Thank you for your comments on the Christmas chili bar post. Here is my official recipe for slow cooker beef and bean chili.
If you’ve been with me a while you know I love soups and I love my slow cooker. And chili may be my all-time favorite. I’ve shared before, but I’m typing this up in a recipe format easy to follow or print.
Of course, this recipe can be modified for stove top. It can be changed in any way for your diet or to include what is already in your pantry.
Toppings can be as creative as you like but my favorites are shredded cheddar and green onions.
Saltines and cornbread make for delish sides and Sally’s Baking Addiction can fix you right up with an easy recipe for cornbread.
Beans
A note about beans. I have tried for years and years to become that person who makes their own beans from dried. And it never works out for me.
I make too many and then I have to freeze them. I make them to direction and they are not soft enough. On and on. So canned beans work best for me.
This recipe calls for three bean varieties, but using just pinto beans or just kidney beans is a fine option too. Use what you have or what you like!
Spiciness
I like my chili very spicy, but I know that is not for everyone. This recipe will have nice spice but little to no kick.
For addition heat, add more chili powder, one tablespoon at a time until you reach your desired heat.
Add more jalapeno or green chili and leave a little of the seed in for a lot of kick.
Thickness
Thick chili, like what you get in a steakhouse, is not my favorite. I like more of a soup consistency. Start with about 4 cups of water and then add more to get the thickness you like.
Even though this cooks for hours with starchy beans, it really does not thicken up much.
Slow Cooker Beef & Bean Chili
Equipment
- Slow Cooker
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 15.5 oz can pinto beans drained
- 1 15.5 oz can black or white beans drained
- 1 15.5 oz can kidney beans drained
- 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
- 1 14.5 oz can tomato sauce
- ½ 6 oz can tomato paste
- ½ onion, chopped I use dried onion flakes
- 4-6 cups water start with 4 cups and add more until you reach your desired consistency
- ½ – 1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
- 1 tbsp cumin
- 1 – 3 tbsp chili powder start with 1 tbsp and add during cooking to desired spiciness
- 1 tsp oregano
Instructions
- Crumble, fry and drain ground beef if it is fatty, if it is lean, just crumble raw in slow cooker.
- Add all ingredients.
- Start slow cooker on high until it begins to simmer and then lower temperature to low until serving time, about 4 hours
- To dump and leave, put the slow cooker on low and plan to cook for 6-8 hours.
Wrap Up
If you have busy weekend plans or want to load up the slow cooker for game day, consider this favorite beef and bean chili.
If you have favorite chili recipes, let me know!