I recently shared a Red & Green Chili recipe that was also for the crock pot, but it did require a little bit of stove cooking first. I know it’s only one extra step (and worth it in the end), but some days, just one less thing to do can make all the difference! With this Steak Slow Cooker Chili recipe, my goal was to make things as quick and EASY as possible. And trust me, it doesn’t get any easier or more delicious than this one. So if you are looking for a way to stay warm this winter or to feed a bunch of extra house guests (or if you’re participating in a chili cook-off!), this recipe will not disappoint! (Just be sure to double it for a big crowd.)
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Easy Slow Cooker Steak Chili
With this Steak Chili recipe, my goal was to make things as quick and EASY as possible. Trust me, it doesn't get any easier or more delicious than this one.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds stew beef, cut in 2-inch chunks (grass-fed recommended)
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or regular pepper (double this if you like it hot!)
- 1/2 onion, diced
- 1 15-oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed (you could use black beans instead)
- 1 28-oz can diced tomatoes, with juice
Optional Toppings
- cheddar cheese, grated
- sour cream
- avocado, diced
- cilantro
- cornbread, homemade
Instructions
- Put the stew beef chunks in the bottom of the slow cooker. Sprinkle with chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. Top with onions, beans, and tomatoes.
Turn the slow cooker onto high heat and cook for 5 to 6 hours. Shred beef with a fork before serving, if desired. Top with garnishes of choice and serve warm.
Recipe Notes
You could substitute 1 pound ground beef for the stew meat, if you prefer a smoother chili, or even ground turkey if you like turkey chili!
Nutrition Facts
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Has this recipe been made on the stove top? I want to bring it to a chili cook off and we have to prepare it there and can only use a burner, not a crockpot. Any suggestions?
You could definitely try cooking it slow and low (covered) on your stovetop following the same method as above. Good luck!
Have you tried making this in the instant pot? If so how long did it take? I have one and we love this recipe but don’t have as much time today so was hoping to use the instant pot instead of my slow cooker to cook it :-)
Hi there – I don’t believe we have. We love cooking in our slow cooker (we have two), but are not really fans of the Instant Pot as you can read in this post. If you give it a try let us know how it turns out! – Jason
So simple and so delicious! We use a 15oz can of black beans in place of the stew meat (for a vegetarian option). Tonight we threw it in the instant pot and dinner was ready from start to finish in 30min! Thanks for such a terrific recipe!!
Just wondering…how long did you cook it in the IP?
Bekah, not sure about the IP settings, but if you have it in a slow cooker/crock pot it takes about 5 -6 hours on high heat. – Nicole
My family loves this chili! My 9yo gobbles it up. I double everything except the stew meat, and actually use 4 cans of kidney beans! We top it with green onions and avocado. So good!!!
Can ground beef be used in the place of stew beef?
Hi. I’ve used ground turkey but I brown it first .
I gave this 5 stars because it was easy, used few ingredients and tasted good. I’ve been spending way too much time on chili! To adjust to my preferences I added 1/2 tsp of chiptole chili, 1 can of tomato paste and black pepper.
Could I use sirloin steak?
You can.
What size crock pot is this recipe for?
Hello. Lisa uses a 6 qt pot.
Just made this. Thought it was a little spice shy but came out great. Added GB and Chorizo and doubled the recipe. Thanks for the recipe.
Made this yesterday and followed the recipe to a T, adding extra cayenne. Sadly the extra spice didn’t help the dish, as this is the most bland creation I have ever made . What a waste of ingredients and bummer for my family.
How can I cook this quicker than 5 hours?
Hi. Do you have a pressure cooker? :)
Hi Lisa, tomatoes bother my daughter’s stomach. Can you replace with something else ? What it still be okay without adding the can of tomatoes?
Would you have to adjust any of the ingredients for IP cooking?
We’ve not made this in an Instant Pot, but I do not think so.
Does anyone have nutritional information on this?
Hi there. We do not provide that info but there are many online tools that can calculate those details for you.
Superb–I omitted the salt and used samb oalek instead of cayenne–cooked on low for 10 hours.
I’m meal prepping for our new baby’s arrival.. Could I put all the ingredients together (pre-cooked) and freeze so that I can just dump them in a crock pot one morning?
Hi. We’ve not tried that but I think it will work. :)
Recipe sounds delicious. Do you think this would be as good cooked in the oven? If so, at what temp and for how long would you cook it for?
Hi. We’ve not tried making this recipe in the oven.
I’m also curious to know if anyone has had luck cooking this on low for 10-12 hours. Everyone in our house is away for the day for at least 9 hours. This looks amazing though, so maybe it will be a weekend meal.
I cooked this on low for 11 hours in the crockpot and it turned out perfect. I doubled the recipe, so I’m not sure if that would make a difference if you didn’t.
Looks great! What type of beef cut do you recommend for your stew meat?
Hi Emily. This blog post will help: http://www.thekitchn.com/quick-tip-choos-160558.
Hi there. You could cook up a batch of beans first. :)
This recipe looks great, but how do I make this with dry beans and not with beans from a can?? Less processed is the goal, right?!
Would it work to add corn? Make it a more taco inspired chili?
Hi Emily. Sure, you could add corn. Grilled corn might be even better added at the the end of your cooking cycle. ;)