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Slow Cooker Beef Chili

Slow Cooker Beef Chili with tender ground beef, beans, and warm spices simmered all day. Browned beef and onion are slow-cooked until rich and thick, then finished with fresh toppings for serving.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Ground beef and vegetables
  • 2 lb ground beef
  • 1 onion
Beans and tomatoes
  • 2 can (15 oz) kidney beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
  • 1 can (10 oz) diced tomatoes with green chilies
Chili seasonings
  • 2 tbsp chili powder
  • 1 tbsp cumin
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 0.5 salt and pepper to taste
For serving
  • shredded cheese
  • sour cream
  • green onions

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Brown the beef
  1. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and brown the ground beef with the diced onion for 6–8 minutes. Drain excess fat.
Slow-cook the chili
  1. Transfer the browned beef and onion to the slow cooker. Spread into an even layer.
  2. Add kidney beans, crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes with green chilies, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper to the slow cooker. Stir to combine.
  3. Cover and cook on low for 6–8 hours. The chili should be thick and bubbling around the edges when done.
Finish and serve
  1. Stir the chili well before serving. This helps evenly distribute the beans and spices.
  2. Top each bowl with shredded cheese, sour cream, and green onions. Serve hot.

Notes

For best flavor, let the chili sit for 10–15 minutes after cooking so it thickens. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 4 days; freeze up to 3 months (hold sour cream and green onions until serving). For a lighter option, use 90% lean or lean ground beef and keep toppings modest.