Easy Slow Cooker Chili
Easy Slow Cooker Chili is a hearty and flavorful dish that brings together ground beef, beans, tomatoes, and a medley of spices. Simmered slowly to perfection, it develops deep, rich flavors with minimal effort. This simple, hands-off recipe is ideal for busy days when you want a satisfying meal without the hassle.
Chili Recipe with Tomato Juice
This recipe is Norma Jean’s plus a little adapting by me. I asked my siblings if they remembered her recipe and my smart-aleck brother Dave texted, “Recipe?? I don’t think so. It goes something like 2-3 quarts homemade stewed tomatoes, ground beef, a bunch of beans, and lots of onion and chili powder to get Don off my back.” Ha! As you can see, Dad LOVED onions and chili powder in his chili. Lots and lots of it.
Since I didn’t have an ACTUAL recipe from Mom, I added a few ingredients to her base, like cumin, jalapeños, and diced tomatoes, instead of her homemade stewed tomatoes (because I sadly don’t have a garden).
Mom and Dad’s Garden
My parents had a huge garden with very large and high producing tomato plants. Mid-August was prime season for eating tomatoes. One year, they sent me a box of them, carefully wrapping them in bubble wrap. So good! Dad was very proud of his tomatoes, and ate them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner when they were plentiful. Just look at him below!
Why This Recipe Works:
- SET IT AND FORGET IT – We prefer making the ground beef mixture ahead of time and then dumping everything in the slow cooker in the morning. Set it and forget it until dinner time. That’s my kind of cooking!
- FULL OF FLAVOR – Letting the chili slow cook all day long allows for the most amazing, rich flavors. Make sure you jazz up each serving with lots of crackers, cheese, and sour cream!
- GREAT LEFTOVERS – I must admit that leftover chili is even better than the day you make it. Trust me on this and add leftovers to individual meal prep containers.
Ingredients Used:
- Ground Beef – We use lean ground beef and don’t even bother straining it.
- Onions, Jalapeños, and Garlic
- Seasonings – including chili powder, ground cumin, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper
- Tomato Juice – Buy a large bottle or can of tomato juice at the grocery store. It can normally be found in the juice aisle.
- Diced Tomatoes – We use fire-roasted tomatoes for extra flavor, but any will work.
- Tomato Paste – adds extra depth of flavor
- Cannellini Beans – We love beans in our chili (we’ve never made it any other way) but you can skip them if preferred.
- Granulated Sugar – Just a couple teaspoons of sugar helps to balance out all of that acid from tomato products. You won’t even notice it.
How to make Easy Slow Cooker Chili:
Step 1
Cook veggies and ground beef. In large sauce pan, heat olive oil to medium high heat. Add onion, jalapeños, and ground beef. Cook until meat is browned and cooked through.
Step 2
Add garlic and seasonings. Then add the garlic and seasonings (chili powder, ground cumin, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper) – and stir for a minute or so.
Step 3
Add to slow cooker. Add the ground beef mixture to a large crock pot. Add tomato juice, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, cannellini beans, and sugar – and stir to combine.
Step 4
Slow cook. Add lid to slow cooker and let the chili cook all day long on low heat – or up to eight hours. You can also cook it on high for about four hours.
Step 5
Serve. Serve chili with shredded cheese, saltine crackers, and sour cream. For me, the more toppings – the better!
Storing and Freezing:
- STORE – Store leftover chili in an airtight container or individual meal prep containers in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- FREEZE – Let the chili cool completely, then store in an airtight container for up to 3 months in the freezer.
Recipe FAQs:
You can use ground beef, turkey, or even chicken. For a leaner option, use ground turkey or chicken, but ground beef adds a richer flavor.
Yes, browning the meat beforehand enhances the flavor and removes excess fat. It’s an extra step but worth it for the best chili.
Kidney beans, black beans, or pinto beans are classic choices. But we prefer to use cannellini beans (or any white beans) in chili.
Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours to let the flavors meld together perfectly.
Popular toppings include shredded cheese, sour cream, saltine crackers, chopped onions, jalapeños, cilantro, and/or avocado.
Other Chili Recipes:
Kitchen Tools Used: (affiliate links)
xoxo ~Sue
Easy Slow Cooker Chili Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 2 pounds lean ground beef
- 1 large onion – chopped
- 2 large jalapenos – diced (with or without seeds)
- 4 cloves garlic – minced
- 4 Tablespoons chili powder
- 2 Tablespoons cumin
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper – to taste
- 46 oz. tomato juice
- 4 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 30 oz. fire roasted dice tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 30 oz. cannellini beans – rinsed and drained
- shredded cheddar cheese, saltine crackers, sour cream – to serve
Instructions
- Cook the meat. In large sauce pan, heat olive oil to medium high heat. Add onion, jalapeños, and ground beef. Cook until meat is browned and cooked through.
- Add garlic and seasonings. Then add the garlic and seasonings (chili powder, ground cumin, red pepper flakes (optional), kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper) – and stir for a minute or so.
- Add to slow cooker. Add the ground beef mixture to a large crock pot. Add tomato juice, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, cannellini beans, and sugar – and stir to combine.
- Slow cook. Add lid to slow cooker and let the chili cook all day long on low heat – or up to eight hours. You can also cook on high for about four hours.
- Serve. Serve chili with shredded cheese, saltine crackers, and sour cream (or flour desired toppings).
Notes
- Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours to let the flavors meld together perfectly.
- STORE – Store leftover chili in an airtight container or individual meal prep containers in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- FREEZE – Let the chili cool completely, then store in an airtight container for up to 3 months in the freezer.
I was craving chili and remembered that your posted this, Sue. I made it this weekend and it was amazing! Best chili I have ever had. Thank you!
Oh yay! So great to hear from you, Sherri!
My son ask me to make homemade chili since it was cold and rainy so broke out this recipe and after his second helping his comments were “this chili should not be this good” ?! I think we have a winner?! The only 2 things I did different was not add the beans and used ground turkey instead of beef but everything as written!!!! Easy to make and flavorful!
Hi Cheryl! I’m so glad you (and your son) enjoyed the chili! My mom made this version all the time when we were growing up. Thanks for your feedback! 🙂
Easy and delicious. I did notice that it didn’t say when to add the garlic, but knowing Sue’s other delicious recipes, I added it to the ground beef. I have never added tomato juice to a chili. It was a really easy addition and helped it serve more people.
Ahhh, thanks for the heads up, Kellie! I’ll go fix that today. 🙂
On cold winter days there is nothing better than a bowl of hot chili, and when you pair that with a football watching party you really can’t lose. Thanks for this delicious chili recipe Sue! I doubled the recipe and I think there is enough left for one bowl.
Wow! That must have been SOME party! I hope your Packers won! Thanks for the sweet feedback, Jackie. 🙂
This here is a super recipe for chili! love the addition of jalapenos, this is a super treat and perfect for this cold weather
Thank you Albert! We love it! 🙂
This is the best Chili that I have ever had!
Thank you!