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.
I am very excited that I found this recipe. I had originally planned on doing a dump and cook meal but this looks way better. But I need some clarification. I want to do this right and prepare this in advance (a day) and then wake up the day of the potluck lunch and put the chili into the crockpot, warm it up, come home, grab the crockpot and take it to the potluck. Do I warm this on “Low” or “Keep Warm” setting? I will probably want to pick it up around 11:00 AM to have it at the potluck by 11:30 AM.
I did google reheating Chili in a crockpot and got all kinds of articles about food poisoning so as much as I want to make a good impression with the chili, I don’t want to make anyone sick. Obviously you have done this a time or two so wanted to ask how you have reheated the chili after refrigeration. Thank you in advance for your response.
Sincerely,
Mark L. Ferguson
I made this according to directions last night .. it filled to the top lip of a (Rival) crockpot but did not boil over. Two thoughts: one, no where in the recipe did it say to drain the grease from cooking the ground chuck and sausage. While that was my natural inclination (kinda gross otherwise) I did drain off a full 16 oz can of grease. If I had not, that 16 oz would have put the crockpot overflowing at some point. I know it sounds logical to drain it off, but since it’s “no draining” on the beans, and the tomatoes, perhaps there was confusion there. I might also guess that depending on the fat content of the beef/sausage, some may cook down more than others – mine was close enough to the top that an extra cup might have made a difference. This chili is now on it’s way to a support station for a team of 41 mile hikers (the full Maryland AT trail segment) as a benefit to Operation Second Chance and I am sure they will all be grateful for this fabulous chili! Thanks!
I read where you said that you made this in a 6 quart but I only have a 4 quart so I did it on the stove because I have a 6 quart pot and it still turned out amazing. Low and slow for 4 hrs and I’ve never made chili before. This is even better than my mother’s(RIP) recipe. My kids licked their bowls clean.
So thrilled to hear this chili was a hit! Thanks for the comment Louis! 🙂
I’m not a fan of beans, so I’m not a huge fan on chili. My daughter’s first birthday party was this weekend and we had a chili bar. I grabbed this recipe offline, had good reviews and looked easy. It was a great decision!!! Everyone at the party raves about how great it was! Apparently it is extremely similar to a family friend’s late mother’s recipe; which is a huge compliment as her mother was an incredible cook. I will definitely be making this a staple for chili cook offs and other events!
Yay!! So happy this chili was a hit 🙂 Thanks for the comment Kristi!
This looks great and I’m looking forward to trying it this week. But if I want to leave out the sausage, should I replace with another lb of beef?
Yes, I’d recommend that 🙂 Enjoy!
I want to thank you so much for this recipe. My son called and ask if I would make a pot of chili for a chili cook off at his work. He just called me and your recipe took first place with just a few minor changes. I used smoked paprika,
1/2 t cayenne pepper, 1/2 t chipotle powder, 1/4 C. Green Tobacco sauce, better than bouillon, and only 1/2 a jalapeño. It turned out amazing. My son was proud of me and that makes me so happy. Thanks For Sharing,
Ahh this made my day!! Those changes sound like they would be great! Seriously you are such an awesome mom! Thanks Melanie! 🙂
Just found this recipe on Thursday and made it yesterday. The taste was amazing.
Yayyy!! I’m so glad you enjoyed! 🙂
We took 3rd last year in our chili cook off using a 22qt roaster. Getting ready to fire it up for this year but can’t remember what temp we used. Our toaster doesn’t have low-medium-high settings. Thoughts?
I really like the kick to this chili recipe! And yay for more crockpot ideas for me!
If you cut recipe in half do you cut cooking time in half?
I’d still keep around the same cook time; maybe an hour less.