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.
Fab recipe really tasty. My mother in law who doesn’t like chilli even liked it!!! Thank you
If the MIL is impressed then you’re onto a winner!
This has become our goto chilli recipe. Its so nice we love to throw it in some hard taco shells and then have leftovers for lunch the next day
Absolutely great idea, love a taco shell with a chilli!
We love this recipe as I do the slimming world diet and it’s a great almost syn free chilli I was just wondering if I could maybe add some spinach as a speed food boost? (Slimming world talk haha) And I doubt it will change the taste that much? 🥴thanks
I’d serve it on the side as spinach produces a lot of water when it cooks, which will make the chilli watery. Don’t forget it’ll give you massive muscles too!
Just made this earlier, added extra veg chopped small, only carrot and celery, swapped kidney beans for baked beans and added a small bit of 85% chocolate! Absolutely delicious! Thank you so much!
I am making this for the first time.i am having people over tomorrow night.Everything is in the slow cooker after onion,mince etc been fried.will it be OK to put in the fridge overnight when it cools down and slow cook it tomorrow?or is it best to slow cook it today and warn up tomorrow?thanks
If you slow cook the whole recipe in advance and heat up the following day, the flavour will be even better after a day resting. Enjoy!
Worked an absolute treat. Family said it was the best chilli they ever had. Didn’t use any oregano, crushed my own cumin seeds, added a bit more Worcestershire sauce and a stick of dark chocolate. It’s rich, spicy and delicious. Thanks for the recipe
Thanks Joe, that’s great to hear!
Could I prep this and freeze it before it’s cooked (so it’s a crock pot dump dinner?)
Absolutely the slow cooker chilli con carne can be prepared and then frozen. It is best to thaw the chilli in the fridge overnight and then put into slow cooker and cook as per recipe. Alternatively you can cook the chilli, cool and then freeze. When reheating make sure that the food is piping hot.
I want to make this recipe, but what if I don’t possess the Worcestershire sauce, can I still use the recipe as is? What can I substitute?
Hi Uma, you could substitute the Worcestershire sauce with balsamic vinegar or you could leave it out altogether. Whichever you choose the recipe will still be delicious. Enjoy your Chilli!
I love this recipe, adding some carolina reaper and Chipotle spice made it perfect. Just wondering. Cause I am trying to loose weight, how much is a serving?
Hi Kim, a typical serving for someone not on any sort of diet would usually be one or one and a half cups of chilli but this recipe is so delicious it is hard not to eat more!
Easy to make. So tasty and full of flavour. I definitely recommend!!!
Glad you enjoyed it and thanks for reviewing!