My Slow Cooker Chilli con Carne recipe is super tasty, quick to prepare and perfect for a mid-week dinner, or for batch cooking and saving for later!
Chilli con Carne is a familiar dish to most people, especially those with a slow cooker as it’s usually the first thing they try to make. It can be quickly thrown together whilst still packing a punch on the flavour.
Where does the Chilli recipe originate from?
Chilli con Carne literally translates to “chilli with meat”. First prepared as a basic stew by the Mexican community in southern USA, it’s now one of the most famous South American culinary dishes.
As well as being open to a number of adaptations of the ingredients, Chilli con Carne is widely used as an ingredient itself. Think fillings for enchiladas, wraps and jacket potatoes. I even think it’s great as a pizza topping.
Making a big pot to save for later is definitely a good idea!
What ingredients are in Slow Cooker Chilli con Carne?
My recipe can mostly be considered a classic chilli recipe containing beef, spices, tomatoes, kidney beans. To increase the nutrients and add to the flavour I always add some extra vegetables!
As for the spice, I usually make my chilli con carne to a medium heat to please everyone – our toddler included! You may choose to be more heavy handed on the chilli or cayenne according to preference!
The spices in a chilli are:
- Paprika – adds a gorgeous pungent, mildly sweet and peppery flavour to the chilli. For the very best, try and find Hungarian Paprika.
- Smoked Paprika– adds a lovely depth of flavour.
- Chilli Powder – contains paprika, cumin, oregano, garlic, cayenne pepper.
- Cumin – an aromatic bitter spice, popular in Mediterranean and Egyptian cooking.
If you’re looking for some other ideas to add into a chilli con carne, throw in some left over cured meat and chopped up chorizo sausage. We tried this whilst away on holiday with friends (willing guinea pigs!), and it added a gorgeous smoky edge to the sauce.
What do you serve with Chilli?
Are you having slow cooker Chilli con Carne as a meal? Go for some rice and maybe a little soured cream and crispy tortilla chips on the side.
Are you using chilli as an ingredient? One thing I like to do is fill soft tortilla wraps with the chilli, roll them up, sprinkle with cheese and a little salsa and grill for a few minutes. Great for a weekend lunch!
More Tasty Mexican Recipes
Mexican recipes and a crockpot are a match made in heaven! Why not try some of these:
Can I freeze leftover Crockpot Chilli Con Carne?
Slow cooker Chilli con Carne can be stored in the fridge for two days or batched up and placed in the freezer for three months. Defrost overnight in the fridge, reheat ensuring it’s piping hot all the way through – and enjoy!
Slow Cooker Chilli con Carne
Equipment
Ingredients
- 500 g minced beef
- 400 g chopped tomatoes canned
- 400 g kidney beans canned, drained
- 1 onion white, large
- 1 red pepper capsicum
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 4 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 beef stock cube
- 150 ml water for the stock
- 1 tsp oregano
- 2 tsp coriander dried or freshly chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tsp cumin
- 2 tsp hot chilli powder
- 1½ tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- ½ tsp dark brown sugar
- 1 tsp salt salt flakes
- ½ tsp black pepper ground
- 3 tbsp flour corn or wheat
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 red chilli pepper (optional for added heat)
Instructions
- Dice the onion and red pepper and place in a pan on the stove (or the slow cooker pot directly if using a sear and stew type) with 1 tbsp of oil, add the mince beef and stir through well to separate the meat. Add in the oregano, coriander and spices and cook until the meat is browned. Transfer to the slow cooker.
- Crush the cloves of garlic and finely dice the chilli pepper – optional if you like some extra heat. Add with the tomato paste to the slow cooker. Sprinkle over the flour, salt, pepper and sugar and stir well to coat the ingredients.
- Dissolve the stock cubes in the hot water and pour over the meat and vegetables. Add the chopped tomatoes, kidney beans, Worcestershire sauce and bay leaves. Stir well ensuring everything is covered in the liquid.
- Replace the lid and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours.
- Once cooked, serve with rice and a sprinkle of chopped coriander.
Wow it was delicious, really easy to prep and was super tasty. My son (VERY fussy) kept sneaking up to the slow cooker and stealing little bowls of it before dinner! This is unheard of! So thank you, it will definitely be a regular family meal from now on.
Great to hear it was a hit! ???? Thank you for the review.
Delighted that I’ve finally found a successful chilli recipe with the added bonus that it goes in the slow cooker!
Full of flavour from the spices and just the right amount chilli ‘kick’. (I added the optional red chilli)
Thank you!
Great to heat that you enjoyed this! Thank you for the review.
The best carne recepy I have made ..Will keeping making this one until I found better one
Pleased you like it and thank you for the review!
I made this for a birthday gathering to have something in the slow cooker in case I had to feed more mouths as the day went on. It was ABSOLUTLEY DELICIOUS and so easy to make. Loads of happy eaters which is what you always want when hosting. It was also my very first attempt at Chilli Con Carne and then in the slow cooker! Devine! I added a dollop of sour cream on the top for those that find it too hot.
Thank you Bec for the recipe. This will be a go to in the future for sure!
Sounds great! Pleased it was a success for you and I think using the slow cooker can definitely help when hosting???? Thanks for the great review!
Cooked for the first time today. Absolutely Delicious ???? So full of flavour, nice and spicy without being to hot. Meat just melted in your mouth!!
Great to hear that you enjoyed this! Thank you for the review.
Made this for the first time today and it will definitely be a regular meal for us, everyone complemented the lovely flavours
Great to hear you all enjoyed it. Thanks for the review.
I waited for the 3rd time a made this to make sure a 5* rating wasn’t too much, and now I know it’s not e enough. It’s such a strong base and structure that you can twig (within reason) and it will always come out amazing. 1st time I followed strictly the recipe, 2nd and 3rd I add 2 diced carrots, 1/2 sliced chourizo sausage, I use 2 cans of beans (red&black) cause I like it with loads of beans, and it really is amazing. The next day it’s even better. I have it plain, with rice, and if by chance is leftover I finish it with wraps. I just made this for tomorrow’s Game Day (go chiefs)!!! The only thing I’m not getting dialed in is I’m mixing 1/2 tsp of Stubbs liquid smoke and I can’t taste the smokiness when is cooked. Maybe through the 8h cooking process it kills it’s flavor and I don’t want to over do it. Is it a mistake to try and add liquid smoke? Should I add more or just at the end when it’s cooked? Also, I’ve always cooked this through 8h, how’s the difference of 4h on high?? Thank you so much for this recipe, and it will always be a keeper in my family!! From Portugal, with love. F
Thank you for the fantastic feedback and pleased that you have enjoyed this, adding chorizo gives it a really lovely depth of flavour for sure! I would try adding the liquid smoke at the end as you mention – although I haven’t tried this myself so do let us know how it turns out! Alternatively, add a little more smoked paprika into the sauce. In regards to the temperature, the chilli should taste the same whether it is cooked on low or high (for a shorter time) but it does depend on the slow cooker that you are using as there can be variances in temperature between them.
Totally love this recipe,don’t normally cook chilli for family but we all love this great flavour and dead easy
Thanks for the great review Sam, glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Hi, I’m relatively new to your website and absolutely loved this recipe. Perfect amount of kick for my good lady but I might add an extra chilli or two next time as personal preference. Quick question (apologies if this is stated somewhere already) but are the 409 Kcal for the whole batch or per person?
Great to hear you enjoyed this! The calories stated on the recipes are all per person. Thanks for the review.
All new to slow cookers tried this for my first recipe and it was amazing. Left overs next day even better. Saved to have again thank you
Great to hear that you enjoyed this. Totally agree, the left overs after do taste fantastic! Thanks for the review.