Description
This hearty Slow Cooker Chili features a rich blend of ground beef, kidney beans, tomatoes, and a touch of bittersweet chocolate, all slow-cooked to develop deep, complex flavors. Perfect for comforting meals, it combines traditional chili spices with a smoky undertone, enhanced by a slow cooking process that tenderizes the ingredients and melds the tastes beautifully.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 pounds ground beef (85-90% lean)
- 1 white onion, finely diced
- 1 green pepper, finely diced
- 2 tablespoons garlic paste (or 3 cloves garlic, minced)
- 2 tablespoons chili powder (more to taste)
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 20 oz Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilies
- 15 oz can tomato sauce
- 6 oz can tomato paste
- 16 oz can dark kidney beans, drained
- 16 oz can light kidney beans, drained
- 16 oz can white kidney beans (Cannellini beans), drained
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar (packed)
- 2 teaspoons salt (more to taste)
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper (more to taste)
- ½ ounce dark chocolate bar (60-75% bittersweet baking chocolate)
- 1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce (optional)
Optional Toppings
- Sour cream
- Cheddar cheese
- Corn chips
- Scallions (optional garnish)
Instructions
- Brown the Ground Beef: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook until browned, breaking it up as it cooks, approximately 5 minutes. Drain excess fat and transfer the cooked beef to a slow cooker.
- Sauté Vegetables and Spices: In the same skillet, add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Sauté the diced onion and green pepper until softened, about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic paste, chili powder, cumin, and paprika. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly to prevent the garlic from burning. Transfer this mixture to the slow cooker.
- Add Remaining Ingredients: To the slow cooker, add the Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilies, tomato sauce, tomato paste, all three types of drained beans (dark kidney, light kidney, and white Cannellini beans), dark chocolate, and beef broth. Stir in the light brown sugar, salt, and black pepper. Add Tabasco sauce if using for extra heat.
- Slow Cook the Chili: Set the slow cooker to high and cook for 2 to 4 hours, or set to low and cook for 5 to 6 hours. This slow cooking process allows flavors to meld and ingredients to tenderize perfectly.
Notes
- You can adjust chili powder and Tabasco sauce for preferred spice levels.
- The bittersweet chocolate adds depth and richness; avoid substituting with sweet chocolate.
- Drain and rinse the canned beans well to reduce sodium content.
- Serve topped with sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, corn chips, or scallions for added texture and flavor.
- Leftovers reheat well and often taste better the next day as flavors continue to develop.
