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.
Hi! I used this recipe tonight in a chili cook off and it won!! Thanks to much!
So happy to hear that! Congratulations 🙂 Thanks for the comment!
This was the best chili recipe. I took second place in a cook off. Next time, I will use San marzano tomatoes and follow the bean ratio. AMAZING since I am not a chili expert chef. Thx for sharing your recipe.
Thank you so much Amy!! 🙂 And congrats on placing 🙂 Thanks for the comment!
I see chili beans can be either red beans or kidney beans. Which do you use?
I use red beans in chili sauce
It says in your recipe to use 2 cans of beans in mild sauce and one in medium sauce but I didn’t see the medium used in the video (nor can I find it at the store). Can you explain this step? I’d love to make it this weekend.
Sometimes its hard to find, so I’d just use all three cans of beans in mild sauce 🙂
So excited to make this for a chili cookoff tomorrow! Had a quick question — have you tried cooking this on high (for 3-4 hours or so) and then refrigerating overnight, instead of low for 6-8 hours?
I hope you take home first place! 😉 I have never tried cooking this on high, but I do find I like beef soups/stews/chilis (other ones I’ve tried) best on low.
This recipe looks so delicious! I’m planning to make it for a family party this weekend. I do have a question for you, when you let it sit in the fridge overnight, do you still cook it in the crockpot 6-8 hours first and then cool it down and refridgerate over night? Or do you cook everything and mix it all together, but rather than cooking it in the crockpot at this point put it in the fridge and then the 6-8hours in the crockpot is done the next day? Thanks for your help!
Thank you April! I fully cook, allow to cool, refrigerate, and then heat the next day 🙂 Enjoy!!
Could I add beer or some other type alcohol(bourbon maybe) to this? If so, what amount would you think? Considering adding either a bottle of beer or 1/4 to 1/2 cup bourbon.
I notice in the video you use what looks like Knorr brand bullion cubes. These are usually one cube to two cups of water-while other brands are one cube to one cup of water. So if I don’t use Knorr brand should I be adding 6 cubes?
I’m wondering if the video is making them look larger than they are; I used the regular sized bouillon cubes (1 cup to 1 cup water) Hopefully that helps!
I didn’t realize that Knorr made a 1 cube to 1 cup product I used 1 and 1/2 cubes it tasted great
I’m on a low sodium diet, if I reduced the beef bouillon to 1 cube or maybe left them out all together, do you think it would destroy the taste?
I don’t think it would destroy the taste, but it will be a little less flavorful. You can leave it out and add one after a taste test if you want!
Herb-Ox has “sodium free” bouillon.
I made this last week for the first time and this is the best chili I have ever had and or made. I finished off over 1/2 the crock pot by myself. (took a couple day) and never got tired of eating it. Two Thumbs up on this recipe.
So happy to hear that; what a compliment!! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment Bob 🙂
I made a second batch in a 7 qt. Crockpot and brought with me to work. I arrived at 830 am and it was still warm from the night before. At 845am one of my workers grabbed a bowl and that’s all it took. By 10.15am it was gone. They are requesting another batch next week.
How would you alter the recipe if you left out the beans?
I would probably remove one of the cans of tomatoes so it’s not too soupy 🙂
thanks!!
Thank you Chelsea… We took 1st place in the Chili Cookoff Challenge this past week!
Not bad for a guy who has never made Chili … EVER!
WAHOO! So happy to hear this won you the 1st place, made my day! 🙂 Thanks Scott!