A practical slow cooker recipe with ingredients, method, timing, storage notes, and quick answers before you cook.
Lila Park
Prep: 15 min. Cook: 6 hr. Serves: 8.
Slow cooker chili is built for practical home cooking: clear ingredients, a straightforward method, and enough flexibility to fit a normal weeknight or weekend meal.
ground beef, beans, tomatoes, chili powder, and onion
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion
2 carrots
2 celery stalks
3 cloves garlic
6 cups broth
1 tsp dried herbs
salt and pepper
lemon juice or vinegar
Cook onion, carrot, and celery in oil until softened. Add garlic and herbs for the last minute.
Add broth and ground beef, beans, tomatoes, chili powder, and onion. Simmer until everything is tender and the flavors come together.
Season slow cooker chili with salt, pepper, and a small splash of lemon juice or vinegar before serving.
Soup tastes flat until it has enough salt and a little acid.
Simmer gently; a hard boil can make meat tough and vegetables mushy.
Taste before serving and adjust with salt, pepper, citrus, herbs, or sauce depending on the dish.
Refrigerate up to 5 days.
Freeze up to 3 months. Add noodles, rice, or herbs fresh after reheating.
Yes. Leave out delicate dairy, noodles, or fresh herbs until reheating if possible.
Simmer uncovered, blend part of the soup, or add a small slurry of cornstarch and water.
It likely needs more salt, acid, or a longer simmer.
Slow cooker chili takes about 15 min prep + 6 hr cook, not counting optional resting or chilling time.
