This Crock Pot Beef and Three Bean Chili is a hearty, make ahead chili recipe that’s loaded with vegetables, browned beef and so much flavor from all the spices! It can easily be made vegan or in the instant pot! It’s the perfect comforting dinner that can be made year round.
Want more Crock Pot Chili Recipes? Then you need to try my White Chicken Chili Recipe!
Table of Contents
- Beef and Three Bean Chili
- What type of beans are in chili?
- Are kidney beans the same as chili beans?
- Ingredients you’ll need for this Three Bean Chili:
- How to make Crock Beef and Three Bean Chili?
- Can I make this chili Vegetarian?
- Can I make this in the Instant Pot?
- Can I freeze this Chili?
- Best Toppings for Chili:
- More Chili Recipes you need to try:
- Get the Recipe
Beef and Three Bean Chili
One of my favorite comfort foods on a cool fall day is chili! I love the rich full depth flavor of chili! It’s basically telling you “curl up on the couch with me and watch a movie.” The vegetables, the beans, tomatoes, spices, and beef. It is one well rounded orchestra of a meal that you really don’t need to add much to. Growing up, it was something that we use to eat quite often. Probably because Wisconsin was freaking cold in the winter and chili was the best way to warm up!
I usually make my chili on the stove but with all the crock pot recipes out there I thought I would change it up. This chili recipe has loads of vegetables in it as well as some “not so typical” chili seasonings. I actually like the way this turned out in the crock pot better than on the stove. As my husband says, “it has a more well rounded flavor.” haha I think he’s been watching too much of the Food Network. But he’s right, it is delicious and definitely! I promise it will be your new favorite recipe. If I could virtually share some with you now I would.
What type of beans are in chili?
Are kidney beans the same as chili beans?
Ingredients you’ll need for this Three Bean Chili:
Chili is a great place to add extra vegetables, so you’ll see a few extra ingredients that you might not normally add. Just trust me and add them! You’re going to love it. Here are the ingredients you’ll need.
- Ground Beef: I buy grass fed and use 85% lean 15% fat, you could use 80/20 too if you’d like.
- Avocado Oil: for sautéing the onions and ground beef
- Onion: I like to sauté my onions before I add them to the crock pot, it adds so much more flavor. For chili I prefer to use yellow or sweet onion, however red onion would work for this as well.
- Bell Peppers: I use both diced green and red peppers in this recipe.
- Carrots: I know, carrots are not a common ingredient in chili. But trust me, they add a nice crunch factor, sweetness and nutrients. You won’t even notice them.
- Chipotle Peppers: I love adding diced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce for a little spice and smokiness to my chili. I add this to almost all my chili recipes, it’s one of my secret flavor weapons. You can find a can or a jar of this in your international aisle or latin food section.
- Tomatoes: This recipe calls for a trio of tomatoes as well. I use organic, no salt added: crushed tomatoes, diced fire roasted tomatoes and tomato sauce.
- Beef Broth: Adding beef broth gives you even more depth of flavor to this chili, it’s my secret ingredient in chili. You could sub with vegetable broth or even water if you’d like.
- Spices: What is chili without a party of spices? My go to spices for chili are cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, coriander and oregano. Sometimes I add cinnamon in too, just to change it up.
- Beans: This recipe calls for three types of beans. You’ll need black beans, red kidney beans, and pinto beans.
How to make Crock Beef and Three Bean Chili?
This recipe is primarily made in the crock pot, however you do need to cook the ground beef before it goes into the crockpot. Heres how to make this easy chili recipe:
- Heat a skillet to medium high heat. Add avocado oil and onion to the skillet. Saute until translucent, about 2-3 minutes.
- Next, add ground beef to the skillet. Cook until beef is no longer pink, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon throughout the cooking process.
- Once, meat is cooked through. Place ground beef mixture, red and green pepper, carrots, chipotle peppers, crushed tomatoes, diced fire roasted tomatoes, tomato sauce, beef broth, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, coriander and oregano.
- Stir, cover, and cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours or LOW for 6-7 hours.
- Then add black beans, kidney beans and pinto beans.
- Cook for an additional 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper as needed
- Serve with shredded cheddar cheese, sliced green onions, and diced avocado.
Can I make this chili Vegetarian?
Yes! To make this Crock Pot Chili vegetarian just sub the ground beef with 3 cups dish sweet potatoes and sub the beef broth with vegetable broth. You’ll love the vegetarian version of this as well!
Can I make this in the Instant Pot?
Yes! You can definitely make this in the instant. Just follow the directions below.
- Turn Instant Pot to Saute mode. Add avocado oil and onion to the skillet. Saute until translucent, about 2-3 minutes.
- Next, add ground beef to the skillet. Cook until beef is no longer pink, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon throughout the cooking process.
- Then add red and green pepper, carrots, chipotle peppers, crushed tomatoes, diced fire roasted tomatoes, tomato sauce, beef broth, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, coriander and oregano. Cancel Saute mode. Turn on Soup/Chili Mode (or pressure cooker mode) for 30 minutes. Do a natural release.
- Add in black beans, kidney beans and pinto beans. Turn on Saute mode for 20 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.
Can I freeze this Chili?
This chili recipe is freezer friendly. To freeze, allow chili to completely cool. Place in a freezer safe storage bag or container, I like to label with the date I made it. Place in freezer, chili will keep for 3 months.
Best Toppings for Chili:
Let’s be real for a second. Chili is awesome. But chili with “all the fixins,” that’s even better! Here are our favorite ways to top our chili. What are yours?
- Diced Avocado
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese
- Diced Green Onions
- Pickled Onions
- Pickled Jalapenos (or fresh)
- Fritos (or tortilla chips)
- Sour Cream or Plain Greek Yogurt
- Queso Fresco
- Limes
- Hot Sauce
More Chili Recipes you need to try:
- The Best 30 Minute Beef Chili Recipe
- Instant Pot Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili
- The Best Instant Pot Chili (with steak)
- Crock Pot Quinoa Vegetarian Chili
- Smoky Lentil Chili
Crock Pot Beef and Three Bean Chili Recipe
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours 30 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours 45 minutes
- Yield: 10-12 1x
- Category: Soups
- Method: Crock Pot
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This Crock Pot Beef and Three Bean Chili is a hearty, make ahead chili recipe that’s loaded with vegetables, browned beef and so much flavor from all the spices! It can easily be made vegan or in the instant pot! It’s the perfect comforting dinner!
Ingredients
- 1 lb. of ground beef
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1 1/2 cup of onion, diced
- 1 red pepper, diced
- 2 green pepper, diced
- 3 carrots, peeled and diced
- 1 teaspoon diced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- 28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes
- 15 oz. can of diced fire roasted tomatoes
- 15 oz. can tomato sauce, no salt added
- 1 cups of beef broth
- 1 1/2 tablespoons of cumin
- 2 tablespoons of chili powder
- 1 tablespoon of smoked paprika
- 1/2 tablespoon of coriander
- 1/2 tablespoon of oregano
- 15 oz. can of black beans, drained and rinsed
- 15 oz. can of kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 15 oz. can of pinto beans, drained and rinsed
Toppings (Optional)
- Green Onions, sliced
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese
- Avocado, diced
- Jalapeno
- Sour Cream
Instructions
- Heat a skillet to medium high heat. Add avocado oil and onion to the skillet. Saute until translucent, about 2-3 minutes.
- Next, add ground beef to the skillet. Cook until beef is no longer pink, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon throughout the cooking process.
- Once, meat is cooked through. Place ground beef mixture, red and green pepper, carrots, chipotle peppers, crushed tomatoes, diced fire roasted tomatoes, tomato sauce, beef broth, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, coriander and oregano.
- Stir, cover, and cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours or LOW for 6-7 hours.
- Then add black beans, kidney beans and pinto beans.
- Cook for an additional 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper as needed
- Serve with shredded cheddar cheese, sliced green onions, and diced avocado.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups
- Calories: 395
- Sugar: 14 g
- Fat: 8 g
- Fiber: 17 g
- Protein: 28 g
Keywords: Three Bean Chili Recipe, Chili Recipe, Beef Chili Recipe, Crock Pot Chili Recipe, Easy Chili Recipe, Slow Cooker Chili, How to make Three Bean Chili, Three Bean Chili, Ground Beef Chili
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51 comments on “Crock Pot Beef and Three Bean Chili Recipe”
This was amazing! I love this time of year for delicious soups like this and the 3 bean combo was stellar in this gem. My kids even liked it which really says something! Thank you! 🙂
★★★★
I couldn’t agree more! Thrilled it was a hit with everyone!
Joy once again succeeds in creating beautiful yumminess. Thank you thank you.
Thank you!! Thank you!! Glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you! So happy you enjoyed this recipe!
This looks like a fantastic recipe. I’ve searching for a chili recipe for the slow cooker with a great flavour, the chipotle should cover that. There is one ingredient I am not familiar with and I’m not sure I’ll be able to find here in Winnipeg (Canada), the can of sweet can. I’ve never heard of this ingredient, what is it? Is there something I can substitute for this?
Thanks
Oh… its a typo. It should say sweet corn not sweet can. I don’t know what that is either.. haha.. so basically you just need a can of corn to put into the chili. 🙂 Sorry for the confusion. I just updated it, good catch Lynn! Thanks so much, I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
This looks AMAZING!!! I adore chili and this looks much better than my recipe! I( will most definitely have to try it!
Totally my favorite chili of all time, plus there are so many veggies packed into this one. Hope you have a great rest of the weekend Chris, thanks for the sweet comments!
Great recipe – sounds delish! I love great slow cooker meals. Your blog design and photos are fantastic.
Thanks Lisa, your too sweet. That means alot!
Thats what I love about this meal too, slow cooker are a life saver. Especially for a mommy! 🙂 Thanks for stopping by girl, hope you have a great rest of the weekend!
That right there is a hearty looking chili! I might have to put that on the menu for next week!
haha.. yes it is! Plus packed with veggies, but with the heat this chili packed I can guarantee any man will down this stuff. 🙂 Its a great superbowl option! Thanks for stopping by Rabia!
Yep. This will be happening on the next pay day. I love love love me a good chili and absolutely SUCK at making it on the stove. Tried about 1,000 recipes and bombed every single one of them. My mother can make it from scratch and apparently didn’t pass on that gene. So I will most definitely be throwing this baby in!
haha.. nice. Well hopefully after you make this one your chili recipe search will be done and you can reclaim the “gene” that was rightfully yours. 🙂 Hope you like it Kendra. P.S. if you like it hot then add 1-2 more chipotle peppers {we usually do that, I just didn’t want to blow the socks off of people buy putting that in the recipe hehe}
I’ve been wanting to make a homemade chili but just haven’t gotten to it yet. Yours looks yummy but I’m afraid my husband might snub his nose at it if he’s sees too many veggies. He’s so picky!
haha… my dad is the same way. While they were here over Christmas I made this dish and he loved it. He did make a comment about the veggies but he said it was still good. 🙂 Men!!! Sheesh. 🙂 Can’t live with them can’t live without them. hehe Hope you have a great rest fo the week!
I love CHILI!! Looking forward to your recipes and tips!
Me too! One of my all time favorite comfort foods! 🙂 Thanks for stopping by Christie and the follow, your too sweet! 🙂
Yum! I could go for this for lunch today! 🙂
I know right!? Especially with all the cold weather lately! Thanks for stopping by Jennifer!
Yum! I love how you’ve put in carrots and peppers in this! I might have to try this recipe tonight!
Thanks Nicole, its my way of sneaking in the extra veggies. 🙂 Let me know how it turns out if you make it tonight! Thanks for stopping by!
Happy SITS Day! I recently stopped eating meat, but I think this recipe would work without the ground beef. Is there anything you would recommend doing differently if I made it without meat?
Hey Alisha! Totally understand that. I would just add more carrots and red peppers to this dish to “fill” it. But really it would be fine without the meat, the beans are the star of the show in this dish. 🙂 Hope you get a chance to try it, and go luck with the “no meat” thing. Curious does that mean, fish and poultry or just red meat?
Thank you! I will definitely try that. Right now I’m still eating tuna and salmon, but I might do away with those over the next few months. No red meat or poultry. I’m always looking for recipes that include beans since they are a great source of protein. This one would be great!
Your welcome Alisha! Good luck with the new way of life and eating, I know it can be hard in the beginning but once you get use to it you end up feeling so much better. I know we have with just this slight way of eating Paleo. 🙂
Oops. I was looking online—-and that was a price for 7 cans.
haha… happens to the best of us.
I plan to make this. Can you substitute chili powder for the chipotle pepper? I can’t find that for less
than $23 a can.
Thanks for your help.
too funny I went out to buy the stuff today and making it again tomorrow. 🙂 Hm… the can should be at your local grocery store in the latin american aisle and is usually like $1.50-3 depending. Hope that helps. Other wise I would use tabasco sauce {but the chipotle flavored kind} Enjoy it Linda! 🙂
This looks delicious, Krista!! Definitely my kind of dinner! Pinning to try ASAP!
~Jen @ Yummy Healthy Easy
Aw, your so sweet. It WAS delicious! In fact, my husband, son, and I downed in like 2-3 days by ourselves! Hope you and those boys of yours enjoy!
I cannot wait to start making chili! It is still a little warm where I’m at but I almost don’t care because this looks so good! My hubby loves his chili packed with beans and so I’m for sure gonna try this! Pinning!
haha.. girl. I understand, when I made this chili it was 100 degrees outside. But I figure if I make “fall foods” eventually texas will realize it is FALL and start to cool down. A girl can wish, right? I hope you and your hubbie enjoy this chili! Thanks for pinning!
Krista, cannot wait to try this Chili for a football watching Sunday! Thanks so much for sharing and joining us at Best of the Weekend – pinning to our party board! Hope you have a happy Thursday and hope you can party with us tomorrow night! 🙂
Oh… nothing better than football, beer, and chili! 🙂 Sounds like a good sunday to me. Thanks for pinning and sharing, you gals rock! 🙂
Krista, this looks so yummy! There is nothing better than a good chili in the fall. Definitely pinning this. Thank you so much for sharing it at Wake Up Wednesdays!
Aww.. thanks Lisa! So true… thanks for pinning and for throwing such an awesome party, its growing like crazy! 🙂
It is totally chili season here in NW PA. I’ve made it twice in the past two weeks! thanks for sharing it at the Pinworthy Project Linkup!
oh.. so jealous! I so want it to be cool out and refreshing to step outside. But alas, I must wait longer. 🙁 Thanks for stopping by and showing some ‘love’.
I am so excited for chili weather! another winner Krista
Me too! Can it please just be 50 degrees again? Love wearing my boots, scarfs, and eating chili! 🙂
I love the chipotle pepper, cumin and lime great combination of ingredients. Thanks for sharing this with us on foodie friday.
Thanks Diane, it is by far my favorite chili recipe with all the yummy flavors. Thanks for throwing a party for me to share at. 🙂
I could eat soups and chilis every day, and this one is no exception. It looks delicious, Krista!
Me too! In fact, when I was pregnant I basically did eat it everyday! LOVE soup! 🙂 Thanks for stopping by Marcie.
Beautiful! Love the color medley. I love when we can start making our firehouse chili- makes me happy.
Thanks Gina! oh… firehouse chili. That sounds good! Can’t wait to see that on the blog! 🙂
Hi Krista, we love chili here and this looks great! Am pinning to try later!
Thanks Deb! I think chili is the fan favorite of fall foods. Thanks for pinning I hope you and the fam like it! 🙂