Crock Pot Beef and Three Bean Chili Recipe

This crock pot beef and three bean chili recipe is so hearty, and can easily be made ahead. It’s also loaded with vegetables, juicy browned beef, and so much flavor from all the spices! 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! Or, branch out from the crock pot a little and try my 30 minute dutch oven beef chili or the BEST instant pot chili recipe.

Why You’ll Love This Three Bean Chili Recipe

One of my favorite comfort foods on a cool fall day is chili! You can always count on chili to fill and warm you right up, so having 2 or 3 different variations in your recipe box is a must. Here’s why I think this recipe should be one of your go-to choices!

• Cozy and comforting flavor. Juicy beef, a trio of hearty beans, a plethora of fresh vegetables, smoked paprika, spicy chili powder, and more make every bite of this chili a dream!
• Easy to make. Don’t let the list of ingredients scare you – this chili comes together so easily! Once you brown the beef, practically all you have to do is put the ingredients in the crock pot and wait for the meal to cook itself.
• Adaptable. This recipe can easily be made vegan or in the instant pot! Feel free to adjust the ingredients or the cooking method to fit your preferences.

What You’ll Need

Chili is a great place to add extra vegetables, so you’ll see a few ingredients here 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 (check out the recipe card below for exact amounts and the full directions).

• Ground beef – I buy grass fed and use 85% lean 15% fat, but 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 a 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 and some sweetness. You won’t even notice them.
• Chipotle peppers – I love adding diced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce for a little spice and smokiness in 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 another one of my secret ingredients. 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.

Which Types of Beans Are Used in Chili?

When it comes to beans I am of the opinion that they are an essential part of chili! It’s not chili without beans! The most popular beans to use in chili include pinto beans, kidney beans (both red and white), and black beans.

Are Kidney Beans the Same as Chili Beans?

No, they are not the same thing. Chili beans are usually pinto beans that are soaked in a chili type sauce, so there is a chili seasoning added to the beans which will change the flavor profile of your chili. I do not recommend using them.

How to Make Crock Pot Beef and Bean Chili

This recipe is primarily made in the crock pot, however you do need to cook the ground beef before it goes in there. Here’s how to make this easy chili recipe:

• Heat a skillet to medium high heat. Then, add the avocado oil and onion to the skillet and sauté until translucent (about 2-3 minutes).
• Next, add ground beef to the skillet. Cook until the beef is no longer pink, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon throughout the cooking process.
• Add the ingredients to the crock pot. Once the meat is cooked through, place the 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 in the crock pot.
• Cook the chili. Stir everything, place the cover on, and cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours or LOW for 6-7 hours.
• Add in the beans. Now you can pour in the black beans, kidney beans, and pinto beans.
• Cook for an additional 30 minutes. Season your chili with salt and pepper as needed, too.
• Serve and enjoy! Serve with shredded cheddar cheese, sliced green onions, and diced avocado.

How to Make This Chili in the Instant Pot

You can definitely make this bean chili recipe in the instant pot if you prefer, just follow the directions below.

• Turn the instant pot to sauté mode. Then, add your avocado oil and onion, and sauté until the onion is translucent.
• Next, add ground beef. Cook until the beef is no longer pink, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon throughout the cooking process.
• Put everything but the beans in the instant pot. Add your 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 to the instant pot. Cancel sauté mode and turn on soup/chili mode (or pressure cooker mode) for 30 minutes. Then, do a natural release.
• Pour in the beans. Add in the black beans, kidney beans, and pinto beans. Turn on sauté mode for 20 minutes.
• Serve. Season your chili with salt and pepper to taste, and serve.

Tips & Recipe Variations

Before you get started, I have just a few more tips and tricks on crock pot beef and bean chili to share with you!

• Cook the chili on low. Low and slow is the way to go – the chili is so much more flavorful when cooked this way! The beef is juicier, the vegetables are more tender… you get the gist.
• Thicken the chili. If you like your chili on the thicker side, reduce the amount of broth you use. Alternatively, if you want to thin it out, carefully add a few tablespoons of broth at the end and stir until you reach the desired consistency.
• Swap the meat for sweet potatoes. To make this crock pot chili vegetarian, just sub the ground beef with 3 cups sweet potatoes and sub the beef broth with vegetable broth. You’ll love the vegetarian version of this as well!

Topping Ideas

Let’s be real for a second. Chili is awesome. But chili with “all the fixins,” that’s even better! Here are my favorite ways to top chili. What are yours?

• Diced avocado – Creamy diced avocado is a must for a bowl of chili in my family!
• Shredded cheddar cheese – You can also use queso fresco if you like.
• Diced green onions – I’m also a big fan of pickled onions and pickled (or fresh) jalapeños.
• Fritos (or tortilla chips) – These are the best way to add some crunch to your chili!
• Sour cream – A dollop of plain greek yogurt will also work.
• Limes – A little tangy lime juice will make every bite of your chili explode with flavor.
• Hot sauce – If you want to kick up the heat, this is one way to do it!

How to Store Beef and Bean Chili

If you end up with leftover chili, save it for later! This is the best way to do that:

• To store. Keep your chili in the fridge in an airtight container. It should last there for 3-4 days, if needed.
• To reheat. Simply use the microwave, and heat up a bowl in 30 second intervals.

Can I Freeze This Bean Chili Recipe?

This chili recipe is freezer friendly. To freeze, allow the chili to cool completely. Then, place it in a freezer safe storage bag or container – I like to label mine with the date I made it. Place it in the freezer, and the chili will keep for up to 3 months. 

More Easy Chili Recipes

Can’t get enough when it comes to chili? Me neither! Here are some more recipes that I highly recommend:

• Instant Pot Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili
• The Best Instant Pot Chili (with steak)
• Crock Pot Quinoa Vegetarian Chili
• Smoky Lentil Chili

Print

DON’T MISS A RECIPE ->

FACEBOOK | TWITTER | PINTEREST | BLOGLOVIN | INSTAGRAM