Slow Cooker Depression Era Chili: This slow cooker chili with just five ingredients is a smart, no-fuss dinner that deserves a regular spot on your weeknight meal list. It uses plain pantry items, turns simple food into a filling meal, and needs almost no prep since the slow cooker does most of the work for you. I really like meals like this on long, busy days, because you toss everything in quickly, your kitchen stays calm and clean, and by dinnertime a warm, hearty bowl of chili is ready and waiting.
Serve this chili with saltine crackers, a piece of cornbread, or a slice of buttered sandwich bread for an easy, comforting meal. It also goes great with a baked potato, a scoop of white rice, or a simple side salad if you want to make it a bigger dinner. For toppings, shredded cheddar cheese, chopped onion, and a spoonful of sour cream are all tasty extras if you have them on hand.
This easy slow cooker chili turns five simple pantry ingredients into a thick, hearty, warm meal with almost no effort. Ground beef, kidney beans, tomatoes, onion, and chili seasoning cook together low and slow for a rich, comforting bowl. It’s a budget-friendly classic that’s perfect for busy weeknights when you need dinner to make itself.
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 2 cans kidney beans (15 ounces each), not drained
- 1 can diced tomatoes (28 ounces)
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 1 packet chili seasoning (1 ounce)
Slow Cooker Depression Era Chili: Directions
- Add the beef. Add the raw ground beef directly into the base of your slow cooker. Break it apart into a few big chunks with your hands or a spoon so it spreads out more evenly across the bottom instead of sitting in one large clump.
- Add the rest of the ingredients. Pour in both cans of kidney beans, including the liquid inside the cans — don’t drain them. Then add the can of diced tomatoes, along with the chopped onion. Sprinkle the chili seasoning packet evenly over the top of everything.
- Mix it all together. Using a large spoon, stir everything in the slow cooker so the chili seasoning gets spread out evenly and doesn’t clump in one spot. Make sure the beef ends up mostly covered by the beans and tomatoes, since this helps it cook evenly.
- Cook low and slow. Put the lid on the slow cooker. Cook it on LOW flame about 6 – 8 hrs, or on HIGH heat for 3 – 4 hrs. If it’s easy for you, stir once or twice partway through cooking. The chili is ready when the beef is fully cooked through and the mixture has turned thick and hot.
- Taste and finish. Give the chili a taste once it’s done cooking, and add a little more seasoning if you feel it needs it. Ladle the hot chili into bowls and serve right away with your favorite toppings or simple side dishes.