Slow-Cooker Beef Chili

Chili is already one of my favorite make-ahead, big-batch dinners, but it becomes a true hero of any meal plan when made in a slow cooker. This hearty chili, made with flavorful ground beef, a rich blend of spices, aromatics, and tomatoes, is exactly what we want when the weather cools. And at Delish, we know chili is personal. So go ahead, tailor your toppings or switch up the type of beans. Want more heat? Add a bit more cayenne or chipotle powder. The beauty of this chili lies in its no-fuss versatility.

One question I know will come up: Do I really need to brown the onions and beef first? Technically, no. But this small step adds a depth of flavor and richness that takes the chili to the next level. After that, it all simmers together in the slow cooker—no standing or stirring required! And if you like a richer, thicker chili, simply remove the lid and let it simmer uncovered for the last 20 minutes of cooking.

How To Make Slow-Cooker Beef Chili

INGREDIENTS

• Yellow Onion: Sautéing the onion first adds a ton of flavor and aroma to the chili. I am going with a yellow onion here for its slightly sweet, not too sharp, flavor and their soft texture when cooked down.
• Garlic: Similar to the onion, garlic provides much of the underlying flavor and aroma that makes this chili so easy to return to again and again. Who doesn’t love the smell of garlic sautéing?
• Tomato Paste: Tomato paste adds a depth of sweet umami flavor to the chili, while also thickening the liquid. You can use whatever brand you prefer, but make sure you don’t skip this ingredient!
• Ground Beef: I prefer to use 85% lean ground beef for my chili as chili doesn’t require a very high fat content, and the slightly leaner beef lends to a slightly healthier final product. If you prefer to use 80% lean or 90% lean ground beef, that will work as well, but I really feel 85% is the sweet spot.
• Spices: I went for a combination of salt, black pepper, chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, and a little bit of cayenne pepper for a kick. This gives the chili some depth with slightly spicy and savory notes, as well as a little hint of something green and herbaceous with the oregano. You can also use chipotle chili powder instead of cayenne pepper, or skip it entirely if you want to eliminate the heat.
• Kidney Beans: These work particularly well here due to their smoky, earthy flavor and the deep red color that complements the beef and chili liquid. Kidney beans also add a nice textural difference to the chili that keeps the mouth feel from being too one-note.
• Crushed Tomatoes: While I’m already using tomato paste, canned crushed tomatoes are going to provide a slightly more acidic tomato flavor and a significant textural difference. The little sweet pops of tomato inside the ground beef really take this chili to the next level.
• Beer: You don’t have to use beer here, beef broth or even water will also work, but it definitely takes the flavors up a notch. When adding beer to a slow cooker recipe, the bitter, hoppy and earthy flavors and slightly sweet caramel notes make the dish taste as if it has been cooking for even longer than it has by heightening the flavors already present and tenderizing the beef.

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

Start the chili off by sautéing the yellow onion over medium-high heat, until they begin to become soft and translucent, 7 to 9 minutes, then add in the garlic and continue to cook for another minute. Cooking the aromatics first adds depth of flavor to the dish as a whole—eating is a sensory experience after all, and the smell of the garlic and onion make the dish even more mouthwatering. Once the aromatics have softened, add in the tomato paste and stir while cooking for about 1 to 2 minutes until the paste has darkened slightly to a brick-red color. Then transfer the onion mixture to a large slow cooker.

Knock the heat down to medium and, in the same skillet that you cooked the onions in, add the ground beef, salt and pepper, and break the meat up with a spatula. Once the beef is broken up, allow it to cook undisturbed for about 5 minutes, until the meat has browned most of the way through, then stir in the seasonings and continue to cook another minute. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the beef to the slow cooker and discard the excess fat that remains in the skillet.

Into the slow cooker, add the kidney beans, crushed tomatoes and beer—or beef broth or water—and season with salt and black pepper, stirring to combine all ingredients.

Then cover the slow cooker and allow the chili to cook on low for about 4 to 6 hours until the chili has thickened slightly. If you like a slightly thicker chili, be sure to remove the lid for the final 20 minutes of cooking—this will allow some extra moisture to evaporate.

Finally, squeeze the cut limes over the chili, season with salt and pepper to taste, and add in your desired toppings to serve.

Full list of ingredients & instructions can be found in the recipe below.

Recipe Tips

• Freeze your extra tomato paste. Tomato paste is a great ingredient in many recipes, but oftentimes I find myself letting a can go off before I can finish it. Since we are only using 2 Tbsp. here, a nice trick to make sure you don’t end up wasting the remaining tomato paste is to separate the extra paste into 1 to 2 Tbsp. servings and freeze them for future use. It may sound strange, but ice cube trays are great for this!
• Mix up the toppings. Chili is one of those dishes where the toppings really make the difference. Here I am calling for classics in Fritos, cheddar cheese, scallions, and sour cream, but other cheeses, saltine or oyster crackers, and toppings like crumbled bacon can all add extra flavor and texture to the dish.

Storage

Like all soups and stews, this chili is even better the next day. Feel free to make it ahead; the chili will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.