This 5-ingredient slow cooker beef chili is the kind of no-fuss recipe I lean on when I want dinner handled hours before a big weekend gathering. It starts with browned ground beef for that deep, savory flavor, then simmers away in the slow cooker into a rustic crimson pot of thick, hearty goodness. No fancy steps, no long ingredient list—just simple pantry staples that come together into the kind of bowl my family asks for again and again, especially when the house is full and I’d rather be visiting than cooking.
Serve this chili in deep bowls with a basket of warm cornbread or crusty rolls on the table. It’s also great over baked potatoes or steamed rice if you want to stretch it for a crowd. Put out simple toppings like shredded cheddar, sour cream, sliced green onions, and hot sauce so everyone can build their own favorite bowl. A crisp green salad or a tray of raw veggies with ranch dressing rounds out the meal and adds a little freshness beside the rich, hearty chili.
5-Ingredient Slow Cooker Beef ChiliServings: 6
Ingredients
2 pounds lean ground beef
2 cans (15 ounces each) chili beans in mild sauce, undrained
2 cans (14.5 ounces each) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
3 tablespoons chili powder (mild or medium, to taste)
Salt and black pepper to taste (optional, not counted toward 5 ingredients)
Nonstick cooking spray or 1 teaspoon oil for browning (optional, not counted toward 5 ingredients)
Directions
Lightly spray a large skillet with nonstick cooking spray (or add a teaspoon of oil) and warm it over medium-high heat.
Add the ground beef to the hot skillet. Cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until it is well browned and no pink remains, about 7–10 minutes.
Drain off any excess grease from the browned beef to keep the chili from becoming too oily.
Transfer the drained, browned ground beef to the slow cooker crock.
Add the chili beans with their sauce, the diced tomatoes with their juices, and the tomato sauce to the slow cooker.
Sprinkle the chili powder evenly over the mixture in the slow cooker. Stir everything together until the beef, beans, tomatoes, and seasoning are well combined and the mixture looks evenly mixed and richly red.
Cover and cook on LOW for 6–8 hours or on HIGH for 3–4 hours, until the chili is thick, bubbling gently around the edges, and the flavors have melded into a deep, savory, crimson stew.
Taste the chili and season with salt and black pepper if needed, stirring well. If the chili is thicker than you like, you can stir in a few tablespoons of water or beef broth; if it is thinner than you like, leave the lid off and cook on HIGH for another 15–20 minutes to reduce slightly.
Switch the slow cooker to WARM for serving, give the chili a final stir so the surface is glossy and even, and ladle into bowls with your favorite toppings.
Variations & Tips
For milder palates or picky eaters, use mild chili powder and mild chili beans, and set hot sauce on the side so everyone can adjust their own heat level. If you’d like a smokier flavor, add 1 teaspoon smoked paprika or a small pinch of chipotle powder along with the chili powder (this will technically add to the ingredient list, but it’s an easy tweak if your family likes smoke). To sneak in extra veggies, stir in 1–2 cups of finely chopped bell peppers, onions, or carrots when you add the tomatoes; they’ll soften and almost melt into the sauce during the long simmer. For a slightly sweeter, kid-friendly twist, you can add 1–2 teaspoons of brown sugar or a drizzle of honey to balance the tomatoes’ acidity. If you want a leaner version, use 90% or 93% lean ground beef and be sure to drain off any fat after browning; you can also swap half of the beef for ground turkey, keeping food safety in mind by cooking poultry thoroughly before adding to the slow cooker.
Food safety tips: Always brown the ground beef completely until no pink remains before adding it to the slow cooker—this helps ensure it reaches a safe temperature quickly and also improves flavor. Use a clean spoon each time you taste and adjust seasoning, and don’t leave the slow cooker on the WARM setting for more than 4 hours once the chili is done. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of serving in shallow containers so they cool quickly, and reheat to a full simmer before eating. Leftover chili will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days and freezes well for up to 3 months.
