Browned Italian sausage, tender beans, and a rich tomato sauce make this slow cooker chili with sausage a cold-weather staple in our house. I tested it through three winters until I got the spice just right. Give it 15 minutes in the morning, and this easy crowd-pleaser will be ready when everyone gets home.
Jump to:
Chili first showed up in San Antonio in the 1870s. Back then, women known as the "chili queens" sold it from lantern-lit street stands. They drew crowds with music and bright decorations.
In fact, their stands stayed a local favorite until the end of World War II. By the 1880s, chili con carne had also moved onto restaurant menus. Soon after, companies were packing it into cans so families could enjoy it at home.
Italian sausage has its own long history. It was first called lucanica, named after the Lucanian people. Around the fifth century BC, they taught Roman soldiers to pack spiced meat into casings.
Even today, the fennel mixed into the meat is what gives it that familiar Italian taste. Putting the two together in one pot, however, is a much newer idea. It is also the one my kitchen runs on every winter.
This sausage chili recipe is rich and savory, with fennel from the sausage and a mild smokiness from the paprika. Cumin adds warmth to every spoonful. A pinch of cayenne pepper adds just enough heat for adults. Still, the kids eat it happily, too. As it cooks, the tomatoes break down into a thick sauce that coats every bean.
Italian sausage is a regular in my kitchen because it comes already seasoned with fennel and garlic. That means I can skip half the spice jars and still get dinner on the table fast. On chilly evenings, I love using it in this Slow Cooker Italian Wedding Soup. The tender meatballs and tiny pasta make it a favorite with my kids. For Friday nights, I crumble it over my Italian Sausage Sheet Pan Pizza. One big pan feeds the whole family, and there is barely a slice left by the end.
My kids love it because they get to add their own chili toppings. My son buries his bowl of chili under a pile of shredded cheese. Meanwhile, my daughter picks out the white beans first. My husband, on the other hand, goes straight for the jalapeños and hot sauce. In the end, one pot keeps everyone happy.
I also love how little work it takes. All I do is brown the sausage in the morning. Then, by the time everyone gets home from school and practice, dinner is ready. Even so, it tastes like a classic chili recipe that simmered all day. These days, it is just as popular in our house as my Easy Chili Con Carne Recipe.
So if you need a hearty dinner that's super easy to make, this recipe is for you. I make it whenever my usual soup recipes feel too light for a cold night. Over time, making chili in the slow cooker has made it our favorite. Now we make it for game day and busy school nights.
Ingredients
Italian sausage gives this chili most of its flavor. It brings fennel, garlic, and a little extra fat for great flavor with fewer spices. Beef broth and tomato paste create a deep, savory base. Diced tomatoes add body and a little brightness to every spoonful. Kidney beans hold their shape through the long cook. Meanwhile, cannellini beans soften and become creamy, so you get two textures in every bite.
See the recipe card for exact quantities.
Top Tips for Making Slow Cooker Chili with Sausages
Rinse the canned beans well: The starchy liquid in the can turns the sauce gummy, so a quick rinse under cold water keeps every spoonful clean and bright.
Bloom the chili powder in the skillet: Stir the chili powder and cumin into the hot sausage for one minute before adding everything to the slow cooker, and they will smell twice as strong.
Keep the lid closed: Every peek lets heat escape and adds time to the cook, so trust the timer and let the slow cooker do the work.
How to Make Sausage Chili in the Slow Cooker
This Italian sausage chili is thick and hearty, with tender beans and a rich tomato sauce. It has a gentle kick of spice that works for the whole family. It's perfect for school nights, football Sundays, and snowy weekends. Dinner cooks on its own while you stay away from the stove top all afternoon.
Brown the Sausage, Onion, and Garlic
- Break the ground sausage into small crumbles with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Big chunks tend to stay chewy later.
- Take your time here, since a deep brown color gives the chili a savory taste. A straight dump-and-cook crockpot recipe misses that.
- Italian sausage carries more fat than ground beef, so check the pan once the meat is done.
- If it looks greasy, spoon off the excess grease before moving everything to the slow cooker.
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Add the Tomatoes and Seasoning
- Stir to combine all ingredients until the tomato paste melts into the liquid. Go easy on the salt for now.
- The sausage already carries fennel and garlic seasoning, so taste at the end before adding more.
Cook the Chili on Low
- Low heat gives the meat more time to soak up the tomato sauce. That's why I pick that setting whenever the day allows.
- Every crock pot runs a little differently, so check near the end. If the chili looks thicker than you like, add more beef broth.
Stir in the Beans
- Give the pot one gentle stir to warm them through. Try to leave most of them unbroken.
Serve with Your Favorite Topping
- Set out the shredded cheese, sour cream, cilantro, jalapeños, and hot sauce so everyone can top their own.
- Taste a spoonful first, then adjust the salt and pepper.
- A dollop of sour cream cools down the heat, while jalapeños and hot sauce add more kick.
- For a heartier meal, serve it with a pan of warm cornbread on the side. Any extra chili also makes great nachos the next day.
Storage
Let the chili cool for up to 2 hours, then keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The flavor gets even better overnight, so I often make a big batch on Sunday for weekday lunches or weeknight dinners.
For longer storage, freeze it in portions for up to three months. When you are ready to eat, thaw frozen chili overnight in the fridge. Then reheat it on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring every few minutes.
Since the chili thickens as it sits, add a splash of beef broth to loosen it. If you're in a rush, you can warm it from frozen over low heat.
FAQs
The slow cooker lid traps steam, so little liquid cooks off during the day. To fix it, remove the lid for the last 30 to 60 minutes and switch to high. You can also mash a handful of beans against the pot and stir them back in to thicken it.
The sausage probably went into the slow cooker before it browned fully. Pale sausage steams instead of searing, which leaves it rubbery and short on flavor. Crowding the skillet causes the same problem, so brown it in batches if your pan is small. Breaking it into small crumbles helps.
Canned beans are already cooked, so they should soften once they warm through. Dried kidney beans need to be fully cooked before going into the pot. The acid in the tomatoes keeps raw beans hard, even after a day. If your slow cooker runs cool, try the high setting instead.
Recipe
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Slow Cooker Chili with Sausage
Equipment
- Large skillet
- Can opener
- Colander
- Ladle
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground Italian sausage
- 1 onion diced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 can diced tomatoes
- 3 cups beef broth more as needed
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 cans dark red kidney beans rinsed and drained
- 2 cans cannellini beans rinsed and drained
Instructions
- Sauté Italian sausage, onion, and garlic in a skillet over medium heat, breaking apart the meat as it cooks, until browned. Transfer to the slow cooker.
- Add diced tomatoes, beef broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, garlic powder, cayenne, salt, pepper, and bay leaves. Stir to combine.
- Cover and cook on low 6 to 8 hours or high 3 to 4 hours.
- Stir in the beans during the last hour of cooking.
- Serve with shredded cheese, sour cream, cilantro, jalapeños, and hot sauce.
Notes
- Italian sausage brings its own fennel and garlic seasoning along with more fat than ground beef, so taste before adding extra salt and skim off excess grease after browning if it looks heavy.
- Add more beef broth toward the end if the chili has thickened more than you'd like.
- Browning the sausage well before it goes into the slow cooker builds flavor that a straight dump-and-cook approach misses. Don't rush this step.
- Remove the bay leaves before serving.
- Keeps refrigerated up to 4 days, or freezes well up to 3 months.
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