This easy Crockpot Chili recipe has dozens of 5-star reviews and has been awarded “winner” in multiple chili cook-offs!
Loaded with ground beef, Italian sausage, beans, veggies, tomatoes, and the ultimate homemade chili seasoning, this slow cooker chili recipe is the absolute best!
Table of Contents
- The Best Way To Cook Chili Is In the Crockpot
- Slow Cooker Chili Ingredients:
- How To Make Crockpot Chili
- Top Tips for the Best Homemade Chili:
- What Toppings Go With Chili?
- How To Serve Slow Cooker Chili
- Freezing Leftover Crockpot Chili:
- More Beef Recipes To Try:
- Crockpot Chili Recipe (Cook-off Winner!) Recipe
The Best Way To Cook Chili Is In the Crockpot
This chili isn’t your typical “dump and forget it” crockpot recipe like most on my blog.
It’s better because it’s slow-cooked.
Slow cooking is the first secret to award-winning chili. It blends flavors, tenderizes beans and veggies, and makes the meat juicy and tender.
The second secret is browning first. Sautéing the veggies and browning the beef before adding them to the crockpot adds layers of flavor.
Slow Cooker Chili Ingredients:
- Smoky Flavors: Bacon adds a smoky flavor that’s not common in chili but makes a big difference!
- Veggies: Sweet bell peppers, crisp celery, and onions add sweetness and crunch.
- The Base: Chili beans and diced tomatoes make a hearty base, and tomato paste adds thickness.
- Meat: Ground beef and Italian sausage add texture and lots of flavor.
- Flavor Boosters: Spices add warmth, with a bit of sugar to balance it out. Worcestershire adds tang, garlic boosts flavor, and beef bouillon makes it meatier.
Quick Tip
Spicy Crockpot Chili: This chili has a kick! For a milder version, skip the jalapeños and use less cayenne pepper or chili powder. Serve with cheddar and sour cream to cool it down.
How To Make Crockpot Chili
- Fry Bacon: Cook until crisp, remove, and keep the grease (hello flavor!)
- Cook Veggies: Sauté bell peppers, celery, onion, and jalapeño in bacon grease.
- Brown Meat: Cook ground beef and sausage, drain, and add to crockpot.
- Combine in Crockpot: Add veggies, beans, tomatoes, and bacon to the crockpot.
- Slow Cook: Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
Top Tips for the Best Homemade Chili:
- Slow Cook on Low: Cook for 6-8 hours to blend flavors and make everything tender.
- Use Good Tomatoes: Better tomatoes mean better chili!
- Chill Overnight: Make it a day ahead and chill. This boosts flavor—great for contests! The next day, warm the chili in the slow cooker on low for 1-2 hours.
- Taste and Adjust: Before serving, taste and add more spices if needed until it’s just right.
- Don’t Forget the Toppings: They complete the dish!
What Toppings Go With Chili?
I love serving this crockpot chili family-style, so everyone can build their own perfect bowls. Here are our favorites:
- Cheeses: Shredded cheddar, Monterey Jack, or pepper Jack.
- Fresh Additions: Chopped cilantro or a squeeze of lime.
- Creamy Toppings: Sour cream or Greek yogurt to balance the spice.
- Crunchy Additions: Tortilla chips, corn chips, or saltine crackers for crunch.
- Avocado: Sliced or diced for some nice creaminess.
- Spicy Elements: Jalapeño slices, hot sauce, or red pepper flakes for extra heat.
- Onions: Diced red or sliced green onions for a sharp bite.
How To Serve Slow Cooker Chili
Crockpot chili is perfect for leftovers and super versatile. Here are some favorite ways to enjoy it:
- Chili-Stuffed Baked Potatoes: Top baked potatoes with chili and toppings.
- Navajo Tacos: Spoon chili onto fry bread, then add cheese and sour cream.
- Chili Shepherd’s Pie: Use leftover chili as the base and top with mashed potatoes.
- Chili Mac or Chili Dogs: Mix chili with mac-and-cheese or spoon over hot dogs for a hearty meal.
Variations
- Vegetarian Crockpot Chili: Try my famous vegetarian chili. Cook in the slow cooker for 4-6 hours on low or 2-3 hours on high.
- Crockpot Chicken Chili: Check out my popular White Chicken Chili Recipe or this Creamy Chicken Enchilada Chili.
Freezing Leftover Crockpot Chili:
- As a Freezer Meal: Combine all ingredients and place in freezer bags. Freeze flat. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then cook on low.
- Already Cooked Chili: Cool to room temp, then freeze in small portions. Thaw in the fridge and reheat in the slow cooker.
More Beef Recipes To Try:
- Beef Burrito Recipe with rice
- Vegetable Beef Soup made with ground beef
- Ground Beef Stroganoff reader favorite recipe!
- Mongolian Ground Beef with garlic and ginger
- Ground Beef Recipes all our favorites in one spot!
Crockpot Chili Recipe (Cook-off Winner!)
Here's a delicious Crockpot Chili with dozens of 5-star reviews and winner of multiple chili cook-offs! This Crockpot Chili recipe is made with plenty of spice and packed with lots of flavor.
Equipment
- 6 quart slow cooker see note 1
Ingredients
- 5 slices bacon chopped
- 1 red bell pepper finely diced
- 1 green bell pepper finely diced
- 1/2 cup finely diced celery 2 stalks
- 1 cup finely diced yellow onion 1 small onion
- 1 small jalapeño pepper optional, finely diced
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 6 ounces tomato paste
- 48 ounces chili (pinto) beans 3×16-ounce cans
- 56 ounces petite diced tomatoes 2×28-ounce cans
- 2 pounds ground beef 80/20
- 1 pound Italian sausage mild or hot
Seasonings
- 4 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
- 3/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper optional, see note 2
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon white sugar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 3 beef bouillon cubes
- Toppings of choice see note 3
Instructions
- In a skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until crisp. Remove and place on a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Set aside.
- Leave the bacon grease in the skillet. Add the bell peppers, celery, onion, jalapeño, and garlic. Sauté over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5-8 minutes. Add the seasonings and tomato paste, and cook until fragrant, 1-3 more minutes. Transfer everything to the slow cooker.
- Add the chili beans (with liquid), diced tomatoes (with liquid), sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and crumbled bouillon cubes to the slow cooker.
- In the same skillet, cook and crumble the ground beef and Italian sausage over high heat. Brown in batches, if needed, so the meat can be in a single layer and is able to sear nicely instead of steaming, which adds more flavor. Cook until deeply browned. Drain excess fat, then add the meat to the slow cooker along with the bacon. Stir everything well.
- Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
- Taste and adjust seasonings (like salt, pepper, and chili powder) if needed. Serve with fresh cilantro, sour cream, and Cheddar cheese.
Video
Recipe Notes
Note 1: This recipe fills a 6-quart slow cooker to the top. It makes a huge batch, perfect for eating throughout the week, taking to a chili cook-off, or freezing in portions.
Note 2: The jalapeño and cayenne pepper add a lot of heat, so omit or reduce if you prefer a milder chili.
Note 3: Add your favorite toppings such as sour cream or Greek yogurt, diced avocado, sharp cheddar cheese, cilantro, lime, jalapeños, corn chips, etc.
Nutrition
Calories: 620kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 99mg | Sodium: 2264mg | Potassium: 1791mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 2165IU | Vitamin C: 51mg | Calcium: 165mg | Iron: 9mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Super Bowl Sunday was a huge hit with your chili recipe. It’s my first time cooking chili and I was blown away by how easy and amazing your recipe was. Everybody loved it including my two children who are in culinary. Will definitely be making more again soon.
So happy this was a hit!! 🙂 Thanks so much for your comment and review!
Loved it!!!!. by accident got 1 jar diced tomatoes and 1 minced. cooked it for 8 hours and it seemed that it had too much liquid (not sure if its because of tomatoes mix up). unfortunately i didn’t have time to fridge it before use, so i removed some of the liquid from the top as i like it thicker… it still come out delicious and was devoured by 5 people. will do it again soon.
Awesome! Glad it was a hit 🙂 Thanks for the comment and review!
All I can say is wow????????!! Hands down, the best chili I’ve ever had and I’m happy to say it’s a direct result of this recipe. I replaced the Italian sausage with a hot ground sausage. I also didn’t have enough beans so I added a can and a half of water instead and it still came out delicious!!! Thank you!!
Yay!! So thrilled to hear this was the best! Thanks so much for the comment and review Caitlyn 🙂
Ok, this really is good chili. My first time making chili and I won my office chili cook-off. I used a 7 quart slow cooker and cooked it on low for 6 hours, put in the fridge overnight and then reheated for about two hours before the event. Putting it in the fridge did thicken it up when it was reheated. I did use 3 jalapenos instead of 2, smoked paprika, doubled the garlic and used hot ground Italian sausage. Besides that, I followed the instructions exactly. Chelsea – thanks very much for recipe!
Yay Mark!! CONGRATS 🙂 So thrilled to hear you won! Thanks for your comment and review 🙂
This really was a great recipe. I won my chili cook off today with it! All I added was chipotles in adobo sauce that I puréed for added smokiness to go with the bacon. Also a little cocoa into the spice mix.
Yay!! Huge congrats Mike! So thrilled to hear that and good job on the win 🙂
I changed a couple things (2 pounds sausage 1 beef – and a can of rotel) but won my Church’s annual Chili cook-off with this recipe!
Yay!! Congrats Rob!!
I skipped the hot peppers because im not a spicy fan. And i skipped the bacon because i already had 3 lbs of meat.( Glad i did because i barley had room in my 8qt. Crock pot after filling it)
Anywho, i made this for dinner one night and l was told it was the best chili that hes ever had. And so i decided to make it again for the packers play off party and EVERYONE who tried it said it was LITERALLY the best chili that theyve ever had. And there was lots of people eating it. There wasnt a single drop when i left! Felt amazing. Also they requested it for next weeks packer party???? one lady asked if i would make it for her for dinner in a few weeks as well. All in all i had so many compliments and some asking if i can cater !! You wont regret this low and slow chili. Also dont be afriad to use some garlic.. mmmhmm
Yay!! So thrilled to hear this 🙂 Thanks for the comment and review 🙂
I want to make this chili. Is it possible to downsize the recipe for a 2 quart and or a 4 quart crockpot?
I’d cut it in half for a 4 quart 🙂
I forgot to add the tomato paste and the garlic, but the chili turned out great!
This is the best chili recipe I have tried! I followed the recipe as written and it was fabulous! My boys love it! Thank you for sharing!