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Slow Cooker Beef Chili + VIDEO

This slow cooker beef chili is my crockpot version of a classic, old fashioned chili. This chil is an easy and comforting recipe that will have people coming back for more. Instructions to make in the Instant Pot are also included.

slow cooker old fashioned chili

Chili is kind of the gateway into slow cooking. For most people it’s the first slow cooker meal they make because it’s so easy to make. There are a thousand chili recipes out there because everyone has their own. This is mine. A slightly modified slow cooker version of this chili recipe is featured in my 1st cookbook, The Easy & Healthy Slow Cooker Cookbook. I made two minor modifications; in the cookbook I used tomato sauce (omitted here) and only one can of red kidney beans rather than two.

before (slow cooker)

What Type Of Meat To Use

I always make this old fashioned beef chili recipe that uses beef chili. Switch things up and use a combination of ground beef & ground sausage or substitute ground turkey. 

after (slow cooker)

BROWNING YOUR MEAT

Should you brown your meat before adding it to the slow cooker? I always do specifically so I can drain the excess grease out before I start my chili. There’s nothing I hate more than a greasy chili. If you are using a very lean ground meat, you may find that you normally don’t need brown it before adding it to the slow cooker. Even when using the Instant Pot…I drain my grease.

cooked old fashioned chili in the slow cooker garnished

HOMEMADE CHILI SEASONING BLEND

You know I’m all about homemade seasonings. This recipe uses my go-to homemade chili seasoning blend. I pretty much use it or a version of it in all of my chili recipes. It includes the usual chili ingredients: chili powder, cumin, salt, paprika. There’s a small kick but I definitely wouldn’t categorize my homemade chili seasoning as spicy.

SERVING & STORING CHILI

Topping suggestions for this chili include green onions, cheese, sour cream, and chopped herbs like chives. To store the chili, let it cool before packing it away. Store the leftover chili in the frig for up to 3 days or the freezer for 4-6 months.

CHILI RECIPES 

 

I use a 6-quart slow cooker or Instant Pot to make this recipe.

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Slow Cooker Beef Chili

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 2 reviews

This slow cooker beef chili is my crockpot version of a classic, old fashioned chili. This chil is an easy and comforting recipe that will have people coming back for more. Instructions to make in the Instant Pot are also included.

  • Total Time: 4 hours 10 mins
  • Yield: 8 servings 1x

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 2 pounds ground beef or 1 pound ground beef & 1 pound ground sausage
  • 28 ounces diced tomatoes
  • 10 ounces diced tomatoes with green chilies
  • (2) 15ounce cans red kidney beans, drained & rinsed
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons cumin
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
  • 1 teaspoon salt (or more)
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 tablespoon oil

Instructions

Slow Cooker

Optional but recommended step: Heat oil in a large skillet. Add the ground beef and cook until no longer pink. Crumble the meat as it cooks. Drain grease before adding the browned meat to the slow cooker. 

  1. Add all other ingredients to slow cooker. Stir to mix well.
  2. Cook HIGH 3-4 hours or LOW 6-8.

Instant Pot

  1. Turn on the IP and select sauté. Once hot add oil, ground beef and onion to the pot.  Cook 5-7 minutes, crumbling the meat as it cooks. You might need to do this in batches. Add garlic & cook an additional minute. Drain fat excess fat if needed.
  2. Hit cancel and stir in the kidney beans, chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt, oregano, and pepper.
  3. Pour diced tomatoes & diced tomatoes with green chilies on top. Do not stir.
  4. Close lid and seal valve. Set high pressure and cook for 20 minutes. When done cooking, quick release pressure.
  5. Stir & serve.

Notes

Nutritional facts calculated using lean ground beef and pork sausage.

If you like your chili with more liquid, add 1/2 to 1 cup of low-sodium beef broth .

  • Author: Shannon Epstein
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 4 hours

Nutrition

  • Serving Size:
  • Calories: 552
  • Sugar: 2.4 g
  • Sodium: 954 mg
  • Fat: 18.3 g
  • Saturated Fat: 7.1 g
  • Carbohydrates: 58.9 g
  • Fiber: 14.3 g
  • Protein: 38.8 g
  • Cholesterol: 73.6 mg

This post contains affiliate links. That means if you click on one of the product links, I might receive compensation. For more about my disclosure policy see here: https://fitslowcookerqueen.com/about/disclosure-policy/.

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Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

Lataya Gonzales

Monday 4th of October 2021

Love it even without the chiles I used red pepper and tomatoes sauce instead was delicious thank you will be using this alot

Lorenzo

Monday 1st of February 2021

I made this and it came out amazing!

Alice Marie

Monday 8th of October 2018

I got this one with your cookbook last year. There are lots of chili recipes out there and this has become one of me favorites. I brown my meat and saute my onion and garlic beforehand. Taste great and nice and easy.