How to Make The Best Slow Cooker Cowboy Chili

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This slow cooker cowboy chili is the perfect comfort meal to make during the fall. With ingredients like ground beef, beans, veggies, and a whole lot of spices, this meal is nourishing and so easy to make. It’s time to pull out the slow cooker again to learn how to make the best slow cooker cowboy chili.

Slow cooker cowboy chili is the kind of hearty dinner that makes a busy day feel a little easier. This meal is packed with ground beef, beans, tomatoes, and plenty of warm spices. It simmers low and slow until all of the flavors come together. It’s an easy, filling dinner that’s perfect for busy weeknights, feeding a hungry crowd, and those chilly fall evenings that are just around the corner.

Why You’ll Love This Slow Cooker Recipe

No measuring – If you are looking for precise measurements I have them listed in the recipe card below. But just know that this recipe doesn’t require measuring in order to taste delicious!

Minimal prep – The only prep needed for this meal is to dice the onion and any veggies you’d like, and slightly browning the meat. That’s it! Once those are done, all you have to do is throw everything in the slow cooker and carry on with your day.

Helpful during busy season – No matter what time of year it is, we all have so many things we want or need to get done. Since we’ll be using the slow cooker for this recipe, we can have dinner going in the background while getting through all the things.

Tips

• I highly recommend draining the juice and rinsing the beans before adding them to the slow cooker. This helps with preventing gas!
• I always recommend browning meat at least 80% of the way through because it’s always better to be safe than sorry. It also gives you the opportunity to drain some of the fat that comes from the beef. If you want something a little leaner I’d go for ground turkey instead.
• If you are adding sour cream or shredded cheese on top, wait until the chili has cooled a little bit before adding. Otherwise the sour cream and cheese will disappear. When I say disappear, I mean it will literally melt so fast it will look like you didn’t add anything at all! haha

Slow Cooker Cowboy Chili Add-In Ideas

Traditional chili (at least here in Texas) typically involves beef and beans, but you can add veggies you have in your fridge. Here are some ideas for different ways to spice up your chili.

Bell peppers

Jalapeños – or any spicy pepper.

Celery

Sweet potatoes – to keep you fuller longer.

Salsas – adding in half used jars of salsa is an excellent way to free up fridge space, and a free way to add more glass jars to use as food storage!

Rice or pasta – I would add these towards the end so the rice or noodles don’t get soggy. This also helps stretch this chili to make it last longer throughout the week.

Beans – Any beans you have on hand. Make sure to drain and rinse them first.

Cabbage – for added crunch.

Sour cream – Greek yogurt or cottage cheese are great substitutes.

Shredded cheese

Tools You May Need

Slow cooker

Cutting board

Knife

Large skillet

Spatula

Slow Cooker Cowboy Chili Ingredients

Here is everything you need to make this cozy fall meal.

Oil or butter – for sautéing

Diced onions

Ground beef – Or ground turkey for a leaner meat.

Black beans – I used canned beans and drained them.

Corn – Also used canned and drained the water.

Canned diced tomatoes – You can also use rotel for added spice.

Tomato paste

Veggie broth – You can use any broth or stock you have on hand.

Spices – Chili powder, cumin, cayenne powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper to taste. These are the spices I used, but feel free to add any other spices you like to add to chili.

How to Make the Best Slow Cooker Cowboy Chili

Add a tablespoon of olive oil or butter to your large skillet and sauté your diced onions and veggies on low-medium heat until the onions become fragrant.

Tip: This is called “sweating” the onions. It will allow the natural sugars in the onion to come forward. This takes away the sharpness of the raw onion and mellows out the flavors a bit.

Once you’re done sautéing your veggies add them to the slow cooker.

Brown the ground beef in the same skillet and add your spices.

After the beef is about 80% browned, take a large spoon or spatula and separate the beef from the fat by gently pressing the beef against the side of the pan.

Once most of the fat as separated from the beef, add it to the slow cooker.

Next add about a tablespoon of tomato paste to the meat and veggie mixture. This is what is going to make the broth thicker.

Add in one can of diced tomatoes (include the juice), black beans (drained), and corn (drained).

Include the same spices used to season the meat into the slow cooker and mix until well combined.

Once everything is coated, add the veggie broth and mix well again.

Cook the cowboy chili in the slow cooker on low for 6 – 8 hours, or on high for about 4 hours and enjoy!

Storage

This meal can be stored in an air tight container in the fridge for about 4 days and in the freezer for about 3 months.

If you try out this Slow Cooker Cowboy Chili, please rate it and leave a comment below. This helps other readers decide if this is a great recipe to make. Also, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram @goldenhourgrains so I can see what you’re making!

More Easy Recipes To Try:

How to Make the Best Spicy White Bean Dip

Blueberry Feta Salad with Oven Roasted Chicken

Easy Ranch Dip and Seasoning

Jalapeño Popper Sourdough with Summer Peaches

If you tried this recipe and liked it, I would love it if you gave it 5 stars! Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram @goldenhourgrains.

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