Slow Cooker Chili Beans (Print View)
Hearty beef and bean chili simmered slowly with aromatic spices and fresh vegetables.
# Ingredient List:
→ Meats
01 - 1.5 pounds ground beef (80/20 fat ratio)
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 large onion, diced
03 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped (optional)
→ Beans
06 - 1 can (15 ounces) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
07 - 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
→ Tomatoes & Liquids
08 - 1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
09 - 1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes with juices
10 - 1 cup beef broth
→ Spices & Seasonings
11 - 2 tablespoons chili powder
12 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
13 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
14 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
15 - 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
16 - 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
17 - 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
→ Optional Garnishes
18 - Chopped fresh cilantro
19 - Sour cream
20 - Shredded cheddar cheese
21 - Sliced green onions
# How to Make:
01 - In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef until browned, breaking it apart with a spoon, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain excess fat if necessary.
02 - Add diced onion, red bell pepper, and minced garlic to the skillet with the beef. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until vegetables soften.
03 - Transfer the browned beef and sautéed vegetables to the slow cooker.
04 - Add drained kidney and black beans, crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes with juices, beef broth, optional jalapeño, chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, dried oregano, salt, black pepper, and optional cayenne pepper to the slow cooker. Stir thoroughly to combine.
05 - Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours, stirring once or twice if possible.
06 - Taste and adjust seasoning accordingly. Serve hot with desired garnishes such as cilantro, sour cream, cheddar cheese, or green onions.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- You dump everything in a pot and walk away while it does the work for you.
- It's deeply satisfying and tastes even better the next day, which feels like a gift to your future self.
- The slow cooker magic transforms simple ingredients into something that tastes like you spent all day cooking.
02 -
- Don't skip browning the beef; those caramelized bits are where the flavor lives, and boiling ground beef directly in the slow cooker tastes like sadness.
- Drain and rinse your canned beans even though the label says not to; you'll remove the starchy liquid that makes the chili taste canned and metallic.
- If your chili feels too watery at the end, uncover it for the last 30 minutes of cooking and let the slow cooker work as an open pot to evaporate excess liquid.
03 -
- If you forget to brown the beef and just dump it in raw, the chili will still work, but it'll taste flat and won't have that crucial caramelized depth.
- Taste your chili in the last hour of cooking rather than the first; spices develop and mellow as they cook, so what tastes spicy at hour two might taste balanced by hour six.