Description
Hearty Slow Cooker Chili brings robust southwestern flavors to your dinner table with minimal kitchen effort. Packed with ground beef, beans, and rich spices, this comforting meal wraps you in warmth and satisfaction.
Ingredients
Scale
Primary Proteins:
- 2 lbs (0.9 kg) lean ground beef
- 1 (15 oz/425 g) can dark red kidney beans
- 1 (15 oz/425 g) can light red kidney beans
Vegetables and Aromatics:
- 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 2 (14.5 oz/411 g) cans diced tomatoes with green chilies
- 3 (8 oz/227 g) cans tomato sauce
Spices and Seasonings:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) beef broth
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- shredded cheddar cheese, for serving
Instructions
- Sauté diced onions and minced garlic in olive oil until they become translucent and fragrant, releasing their aromatic essence in a skillet over medium heat.
- Transfer the golden-tinged aromatic mixture into the slow cooker, creating a flavorful base for the robust chili.
- Introduce ground beef to the slow cooker, breaking it into small crumbles and mixing thoroughly with the onion and garlic foundation.
- Pour in diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and beef broth, creating a rich liquid environment for the chili to develop its deep flavors.
- Sprinkle a harmonious blend of chili powder, cumin, paprika, cocoa powder, sugar, coriander, salt, and pepper over the ingredients, ensuring an even distribution of spices.
- Gently stir all components until well incorporated, allowing the spices to meld and infuse the liquid with complex, layered seasonings.
- Set the slow cooker to low temperature and let the chili simmer for 6-7 hours, allowing the flavors to intensify and the meat to become incredibly tender.
- During the final hour of cooking, introduce kidney beans, stirring them gently into the bubbling mixture to warm through and absorb the surrounding flavors.
- Once cooking is complete, ladle the steaming chili into serving bowls and crown with a generous sprinkle of shredded cheddar cheese for a creamy, tangy finish.
Notes
- Brown the meat thoroughly before adding to the slow cooker to lock in deep, rich flavors and prevent a watery texture.
- Drain excess fat from ground beef to reduce greasiness and create a cleaner-tasting chili.
- Use low-sodium broth and adjust salt levels to control overall sodium content for health-conscious individuals.
- For a vegetarian version, swap ground beef with plant-based crumbles or extra beans and increase spices for robust taste.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours (low) or 4 hours (high)
- Category: Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 360
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg