Crockpot Chili for the First Football Weekend Win

Crockpot chili is one of those “set it and forget it” meals that actually earns the hype—especially for the first weekend of football when the kitchen’s busy, people are hovering, and you want something that can sit warm without getting weird. This version is beefy, tomato-forward, and thick enough to pile on chips, but not so heavy you need a nap by halftime.

Reader check-in: if you’re wrangling kids (or just a chaotic snack table), chop the onion and garlic the night before and stash them in a container so you can brown the beef fast in the morning. I learned that the hard way after trying to dice an onion while someone yelled “Where are the napkins?” at 11:02 a.m.

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp (15 mL) olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped (about 200 g)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced (about 10 g)
• 450 g (1 lb) ground beef (I like 85–90% lean; leaner is fine, but don’t go super-lean or it eats a little dry)
• 1 Tbsp (15 g) tomato paste (optional, but it helps)
• 2 tsp (4 g) chili powder
• 1 1/2 tsp (3 g) ground cumin
• 1 tsp (2 g) smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp ground coriander (optional)
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1/4 tsp black pepper, plus more to taste
• 1/8–1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional, for heat)
• 1 tsp (2 g) unsweetened cocoa powder (optional, but I recommend it for depth)
• 1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies, 10 oz (283 g) (swap: plain diced tomatoes if you’re feeding spice-sensitive people)
• 1 can diced tomatoes, 14.5 oz (411 g)
• 1 can tomato sauce, 8 oz (227 g)
• 120 mL (1/2 cup) beef broth (or water with a pinch of salt)
• 1 can dark red kidney beans, 15 oz (425 g), drained and rinsed
• 1 can light red kidney beans, 15 oz (425 g), drained and rinsed (or just use two cans dark red)

Toppings (optional but very much the point): shredded cheddar, sour cream, sliced scallions, chopped onion, pickled jalapeños, tortilla chips.

Step-by-Step Crockpot Chili

1. Start with a quick sauté (it matters). Heat 1 Tbsp (15 mL) olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until it’s softened and starting to turn translucent, about 3 minutes.

2. Add garlic, then get out fast. Stir in the garlic and cook 30 seconds, just until you smell it. Scrape the onion-garlic mixture into your slow cooker.

3. Brown the beef well. Put the skillet back over medium-high heat and add the ground beef. Break it up and cook until it’s no longer pink and you’ve got some browned bits, 6–10 minutes depending on your pan and how crowded it is.

   One thing — if your beef is steaming instead of browning, your pan’s too crowded. Spread it out and leave it alone for a minute before stirring.

4. Drain, but don’t go bone-dry. Tilt the skillet and spoon off most of the fat. Leaving a tablespoon or two behind is fine; it carries flavor.

5. Bloom the tomato paste and spices. If using tomato paste, stir it into the beef and cook 1 minute. Add chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, coriander (if using), salt, pepper, cayenne (if using), and cocoa powder (if using). Stir and cook 30–60 seconds. You’re looking for “toasty and fragrant,” not burnt.

6. Build the base in the crock. Add the beef mixture to the slow cooker. Pour in the diced tomatoes with green chilies, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and beef broth. Stir well, scraping the bottom edges of the slow cooker insert to mix everything evenly.

7. Cook low and slow. Cover and cook on LOW for 6–8 hours or HIGH for 3–4 hours. Low is better if you can swing it; the spices mellow and the texture improves.

   Heads up: slow cookers vary a lot. If yours runs hot, start checking at the earlier end of the window.

8. Add the beans at the end. Stir in the drained kidney beans during the last 10–15 minutes, just to heat through. (Adding them early makes them mealy and sad.) Taste and adjust salt and heat.

9. Thicken if you want it scoopable. If the chili looks looser than you like, crack the lid and cook 20–30 minutes on HIGH to reduce. You can also mash a few spoonfuls of beans against the side of the cooker and stir back in.

What to Expect

You’ll end up with a thick, brick-red chili with small crumbles of beef and tender beans that hold their shape. The flavor’s chili-forward and gently smoky; the cocoa doesn’t make it taste like dessert—it just rounds out the tomato and spice edge. If you cook on high the whole time, it’ll still be good, but the texture can be a touch looser and the spice blend reads sharper.

Ways to Change It Up

• Make it meatless: Skip the beef, double up on beans (black beans work well here), and add 150–200 g diced sweet potato or bell pepper for body. It won’t taste like beef chili, obviously, but it holds up on a game-day spread.

• Want a different direction? Stir in 1–2 tsp chipotle in adobo (minced) instead of cayenne. Smokier, deeper, and the heat lands slower.

• If you’re feeding picky kids, use plain diced tomatoes instead of tomatoes with green chilies and keep the cayenne out. Put hot sauce on the table and let the adults handle themselves.

Serving and Storage

For football weekend, I serve this with tortilla chips, shredded cheddar, sour cream, and sliced scallions, plus a pile of hot dogs or baked potatoes if you’re trying to stretch it. Chili dogs aren’t fancy, but they disappear.

If you want a quick side that won’t steal your attention, cornbread is the obvious move (and if you’ve got a reliable method, stick with it). A simple crunchy slaw is also nice if you’re tired of beige-on-beige.

Storage: Cool leftovers, then refrigerate in a covered container for up to 4 days. It gets better overnight.

Freezing: Freeze in portion containers for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight if you can.

Reheating: Warm on the stovetop over medium-low, adding a splash of broth or water if it tightens up. Microwave works too, but stir halfway through so you don’t get a volcano pocket.

Common Questions

Can I put raw ground beef straight into the crockpot?
You can, but you shouldn’t. The texture turns grainy and you miss the browned flavor. Browning is the difference between “chili” and “hot tomato meat.”

My chili looks thin—did I mess up?
Probably not. Crack the lid and cook 20–30 minutes on high to reduce, or ladle off a bit of liquid and simmer it in a small pot. Salt also changes your perception of thickness, so taste before you start “fixing.”

Do I have to use two kinds of kidney beans?
Nope. Two cans of dark red is fine. The only real rule is: drain and rinse so your chili doesn’t taste like bean can.

Can I make it ahead for Sunday?
Yes, and you should if you’ve got time. Make it Saturday, chill overnight, then reheat slowly on Sunday. The spices settle down and it tastes more cohesive.

What’s with the cocoa powder?
It’s not there to make it sweet. A small amount adds a darker, roasted note that plays well with chili powder and tomatoes. If you’re skeptical, start with 1/2 teaspoon.

A quick bit of context: chili con carne has deep roots in Texas food culture, and the story gets debated—beans/no beans arguments included. If you want a readable overview, I like the Levine Museum of the New South’s piece on the dish and the “Chili Queens” era: Levine Museum of the New South: Chili con carne background. For a lighter, modern Texas-focused read on chili’s place in everyday life (yes, including football games), this Texas Highways article is worth a few minutes: Texas Highways on chili as the Texas state dish.

If you make this for kickoff, keep the toppings cold and the chili hot—that contrast is half the fun. Tell me what your crew’s non-negotiable topping is; I always think I’m a “just cheddar” person until someone sets out pickled jalapeños.