Crockpot Chili with Beans

Cozy up with crockpot chili with beans and keep warm! This slow cooker chili recipe is so simple, and it has just the right amount of ground beef, spices and beans in the perfect balance to become your new go-to recipe.

I don't mean to show my cards right away, but I know a thing or two about good chili. I am from Texas, after all. And you might say that Texans are known for not putting beans in their chili. While that is definitely true, I'm not one of those people. I love beans. Like, really really love beans. You might have guessed this, since you're on my site called Bean Recipes.

If you're a lover of my White Bean Chicken Chili, you are in the right place for the beefy, tomato-based version.

Beans are creamy, smooth counterparts to the ground beef in a chili. The same way that the kidney beans in Rajma soak up spices, the beef and the beans soak up the chili spice mixture differently. This makes every bite delicious!

Customize your chili with your favorite toppings, and you are on your way to becoming a chili cookout queen or king! This is my favorite thing to make with my crockpot, but my second favorite thing to make is this crockpot bbq pulled chicken.

Way to Customize this Chili Include:

• Swap out ground beef for Impossible meat to make a vegan chili that tastes nearly identical to a regular bowl of red.
• Instead of beef broth, use a bottle of amber beer.
• You can add even more spice with a chopped chipotle in adobo sauce, diced and stirred in at the same time as the canned tomatoes.
• If you have the absolute pleasure of traveling through the Southwest, pick up new chili powder blends to try in your crockpot chili. They vary region to region, and they will keep things so interesting.
• Add a few teaspoons of cocoa powder for a richer flavor. I have seen chili that wins competitions use this trick, and it's worth trying!

How to Make Crockpot Chili

This is not exactly a dump and set crockpot recipe. When it comes to chili, it really benefits from a quick sear of the ground beef. Cooking the beef in a skillet helps sear the outside of the meat and great a golden brown crust that brings so much flavor to the dish.

Th exception to this rule is if you have a crockpot that allows you to sear right in the crock. That is so great, but if not, do not worry--just use a cast iron skillet.

The Ingredients

• Ground Beef. I use 2 pounds of ground beef that is 80% lean (or 20% fat). You can use leaner beef, if you prefer, like a 93% lean and 7% fat. I have also made this recipe using Impossible Meat, and it is delicious--you can hardly tell the difference because the spices are so strong.
• Onion. One large yellow onion, diced.
• Jalapeño. Optional, if you like it spicy, add one or two jalapeños. To slightly reduce the heat of a jalapeno, remove the seeds and white membranes. I highly recommend only touching the inside of a jalapeño with gloved hands--the oil can stick to skin for days.
• Garlic. One full tablespoon of minced fresh garlic
• Tomato Paste.
• Chili Powder. Chili powder is a blend of spices for chili. It is NOT the same as chilE powder. Chile powder is one variety of chile, dried and ground (and is often very spicy). Look for chili powder that has ingredients like smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, oregano and cumin.
• Oregano. Dried oregano is essential in chili, and I prefer Mexican dried oregano for its lemony notes (as opposed to Italian oregano which has a lot of mint undertones).
• Ground Cumin. Ground cumin is essential for giving chili its smokiness.
• Crushed Tomatoes. I like crushed tomatoes, because the only chunks in my chili are beef and beans; if you like a super chunky chili, replace the crushed tomatoes with diced and use all of the juices from the can.
• Kidney Beans. I prefer light red kidney beans for my crockpot chili with beans. The skins are super soft and the beans are more tender than regular dark red kidney beans, but use whatever you like best!
• Beef Broth.
• For serving: top your chili with corn chips, grated cheese, sour cream, cilantro or sliced scallions.

The Directions

1. Gather all ingredients, and have your 6 quart slow cooker ready. If you have a slow cooker that allows you to sear or sauté in the bottom, you can brown the beef in it and save a pan to wash!

2. In a large skillet (or the bottom of your slow cooker that has a saute function), heat the oil, and then turn the heat to medium-high. Add the ground beef, and cook while breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Cook the ground beef until almost all the way done, stirring occasionally, and then add the diced onion, jalapeño, and minced garlic, and cook until the onion softens, about 5 minutes.

3. Add the tomato paste, chili powder, oregano, cumin, and salt to the skillet. Cook the spices into the meat mixture for about 5 minutes, until fragrant.

4. To the bottom of a slow cooker, add the crushed tomatoes and kidney beans.

5. Next, add the contents of the beef skillet to the crockpot, and stir to coat everything very well. Note: if you sautéed your meat in the slow cooker, use a paper towel to absorb some excess oil from the slow cooker before adding it to the tomatoes and beans. The goal isn't to have all of the oil gone, but just to remove most of it. If you sautéed your beef in a skillet, just try to scrape the beef mixture into the crockpot while leaving most of the grease behind.

6. Add the beef broth. Place the lid on the slow cooker, and cook on low for 5-6 hours.

Best Garnishes for Chili:

1. Sour cream is a must, especially to cool things down if you left the seeds in the jalapeño and your slow cooker chili is super spicy.
2. Tortilla chips are welcome for crunch, as are corn chips.
3. Extra sharp grated cheddar cheese melts and makes the chili slightly creamy.
4. Fresh herbs: sliced green onions and cilantro leaves.