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.
Did You Make This Recipe?
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This is my first time using a crockpot. And I wanted to make chilli like my moms which meant using bathe beans not canned I had already mixed all my ingredients and was just reading some of the comments and one stood out to soak the beans before hand …. I didn’t do that is my chilli going to come out ruined or is it ok will the beans still cook???? Any advice to save my dinner would be highly appreciated I will never live it down if I ruined the meal.
I made this chili without water. It turned out delicious! Thank you for the simple recipe.
This was super helpful as I tried as quickly as possible to put chili into the crock pot that would finish in time for half time of the afternoon’s game. Thanks!!
If you do not have a chili packet , how many tablespoons of chili powder do you use? Or do chili packets have more seasoning to it than just chili seasoning? Sorry…. maybe a dumb question but I’m still learning!
I believe it is about 2 TB
chili seasoning packets have more than just chili powder in them, so use the packet
here is a make at home chili seasoning: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/439452876112335473/
or
INGREDIENTS
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp approximately freshly ground pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
Add all of the ingredients to a bowl and stir to combine. Store in an air-tight container, away from heat and moisture for up to six months.
RECIPE NOTES
Makes enough for one pot of chili (about 6 servings).
If you double the recipe how long would you cook it for, still the 4 hours or 8?
Yes, you would still cook it for about 4 hours. You might want to add on an additional hour, depending on your crockpot.
Great Recipe really easy and good. The only problem, the first time I did it, was I didn’t make enough. I doubled the recipe the second time.
Haha. So happy you loved it Matthew!