Soups, Stews & Chili

Slow Cooker Three Bean Chili with Ground Beef

By Clara ·
November 1, 2026

When the ground beef and onion hit a hot skillet, the onion starts to soften while the beef breaks into small crumbles. I like giving them this stovetop start before they go into the slow cooker: it lets me drain away excess fat, and the seasonings get a chance to warm in the pan before all those tomatoes and beans join in. That little bit of attention up front gives this slow cooker three bean chili with ground beef a more developed base than simply combining everything cold.

In the slow cooker, crushed tomatoes create a hearty base, while diced tomatoes and three kinds of beans keep the texture varied from spoonful to spoonful. The beef stays in distinct crumbles rather than disappearing into the sauce. After the cooking time, I turn off the cooker and leave the lid off while the chili rests; the surface settles, the liquid thickens slightly, and the finished bowl is rich and spoonable.

Why the Beef Needs a Skillet Before the Slow Cooker

A slow cooker is excellent at bringing flavors together, but it won’t give ground beef the same start as a skillet. Cooking the beef and onion first lets the meat break into manageable crumbles, gives the onion time to soften, and lets you drain excess fat before it becomes part of the chili. That matters in a pot with several cans of tomatoes and beans: too much rendered fat can leave a slick layer across the surface.

The skillet is also where the seasonings meet the tomato paste. A brief cook in the hot pan wakes up the dried spices and takes away the raw edge of the garlic before the mixture is surrounded by liquid. You don’t need a long sauté or a separate saucepan; the same skillet handles the beef, onion, aromatics, and paste. It’s a small bit of hands-on cooking that gives the long, gentle slow-cooker stage a more flavorful foundation.

What the Tomato and Bean Choices Bring to This Chili

• Ground beef — The 85% lean grind brings enough richness for a hearty chili while leaving excess fat you can drain after browning. A leaner grind works, but the finished pot will taste a little less rich.
• Crushed and diced tomatoes — Crushed tomatoes give the base body, while diced tomatoes leave noticeable pieces. For a smoother texture, use crushed tomatoes in place of the diced tomatoes; the chili will have fewer distinct tomato chunks.
• Tomato paste — This concentrated tomato ingredient deepens the base without adding much liquid. It’s worth keeping rather than trying to replace it with more broth, which would loosen the chili instead of giving it the same concentrated flavor.
• Kidney, black, and pinto beans — The different beans make the texture more interesting than a single variety would. Drain and rinse them well so the canning liquid doesn’t carry into the chili; swapping one of these bean varieties for another keeps the dish familiar but changes the mix of textures.
• Beef broth — Broth gives the tomatoes and seasonings enough liquid to cook together without making the pot soupy. A basic beef broth is fine here; the chili’s long cook and the other ingredients carry plenty of flavor.
• Chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, and oregano — Together, these dried seasonings build the chili’s familiar savory warmth, with smoked paprika adding a gentle smoky note. Keep the spices dry and aromatic; if a jar smells faint, its flavor will be muted in the finished pot.

Building the Chili in the Skillet, Then the Slow Cooker

Cook the Beef and Soften the Onion

Heat the vegetable oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat, then add the ground beef and diced onion. Break the beef into crumbles as it cooks, stirring so the pieces cook evenly and the onion softens alongside it. This takes 8 to 10 minutes, and the beef should reach 160°F before it leaves the skillet. Drain excess fat so it doesn’t collect in the slow cooker.

Warm the Spices and Tomato Paste

Stir the garlic, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, kosher salt, black pepper, and tomato paste into the beef mixture. Cook for 1 minute, stirring so the paste and spices coat the meat instead of sticking in one spot. The mixture should smell fragrant when it’s ready to move on. If the garlic begins to darken, keep stirring and transfer the mixture promptly.

Load the Slow Cooker

Transfer the skillet mixture to a 6-quart slow cooker. Add the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, beef broth, and the drained, rinsed kidney, black, and pinto beans, then stir until the beef and seasonings are spread through the pot. The mixture will look loose at this stage; the tomatoes and broth are part of the cooking liquid. Cover the cooker before starting the long cook.

Let the Slow Cooker Bring It Together

Cook covered on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, until the chili is hot and the flavors have melded. Slow cookers vary, so look for a thoroughly hot pot rather than relying on the first possible time alone. Turn off the cooker, uncover it, and let the chili stand for 10 minutes before serving. The top should look less watery after the rest.

Two Ways to Shift the Beans or Leave Out the Beef

Questions That Come Up When Making This Slow Cooker Chili

Slow Cooker Three Bean Chili with Ground Beef

Slow cooker three bean chili with ground beef combines kidney, black, and pinto beans with tomatoes and warm spices for a hearty, thick bowl. Brown the beef first, then let the chili cook low and slow until the flavors meld.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 8 hours hrs 11 minutes mins

Standing time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 8 hours hrs 36 minutes mins

Servings: 8 servings

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Calories: 510

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 lb ground beef 85% lean
• 1 yellow onion medium, diced
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 2 tbsp chili powder
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 0.5 tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
• 1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 can (15 oz) kidney beans drained and rinsed
• 1 can (15 oz) black beans drained and rinsed
• 1 can (15 oz) pinto beans drained and rinsed

Equipment

• 1 12-inch skillet
• 1 6-quart slow cooker

Method

 

1. Heat the vegetable oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Add the ground beef and diced onion and cook, breaking up the beef, for 8 to 10 minutes, until the beef reaches 160°F and the onion is softened.
3. Drain excess fat.
4. Stir in the garlic, chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, dried oregano, kosher salt, black pepper, and tomato paste.
5. Cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.
6. Transfer the beef mixture to a 6-quart slow cooker.
7. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, beef broth, kidney beans, black beans, and pinto beans.
8. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, until the chili is hot and the flavors have melded.
9. Turn off the slow cooker and uncover it.
10. Let the chili stand for 10 minutes to thicken before serving.

Notes

For the deepest flavor, brown the beef well before adding it to the slow cooker. Refrigerate leftovers for 3 to 4 days or freeze them; ground turkey can replace the beef for a lighter variation.