Crockpot Sausage-Beef Chili

Written by
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Diana Rattray
Updated 01/11/20
Slow cooker chili with ground beef and sausage

The Spruce

 
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 6 hrs 30 mins
Total: 6 hrs 50 mins
Servings: 8 servings
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
516 Calories
17g Fat
50g Carbs
42g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories 516
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 17g 22%
Saturated Fat 6g 31%
Cholesterol 91mg 30%
Sodium 960mg 42%
Total Carbohydrate 50g 18%
Dietary Fiber 14g 51%
Protein 42g
Calcium 170mg 13%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Black beans, beef, sausage, veggies, and spices make this Mexican-inspired chile a beautiful option for a family dinner or potluck gathering on a cold winter day. Heat up with the chili powder, grill seasoning, and cumin and get a hearty and healthy protein-filled serving thanks to the beef and sausage.

Make this recipe your own and adjust it to your preferences by replacing the canned black beans with Pinto beans, small red beans, or kidney beans – even garbanzos will work great thanks to their firm bite. Add extra jalapeno peppers for a hotter version or use a milder chile, like poblano, banana wax, or Anaheim peppers, if you don't like or can't handle spicy food.

Serve this chili with freshly baked cornbread, biscuits, or crusty rolls. Or heat up yellow corn tortillas and serve it with pico de gallo and sliced avocado.

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Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds ground beef (85% lean)
  • 1 cup onion (chopped)
  • 8 ounces smoked sausage (andouille, chicken sausage, or chorizo)
  • 1 red bell pepper (chopped)
  • 2 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 1 (4-ounce) can mild green chile peppers
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons diced jalapeño peppers (or to taste)
  • 2 (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomatoes (or fire-roasted tomatoes, undrained)
  • 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
  • 1 (15-ounce) can black beans (drained and rinsed)
  • 1 teaspoon grill seasoning (for beef, or seasoned salt)
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper (ground)
  • 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
  • Garnish: Fresh cilantro

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ground beef sausage ingredients
    The Spruce

  2. In a large non-stick skillet or sauté pan, brown the ground beef with the chopped onion until the meat is no longer pink, using medium heat. Stir frequently.

    Ground beef with onion
    The Spruce

  3. Dice the smoked sausage and add it to the browned ground beef along with the garlic and bell pepper. Continue cooking for about 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently.

    Smoked sausage, ground beef, bell pepper and onion in a frying pan
    The Spruce

  4. Transfer the meat and vegetable mixture to the slow cooker.

    Chili With Ground Beef and Sausage mixture in a crock pot
    The Spruce

  5. Add the mild chile peppers, jalapeno peppers, tomatoes, tomato sauce, black beans, and seasonings. Mix well.

    Chili With Ground Beef and Sausage mixture in crock pot
    The Spruce

  6. Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for about 6 to 8 hours. Or cook the chili on HIGH for about 3 hours.

    Chili With Ground Beef and Sausage
    The Spruce 

  7. Garnish each bowl with fresh cilantro, if using, serve and enjoy!

Chili All Year Round.

Chili freezes beautifully; here are some tips on how to freeze it for best results:

  • Make a double batch and freeze one for a future meal using one-portion containers or freezer bags. If you're sure you're going to use all the servings at once, use a sturdy freezer bag, reseal, and flatten the bag so it freezes horizontally using less space. Once frozen you can place the bag standing up.
  • Make sure to label the chili with the date on which it was made and a "best by" date of 6 months later.

Variations and Substitutions

This beef chili is very forgiving and can be altered to your liking. Here are our suggested variations:

  • If you want to use less beef, omit 1/3 of it and add another can of beans (drained and rinsed).
  • Replace the smoked sausage with fresh chorizo, Italian sausage, or another spicy fresh sausage blend. Brown the sausage in the skillet along with the ground beef.
  • Serrano peppers may replace the jalapeno peppers, but omitting the spicy chilis altogether won't alter a flavorful end product.
  • Omit all beans, and make this a beef chili. Serve over tortilla chips, top with shredded cheese, sour cream, cubed avocado, and fresh salsa, and serve it like nachos. Or serve over brown rice with a side salad.

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