Easy Crockpot Chili
There’s no doubt about it…fall is in the air. The trees are putting on their annual show, all dressed up in red and yellow. The nights are growing longer, and there’s a distinct nip in the air by the time everyone comes in for supper.
Which means, of course, that it’s a perfect time for chili. Isn’t it funny how something so warm and cozy is pronounced just like “chilly”? On the other hand, maybe that makes perfect sense, since it goes so well with chilly weather.
This recipe is a spin-off of my husband’s Famous Vegetarian Chili, the recipe that won my heart—by way of my stomach—all those years ago. The main difference is that it’s now made in my favorite appliance, the crockpot. With the help of this go-to kitchen tool, you can now put a pot of chili on to cook in the morning and have a hot meal ready and waiting when everyone comes home in the evening.
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The other tweak on the recipe is that I’ve created a heartier, meaty version of the chili for all my non-vegetarian readers. It’s just a little bit more work than the veggie version, since you have to brown the beef with a touch of seasoning before you toss it into the crock, but it gives this dish a definite stick-to-your ribs boost. But vegetarians needn’t worry…you can still make this a veggie-friendly dish by substituting your favorite brand of soy crumbles.
Serve it up hot, with your favorite toppings. We love it with corn chips and cheese, but sour cream is good too. And if there’s any left over, don’t worry—it will keep beautifully in the freezer, ready to be thawed out on a day when you were too rushed even to load up the crockpot in the morning.
Easy Crockpot Chili
- After beef is browned, and grease drained, place in crockpot. Add in kidney beans, tomato sauce, tomatoes, chili seasoning and water. Stir until well combined.
- Cook on LOW for 6-7 hours or HIGH for 4 hours.
- Serve with your favorite chili toppings, such as cheese, sour cream or corn chips!
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TOOLS USED FOR THIS EASY CROCKPOT CHILI
Slow Cooker: Here is one of my favorite crockpots!
Slow Cooker Liners: Do you love easy clean-up jobs? Give these liners a try.
Easy Crockpot Chili
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Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef browned
- 2 15 oz cans dark kidney beans, drained
- 1 14.5 oz can of tomato sauce
- 1 14.5 oz can tomatoes
- 1 packet of chili seasoning
- 2 cups water
- cheese for topping
- corn chips for topping
Instructions
- After beef is browned, and grease drained, place in crockpot. Add in kidney beans, tomato sauce, tomatoes, chili seasoning and water. Stir until well combined.
- Cook on LOW for 6-7 hours or HIGH for 4 hours.
- Serve with your favorite chili toppings, such as cheese, sour cream or corn chips!
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer: Family Fresh Meals is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
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If I use fresh beans instead of canned, should I soak them, then put in crock pot or soak and cook per package instructions and then put in crock pot? Thanks!
Yes, if you use fresh, that is what I would do Holley.
I found mine to be a little too watery for my personal tastes as well. But I just took the lid off and kept it on high for about a half an hour to reduce it a little. I think next time I’d only use a cup or even less.
Overall, I found it easy and delicious though. I did add a can of whole kernel corn to it to give it something extra. But I’d definitely make this again!
Hi Corey,
I actually added yellow and red onions and gren,yellow, and red bell peppers to your ingredients and it came out even more amazing. I really like using your recipes and the family loves them as well!!
This was a good base, but came out way too watery for my taste, like many other comments have mentioned. I made a few small changes: I added an onion, seasoned the beef with salt, pepper, and garlic, used beef broth instead of water, and a splash of whiskey. Overall, it was pretty good, but I would drastically reduce the water used to half of cup.
Thank you for posting!
This was delicious! I used dices tomatoes with green chilis and chopped up tomato from my garden. I added a half cup less of the water. It seemed a little watery at the end so I thickened it up a little with flour. It was great! I served it with rice and cheese. My husband ate two bowls full. I will be making it again! Maybe just add one cup of the water.