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Bowl of Slow Cooker Chili with Sausage, beans, ground meat, cheese, sour cream, and herbs, next to spoon and napkin.
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Slow Cooker Chili with Sausage

Browned Italian sausage, tender beans, and a rich tomato sauce slow cook into a thick, hearty chili. With just 15 minutes of prep, it is an easy crowd-pleaser for busy weeknights.
Course Dinner, Lunch, Main, Main Course, main dish, Soup, Soups
Cuisine American
Keyword dinner, fall, lunch, main, main course, Slow Cooker Chili with Sausage, winter
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 15 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Calories 591kcal
Author Ksenia Prints

Equipment

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.

Nutrition

Calories: 591kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Cholesterol: 86mg | Sodium: 1516mg | Potassium: 853mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 911IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 154mg | Iron: 8mg