it’s ready to go for lunch the next day. And when it comes to slow-cooker recipes, few are more approachable and hands-off than this slow-cooker chili.

To prepare this recipe, you only need to brown the beef and chop a few vegetables. That’s basically it! After slow-cooking it for up to 10 hours, this chili becomes thick, saucy and slightly sweet with a tomato-y backbone. The chili powder blooms over the long cooking time, developing notes of warmth and spice.

Making slow-cooker chili is perfect for dinners, tailgating parties, potlucks and big family gatherings. Set out all your favorite toppings, like cheese, chopped onions and sour cream, so that everyone can customize their own bowls.

Slow-Cooker Chili Ingredients

• Ground beef: This slow-cooker chili recipe calls for 90% lean ground beef. If you want more flavor from fat, go with a blend with 80% lean and 20% fat. Drain any excess drippings before adding the beef to the slow cooker to avoid a runny, greasy chili.
• Canned beans: Two cans of beans add heft, texture and flavor to this chili recipe. It calls for kidney beans, but you can use pinto, cannellini or black beans if you prefer.
• Tomatoes: Tomatoes are the backbone of this chili. Two cans of diced tomatoes provide the liquid needed, and a separate can of tomato sauce gives the chili a saucy thickness that’s hard to beat.
• Vegetables: A savory, aromatic mixture of onions, green pepper and garlic adds color and texture to the ground beef.
• Seasonings: You only need chili powder, salt and pepper to season this chili. Make sure your chili powder isn’t expired; you want all those spices full of active essential oils with potent colors and aromas.
• Optional: This recipe calls for optional shredded cheddar and thinly sliced green onions for serving. The pops of green and cheese atop the chili provide a lovely color contrast.

Directions

Step 1: Brown the beef

TASTE OF HOME

In a large skillet, cook the beef over medium heat until it’s no longer pink, 10 to 12 minutes, breaking the meat into crumbles as it cooks. Drain excess drippings from the skillet.

Step 2: Cook the chili

TASTE OF HOME

Transfer the browned beef to a 5-quart slow cooker. Add the beans, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, onions, green pepper, garlic, chili powder, salt and pepper. Cover the pot and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours until the vegetables soften, the mixture has thickened slightly, and the flavors have melded.

Step 3: Serve it as desired

TASTE OF HOME

To serve, top individual servings of chili with cheese and green onions, if desired.

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Slow-Cooker Chili Variations

• Make it vegetarian: Replace the ground beef with a plant-based meat substitute like ground vegetable crumbles, crumbled tofu or crumbled tempeh. To go further and make it a vegan chili, use vegan cheese.
• Modify the vegetables: Some people are adamantly against putting bell peppers in chili. If that’s you, go ahead and skip them. Other people are quite fond of adding garden vegetables like summer squash, corn and zucchini to their chili. Go with the veggies that speak to you.
• Boost it with beer: Cooking with beer adds depth to any chili recipe. Darker beers like stouts and porters add a robust flavor, while lighter beers contribute more maltiness. Super hoppy IPAs will add too much bitterness, so keep those for drinking.
• Add dried chiles: To infuse your chili with even more smoky heat, add whole dried chipotle peppers to the chili mixture before it cooks. As the chili slow-cooks, the chiles will release their potent aroma and spice. Remove the chiles before serving.

Slow-Cooker Chili Toppings

When serving your bowls of chili, think about adding toppings with different colors, textures and flavors. Reds, oranges, yellows, and greens are good colors to complement chili. Think to include garnishes with crunchy, crispy and soft or creamy textures. Finally, choose an array of spicy, sweet, sour and milky flavors. Some suggestions:

• Diced red onion
• Cubed avocado
• Chopped fresh cilantro
• Sour cream or Greek yogurt
• Crumbled soft cheese, like feta or queso fresco
• Crunchy tortilla strips or corn chips
• Extra hot sauce

How to Store Slow-Cooker Chili

Your slow-cooker chili will store well in either the refrigerator or the freezer. This is a great recipe to double or triple, for batches you can enjoy later, in the weeks or months ahead.

How long does slow-cooker chili last?

You can store your chili in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. The flavors of the chili will likely develop more and taste better the day after you first cook it.

Can you freeze chili?

You sure can. Let your chili cool completely, then transfer it to freezer containers. Store it in the freezer for up to three months. Thaw your slow-cooker chili in the refrigerator before reheating it.

How do you reheat slow-cooker chili?

You can easily microwave chili without compromising its quality. You can also reheat it in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it’s warmed through.

Slow-Cooker Chili Tips

JOSH RINK FOR TASTE OF HOME

Do you have to brown the beef before slow-cooking?

No, you don’t need to brown your beef for most slow-cooker chili recipes. However, browning the meat adds flavor and depth to your chili that you won’t get if you skip it.

Some slow cookers feature an insert that allows you to brown your meat on a stovetop before plopping it into the appliance. That’s something to consider if you want to save on pans and cleanup.

How do make slow-cooker chili spicier?

Spices come in many different shapes and forms, and they’re all accessible for your chili. Add dried chiles to the mixture while it slow-cooks, then remove them before serving. Or pulverize dried chiles in your blender (beware of the incredibly spicy dust it creates!) and add the fresh powder to your chili mixture before it cooks. Use crushed red pepper flakes instead for instant heat. To add spice after your chili cooks, douse it with hot sauce or add fresh jalapeno slices as a garnish.

How do you make chili on the stovetop?

To make chili on a stovetop, brown the meat in a large stockpot, then drain the grease as directed in the recipe. Then, add all the ingredients to the stockpot instead of a slow cooker. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce it to a gentle simmer and cook, covered, until the vegetables have softened, and the flavors have melded. This will take about an hour, but it may take more or less time depending on the temperatures of your boil and simmer.

What can you serve with slow-cooker chili?

Chili is great with cornbread, coleslaw and chips with dips. During the colder months of the year, enjoy it alongside any hearty homemade bread, and in the summer, enjoy it with a fresh tomato salad or avocado salad.