I recently shared a Red & Green Chili recipe that was also for the crock pot, but it did require a little bit of stove cooking first. I know it’s only one extra step (and worth it in the end), but some days, just one less thing to do can make all the difference! That’s where this steak chili recipe comes in.
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So if you’re looking for a way to stay warm this winter or to feed a bunch of extra house guests (or if you’re participating in a chili cook-off!), this recipe will not disappoint! Just be sure to double it for a big crowd. This White Bean Chili and this Dutch Oven Chili are great too!
What Goes into This Steak Chili Recipe?
Who doesn’t love a warm bowl of chili on a chilly day? It’s even better when you make it with minimal prep. This chili recipe has it all: great taste, real food ingredients, and no precooking or extensive prep required.
Beef
The best cut of steak for this slow cooker steak chili recipe is actually stew beef. Stew beef is usually pre-cut into 2” chunks, which saves on prep time. It’s also perfectly marbled, meaning tender chunks of beef that shred after slow cooking.
If you can’t get stew beef, it can be subbed with any tender, marbled beef cuts you have available (cut into 2” chunks). Ground beef or ground turkey will also work, but I recommend pre-cooking before adding it to the slow cooker.
Beans
We used a 15oz can of kidney beans, but you can also use black beans instead. Make sure to thoroughly drain and rinse canned beans before adding them to the slow cooker.
Diced Tomatoes
You’ll need one large 28 oz can for this recipe. Choose a variety that’s unseasoned and if you don’t like tomato chunks 28 oz of crushed tomatoes will also work.
Onions and Seasoning
If you buy pre-cut stew beef the only prep is dicing half an onion. You probably have all the spices for this steak chili recipe in your pantry: chili powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, and salt.
Spices, including the pepper, can be adjusted to taste.
How to Make Slow Cooker Steak Chili
This recipe is super easy! Just throw all your ingredients into the slow cooker in the order they appear on the recipe. Then cook on high for 5-6 hours, shred the beef, and serve!
Can This Recipe be Doubled?
Yes, go ahead and double the ingredients. You may need to add extra cooking time.
How Can I Freeze Leftover Chili?
Leftover chili is one of the easiest foods to freeze! If you like easy meals (or have kids with busy schedules), it’s a great idea to double this recipe and freeze the extra. To freeze chili, simply cool fully then portion it out into freezer-safe containers.
You can thaw in the fridge overnight, defrost/reheat in the microwave, or put frozen chili in a pot with a few splashes of water and heat on the stove.
Can You Cook This Steak Chili Recipe on Low Instead?
Yes, this chili can be cooked on low for about 8 hours. If you plan to be out longer, consider doubling the recipe or investing in a slow cooker with a timer that will automatically switch to warm after 8 hours (for food safety, don’t leave the slow cooker on warm for more than 2-4 hours).
How Can I Pressure Cook This Steak Chili Recipe in an Instant Pot?
I don’t use an Instant Pot myself, but most slow cooker recipes can be adapted to one with a few simple changes. Here are some tips that might work if you want to try this recipe in an Instant Pot instead of a slow cooker:
- Heat a small amount of olive oil on the sauté setting and fry your beef pieces on all sides. You may need to work in batches.
- Add the onion and cook until browned.
- You may want to deglaze the pan with ½ cup of chicken stock to avoid burning.
- Turn off, then add all the other ingredients to the instant pot.
- Set it to the chili setting and cook for 20 minutes, or pressure cook on high for 10 minutes and natural release.
- Shred beef and serve.
Try this No Bean Chili too!
Easy Slow Cooker Steak Chili
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds stew beef (cut in 2-inch chunks (grass-fed recommended))
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or regular pepper (double this if you like it hot!))
- 1/2 onion (diced)
- 1 15-oz can kidney beans (drained and rinsed (you could use black beans instead))
- 1 28-oz can diced tomatoes (with juice)
Optional Toppings
- shredded cheddar cheese (grated)
- sour cream
- avocado
- cilantro
- homemade cornbread
Instructions
- Put the stew beef chunks in the bottom of the slow cooker. Sprinkle with chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. Top with onions, beans, and tomatoes.
- Turn the slow cooker onto high heat and cook for 5 to 6 hours. Shred beef with a fork before serving, if desired. Top with garnishes of choice and serve warm.
Notes
- You could substitute 1 pound ground beef for the stew meat, if you prefer a smoother chili, or even ground turkey if you like turkey chili!
- We recommend organic ingredients when feasible.
I made this recipe mostly as written, except I used tomato sauce because I didn’t have tomatoes, added black beans in addition to the kidney beans and 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper. It was excellent, and I will make it again.
Hi Nora, glad to hear that it still came out delicious with the tomato sauce! – Nicole
Where did you get bowls that are on the picture? Thanks!
Hi! Unfortunately, Lisa has had those bowls for over 10 years and does not remember where they came from. – Nicole
I have been making this chili for years now. It is, by far, the easiest and tastiest crockpot meal ever! I make it for football Sundays, Fall days at our camper and any time I need a quick prep, no fuss, real food meal during the week. It’s always a hit and I have been asked for the recipe many times. The only negative comment I have has nothing to do with the recipe but rather the photo of the chili that is shown with the recipe here. The melted clump of cheese does not look appealing and does not give the impression that this chili is as delicious as it actually is. I always top mine with shredded Mexican cheese, sliced avocado and a small dollop of sour cream. Amazing!
Hi! Thank you so much for the feedback. We’ll consider putting it on our list of photos to update, since it is one of our older blog posts. Glad to hear you love this recipe. – Nicole
If using ground beef , do you cook it before you put it in slow cooker?
Hi Christine, yes, if you use ground beef, make sure to brown it first. – Nicole
How are there over 1000mg of sodium and 72 grams of sugar per serving in this recipe? That can’t be right?
Hi Meg, there was an error in the amounts that has now been fixed. – Nicole
Hi, do you recommend any specific cut of the beef? I have read that the rear-end is good since it is leaner.
Hi Rose, stew beef is usually chuck. This post can also help you out: https://www.thekitchn.com/quick-tip-choos-160558
-Nicole
Has this recipe been made on the stove top? I want to bring it to a chili cook off and we have to prepare it there and can only use a burner, not a crockpot. Any suggestions?
You could definitely try cooking it slow and low (covered) on your stovetop following the same method as above. Good luck!
Have you tried making this in the instant pot? If so how long did it take? I have one and we love this recipe but don’t have as much time today so was hoping to use the instant pot instead of my slow cooker to cook it :-)
Hi there – I don’t believe we have. We love cooking in our slow cooker (we have two), but are not really fans of the Instant Pot as you can read in this post. If you give it a try let us know how it turns out! – Jason
Can this cook on low but just double the time?
A lot of our readers have said they cooked it on low for 10-12 hours and it came out great. – Nicole
So simple and so delicious! We use a 15oz can of black beans in place of the stew meat (for a vegetarian option). Tonight we threw it in the instant pot and dinner was ready from start to finish in 30min! Thanks for such a terrific recipe!!
Just wondering…how long did you cook it in the IP?
Bekah, not sure about the IP settings, but if you have it in a slow cooker/crock pot it takes about 5 -6 hours on high heat. – Nicole
My family loves this chili! My 9yo gobbles it up. I double everything except the stew meat, and actually use 4 cans of kidney beans! We top it with green onions and avocado. So good!!!
Can ground beef be used in the place of stew beef?
Hi. I’ve used ground turkey but I brown it first .
Hey wondering if you can fry up the steak first or can this be made on stovetop? Thank you
Hi Holly, you can definitely cook this slow and low on the stove top (covered). – Nicole
I gave this 5 stars because it was easy, used few ingredients and tasted good. I’ve been spending way too much time on chili! To adjust to my preferences I added 1/2 tsp of chiptole chili, 1 can of tomato paste and black pepper.