Farmhouse Slow Cooker Chili
Farmhouse Slow Cooker Chili is a thick and hearty chili made with seasoned ground beef, black beans, kidney beans, tomatoes, and green chiles. A touch of Worcestershire and brown sugar adds extra depth to the rich tomato base, while the slow cooker brings all the flavors together. It's an easy, cozy dinner that's perfect for chilly nights, game days, or feeding the whole family.
Ingredients
Optional Toppings
How to Make Farmhouse Slow Cooker Chilins
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Brown the beef.
Add the ground beef and diced onion to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook for about 7–8 minutes, breaking the beef into crumbles as it cooks, until the beef is browned and the onion has softened. Drain excess grease if necessary.
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Add the garlic and tomato paste.
Add the minced garlic and tomato paste to the skillet. Cook for about 1 minute, stirring frequently. Cooking the tomato paste briefly helps deepen its flavor.
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Add the seasonings.
Stir in the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, garlic salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper, if using. Cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
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Transfer to the slow cooker.
Transfer the seasoned beef mixture to the slow cooker.
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Add the remaining ingredients.
Add the black beans, kidney beans, diced tomatoes with their juices, diced tomatoes with green chiles, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and brown sugar. Stir everything together until well combined.
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Slow cook.
Cover and cook on LOW for 6–8 hours or HIGH for 3–4 hours.
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Finish the chili.
Stir well and taste before serving. Adjust the seasonings if necessary. If you'd like the chili thicker, remove the lid and cook on HIGH for another 20–30 minutes.
Serve hot with your favorite toppings.
Note
Don't add extra liquid at the beginning.
The tomatoes and tomato sauce provide plenty of liquid as the chili cooks. Keeping additional broth out helps create a thick, hearty chili rather than a soupy consistency.
Adjust the heat.
For a mild chili, leave out the cayenne and use mild diced tomatoes with green chiles. For more heat, add the cayenne or use hot diced tomatoes with green chiles.
Don't skip browning the beef.
Browning the ground beef and onions before adding them to the slow cooker creates better flavor and prevents excess grease from ending up in the finished chili.
The brown sugar shouldn't make it sweet.
One tablespoon is there to balance the acidity of the tomatoes. If you prefer a sharper tomato flavor, reduce it to 2 teaspoons or leave it out.
For an extra-thick chili:
Let the finished chili cook uncovered on HIGH for 20–30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
More Cozy Slow Cooker Recipes
If you love this slow cooker chili, try our Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup for another cozy family dinner, or browse all of our Slow Cooker Recipes for more easy meals that do most of the work for you.
How to Make It Gluten-Free
This chili is naturally easy to make gluten-free. Check the labels on the Worcestershire sauce, canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, beans, and seasonings to ensure they're gluten-free and haven't been exposed to cross-contamination.
Everything else in the recipe is naturally gluten-free.
Storage & Reheating
Store leftover chili in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Reheat individual portions in the microwave or warm the chili gently in a saucepan over medium-low heat.
Can You Freeze Farmhouse Slow Cooker Chili?
Yes. Chili freezes very well.
Allow it to cool completely, then transfer it to freezer-safe containers or bags and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
This would also be a great recipe to freeze in individual portions for easy lunches.
