This slow cooker beef chili delivers a true Texas-style chili—no beans, just melt-in-your-mouth slow-cooked beef and the perfect blend of spices. This chili doesn’t just rely on meat to bring the flavor. It’s loaded with veggies like bell peppers, carrots, and celery that build layers of flavor. Top it off with your favorite garnishes, and you’ve got a meal that’s as comforting as it is delicious
For other chili recipes, try our Cajun White Chicken Chili or our Instant Pot Chili.
Why Our Recipe
- A perfectly authentic Texas chili recipe with all beef and no beans!
- Packed with veggies, spices, and flavor that’s slow cooked in the crockpot to perfection.
- We’ll even give you a guide to choosing the right chili powder so you get the best flavor every time.
There are lots of versions of Texas chili out there, but the important part of any Texas-style chili is that there are no beans and just beef. This slow cooker recipe lets you take a more hands-off approach to dinner as it sits and cooks all day long, filling your house with the delicious smell of chili. By the time you sit down to eat, you and your family will be ravenous and ready to have as many helpings as you can! It’s a perfect excuse to make some delicious cornbread, too!
Ingredient Notes
- Beef Chuck Roast: Be sure to cut it into 1/2-inch cubes for even cooking. You can often purchase it pre-cut for you sold under the name beef stew meat.
- White Onion: White or yellow will work. Dice it nice and small so that everything blends together.
- Red Bell Peppers: Green works too, but red has a lot of extra flavor.
- Carrots: Not a traditional ingredient, but it’s our secret weapon to add a little sweetness.
- Celery Ribs: Layering on more flavor with the rest of the trio of bell pepper and onion that makes up the trinity.
- Worcestershire Sauce: Adds a little tang, and even more flavor.
- Beef Broth: Use a reduced-sodium beef broth to best control the salt content.
- Diced Tomatoes: Fire-roasted tomatoes are a great option for an extra smoky flavor. Don’t drain, keep the juices.
- Diced Green Chiles: If you prefer spicier chili, use hot green chiles or replace with canned diced jalapenos.
- Tomato Paste: This thickens the chili and adds a concentrated tomato flavor.
- Chili Powder: Not all chili powders are created equal! Make sure to use good-quality chili powder for the best results.
- Salt: Adjust to taste based on your preferences and the sodium content of your broth.
- Cornstarch: Whisking it with liquid from the slow cooker creates a slurry that thickens up your chili.
- Lime Juice: A squeeze of fresh lime juice at the end brightens the entire chili.
Topping Options
Our chili stands on its own two feet, but there are still lots of great toppings that you can put on top. Some of our favorites are shredded cheese and sour cream, and we also love a little bit of cilantro sprinkled on top! Diced avocado can add some creaminess. You could also add sliced or pickled jalapeños for those who are looking for a little more heat.
Adjusting the Spice Level
The heat in this recipe comes from the green chiles and the chili powder. As written, this chili comes out pretty mild, with just a hint of heat. This recipe can easily be adjusted to meet your ideal spice level.
For more heat, swap out the mild green chiles for hot green chiles or canned diced jalapeños. You can also use a hot chili powder or add a pinch of cayenne pepper for that extra fiery touch.
Browning the Beef (or skipping it!)
Browning the beef before adding it to the slow cooker gives your chili a deeper, richer flavor. Searing the meat caramelizes the surface and helps lock in the juices.
That said, we get it—sometimes you’re in a hurry! If you’re short on time, you can skip this step, and your chili will still turn out delicious. The slow cooker will still work its magic, giving you tender, melt-in-your-mouth beef. Just know that browning the beef adds an extra layer of flavor if you have the time!
Good Quality Chili Powder
A good chili powder should be made primarily from ground dried chilies, with minimal fillers or additives. The brand of chili powder you choose really does matter! While it can be tempting to grab the cheapest store brand, many budget brands bulk up their chili powder with fillers like salt, flour, or additives, which can dull the taste. Instead, opt for a well-known brand or a specialty chili powder.
In addition to more all-purpose chili powder blends, there are also specialty chili powders. Here’s a quick guide to the four most common varieties you’ll see in U.S. grocery stores:
Chipotle Chili Powder: Made from smoked and dried jalapeños, this powder brings both a more spicy and smoky flavor profile.
Ancho Chili Powder: Ground from dried poblano peppers, ancho powder has a mild, slightly sweet flavor. This is a great option for those who like sweeter chilis without added heat.
Dark Chili Powder: This variety is made from darker, more mature chilies and has a deeper, earthier flavor than regular chili powder. You’ll end up with a deeper flavored chili.
Mexican-Style Chili Powder: A blend of various chilies, often including ancho, guajillo, and pasilla peppers, this type of chili powder offers a balanced, smoky, and mildly spicy flavor that works well in traditional Mexican dishes, so it can add a Tex-Mex element to your chili.
Storage and Reheating Instructions
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Freeze leftover portions in an airtight container or resealable plastic freezer bag. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Reheat on the stove in a saucepan over medium-low heat until warmed through.
Some great sides for your chili . . .
Watch the video below where Rachel will walk you through every step of this recipe. Sometimes it helps to have a visual, and we’ve always got you covered with our cooking show. You can find the complete collection of recipes on YouTube, our Facebook Page, or right here on our website with their corresponding recipes.
Have it cooking now and can’t wait to eat it! Just licking the spoon after stirring it all together tells me it’s going to be delicious.
Have made this recipe multiple times for family and have tripled and quadrupled it for large gatherings at home. Everyone has loved it. It does, based on the original recipe, make more of a soup than a chili. I note that the current version of your recipe contains cornstarch to thicken. However, for those who are still using the original recipe I have a suggestion: strain the chili and collect the broth; add canned corn, drained black beans and rotisserie chicken, shredded, to the chili broth. Voila! You have a really good tortilla soup. Two meals from one recipe.
Made it his for dinner tonight. It was very good. I love chili but hate beans in my chili so this was perfect. Husband love it too. I didn’t need to add thickener as I cooked on high for an hour and a half to two hours half way through cooking time and it was thick enough. This one s a keeper.
To Karen T, I like the idea of having chicken tortilla soup for the next meal. As you said this really is more of a soup than a chili,.so straining the extra liquid and using it for later is a good idea. And voila now I have chili instead of soup.
To everyone,
My husband (who was born in Texas and we live in Texas) asked me to add a can or two of beans. If anyone wants to add beans to make it less like soup, then I’d suggest adding two cans of drained and rinsed small red beans or pinto beans. It’s not Texas style, but it adds extra protein and provides filling to make it like chili.
But next time I’ll just add less beef broth and hopefully it will be a better consistency. The flavor is a strong chili flavor. Instead of cumin I used more chili powder and some chipotle chili. And I also used smoked paprika instead of Hungarian/sweet/regular paprika. I think I’ll cut the amount of smoked paprika in half next time.
It’s pretty yummy and it gets my fellas to eat and enjoy their veggies, so that is definitely a win-win.
Got it cooking as we speak. One of the knit picky things I just have to poke at is in the traditional sense of Texas chili of course you won’t find beans, but you also won’t find any kind of tomato paste, diced tomatoes any of that. The sauce would be made up of dried up peppers. Traditionally speaking of course not everything has to stay traditional. I personally enjoy both but at least from the smells I was getting from putting it together this recipe is gonna be a home run.
Hi Rachel,
Thank you for this wonderful Texas chili recipe! I am cooking it in my crockpot for Super Bowl dinner and the whole house smells amazing. I have made many types of chili over the past 40 years and this will be a favorite.
I was reading some of the comments about your appearance and shame on the person who said them. You are a beautiful young woman dealing with a disabling condition and I admire your strength and fortitude. My own daughter has been dealing with Type 1 diabetes for the past 23 years and has dealt with all sorts of ignorant comments and judgements. She is now almost 30 years old and is beautiful inside and out. She is my hero!
Anyway, ignore the petty comments about your grey hair because they are ridiculous.
Keep on cooking your wonderful recipes and thank you for sharing them.
I loved your entire comments, both about the recipe AND about personally negative comments. None of us are required to pay for these super recipes or to visit the website at all, so perhaps we can all pay well earned respect to those who work hard creating and testing recipes, and those who work diligently to make the website so clear and informative.