Finding a hearty, satisfying dinner that practically cooks itself can feel impossible on busy weeknights. After all, comfort food meals usually require lots of hands-on time and attention, which is tough when you’re juggling work deadlines, school pickups, and everything else life throws your way.
Thankfully, this crockpot beef and sausage chili solves all those problems: it’s filling and flavorful, requires minimal prep work, and gives you the flexibility to toss in whatever vegetables or beans you happen to have in your pantry.
Why You’ll Love This Beef and Sausage Chili
- Set-it-and-forget-it convenience – Just brown the meat, toss everything in your crockpot, and let it simmer away while you tackle your day.
- Hearty and filling – The combination of ground beef and pork sausage creates a protein-packed chili that will keep everyone satisfied for hours.
- Perfect for meal prep – This recipe makes a big batch that tastes even better the next day, so you’ll have easy lunches and dinners all week long.
- Pantry-friendly ingredients – Most of these ingredients are canned goods and basics you probably already have on hand, making it an easy go-to recipe.
- Crowd-pleasing flavor – The taco seasoning and diced tomatoes with green chiles give it just the right amount of spice that appeals to most taste buds.
What Kind of Ground Beef Should I Use?
For this hearty chili, you’ll want to use ground beef with a fat content between 80/20 and 85/15 – this gives you enough fat for flavor without making your chili too greasy. Since you’re browning the meat before adding it to the crockpot, you can drain off any excess fat, so don’t worry too much about going with the leaner options. Ground chuck works really well here and is usually the most budget-friendly choice at the grocery store. If you prefer leaner meat, 90/10 will work fine too, though you might want to add a little extra oil when browning to prevent sticking.
Options for Substitutions
This chili is pretty forgiving when it comes to swapping ingredients around:
- Ground beef: You can easily swap this for ground turkey, ground chicken, or even plant-based ground meat if you want a lighter option. Just brown it the same way you would the beef.
- Bulk pork sausage: Italian sausage, chorizo, or turkey sausage all work great here. If you only have link sausages, just remove the casings and crumble the meat as it cooks.
- Kidney beans: Feel free to mix it up with black beans, pinto beans, or navy beans. You can even use a combination of different beans for more variety.
- Diced tomatoes and green chiles: If you can’t find this combo, just use regular diced tomatoes and add a 4-ounce can of diced green chiles separately. For more heat, try fire-roasted tomatoes.
- Taco seasoning: Make your own by mixing 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon each of cumin and paprika, ½ teaspoon each of oregano and garlic powder, plus a pinch of cayenne.
- Green pepper: Red or yellow bell peppers work just as well, or you can add some heat with poblano or jalapeño peppers instead.
Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking
The biggest mistake people make with crockpot chili is skipping the browning step for the ground beef and sausage, which leaves you with greasy, flavorless meat floating in your chili – always brown the meat first and drain the fat before adding it to your slow cooker.
Another common error is adding too much liquid early on, since the vegetables will release their own moisture during the long cooking process, so stick to just the liquid from the canned tomatoes and let the chili thicken naturally.
Don’t forget to rinse and drain your kidney beans thoroughly, as the thick liquid they’re packed in can make your chili taste too starchy and change the texture.
For the best flavor, resist the urge to lift the lid frequently during cooking – each peek releases heat and can add 15-20 minutes to your cooking time, so trust the process and let your crockpot do its job.
What to Serve With Beef and Sausage Chili?
This hearty chili is perfect on its own, but I love serving it with warm cornbread or crusty dinner rolls for soaking up all that rich, meaty goodness. You can also spoon it over baked potatoes, rice, or even pasta for a more filling meal that’ll satisfy the hungriest crowd. Don’t forget to set out bowls of the classic toppings like shredded cheese, sour cream, and chopped onions so everyone can customize their bowl just how they like it. For a fun twist, try serving it over baked sweet potatoes or with some tortilla chips on the side for scooping.
Storage Instructions
Refrigerate: This hearty chili actually gets better after a day or two in the fridge! Store it in airtight containers for up to 5 days. I love making a big batch on Sunday and enjoying it throughout the week – the flavors really meld together nicely.
Freeze: Chili is one of those perfect freezer meals that saves you on busy nights. Let it cool completely, then portion it into freezer bags or containers and freeze for up to 4 months. I like to freeze individual servings so I can grab just what I need for lunch or dinner.
Warm Up: To enjoy your chili again, thaw it overnight in the fridge if frozen, then heat it on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring occasionally. You can also microwave it in 30-second intervals until hot. Sometimes I add a splash of broth if it seems too thick after reheating.
| Preparation Time | 15-20 minutes |
| Cooking Time | 240-300 minutes |
| Total Time | 255-320 minutes |
| Level of Difficulty | Medium |
Estimated Nutrition
Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):
- Calories: 3400-3700
- Protein: 180-200 g
- Fat: 170-190 g
- Carbohydrates: 270-300 g
Ingredients
For the chili:
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 lb fresh pork sausage
- 4 cans kidney beans (16 oz each), rinsed and drained
- 2 cans diced tomatoes (14.5 oz each), include liquid
- 2 cans diced tomatoes with green chiles (10 oz each), include liquid
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 packet taco seasoning
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
For serving:
- Shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
- Chopped red onion (optional)
- Sour cream (optional)
Step 1: Cook and Drain the Meat
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 lb fresh pork sausage
In a large skillet set over medium heat, cook the ground beef and fresh pork sausage until the meat is no longer pink, breaking up the pieces as you go.
Once fully cooked, drain any excess liquid or fat from the skillet.
Transfer the cooked meat to a 5-quart slow cooker for the next step.
I like to make sure the meat is nicely browned for extra flavor.
Step 2: Combine Remaining Ingredients and Slow Cook
- cooked ground beef and pork sausage from Step 1
- 4 cans kidney beans (16 oz each), rinsed and drained
- 2 cans diced tomatoes (14.5 oz each), include liquid
- 2 cans diced tomatoes with green chiles (10 oz each), include liquid
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 packet taco seasoning
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Add the rinsed and drained kidney beans, both types of diced tomatoes with their liquid, chopped yellow onion, chopped green bell pepper, taco seasoning, salt, and black pepper to the slow cooker with the cooked meat from Step 1.
Stir everything together so the flavors are evenly distributed.
Cover and cook on high for four to five hours, or until the vegetables are tender and the chili is fully heated through.
Step 3: Serve and Garnish
- shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
- chopped red onion (optional)
- sour cream (optional)
When the chili is ready, ladle it into bowls and serve hot.
Top each serving with shredded cheddar cheese, chopped red onion, and a dollop of sour cream if you like.
For an extra kick, I sometimes add extra chopped onion and a little extra cheese on top.
Mouthwatering Crockpot Beef and Sausage Chili
Ingredients
For the chili:
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 lb fresh pork sausage
- 4 cans kidney beans (16 oz each), rinsed and drained
- 2 cans diced tomatoes (14.5 oz each), include liquid
- 2 cans diced tomatoes with green chiles (10 oz each), include liquid
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 packet taco seasoning
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
For serving:
- shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
- chopped red onion (optional)
- sour cream (optional)
Instructions
- In a large skillet set over medium heat, cook the ground beef and fresh pork sausage until the meat is no longer pink, breaking up the pieces as you go. Once fully cooked, drain any excess liquid or fat from the skillet. Transfer the cooked meat to a 5-quart slow cooker for the next step. I like to make sure the meat is nicely browned for extra flavor.
- Add the rinsed and drained kidney beans, both types of diced tomatoes with their liquid, chopped yellow onion, chopped green bell pepper, taco seasoning, salt, and black pepper to the slow cooker with the cooked meat from Step 1. Stir everything together so the flavors are evenly distributed. Cover and cook on high for four to five hours, or until the vegetables are tender and the chili is fully heated through.
- When the chili is ready, ladle it into bowls and serve hot. Top each serving with shredded cheddar cheese, chopped red onion, and a dollop of sour cream if you like. For an extra kick, I sometimes add extra chopped onion and a little extra cheese on top.
