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Ultra close up macro food photography of cozy slow cooker beef chili with melted cheddar cheese and sour cream

Cozy Slow Cooker Chili with Ground Beef and Hearty Beans

Incredibly rich, thick, and soul-warming slow cooker chili loaded with tender browned ground beef, plump red kidney beans, black beans, fire-roasted tomatoes, and a fragrant homemade chili spice blend. An effortless dump-and-simmer autumn comfort dinner!
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 8 generous bowls
Calories: 385

Ingredients
  

For the Savory Beef & Aromatics
  • 2 lbs lean ground beef
  • 1 large yellow onion
  • 5 cloves garlic
  • 1 medium green bell pepper
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
Hearty Beans & Tomato Foundation
  • 2 cans dark red kidney beans
  • 1 can black beans
  • 1 can fire-roasted crushed tomatoes
  • 1 can tomato sauce
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1.5 cups beef bone broth
Signature Homemade Chili Seasoning
  • 2.5 tbsp chili powder
  • 1.5 tbsp ground cumin
  • 1 tbsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1.5 tsp fine sea salt
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
For Serving & Garnishes
  • 1.5 cups shredded cheddar cheese
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
  • 3 stalks green onions
  • 1 fresh jalapeño
  • 1 batch cornbread or chips

Method
 

Brown the Beef & Sauté Aromatics
  1. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, breaking it into bite-sized crumbles with a wooden spoon, until browned throughout. Drain excess grease.
  2. Stir in the diced yellow onion, green bell pepper, and minced garlic. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until softened and fragrant, then remove skillet from heat.
Load the Slow Cooker
  1. Transfer the browned beef and vegetable mixture into the base of a 6-quart or larger slow cooker.
  2. Add the drained red kidney beans, black beans, crushed fire-roasted tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, and beef bone broth. Sprinkle all the spices evenly over the top (chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and brown sugar). Stir thoroughly until completely incorporated.
Slow Cook to Thick, Hearty Perfection
  1. Cover with the slow cooker lid and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours, or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours. The chili should thicken naturally into a rich, deeply colored sauce while the beans become buttery and tender.
  2. During the final 30 minutes, uncover the slow cooker and give it a hearty stir. If you prefer an ultra-thick chili, allow it to simmer uncovered on LOW for 15 to 20 minutes.
Garnish & Serve Piping Hot
  1. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional sea salt or black pepper if desired. Ladle generous portions into deep bowls and crown with shredded sharp cheddar cheese, a dollop of cool sour cream, sliced scallions, and jalapeños. Serve immediately with warm honey skillet cornbread!

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 385kcalCarbohydrates: 36gProtein: 34gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 4.5gCholesterol: 70mgSodium: 680mgPotassium: 820mgFiber: 9gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 18IUVitamin C: 22mgCalcium: 120mgIron: 4.5mg

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