Easy to make and one of the best homemade chili recipes. It works in any crock pot, from a 2-quart mini to a full-size, and the recipe is easy to scale down for two or up to as much as 16 servings.
With ground beef, tender beans, and a mildly spicy tomato-based sauce, it’s sure to be your go-to chili recipe.
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Featured Comment by Rae:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"Five stars. I made this recipe for my office's chili cookoff...and won!!! "
My wife wanted “a great everyday chili.” This All-American crock pot chili has ground beef, kidney beans, traditional chili spicing, and a tomato-based sauce. It’s perfect for every day, tailgating, or a family get-together.
Simmers low and slow for 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low for the best flavor. In a hurry? This chili also cooks in about 45 minutes on the stovetop—great taste faster.
🐄 Ingredients
- Ground beef — 80/20 works best for flavor; drain after browning.
- Onion and garlic — your classic aromatics.
- Tomatoes — diced plus tomato paste for richness.
- Beans — canned kidney beans are traditional, but black or pinto beans work too.
- Bell pepper (optional) — adds sweetness and color.
- Spices — chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, black pepper, and cayenne (optional heat).
👨🍳 Quick Overview: How to Make Crock Pot Chili
1. Chop the green bell pepper (optional) and onion. Rinse and drain canned kidney beans.
2. Brown the ground beef with chopped onion, adding the garlic near the end – about 8 minutes. Drain and move to the crock pot.
3. Add diced tomatoes, tomato paste, water, and spices.
4. Cook covered on low for 8 hours or 4 hours on high.
👇 Scroll down for the scalable recipe card and complete step-by-step photo instructions—or keep reading for tips and options.
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🥣 Variations and Ingredient Options
- Meat: Ground beef is classic. I suggest 80/20 for the best flavor, but leaner can be used. Ground turkey or chicken will also work with a slightly different taste.
- Beans: Most commonly canned dark or light kidney beans, but black beans or pinto work fine. This is not a recipe for dry beans, which require preparation and may not cook properly in a crock pot.
- Tomatoes: Diced tomatoes plus tomato paste form the base. Fire-roasted tomatoes add extra depth.
- Vegetables: Swap or skip the bell pepper, or add extra veggies if you like.
- Spices: Adjust the heat with cayenne or add half a jalapeño.
- Thickness: This is a thicker chili, but you can add water or broth if you prefer a soupier style.
♨️ Adjusting Recipe Size and Crock Pot Sizes
This recipe makes about 6 cups of chili (4 servings). Whatever size crock pot you use, keep it no more than 75% full so the chili cooks evenly.
- Half recipe (2 servings): Can be made in a smaller crock pot, but watch carefully—smaller pots often have temperature control issues.
- Full recipe (4 servings): Fits comfortably in a 2-quart mini crock pot or any larger size.
- Double recipe (8 servings): Needs a 4-quart or larger crock pot.
- Triple recipe (12 servings): Needs a 6-quart or larger crock pot.
Smaller amounts in a large crock pot may cook faster and can even burn around the edges, so check early.
👉 To scale, adjust the number of servings in the recipe card. Use the amounts shown in the ingredient list (the instructions will not auto-scale).
🍽️ Serving Suggestions and Toppings
Top with shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, avocado slices, and sliced green onions.
Serve with Old Fashioned Cornbread, Cornmeal Biscuits, or tortilla chips for dipping.
❄️ Storage of Leftovers
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days or freeze for 4 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave until hot.
Other Small Crock Pot Chili Recipes to Try
This chili recipe is one of many small crock pot recipes. Try one of these popular chili recipes:
Small Crock Pot White Chicken Chili
This easy-to-make homemade chicken chili is my best chicken chili. Only 5 ingredients are needed: shredded chicken, white beans, salsa, cheese, and cumin to make this dump-and-go small-batch white chicken chili recipe, which can win the office chili cookoff.
❓FAQs
Yes. Brown the meat with the aromatics and drain, like the crock pot recipe. Add everything to the pot and simmer on the stovetop—45 minutes is recommended, but as little as 20 will work if all the ingredients (like the green pepper) are tender.
No. Ground meat needs to be browned first. While it would cook past the safe temperature in a crock pot, it will clump, release fat into the chili, and the texture won’t be right.
Don’t add extra salt if you’re watching sodium—it can always be added at the table. Use low-sodium canned beans and, if thinning, low-sodium broth., and rinse canned beans before adding.
• A small onion (about the size of a lemon) yields about ½ cup chopped.
• A medium onion (about the size of a baseball) yields about 1 cup chopped.
• A large onion (about the size of a grapefruit) yields about 2 cups chopped.
📖The Recipe Card
Small Crock Pot Chili (Ground Beef & Bean, Easy for Two or More)
Video Slideshow
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef (80/20 recommended)
- ½ cup chopped onion - 1 small
- 1 clove garlic - minced or crushed
- 14 oz canned kidney beans, low sodium, rinsed and drained
- ½ green bell pepper (optional)
- 14 oz diced tomatoes
- 3 oz tomato paste
- ½ cup water
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper – optional and adjust to taste
Step-by-Step Instructions
- This recipe fits in a 2-quart mini crock pot, but can also be made in a bigger one.
- Chop half of the green bell pepper and a small onion. Rinse and drain one can of light kidney beans.
- Brown 1 pound of ground beef. After 3–4 minutes, add ½ cup chopped onion (one small). Near the end of browning, add minced or crushed garlic. The total browning time is about 8 minutes. Drain and add to the crock pot.
- Add one 14-oz can of diced tomatoes, 3-oz of tomato paste, ½ cup water, 3 tablespoons chili powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon oregano, ½ teaspoon salt (to taste), ¼ teaspoon pepper, and ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional and adjust to taste).
- Cook covered on low for 8 hours or 4 hours on high.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips:
- This recipe is scaled for a smaller crock pot. A 2-quart is the minimum, but I usually use a 3.5-quart. Details on scaling and crock pot sizes are in the post.
- Use ground turkey or chicken if you wish.
- A small onion is ½ cup chopped. A medium onion is equivalent to 1 cup of chopped onion.
- Rinse beans to reduce sodium, and add salt only to taste.
- This is a thick chili. Add more water or beef broth if you prefer your chili to be more like a soup.
- The serving size is about 1½ cups.
- Good in the refrigerator for 4 days and will freeze well for 4 months.
Your Own Private Notes
To adjust the recipe size:
You can adjust the number of servings above; however, only the amount in the ingredient list is adjusted, not the instructions.
Nutrition Estimate (may vary)
Editor's Note: Originally published January 19, 2015. The text and options have been expanded. I have published it now as a smaller recipe. I generally make a double batch, and that was initially published. I have also refreshed all the photos and added a table of contents to help with navigation. Please enjoy this excellent chili.
Pam says
Delicious recipe, good ratio of ingredients for a nice and hearty chili and perfect for 2 people. I subbed beef stock instead of water.
Pat says
I made this today. The ground beef could be cut back to 3/4#. Everything else I did the same except to add a pinch of Turmeric. I will make it again! Thank you.
Eric says
Good recipe! As a home baker I habitually weigh everything & your metric conversions were good as well, an uncommon surprise. It was a balmy +5F this morning so I put the chili together. I pressure cooked my 3/4c dried black beans to my preferred firmness before adding them. Added & omitted some herbs/spices for personal preference as well. Made a skillet cornbread w/corn kernels to accompany. Looking fwd to making the chicken stew & others.
Love the dog pics!
Scrig says
So good and so easy! I enjoyed it with corn chips. I will definitely be making it again.