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Home » Recipes

Easy Slow Cooker Steak Chili

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! That's where this steak chili recipe comes in.

Two white bowls loaded with slow cooker steak chili topped with melted cheese.

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So if you're 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. This White Bean Chili and this Dutch Oven Chili are great too!

What Goes into This Steak Chili Recipe?

Who doesn’t love a warm bowl of chili on a chilly day? It’s even better when you make it with minimal prep. This chili recipe has it all: great taste, real food ingredients, and no precooking or extensive prep required.

Beef

The best cut of steak for this slow cooker steak chili recipe is actually stew beef. Stew beef is usually pre-cut into 2” chunks, which saves on prep time. It’s also perfectly marbled, meaning tender chunks of beef that shred after slow cooking.

If you can’t get stew beef, it can be subbed with any tender, marbled beef cuts you have available (cut into 2” chunks). Ground beef or ground turkey will also work, but I recommend pre-cooking before adding it to the slow cooker.

Beans

We used a 15oz can of kidney beans, but you can also use black beans instead. Make sure to thoroughly drain and rinse canned beans before adding them to the slow cooker. Check out this Chicken Chili too!

Diced Tomatoes

You’ll need one large 28 oz can for this recipe. Choose a variety that’s unseasoned and if you don't like tomato chunks 28 oz of crushed tomatoes will also work.

Onions and Seasoning

If you buy pre-cut stew beef the only prep is dicing half an onion. You probably have all the spices for this steak chili recipe in your pantry: chili powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, and salt.

Spices, including the pepper, can be adjusted to taste.

How to Make Slow Cooker Steak Chili

This recipe is super easy! Just throw all your ingredients into the slow cooker in the order they appear on the recipe. Then cook on high for 5-6 hours, shred the beef, and serve!

Can This Recipe be Doubled?

Yes, go ahead and double the ingredients. You may need to add extra cooking time.

How Can I Freeze Leftover Chili?

Leftover chili is one of the easiest foods to freeze! If you like easy meals (or have kids with busy schedules), it’s a great idea to double this recipe and freeze the extra. To freeze chili, simply cool fully then portion it out into freezer-safe containers.

You can thaw in the fridge overnight, defrost/reheat in the microwave, or put frozen chili in a pot with a few splashes of water and heat on the stove.

Can You Cook This Steak Chili Recipe on Low Instead?

Yes, this chili can be cooked on low for about 8 hours. If you plan to be out longer, consider doubling the recipe or investing in a slow cooker with a timer that will automatically switch to warm after 8 hours (for food safety, don’t leave the slow cooker on warm for more than 2-4 hours).

How Can I Pressure Cook This Steak Chili Recipe in an Instant Pot?

I don’t use an Instant Pot myself, but most slow cooker recipes can be adapted to one with a few simple changes. Here are some tips that might work if you want to try this recipe in an Instant Pot instead of a slow cooker:

  1. Heat a small amount of olive oil on the sauté setting and fry your beef pieces on all sides. You may need to work in batches.
  2. Add the onion and cook until browned.
    • You may want to deglaze the pan with ½ cup of chicken stock to avoid burning.
  3. Turn off, then add all the other ingredients to the instant pot.
  4. Set it to the chili setting and cook for 20 minutes, or pressure cook on high for 10 minutes and natural release.
  5. Shred beef and serve.

Try this No Bean Chili too! For more ideas, check out these easy Steak Recipes.

You May Also Like

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slow cooker steak chili with cheese in a small bowl

Easy Slow Cooker Steak Chili

With this steak chili recipe, my goal was to make things as quick and EASY as possible by using the slow cooker. Trust me, it doesn't get any easier or more delicious than this one.
27 Reviews / 4.6 Average
Prep Time: 10 minutes mins
Cook Time: 5 hours hrs
Total Time: 5 hours hrs 10 minutes mins
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Method: Slow Cooker
Diet: Dairy Free, Egg Free, Gluten Free, Peanut/Tree Nut-Free
Print Recipe
Servings: 4 people
Save Recipe Saved!

Ingredients
  

  • 1 ½ pounds stew beef (cut in 2-inch chunks (grass-fed recommended))
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper (or regular pepper (double this if you like it hot!))
  • ½ 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

  • shredded cheddar cheese (grated)
  • sour cream
  • avocado
  • cilantro
  • homemade cornbread

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.

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!
  • We recommend organic ingredients when feasible.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition Facts
Easy Slow Cooker Steak Chili
Amount Per Serving
Calories 289 Calories from Fat 81
% Daily Value*
Fat 9g14%
Saturated Fat 3g19%
Cholesterol 105mg35%
Sodium 808mg35%
Potassium 863mg25%
Carbohydrates 10g3%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 2g2%
Protein 42g84%
Vitamin A 851IU17%
Vitamin C 21mg25%
Calcium 138mg14%
Iron 9mg50%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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25.9K shares

About Lisa Leake

Lisa is a wife, mother, foodie, blogger, and #1 New York Times Best-selling author who is on a mission to cut out processed food.

Comments

  1. Nicole says

    September 26, 2017 at 10:12 pm

    Could I use sirloin steak?

    Reply
    • Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says

      October 06, 2017 at 12:31 pm

      You can.

      Reply
  2. Ian says

    December 29, 2016 at 11:15 am

    What size crock pot is this recipe for?

    Reply
    • Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says

      January 06, 2017 at 9:21 am

      Hello. Lisa uses a 6 qt pot.

      Reply
  3. Sean says

    November 24, 2016 at 6:54 pm

    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.

    Reply
  4. Sandy says

    November 18, 2016 at 7:02 am

    1 star
    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.

    Reply
  5. Melanie says

    November 04, 2016 at 11:14 am

    How can I cook this quicker than 5 hours?

    Reply
    • Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says

      November 13, 2016 at 7:26 pm

      Hi. Do you have a pressure cooker? :)

      Reply
      • Randi says

        January 09, 2017 at 10:04 pm

        Would you have to adjust any of the ingredients for IP cooking?

      • Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says

        January 16, 2017 at 6:44 pm

        We've not made this in an Instant Pot, but I do not think so.

      • Julia says

        October 06, 2019 at 8:04 am

        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?

  6. Lisa says

    October 03, 2016 at 10:59 am

    Does anyone have nutritional information on this?

    Reply
    • Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says

      October 06, 2016 at 1:59 pm

      Hi there. We do not provide that info but there are many online tools that can calculate those details for you.

      Reply
  7. Sarah Wood says

    September 14, 2016 at 7:03 pm

    Superb--I omitted the salt and used samb oalek instead of cayenne--cooked on low for 10 hours.

    Reply
  8. Jessica says

    July 27, 2016 at 5:09 pm

    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?

    Reply
    • Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says

      August 01, 2016 at 7:09 pm

      Hi. We've not tried that but I think it will work. :)

      Reply
  9. Kelly says

    March 17, 2016 at 10:57 am

    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?

    Reply
    • Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says

      March 21, 2016 at 8:20 am

      Hi. We've not tried making this recipe in the oven.

      Reply
  10. Sheri says

    September 20, 2015 at 11:26 am

    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.

    Reply
    • Kendra says

      December 18, 2015 at 11:59 pm

      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.

      Reply
  11. Emily says

    February 25, 2015 at 4:52 pm

    Looks great! What type of beef cut do you recommend for your stew meat?

    Reply
    • Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says

      February 27, 2015 at 2:15 pm

      Hi Emily. This blog post will help: http://www.thekitchn.com/quick-tip-choos-160558.

      Reply
  12. Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says

    February 25, 2015 at 4:22 pm

    Hi there. You could cook up a batch of beans first. :)

    Reply
  13. Delia says

    February 22, 2015 at 2:17 pm

    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?!

    Reply
  14. Emily says

    February 10, 2015 at 11:06 pm

    Would it work to add corn? Make it a more taco inspired chili?

    Reply
    • Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says

      February 16, 2015 at 9:18 am

      Hi Emily. Sure, you could add corn. Grilled corn might be even better added at the the end of your cooking cycle. ;)

      Reply
  15. Tara says

    February 05, 2015 at 6:06 pm

    I'm looking forward to trying this recipe! What are some suggestions to serve this with? Crusty bread? Crackers, etc? I usually serve my ground beef chili over a small amount of white rice. Looking to change things up a bit. Thank you! :-)

    Reply
    • Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says

      February 09, 2015 at 3:42 pm

      Hi Tara. Both are good options as is corn bread. :)

      Reply
  16. Sarah says

    February 04, 2015 at 9:58 pm

    Made a batch of this for dinner tonight. Added a clove of garlic (because we love garlic) and also some sliced mushrooms (just because I had them). It was so easy and so delicious.
    Because of timing issues in my house - I put it on about 7 in the morning and my husband turned it off about noon. Then we turned it back on to heat through for dinner. Love to hear if anyone has success cooking it on low for 10 or 12 hours.

    Reply
  17. Molly says

    February 02, 2015 at 1:38 pm

    I'm going to make this tonight so I can't rate it yet. But I just wanted to say thank you Lisa for making recipes that don't have a bunch I ingredients I've never heard of or are hard to find. So many "healthy" cookbooks and blogs have recipes that are too time consuming or with strange ingredients. Your blog and book have been a tremendous help to me and I just wanted to let you know I appreciate it! :)

    Reply
  18. Kristen says

    January 10, 2015 at 4:41 pm

    My family loves this recipe (I sold it as a combo of beef stew and chili, they love both), but I couldn't find this recipe in the recipe index. Did I miss it?

    Reply
    • Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says

      January 22, 2015 at 9:58 am

      Hi Kristen. Thanks for the heads-up. We'll get it on there. :)

      Reply
  19. Jen Jordan says

    January 08, 2015 at 9:32 pm

    Oh man! This is soooo good and so easy! I have 6 kids so I doubled it. I used 28oz of diced tomatoes and 28oz of crushed tomatoes. I also used navy beans instead of kidney beans because I am doing the GAPS diet right now, and the navy beans are GAPS approved. Thank you for this recipe! Everyone loved it!

    Reply
  20. Jamie says

    January 07, 2015 at 3:03 pm

    Just finished my first bowl. Delish! I doubled the recipe but my chili powder was hot Mexican so I halved that and the cayenne pepper. Turned out wonderful. I was so nervous because the meat was expensive but this will feed my husband and I for a few meals. He loved it too.

    Reply
  21. Amanda says

    January 02, 2015 at 12:08 pm

    If you choose to freeze this, do the beans hold up ok or would it be better to leave them out?

    Reply
    • Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says

      January 05, 2015 at 10:35 am

      Hi Amanda. This whole recipe freezes well. :)

      Reply
  22. Debbie says

    December 28, 2014 at 10:22 pm

    Could I use crushed tomatoes instead of diced? I bought the wrong ones. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says

      January 01, 2015 at 4:32 pm

      Hi Debbie. Crushed tomatoes will work, too.

      Reply
  23. kirsten says

    December 21, 2014 at 4:52 pm

    4 stars
    Chili was great. Also added zucchini & yellow squash and it was delicious. Highly recomended. You can't go wrong experimen a bit too.

    Reply
  24. Krista H. says

    December 04, 2014 at 9:35 pm

    This was the easiest recipe ever! I used chicken instead of beef, black beans rather than kidney beans, and added some frozen corn kernels. It was so good!!

    Reply
  25. Allison says

    November 20, 2014 at 3:54 pm

    where is the recipe?

    Reply
    • Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says

      November 24, 2014 at 9:17 am

      Sorry, brief technical hiccup.

      Reply
  26. Michelle says

    November 11, 2014 at 9:26 pm

    I was wondering if I could use a flank steak instead? If so, would you cut it up before cooking or cook it whole and shred it after it cooks?

    Reply
    • Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says

      November 24, 2014 at 8:43 am

      Hi Michelle. I would cut it into small cubes before cooking.

      Reply
  27. Suzanne says

    October 20, 2014 at 7:27 pm

    5 stars
    This was the best chili I have ever made! I doubled the recipe, added 1 diced red bell pepper and some cilantro. I still can't believe how good the meat was without having to brown it first! This is one dish I will be making again and again!

    Reply
  28. amanda says

    October 02, 2014 at 11:18 am

    3 stars
    This was ok. It had good flavor after mixing in some cheese, but only makes about 3 small bowls. Definitely not enough for my husband and I. The meat was very tender and tasty. Next time I will puree the tomatoes (I don't like the chunks of tomatoes), add some stock and double the recipe. Good base to build on.

    Reply
  29. Debbie says

    September 23, 2014 at 2:21 pm

    I made this for my husband using lamb chunks instead of beef. He LOVED it!

    Reply
  30. Hiba says

    September 17, 2014 at 2:44 am

    If we use ground beef, would it also go in uncooked or do we need to brown it first?

    Reply
    • Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says

      September 30, 2014 at 9:24 am

      Hi Hiba. Browning ground beef helps enhance its flavor. Also, if you skip the browning step, you might find the final product a bit greasy. ~Amy

      Reply
  31. rose says

    September 17, 2014 at 12:19 am

    I'm sure it would be fine to leave the beans out, but do you have any suggestions for options to use instead of beans?
    Thank you!

    Reply
  32. Aimee @ aim for healthy bites says

    September 16, 2014 at 10:37 pm

    We love trying new variations on chilli and adding steak is a new one for us. This recipe looks delicious and most important, easy to make. Can't wait to try it out.

    Reply
  33. Susan Sunnucks says

    September 16, 2014 at 6:31 pm

    This recipe was AWESOME! It was a new idea to use stew meat. My family enjoyed it and I loved giving them clean food. I will be adding it to my favorites!

    Reply
  34. Crystal says

    June 17, 2014 at 9:23 pm

    5 stars
    I made this today for my family of 4. It initially drew me in as a somewhat "cheap" recipe to make and I had half a roast in the freezer. Based on my experience with similar recipes, I had low expectations. Boy was I surprised! This was freaking delicious! I have always preferred chili with chunks of meat like my mom makes but never could replicate to my liking. This is definitely something I will be making over and over again.

    Reply
  35. Dillon says

    June 05, 2014 at 5:18 pm

    I have yet to try this, but I Think I'll add a can of corn and a green or red bell pepper to the mix..

    Reply
    • Momster says

      August 16, 2014 at 4:16 pm

      Dillon, How did the corn or bell pepper work out?

      Reply
  36. Meghan says

    May 04, 2014 at 10:36 am

    Hi there. Is it possible to substitute ground beef for the stew beef?
    Thanks,
    Meghan

    Reply
    • Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says

      May 12, 2014 at 1:33 pm

      Hi Meghan. I think ground beef would work, too.

      Reply
  37. Fauzia says

    February 27, 2014 at 4:44 pm

    I have had a slow cooker that was given as a gift 4 years ago but have been hesitant to use it. I am using it today because this recipes sounds delicious. A quick quesiton, do we just layer the ingredients or mix them with a spatula before or during the cooking process?
    Thanks,

    Reply
    • Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says

      March 04, 2014 at 10:19 am

      Hi there. Just layer. The beef should be at the bottom. It will all combine during the cooking process. You can give it a good stir before serving. :) ~Amy

      Reply
  38. Sarah says

    February 25, 2014 at 2:33 pm

    Could you use ground beef for this?

    Reply
    • Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says

      February 28, 2014 at 4:07 pm

      Hi Sarah. Ground beef should work, too. ~Amy

      Reply
  39. Sam says

    February 06, 2014 at 6:23 pm

    My wife made this a few weeks ago with some venison stew meat and it was awesome!!!

    Reply
  40. Christine says

    February 05, 2014 at 11:57 pm

    Recipe sounds perfect, can't wait to try it! Would like to double up and freeze leftovers for lunches. Any idea how well this would freeze and reheat?

    Reply
    • Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says

      February 07, 2014 at 7:24 am

      Hello Christine. This freezes really well. I would defrost overnight and reheat on the stove top on a medium heat. ~Amy

      Reply
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Meet Lisa! Lisa is a best-selling cookbook author, wife, mother, and passionate home cook. Lisa began blogging in 2010 and has created a community of millions of people who share her love of healthy living, real food ingredients, and family recipes.

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