Hearty Slow Cooker Beef and Black Bean Chili with Toppings Bar

There’s nothing quite like a slow cooker to transform simple ingredients into a deeply flavorful meal. This beef and black bean chili is a perfect example: ground beef, green pepper, garlic and a duo of spice blends simmer for hours with crushed tomatoes and black beans, resulting in a rich, satisfying chili that’s sure to please a crowd.

What makes this recipe extra special is the toppings bar. Set out bowls of scallion greens, diced tomatoes, crunchy tortilla chips, smoky red pepper crema and shredded cheddar cheese so everyone can customize their bowl. It’s an interactive, fun dinner that also makes great leftovers.

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Ingredients

0.5 cup Cheddar CheeseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Tomato PasteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1.5 ounce Blue Corn Tortilla ChipsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Crushed TomatoesView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

20 ounce Ground BeefView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 tablespoon Smoky Red Pepper CremaView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Long Green PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 clove GarlicView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

5 unit Beef Stock ConcentrateView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 unit Black BeansView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit TomatoView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 unit ScallionsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Mexican Spice BlendView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Southwest Spice BlendView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 teaspoon (tsp) Cooking OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) Black PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Wash and dry all produce. Halve the green pepper, remove core and seeds and dice into ½-inch pieces. Peel and mince or grate the garlic. Trim the scallions and thinly slice, separating the white parts from the green parts. Place the scallion greens in a small bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until serving.
2. Set a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker to the sauté/brown setting and add a drizzle of oil. Once hot, add the ground beef, diced green pepper, garlic, scallion whites, Southwest Spice Blend, Mexican Spice Blend and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, breaking the meat into pieces, until browned and mostly cooked through, 3-5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook until slightly darkened, 1-2 minutes. (If your slow cooker doesn’t have a sauté setting, do this step in a large pan over medium-high heat, then transfer everything to the slow cooker.)
3. If there is excess grease in the slow cooker, carefully spoon or pour it off. Stir in the beef stock concentrates, black beans with their liquid and crushed tomatoes. Cover and increase heat to high; cook until the tomatoes break down, the beef is fully cooked and the flavors meld, 4-6 hours. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
4. Just before serving, dice the tomato into ½-inch pieces. Lightly crush the tortilla chips in their bag. Serve the chili family-style alongside bowls of scallion greens, diced tomato, crushed tortilla chips, smoky red pepper crema and shredded cheddar cheese. Let everyone build their own chili bowl.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use a different type of ground meat?

Yes, ground turkey or chicken can be substituted for beef. Keep in mind that the flavor and texture will be slightly different.

What if I don't have a slow cooker?

You can make this chili in a large pot on the stovetop. Brown the meat and vegetables, then add the remaining ingredients and simmer on low for 1-2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Can I make this chili ahead of time?

Absolutely! This chili tastes even better the next day. Prepare it as directed, let it cool and refrigerate. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave before serving.