Crock Pot Sausage-Beef Chili

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
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.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 02/17/23
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
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
435 Calories
23g Fat
25g Carbs
33g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories 435
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 23g 29%
Saturated Fat 8g 41%
Cholesterol 91mg 30%
Sodium 1161mg 50%
Total Carbohydrate 25g 9%
Dietary Fiber 9g 32%
Total Sugars 7g
Protein 33g
Vitamin C 78mg 391%
Calcium 106mg 8%
Iron 6mg 31%
Potassium 1114mg 24%
*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 chili 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.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds ground beef (85% lean)

  • 1 cup chopped onion

  • 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

  • 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 or seasoned salt

  • 2 to 3 tablespoons chili powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin

  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste

  • Fresh cilantro, for garnish

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Slow Cooker Ground Beef and Sausage Chili Recipe ingredients
    The Spruce

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

    Ground beef with onion
    The Spruce

  3. Dice smoked sausage and add it to browned ground beef along with 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 meat and vegetable mixture to slow cooker.

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

  5. Add 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 slow cooker and cook on low for about 6 to 8 hours. Or cook the chili on high for about 3 hours.

    Slow Cooker Ground Beef and Sausage Chili Recipe
    The Spruce 

  7. Garnish each bowl with fresh cilantro, if using.

Tips

  • Top it off with sour cream or shredded cheese.
  • Leftover chili is a great topping for hot dogs, baked potatoes, or french fries.

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 six 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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