Kitchen notes · a little help before you start

Easy Crockpot Chili Recipe

Name: Easy Crockpot Chili Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 360 min
Total time: 370 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 2 lbs lean ground beef; 1 each medium onion (finely diced); 1 each red pepper (finely chopped); 1 can crushed tomatoes (798 ml or 28 oz); 1 ½ cups low sodium beef broth; 1 can black beans (rinsed and drained 540 ml or 18 ounces); 1 can red kidney beans (rinsed and drained 540 ml or 18 ounces); 2 ½ tablespoons chili powder; 2 tablespoons tomato paste; 3 cloves garlic (minced); 2 teaspoons salt; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; 1 teaspoon cumin; ⅓ cup ketchup or barbecue sauce

Beef chili with black beans and kidney beans makes a generous bowl, with a little sweetness rounding out the tomato flavor. Onion and red pepper soften among the beef crumbles. Taste a spoonful before serving and enjoy the warm spices with the tender beans.

Prep: 10 min
Cook: 360 min
Total: 370 min
Original yield: Serves 6
Ingredients: 14 listed

Make it part of your week

Estimating…

Main courseAmericanBeefBeans & lentilsPrep: 15 minutes or lessTotal: over 60 minutesSlow cooker

Recipe categories & planning details

Meal type: Main course
Primary protein: Beef · Beans & lentils
Cuisine: American
Cooking method: Slow cooker
Preparation & total time: Prep: 15 minutes or less · Total: over 60 minutes

A few quick notes

1. Drain the browned beef

Brown the beef with onion and red pepper in the skillet, then drain excess fat before transferring.

2. Stir the cooker thoroughly

Combine the browned mixture with tomatoes, broth, beans and seasonings before covering for the main cooking stage.

3. Finish with the chosen sauce

Stir in ketchup or barbecue sauce after cooking, then taste the chili before serving it.

Get to know the ingredients

Two bean varieties

Both black beans and red kidney beans are rinsed and drained before joining the other slow-cooker ingredients.

Ketchup or barbecue sauce

Either ketchup or barbecue sauce is listed as the final addition, stirred in to brighten the finished chili.

Ground meat options

You can use any ground meat of your choice in place of the ground beef used in the main directions.

The last little job

Taste after the final stir

Once ketchup or barbecue sauce is mixed in, taste the finished chili and serve with the flavors combined.

A little more help as you go

More heat if desired

You can use cayenne, chili flakes or a splash of hot sauce if you prefer extra kick.

Softer vegetables go last

You can use additional vegetables, adding most early but stirring softer choices such as spinach in at the end.

A few questions you might have

Does ketchup cook the whole time?

No, the directions stir ketchup or barbecue sauce into the finished chili after the main cooking stage.

Can I use another ground meat?

Yes, you can swap the ground beef for another ground meat of your choice.

Do the beans need draining?

Yes, both the black beans and kidney beans are listed rinsed and drained before going into the cooker.

Can I add the seasonings to the skillet?

You can cook the seasonings and tomato paste with onion and pepper after the beef browns for extra flavor.

What tells me the chili is ready for finishing?

The main directions call for softened vegetables and combined flavors before stirring in the ketchup or barbecue sauce.

Any more cooking tips?

Ingredients and Substitutions: Ground beef : you can swap the ground beef for any ground meat of your choice. Vegetables : I use onion and bell pepper, but this is an easy recipe to clean out your vegetable drawer! Most vegetables will be added at the beginning of the cook time, but if you add in softer vegetables (spinach, etc.) you will stir them in at the end. Try shredded carrots, mushrooms, corn or zucchini! Spices : this is a well-seasoned but not necessarily spicy chili. If you like extra kick, add some cayenne, red chili flakes or a splash of hot sauce. Do I have to cook the ground beef first? Not necessarily. You can add the uncooked ground beef with all of the ingredients into the crockpot, but all of the fat it releases will stay in the chili, and you will need to stir it a couple of times to break up the chunks. Can I cook the vegetables and spices with the beef? Yes! To add an extra layer of flavor, add the onion, bell pepper, tomato paste and all of the seasonings to the pan once the beef has browned and cook a few minutes to bring out the flavor.

Storage & reheating safety

For cooked, perishable leftovers, refrigerate within 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F), using shallow containers for prompt cooling. Keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below, use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days, and reheat hot leftovers to 165°F, checked with a food thermometer. Follow any shorter package limit.

These are general safety limits, not a tested storage or freezing recommendation for this particular dish. USDA leftovers guidance · Safe cooking temperatures

Recipe source: thereciperebel.com. Ingredient names and quantities may be adapted for the pantry.

Preparation notes follow the recipe shown here.

How did this dish turn out?

Be the first to rate this dish.

Loading your rating…