Crockpot No Bean Chili Recipe
This Slow Cooker No Bean Chili is the perfect comfort food for those cold winter nights. Made with ground beef, tomatoes, and a blend of spices, it’s hearty and flavorful without being too heavy.
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I love to serve chili for my family, because not only is it great for meal prep, but it’s also a budget-friendly way to feed a crowd.
Some of my favorite chili recipes are Instant Pot Three Bean Chicken Chili, Instant Pot White Chicken Chili, or Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Chili.
Best Crockpot No Bean Chili Recipe
I have been making chili without beans for years, and this crockpot no bean chili is the version my family asks for the most. The trick is browning the ground beef in a skillet before it ever goes into the slow cooker.
Those extra ten minutes build a deep, savory base that you simply cannot get by adding raw meat to the crockpot. After that, the low and slow cooking does all of the work, giving the chili powder, cumin, and smoked paprika six to eight hours to mellow out and soak into the tomatoes.
Without beans taking up space in the pot, every spoonful is beef, peppers, and thick tomato sauce. That makes this chili sturdy enough to spoon over a baked potato or pile onto a hot dog the next day, and it is naturally low in carbs with no substitutions needed.
Two pounds of ground beef stretches into six generous servings, which keeps the cost per bowl low. And if beanless chili has turned out watery on you before, the full can of tomato paste is what fixes it. It thickens the sauce as it cooks, so you never need cornstarch or a long simmer on the stove.
Ingredients For Slow Cooker No Bean Chili
This is a quick overview of the ingredients that you will need to make this recipe. You can find the full list in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- ground beef – You can also use ground turkey if you want to make this chili a little lower in fat.
- onion – I’ve found that a yellow onion or a sweet onion work best.
- bell pepper – I used a green bell pepper, and a red bell pepper. However, you can use any color that you have on hand.
- garlic – Fresh garlic will give you the best flavor, but you can also the jarred kind or even a teaspoon of garlic powder.
- crushed tomatoes
- tomato sauce
- tomato paste
- beef broth – Vegetable broth or even bouillon will also work fine in this recipe.
- chili powder
- ground cumin
- smoked paprika
- dried oregano
- salt
- black pepper
- cayenne pepper – This is optional, if your family doesn’t like a lot of spice leave it out.
How To Make Crockpot No Bean Chili
This is a quick overview of the instructions to make this recipe. You can find the full steps in the printable recipe card.
Brown the ground beef in a large skillet on the stove top over medium-high heat. Drain.
Add the cooked and drained meat, onion, bell peppers, and garlic to the slow cookre.
Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, and beef broth.
Add the seasonings and mix until well combined.
Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4-6 hours.
Garnish with your favorite chili toppings before serving.
Hint: We like to top this beanless chili recipe with a little sour cream, cheddar cheese, diced green onions, sliced red onions, or even crushed tortilla chips.
Storage
Storage – Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Freezing – Leftover chili freezes well, to freeze it properly place it in an airtight container or freezer bag. It can be stored for up to three months.
Reheating – Reheating chili is very easy. You can reheat it on the stovetop over medium heat, or single servings can be reheated in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.
Tips For Beanless Chili
- Chili is great for meal prep because it always tastes better the next day. So, feel free to make this a day ahead of time.
- You can use a slow cooker liner to make cleanup a snap.
- For extra spice, you can also add in a jalapeno.
- If you are on a low-carb diet, try enjoying this chili with pork rinds for dipping! It’s a great way to eat it!
- If you want even more smoky flavor in your chili, try adding a can of fire-roasted tomatoes. It adds such a rich flavor to this slow cooker recipe.
This Slow Cooker Ham Bone Soup is another easy crockpot recipe that the entire family will love on a chilly day.
What To Serve With Chili
We love to serve our chili with these Air Fryer Cornbread Muffins or a slice of this Sourdough Dutch Oven Bread. You can also pair it with a grilled cheese or air fryer cinnamon rolls depending on your preferences.
FAQs
Chili without beans is called Texas chili, beanless chili or chili con carne.
You do not have to add anything at all, but if you want more bulk without beans, try diced sweet potatoes, cauliflower florets, chopped zucchini, or an extra bell pepper. Add firm vegetables like sweet potato at the start of the cook time, and stir softer ones like zucchini in during the last hour so they do not turn to mush. If you are keeping this recipe low carb, the easiest swap is simply another half pound of ground beef.
Yes, and it actually freezes better than chili made with beans, since beans tend to turn mushy after thawing. Let the chili cool completely, then portion it into airtight containers or freezer bags and freeze for up to three months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator and reheat on the stovetop over medium heat, adding a splash of beef broth if it has thickened up more than you like.
Slow Cooker No Bean Chili
Do you enjoy chili without beans? If you give this recipe a try, I would love for you to come back and leave me a rating!
Slow Cooker No Bean Chili
Equipment
- large skillet
- 6 quart slow cooker
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1 large onion diced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
- 15 ounces tomato sauce
- 16 ounces tomato paste
- 1 cup beef broth
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper optional, for extra heat
Instructions
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook until browned, breaking it apart as it cooks. Drain any excess fat.
- Transfer the browned beef to the slow cooker. Add the diced onion, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, and minced garlic.
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, and beef broth.
- Add the chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, dried oregano, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper (if using).
- Mix all the ingredients until well combined.
- Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4-6 hours.
- Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary before serving.
- Serve hot with your favorite toppings such as shredded cheese, sour cream, chopped green onions, or diced avocado.
Disclaimer:
Any nutritional data I provide is an approximation and actual dietary information can vary based on ingredients and proportion sizes.