Slow Cooker Beefy Three-Bean Chili is a hearty bowl of comfort food goodness, easy to adjust to your preferred spice level and delicious with toppings!
Today I'm super excited to be sharing one of my family's favorite recipes from my new Real Food Slow Cooker Suppers cookbook...Beefy Three-Bean Chili!
Now don't get me wrong, I'm a Texas girl through and through, and "true Texas chili" is made with big chunks of beef and no beans. This chili, on the other hand, is loaded with ground beef as well as three different types of beans -- pintos, kidneys, and black beans. So no, it's not Texas chili, but it is completely delicious...hearty, comforting, and full of flavor!
How to Make It
This recipe comes together in a matter of minutes. And it's super easy!
- Brown a pound of ground beef.
- Toss it in the slow cooker with the other ingredients.
- Let it cook!
See? Easy.
Ingredients
So what are the secrets to this chili's great flavor? In addition to the aforementioned browned beef and canned beans, you'll need:
- Garlic.
- Diced tomatoes. I prefer fire-roasted, when possible.
- A perfect balance of chili spices and seasonings. See the recipe for details. 😉
- A bottle of dark Mexican beer for depth of flavor, although you may certainly substitute beef broth. And...
- A minced chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, for heat with a touch of smokiness.
You Can't Handle the Heat! (Or Can You?)
It's actually easy to customize the spice level of your chili by adding your chipotle accordingly.
For mild chili, simply stir a spoonful of adobo sauce into your chili and forgo the chipotle pepper itself.
For slightly spicy chili, slice open a chipotle, scrape out and discard the seeds, and then mince up the pepper to add to the chili.
And for chili with more kick, add some extra adobo sauce, leave the chipotle seeds intact, or increase the number of peppers used.
Garnishes
One of my favorite things about chili is dressing it up with lots of yummy toppings. My crew enjoys this Beefy Three-Bean Chili with a dollop of sour cream, a pinch of grated cheddar, and a sprinkle of fresh chopped cilantro on top. But feel free to go crazy with your favorite garnishes -- diced avocado, crumbled cotija cheese, a squeeze of lime...the world is your chili bowl!
So who's ready to ring in crisp fall weather with a steamy bowl of chili? This beef- and bean-loaded slow cooker version is not only tasty and satisfying, but it makes the whole house smell incredible as it pretty much cooks itself. Hope your whole family loves it as much as mine does!
More Slow Cooker Soups
- Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Soup
- Slow Cooker Loaded Baked Potato Soup
- The Best Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup
- Slow Cooker Ham & Bean Soup
Slow Cooker Beefy Three-Bean Chili
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- Salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed & drained
- 1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed & drained
- 1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed & drained
- 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, minced (scrape out & discart the seeds for less heat)
- 1 teaspoon adobo sauce, more or less to taste
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 = (14.5-ounce) can fire-roasted (OR regular) diced tomatoes
- 1 (12-ounce) bottle dark beer, such as Shiner Bock or Negro Modelo (OR you may substitute beef broth)
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons dried Mexican oregano
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
For Serving:
- sour cream, shredded cheese, fresh chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Brown the ground beef in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until it is cooked through. Drain the grease and season with the salt and pepper to taste.
- In a large slow cooker, combine the cooked ground beef, black beans, pinto beans, kidney beans, chiptole pepper, adobo sauce, garlic, diced tomatoes, beer, chili powder, cumin, coriander, Mexican oregano, and paprika. Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, or on high for 3 to 4 hours. Adjust the seasonings with additional salt and pepper, if desired. Serve with a dollop of sour cream, a pinch of shredded cheese, and a sprinkle of cilantro.
EQUIPMENT NEEDED
Notes
Recipe originally shared at Yellow Bliss Road
Willis
Why not replace one type of beans with a can of refried beans. It will give another depth of flavor and texture.
Samantha at Five Heart Home
Go for it! 🙂
Melissa - living in the Florida heat
Took a moment to check online for a slow cooker oatmeal recipe; so glad I checked out your sight. Some of these soups look great. We eat less meat than in previous years, so many of them fit our lifestyle with just a few adjustments.
Samantha at Five Heart Home
I'm happy to hear that, Melissa! I hope you find lots of recipes here that fit your style of cooking (or that can be easily adapted to fit it). 🙂