Super easy to make, and one of the best homemade chilies you will ever have. This versatile chili is perfect in a smaller crock pot and can easily be adjusted to your taste and needs.
Introduction
Who says everyday chili needs to be blah? This wonderful hardy red ground beef chili recipe made in your crock pot. Great for every day, a tailgate, or family get together.
I have a lot of chili recipes, 13 at last count, and I love them all. But my wife (Wifo) asked for plain red chili. Just an "everyday" red ground beef chili. Not chicken, black bean, or anything else "special'. Just a "plain chili" as she calls it. An "all-American" chili, so to speak.
It needed to be ground beef, with kidney beans and tomato-based. A nice medium heat was mandatory. Not hot, read that as no jalapeno, although it would be a nice addition to this recipe.
I had an older chili recipe, Crock Pot Red Beef Chili, that was published only in the second month of this blog and had a fair amount of heat. A little change here, a little tuck there, and I had a recipe that I really could eat every day. I have "retired" the previous recipe.
My Rating
A very solid 5, and yes, I could survive on this alone. I suggested an all-chili diet. I got slapped down, but she did love it.
🐄The Meat
This recipe is based on ground beef, but you can use any other ground meat. Each will have a slightly different taste profile, but the spices and tomato products will even things out.
So this is a good place for ground turkey or ground chicken if you want.
Precook the ground meat.
Ground meat needs to be precooked for crock pot recipes. This is not a safety thing but a texture thing. While the meat will cook well past the 165 safe temperature in the cooker, it will cook in clumps and not broken apart, which you want for a good chili texture.
♨️Crock Pot Size
This is scaled for a smaller crock pot. A 2 ½ quart is the smallest you should use. A double recipe needs 4 quarts or larger. And a triple recipe fits in a crock pot of 6 quarts or larger.
This is an easy recipe to adjust. Use the serving adjustment just above the ingredients in the recipe card area. That will do the math for you. It will not adjust to numbers in the instruction section, however.
The serving size is about 1 ½ cups. It will freeze well and is good in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
👨🍳Tips
This is a great recipe for what it is. It is an everyday ground beef red chili. And this is now our standard beef chili, and I'm sure it will be yours.
You can make it as a crockpot turkey chili if you want.
You can make it hotter with a minced jalapeno pepper or a bit more cayenne pepper.
If you want, you can modify the beans, take out the bell pepper, or other changes.
If you make a single batch, you will have half a pepper and some tomato paste leftover. Both will freeze well. Chop the pepper before freezing. With the tomato paste, make one tablespoon-size mound and freeze for future use.
This is a thick chili. Add more water some beef broth if you like your chili more like soup.
🧂A Sodium Note
Chili can get out of hand on sodium content. I rinsed the beans that help the sodium. I always use low sodium beans any more. And if you add broth to thin the chili, use low sodium broth.
❄️Storage
It will be good in the refrigerator for 3-4 days and will freeze well for 3-4 months.
📖Crock Pot Chili Recipes
Ultra Simple Crock Pot White Chicken Chili - This is the easiest and best chicken chili ever.
Crock Pot Three Bean Turkey Chili
Low Fat High Taste Crock Pot White Chicken Chili
🖼️Step-by-Step Instructions
NOTE: Images are for a double batch. The instructions and ingredients are for a single batch.
The ingredients are what you would expect.
Start by browning one pound of ground beef. After 3-4 minutes, add one small onion chopped. Add minced or crushed garlic near the end of browning—about 8 minutes in total. Drain and add to a small crock pot.
Chop half of a green pepper. Rinse and drain one can light kidney beans.
Add one 14 oz can diced tomatoes, a half of 6 oz can tomato paste, ½ cup water, 3 tablespoons chili powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon oregano, ½ teaspoon salt (to taste), ¼ teaspoon pepper, ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional and adjust to taste).
Cook on low for 8 hours or 4 hours on high.
Do you want more recipes from 101 Cooking for Two? Sign up for the newsletter and get all posts delivered straight to your inbox!
📖 Recipe
Crock Pot Chili
Tap to leave a Rating
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 onion - small chopped
- 1 clove garlic - minced or crushed
- 14 oz light kidney beans - low sodium, rinsed, and drained.
- ½ green pepper
- 14 oz diced tomatoes
- 3 oz tomato paste
- ½ cup water
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper - optional and adjust to taste
Instructions
- Start by browning one pound of ground beef. After 3-4 minutes, add one small onion chopped. Add minced or crushed garlic near the end of browning. About 8 minutes in total. Drain and add to a small crock pot.
- Chop half of a green pepper. Rinse and drain one can light kidney beans.
- Add one 14 oz can diced tomatoes, a half of 6 oz can tomato paste, ½ cup water, 3 tablespoons chili powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon oregano, ½ teaspoon salt (to taste), ¼ teaspoon pepper, ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional and adjust to taste).
- Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips:
- This is scaled for a smaller crock pot. A 2 ½ quart is the smallest you should use. A double recipe needs 4 quarts or larger. And a triple recipe fits in a crock pot of 6 quarts or larger. I always do a double batch.
- Substitute other ground meat if you want. Use ground turkey or chicken if you wish.
- Precook the ground meat since uncook ground meat will clump.
- Rinsing the beans will decrease the sodium load.
- Add salt to taste only.
- This is a thick chili. Add more water or some beef broth if you like your chili more like a soup.
- Serving size is about 1 ½ cups.
- An easy recipe to double or triple. Use the serving adjustment above. It will change the volume in the ingredients but not the wording in the instructions.. Cooking time will remain the same.
- Good in the refrigerator for 3-4 days and will freeze well for 3-4 months.
TO ADJUST THE RECIPE SIZE:
You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.
Nutrition
© 101 Cooking for Two, LLC. All content and photographs are copyright protected by us or our vendors. While we appreciate your sharing our recipes, please realize copying, pasting, or duplicating full recipes to any social media, website, or electronic/printed media is strictly prohibited and a violation of our copyrights.
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.
Tom
How would you recommend reheating this chili after its been frozen?
DrDan
Hi Tom,
Welcome to the blog.
I prefer to thaw things with beans before reheating. So I usually move chili from the freezer to the refrigerator for a day. Then reheating in a microwave if 1 or 2 servings. If more, then stovetop.
It's always easier to reheat something that is not rock hard frozen also.
Thanks for the question and rating.
Dan
Lynda
I don’t have any tomato paste in the house; what Can I use for a substitute?
DrDan
Hi Lynda,
Welcome to the blog. You can use tomato sauce or even crushed or diced tomatoes. Use a 14-16 oz can and leave the cup of water out.
Also, to my taste, I find tomato paste adds a touch of sweetness. You should taste test near the end of cooking and add a touch of sugar if you want. About 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon would do.
Dan
Jean
Perfect! Worked well in my 4 qt. Crockpot.
Lance Love
Thanks for putting up the recipe. I have ground chicken instead of beef, any adjustments because the protein is changed?
DrDan
Hi Lance,
Welcome to the blog.
The chicken should work fine without adjustments. It will taste a bit different but a lot of the taste here is from the spices.
Dan
Elliott Humrich
I'm annoyed because I'm came hear looking for "cooking for two" which is what your website calls itself! This is clearly for 8 to 10 people! How can I get this down to two??
DrDan
Hi Elliott,
Welcome to the blog.
You can find the discussion about recipe sizes at https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/recipes-not-two-servings/ Basically, it comes down most of the time to the "lowest component". In this case, one pepper and one can of tomato paste. Most will want to use the full ingredient instead of a fraction that may get tossed.
This recipe will refrigerate well for 4 days and freeze will for months.
This recipe, like all recipes on this site, have an adjustment feature you can use to adjust the components to the amount you want. It does not adjust the text of the directions, however.
Hope that helps.
Dan
J Moya
Just adjust the “servings” in the “Adjust Serving Size” section....
Lisa
If I half this do I still need to cook it for 8hours?
DrDan
Hi Lisa,
Welcome to the blog.
Yep do the 8 hours on low or 4 hours on high. You are getting the flavors to combine.
Dan
Beverly Barndt
Rockstar, I just broke the insert of my crockpot! What are the stove top directions for how long to cook???? Making this tomorrow. Thanks so much for your time Beverly
DrDan
Hi Beverly,
Cook the beef and onion in a large dutch oven. Drain then add everything else. Simmer covered for about 1-2 hours.
Dan
Beverly Barndt
O M G thanks soooo much!!! I was soooo excited that you answered me my honey is like what what! I was Like O M G He answered me!!!
Mary
Can't wait to try this recipe. Do you drain the can of diced tomatoes or add the entire contents, juice and all?
DrDan
Hi Mary
Welcome to the blog
Just dump it in
Dan
Ashley
What would cooking time be on high? Looking to make this but don’t have the 8hours need for low cooking
DrDan
Hi Ashley
Welcome to the blog
4 hrs on high should be fine.
Dan
Matt
Do I drain the beef after browning?
DrDan
Hi Matt,
Welcome to the blog.
Yes, drain before adding to the crock pot. I just added it to the recipe.
Thanks for the question.
Dan
Emily
If I want to double this how long should I cook it?
DrDan
Hi Emily,
Welcome to the blog.
Don't double the time. Only a few crock pot recipes will need increased time with increasing ingredients. My crock pot pulled pork is one example where the increased mass requires increased cooking time.
You, of course, will need a large enough crock pot. It should be a max of 75% full but really 66% is a better target.
Dan
Linda Rice
Is this recipe for a 2 quart crockpot? First time using one can u please help? Thank you
DrDan
Hi Linda,
Welcome to the blog.
This is in a standard 6-8 qt crockpot. There is about 14 cups of ingredients. That is 3.5 quarts. A crock pot should not be filled above 75%. (some say 66%) So cut in half, it would fit in my 3.5 qt but not in your 2 qt. Hope that helps.
You will be hard pressed to find a lot of 2 qt crock pot recipes. Most recipes will use a can of this, a whole pepper, an onion or an egg. Cuttings things in half is possible but generally wasteful. So most don't do that.
Dan
Phyllis Ramsay
I want to make this recipe for 10 how much of the recipe needs to be increase. What measurements?
DrDan
Hi Phyllis,
Welcome to the blog.
I like big servings. The eight servings here are a about 1 1/2 cup or a little more. So if you stretch it to 10, You still have an ok serving size but no seconds.
I would probably increase by 50% and that would still fit in a 6 qt crock pot. But if you double it, you need a 7 1/2 or 8 qt crock pot.
On the recipe card, there is a serving adjustment just below the ingredient list that you can adjust.
Dan
Dan
Katlyn
This is a very simple recipe, loved it! I also added sausage and jalapenos... Thank you!!
Mae
Thank you for the recipe, was looking for something different from my usual chili recipe.
Calling for snow this weekend, in Virginia, in April.
DrDan
Hi Mae,
We have a week of intermittent snow coming. But in Michigan, it is not April without some snow.
This is one of our favorite chili recipes, just plain chili we call it.
Thanks for the note.
Dan
Ellis Enbe
Why do most of your recipes create 8 servings if you are cooking for two?
I try to avoid leftovers unless I am deliberately trying to create freezer
backup, and my freezer is full!
DrDan
With many recipes, it comes down to the lowest division of an ingredient. Here it is the pepper and can of tomato paste. It is use the whole thing or toss/store it. I do have in each recipe card the ability adjust the recipe to the number of servings you need. See https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/recipes-not-two-servings/ for more discussion.
Dan
Marty F.
I made this recipe for Super Bowl sunday and it was a success! Also made your Oreo Fudge and it was quite a hit too! Three people asked for the recipe.
Paulina
Hello Dan,
Can this recipe be frozen? I would like to make it, portion it out and freeze it for easy dinners. Do you think it would still taste good? Thanks!
DrDan
Hi Paulina,
It freezes great. It's good in the refrigerator for 3-4 days and freezer for 2-3 months.
Dan
Paulina
Thanks for the quick response. Do you recommend to make the recipe first and then freeze, or freeze everything raw, defrost and throw in the slow cooker then?
DrDan
Definitely cook first. It is even better reheated like most chili.
Sean
Best simple crockpot chili recipe out there! I’ve made this countless times and it’s always a winner. Just make a pan of sweet cornbread to go with and you’ll be in heaven. Having leftovers is the best part. Thanks Dr. Dan for all your work on this site.... I couldn’t tell you how many times I’ve fed my family off of these recipes.
DrDan
Hi Sean,
This is my personal favorite most of the time. Add in some cornbread and you are so right... heaven.
Thanks for the note.
Dan
Norm
Made this for the first time, very good. There is no question, this will be me chili recipe years to come!
DrDan
Hi Norm,
It is our "everyday chili" now and has been repeated many times here.
Thanks for the note.
Dan
Irene
Hi there! I would like to try and make this chili recipe this weekend, sounds delicious. I do have one question. What size crockpot are you using? I don't have a large one, I believe it is 4 quarts. Will it work for this recipe? Thank you!
DrDan
This would fill a 4 qt crockpot near the top... I think. I calculate about 13 cups here by just adding things and your 4 qt will hold 16 cups. As a general rule, a crockpot should not be filled over 75% and really 66% is a better upper limit.
But since the crockpot is more used to "simmer" the chili here and not like cook the meat, you would probable be ok. But with it that full, I would stir every few hours.
Dan
josh dickey
Just ate my my 1st bowl and loved i used diced tomatoes that had habeneros in them the cayenne pepper and added jalapenos. It had the perfect amount of spiciness. What could I add to give it a little sweetness?
DrDan
Hi Josh,
The tomato paste generally does that since it is sweeter than sauce. So if you want a touch more sweetness then half a teaspoon of brown sugar. Or try a different brand of paste, I usually use Hunts.
Thanks for the note.
Dan
Rick Ceasor
A really good simple chili recipe, that has excellent flavor. I have too many to browse through every time I wish to make chili. This will be my "go to one". Thank you.
Rick.
DrDan
Thanks Rick,
My wife still asks for her red chili. Nothing fancy just a good everyday chili.
Dan
S Arron
I found this recipe on 101 cooking for two (2), when reading this feeds 8? But there is only 2 of us? There is not notes on how to only make for Two people. That would have been a good idea for us who do not like to wast food. Thanks
DrDan
This comes up here several times per year and I do cover it in FAQs but basically cooking for two is cooking for a smaller (two) household. That frequently means leftovers. Meat recipes are usually scaleable.
I usually cut recipes down to the lowest common ingredient... one can of this,one egg etc... A recipe that calls for half a can of dice tomatoes is much more wasteful then a recipe with eatable leftovers. In this recipe, one green pepper and one can of tomato paste are the lowest divisions of ingredients that's not wasteful. Plus if I can get several meals out of equal work... it is a good thing.
Sometimes it seems like a waste of time to cut a recipe down too far. Same work for less food and the leftovers would be great. I'm working on a cinnamon roll cake now. I can make it for 4 (a one egg version) or 8 (the two egg version) I think I will publish the 8 and just note it can be cut in half. I want a lot of this recipe as leftovers and in my judgement most of the readers will also.
I alway list the number of servings. Hope that helps.
DrDan
Leslie
Loved this easy chilli, used leftover dried beans that I cooked the day before, worked out well. Thanks for all your recipes, wished you would post more often.
DrDan
Thanks for the note. I have lots of chili recipes on this site but this is just a great easy classic chili to me.
More posts? I hope someday to have the time. My day job keeps me busy and this is just a hobby for now. But better than golf...
DrDan