• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Markie's Kitchen
  • Recipes
  • Latest
  • About
  • Contact
  • FREE Cookbook
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Latest
  • About
  • Contact
  • FREE Cookbook
    • E-mail
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Latest
    • About
    • Contact
    • FREE Cookbook
    • E-mail
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×
    • A top-down photo of a speckled bowl with creamy soup garnished with roasted mushrooms, cauliflower, pancetta and croutons.
      Mushroom and Cauliflower Soup
    • A close-up photo of a bowl with potato goulash topped with fresh parsley. The bowl is placed on a dark blue cloth and golden fork and knife.
      Potato Goulash
    • A photo of a round cake with sliced apples next to a jar of brown sugar.
      Apple Tea Cake
    • A photo of a sliced sheet-pan pizza with ham, red onion and mushrooms, with fresh basil leaves scattered on top.
      Parma Ham Pizza
    • A close up photo of a grey pot with celery and carrot soup. A golden spoon is in the top right corner, next to the pot.
      Celery and Carrot Soup
    • A photo of two goblets with chocolate mousse, decorated with a skin of orange.
      Chocolate Orange Mousse
    • A close up photo of a soft pink and grey mug with carrot soup garnished with cream, parsley and bleck pepper.
      Carrot and Leek Soup
    • A photo of two glasses on stem with creamy chocolate drink. In the background, there is a vase with pine tree twigs.
      Non-alcoholic Irish Cream (Baileys) with Chocolate
    • A plate full of gingerbread cookies
      German Gingerbread Cookies
    • A top down photo of a golden chicken and leek pie in a rectangular dish, with one portion take out. The dish is on a floral teatowel and next to a spoon.
      Chicken Ham And Leek Pie
    • A photo of a stack of bacon and cheese wraps on a slate plate, with a bowl of ketchup in the back.
      Cheese And Bacon Turnovers
    • A dark photo of three chocolate-covered apples each with different crunchy toppings. In the background, there is a tumbler with skeleton arm, and a lantern with haunted house print, and a burning candle.
      Easy Halloween Chocolate Candy Apples
    Home » Recipes » Slow Cooker

    Slow-Cooker Chili Con Carne

    Published: Oct 20, 2023 · by Markie · 9 Comments

    Jump to Recipe

    This slow-cooker chili con carne is packed with big flavours and valuable nutrients. This easy recipe is great for a weeknight dinner, and is good for batch cooking too – having a crowd to feed? This crock pot recipe is perfect for it!

    A close-up photo of a plate of chili con carne with white rice, sliced avocado, a wedge of lime and a coriander leaf. There are three lime wedges and a bunch of fresh coriander next to the plate in the background.
    Jump to:
    • Why To Love This Slow Cooker Chili Con Carne
    • Key Ingredients for Slow-Cooked Chili Con Carne
    • Substitutes & Variations
    • Recipe Instructions
    • Top Tips
    • Storage & Reheating
    • What To Serve With Chili Con Carne
    • More Slow Cooker (Crockpot) Recipes
    • 📖 The Recipe

    Why To Love This Slow Cooker Chili Con Carne

    There are many reasons why you should give this recipe a try:

    1. This recipe is very easy – just brown the meat, add vegetables, and the rest of the ingredients and leave it to cook slowly for a few hours. Your slow cooker (crock pot) will do all the hard work for you! Taco Tuesdays don’t get easier than this!
    2. This chili with meat is comforting, hearty and warming – ideal for a cosy night in!
    3. The recipe is perfect for batch cooking and making ahead – just adjust the quantities of ingredients as needed, and you serve it to your party guests or freeze it for later!
    4. This recipe is super versatile and can be served in many different ways – the meaty sauce can be served with rice, tortillas, or pour it over nachos.
    5. Lastly, classic pantry ingredients such as canned kidney beans, chopped tomatoes and tomato passata are used to make a delicious sauce, saving you time pre-soaking dry beans, or chopping fresh tomatoes.
    A top down photo of cooking ingredients. From top left: a bowl of oil, three cloves of garlic, two red bell peppers, an open can of tinned tomatoes, an onion, an open can of red kidney beans, a bag of frozen chopped coriander, a bowl with spices, a carton of tomato passata and a plate with ground beef.

    Key Ingredients for Slow-Cooked Chili Con Carne

    As mentioned before, this chili with minced beef recipe is big on taste and small on prep. It combines fresh, canned and dry ingredients, that together create a wonderfully balanced flavor. Here is what you need to make it:

    • Ground beef –a source of protein, and important vitamins (B12, B3, B1, B2, B5, B6), and minerals (iron, phosphorus, zinc). Use lean (low-fat) minced beef if you can. If using 10-20% fat beef, then do not add any rapeseed oil - there will be enough fat in the meat that will be enough for browning it.
    • A brown onion adds texture and flavor of the sauce, just like chopped garlic.
    • Canned chopped tomatoes and tomato passata give the sauce the typical red color and beautiful rich tomato taste. Choose a sweeter variety of canned tomatoes if you can, and if they aren’t sweet enough, add a small amount of sugar (½ – 1 tsp) or sweetener to the sauce.
    • Bell peppers add a sweet flavour, a bit of a crunch and color to the dish. Fresh or frozen red, green, yellow or orange bell peppers will all work in the recipe – use what you have on hand.
    • Red kidney beans add extra fiber, vitamins and minerals (iron, manganese, folate, phosphorus, B1) that are important for a balanced meal. Use canned kidney beans to shorten cooking time, ad add them just towards the end to prevent overcooking (splitting).
    • The sauce is seasoned with ground paprika, chili flakes, chopped coriander, salt and pepper.
    • Add a wedge of fresh lime and some chopped coriander (cilantro) just before serving to elevate the flavours of the sauce even more.

    For exact measurements and detailed instructions, please find the recipe card below this article.

    Substitutes & Variations

    Don’t worry if you need to swap some of the items in this recipe. Here are my suggestions on what the best substitutes are:

    • Minced meat – this recipe will work with minced pork and beef mix, minced pork or with minced turkey. Remember to add cooking oil if your chosen meat is low on fat and skip the oil if the ground meat contains more than 10% fat.
    • Tomato passata can be replaced by a tin of chopped or plum tomatoes (400g), or by fresh tomatoes (in season) with a spoonful of tomato puree.
    • Red kidney beans - use tinned cannellini beans, black beans, or sweet corn (all drained and rinsed).
    • Coriander (cilantro) – if you run out of fresh one, use dried coriander (cilantro) leaves, or frozen coriander.

    For swap ratios see the recipe card below this post.

    A collage of six photos showing how to make chili con carne in a slow cooker. Top left: browned minced meat in a pan. Top right: the same pan with added spices. Middle left: adding chopped onion and garlic. Middle right: adding red tomato sauces. Bottom left: adding sliced peppers. Bottom right: adding red kindey beans. Each photo is has a number in the corner, from 1 to 6.

    Recipe Instructions

    Before you start cooking, prepare all ingredients and the slow cooker.

    1. Brown the meat. Add spices, chopped onion and garlic.
    2. Add chopped tomatoes, tomato passata, water and chopped coriander (cilantro).
    3. Cook for 2 hours on high settings.
    4. Add sliced peppers and cook for 1 hour.
    5. Add kidney beans and cook for another 30 minutes.
    6. Serve with coriander, and a wedge of lime.

    For a more detailed recipe and ingredient list, see the recipe card at the end of this article.

    Top Tips

    See my recommendations on how to make this meal perfectly each time:

    • Cook low and slow for a richer flavor of the dish. Your slow cooker will do all the hard work in the background, whilst you can get on with your day. If you have the time, then start cooking early and enjoy the most delicious chili at the end of your day.
    • Brown the meat first. Again, if you have the time in the morning, take the extra five minutes to sear the meat on the hob. This will lock in the flavours and juices of the meat that will be a good base for the sauce. If you’re in rush, you can cook the meat directly in the slow cooker – just break it up with a wooden spoon before adding spices and other ingredients.
    • To save time prepping, cook with frozen vegetables – frozen onion, garlic, and peppers will cook well in the slow cooker. But all of these will cool the slow cooker down, so you will need to add another hour of cooking time.

    Having some passata left? Bag it and freeze it for later, or refrigerate and consume within a week from opening.

    Storage & Reheating

    You can make this recipe a few days in advance and store it for later. If that’s the case, don’t add any toppings or garnishes before refrigerating the meaty sauce. Instead, add them just before serving. This chili with ground beef will keep covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.

    This chili can be also stored frozen. Let it cool down, place it into a freezer-safe container, seal and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge or reheat straight from frozen (instructions below).

    Reheating

    Refrigerated beef chili can be easily reheated in the microwave or on the stove. Choose a method that suits you best, follow these instructions and always ensure the food is hot before serving:

    In a microwave – transfer the meaty sauce with veggies onto a microwave-safe plate or a bowl. Place into a microwave for 4-7 minutes depending on the power of your appliance (less powerful microwave ovens will need more time to warm up the food, and the other way around). Stir the contents of the bowl halfway through. This method is great for reheating individual portions, and for reheating defrosted chili con carne.

    On the hob – place the chili mix into a saucepan and set on medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer and cook gently for at least 5-7 minutes. Stir regularly to help it stop burning from the bottom of the pan. This works well for reheating several portions at a time. Use this way of reheating for reheating the chili from frozen – it will take 7-10 minutes or until piping hot.

    A top down photo of a plate of chili con carne with white rice, sliced avocado, a wedge of lime and a coriander leaf. There are three lime wedges and a bunch of fresh coriander next to the plate.

    What To Serve With Chili Con Carne

    This Tex-Mex stew is beautiful for its flavour and versatility. You can serve it with a variety of side dishes, each of them suiting many different occasions:

    • Long grain rice,
    • Tortillas,
    • Over nachos (fried tortilla chips).

    Don’t forget to add juicy toppings such as coriander (cilantro), limes, avocado (guacamole), soured cream, grated cheese (cheddar), and jalapeno peppers or fresh chilies – they will make the plates (or the whole table spread) more colorful and the meal even more delicious!

    And, of course, it will go well with a glass of frozen margarita!

    More Slow Cooker (Crockpot) Recipes

    • Slow cooker sausage casserole with pearl barley
    • Beef brisket stew with carrots and potatoes
    • Pulled pork burgers
    • Slow cooker red cabbage
    • Crockpot leek and potato soup

    📖 The Recipe

    A close-up photo of a plate of chili con carne with white rice, sliced avocado, a wedge of lime and a coriander leaf. There are three lime wedges and a bunch of fresh coriander next to the plate in the background.

    Slow-Cooker Chili Con Carne

    Markie | MarkiesKitchen.com
    American-Mexican stew with minced beef and beans. Packed with flavors and nutrients and so easy! Perfect for a mid-week dinner or a dinner party.
    5 from 1 vote
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 3 hours hrs
    Total Time 3 hours hrs 15 minutes mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American, Mexican
    Servings 5
    Calories 398 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 500 g minced beef, lean
    • 1 onion, roughly chopped
    • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
    • 2 bell peppers, sliced
    • 1 teaspoon paprika
    • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
    • ½ - 1 teaspoon chilli flakes and/or chilli pepper, sliced, to taste
    • 400 g can chopped tomatoes
    • 500 ml tomato passata
    • 200 ml cold water
    • 400 g can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
    • salt and black pepper, to taste

    For serving

    • chopped coriander (cilantro), lime

    Toppings (optional)

    • grated cheese, cheddar, soured cream, jalapeno peppers, avocado

    Instructions
     

    • Remove the inner non-stick bowl from your slow cooker. Place it on a stove, add rapeseed oil and set on medium-high heat. When hot, add the minced beef and fry until brown from all sides.
    • Carefully transfer the bowl black into the slow cooker (use protective gloves as the surface will be hot!). Season with paprika, smoked paprika, chili flakes, salt and pepper. Add chopped onion and garlic and stir.
    • Add chopped tomatoes, tomato passata, water and chopped coriander (cilantro). Stir thoroughly, cover and cook for 2 hours on high setting (4 hours on low setting).
    • Add sliced peppers and cook for 1 hour (2 hrs on low setting).
    • Add red kidney beans and cook for another 30 minutes (1 hr on low setting).
    • Serve with rice, freshly chopped coriander, and lime wedges, or your favourite toppings.

    Notes

    Possible swaps (1:1 ratio unless stated otherwise):
      • Ground pork and beef mix, ground pork, or ground turkey. Add cooking oil if the meat is lean - and skip the oil if the ground meat has more than 10% fat.
      • Tomato passata - use canned chopped or plum tomatoes (400g), or 12 fresh tomatoes (in season) + 1tbsp tomato puree.
      • Tinned cannellini beans, black beans, or sweet corn (all drained and rinsed).
      • Dried coriander (cilantro) leaves, or frozen coriander.
    Top Tips, Storage & Reheating: See the article above this recipe card.

    Nutritional Information (Estimates Only)

    Calories: 398kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 71mg | Sodium: 424mg | Potassium: 1247mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 2478IU | Vitamin C: 82mg | Calcium: 99mg | Iron: 6mg
    Keyword beef, chili, chili con carne, minced meat
    Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was! Give a star rating if you enjoyed it, this helps other readers who are looking for recipes like this!

    You may also like

    • A bowl with cooked beef, carrots, potatoes and onion in a sauce.
      Hearty Beef Brisket Stew
    • A close of photo of a burger with pulled meat, red sauce, coleslaw, sliced tomato and sliced red onion, in a brioche bun with white and black sesame seeds. Behind is another burger, a portion of chips and a glass of beer and a beer bottle.
      Pulled Pork Burger
    • A top-down photo of a table spread with a bowl of red cabbage, and a plate of roast dinner with a roast chicken leg, braised red cabbage and dumplings.
      Slow-Cooked Red Cabbage
    • A photo of a leek and potato soup served with cream, chopped herbs and crusty bread.
      Slow Cooker Leek And Potato Soup

    About Markie

    Hi there! I'm a passionate home cook, food blogger and photographer. I enjoy making great food without having to run to the shop every day. I'm here to help you cook easy and delicious meals from classic pantry ingredients. More about me

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Tra Italia e Finlandia

      October 16, 2020 at 7:40 am

      I like chili con carne and i make it willingly! 🙂

      Reply
      • Country Girl in London

        October 16, 2020 at 8:14 am

        That's great! What is yourite side dish to go with it? 🙂

        Reply
        • Tra Italia e Finlandia

          October 16, 2020 at 7:35 am

          I like red rice cooked the Pilaf method..

          Reply
          • Country Girl in London

            October 16, 2020 at 8:39 am

            That sounds like a great combination! 🙂

            Reply
        • Country Girl in London

          October 16, 2020 at 8:15 am

          Your favourite *

          Reply
    2. kutubuku

      October 16, 2020 at 11:06 am

      Love it! I tend to make it meat-free version with those plant-based meat because we try to eat less meat (not vegetarian yet) and it worked just fine!

      Reply
      • Country Girl in London

        October 16, 2020 at 1:10 pm

        Thank you! That's a great option too, I agree! 🙂 Have a lovely weekend ahead! X

        Reply
    3. Charlie DeSando

      October 16, 2020 at 1:10 pm

      Looks great!

      Reply
      • Country Girl in London

        October 16, 2020 at 1:11 pm

        Thank you!

        Reply
    5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

    Share Your Thoughts Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    a profile picture of Markie

    Hi! My name is Markie and I'm here to help you cook easy and achievable meals that won't break your budget!

    I'm on a mission to provide you with awesome and quick recipes that feed the whole family and busy households.

    Enjoy your time here!

    More about me →

    Trending Recipes

    • A close-up photo of three slices of apple strudel dusted with icing sugar and cinnamon powder.
    • A top down photo of a plate stacked with baked cheesy goods next to a small bowl with butter and decorated with fresh parsley.
    • A top down photo of two bowls with pumpkin and carrot soup. The bowls are on a dark scratched grey table top, next to a cobalt blue tea towel, and a few pieces of sourdough bread. There is a wooden spatula on top and bunch of fresh parsley in the top right corner of the picture.
    • A close up photo of a red velvet muffin with frosting on top.
    • A top down photo of three canapes with prosciutto, dried tomatoes and herbs.
    • A photo of three glass mugs with red wine, spices and sliced oranges, next to a candle, sliced orange and flowers.
    • A photo of a glass with coffee and cream, and mince pies on a side.
    • A close up photo of sundried tomato spread in a glass bowl, served with parsley
    • A close-up photo of a plate of chili con carne with white rice, sliced avocado, a wedge of lime and a coriander leaf. There are three lime wedges and a bunch of fresh coriander next to the plate in the background.
    • a top down photo of a pot with a stew, laying on a napkin.

    Follow me

    • E-mail
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

    Footer

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Web Stories
    • Disclaimer

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up for emails and updates and never miss a recipe again!

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Work with Me

    Copyright © 2025 Markie's Kitchen

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.