Description

This Slow Cooker Chili recipe is a hearty and flavorful dish perfect for an easy, comforting meal. Packed with a blend of ground beef, beans, tomatoes, and a mix of spices, it simmers slowly to develop a rich and deep flavor, enhanced by a hint of bittersweet dark chocolate. Ideal for gatherings or weeknight dinners, this chili can be topped with sour cream, cheddar cheese, corn chips, and scallions for added texture and taste.

Ingredients

Scale

Main Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds ground beef (85-90%)
1 white onion (finely diced)
1 green pepper (finely diced)
2 tablespoons garlic paste (or 3 cloves garlic minced)
2 tablespoons chili powder (more to taste)
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons paprika
20 oz Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilies
15 oz can tomato sauce
6 oz can tomato paste
16 oz can dark kidney beans (drained)
16 oz can light kidney beans (drained)
16 oz can white kidney beans/Cannellini beans (drained)
1 cup beef broth
1 tablespoon light brown sugar (packed)
2 teaspoons salt (more to taste)
1 teaspoon ground black pepper (more to taste)
½ ounce dark chocolate bar (60-75% bittersweet baking chocolate)
1 teaspoon tabasco sauce (optional)

Optional Toppings and Garnishes

Sour cream
Cheddar cheese
Corn chips
Scallions

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Instructions

Brown the Beef: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook it thoroughly, breaking it up as it browns, about 5 minutes. Once cooked, drain the excess fat and transfer the beef to your slow cooker.
Sauté Vegetables and Spices: Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet along with the diced onion and green pepper. Cook these until they soften, approximately 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic paste, chili powder, cumin, and paprika, cooking for another minute to bring out the flavors while stirring constantly to avoid burning the garlic. Transfer this mixture into the slow cooker with the beef.
Add Remaining Ingredients: Pour in the Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilies, tomato sauce, tomato paste, and all drained beans into the slow cooker. Add the dark chocolate bar pieces and beef broth. Stir everything together to combine, then mix in the light brown sugar, salt, and black pepper.
Slow Cook the Chili: Cover the slow cooker and cook on high for 2 to 4 hours or on low for 5 to 6 hours. This slow cooking melds all the flavors together for a rich and satisfying chili.
Serve and Garnish: Once cooked, taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve the chili hot, topped with optional sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, crunchy corn chips, and chopped scallions as desired.

Notes

For a spicier chili, increase the amount of chili powder or add more Tabasco sauce.
If you prefer a thicker chili, reduce the beef broth by half or simmer the chili uncovered for the last 30 minutes.
Using different types of beans adds texture and visual appeal.
Dark chocolate adds depth to the chili but can be omitted if unavailable; substitute with a small amount of unsweetened cocoa powder if desired.
Leftovers taste even better the next day after flavors have melded further.