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Last updated on February 18th, 2024 at 06:12 pm
Is there any better comfort food than hot and hearty chili, especially on a cold day? How about serving that chili in a bread bowl?
Here’s a meaty and flavorful slow cooker chili recipe that we’re making even better by serving it in a bread bowl. We’re giving you a few variations on this recipe too, so you can customize it to suit your taste.
You can cook this chili on high in your slow cooker for about four hours, or let it cook all day on low. Either way, it won’t take long for your house to be filled with the delicious aroma of simmering chili. And, if that doesn’t get everyone to the dinner table, nothing will!
Chili with beans or no beans
Whether or not there should be beans in a chili recipe is a regional difference, so that’s totally up to you. Our photos (below) are showing the no-beans option, but feel free to add them in.
Choose kidney beans, black beans, or pinto–whatever you like best.
This recipe is simple. It’s really just browning the meat, and then tossing everything into the slow cooker.
Let’s get to the ingredients and directions–and be sure to check out our recipe tips and variations below.
Here’s everything you need to make this incredible slow cooker chili.
Brown the ground beef with the onion, drain, and then stir in the sugar and spices.
Add all of your ingredients to the slow cooker, including the beans if you are using them–and cook!
When the chili is ready, prepare the bread “bowls.” Just cut the tops off the bread/rolls, and then scoop out a bit of the inside to make room for the chili.
Top with your favorite garnishes, and enjoy! (And, check out our topping ideas below.)
Slow Cooker Chili in a Bread Bowl recipe tips and variations
More ways to enjoy this chili:
- This is a great topping for chili dogs, of course.
- Try it on nachos.
- Top a baked potato with chili, cheese, and sour cream.
- Make loaded french fries or tater tots with chili, cheese, and chives or diced onion.
Chili toppings to try:
- shredded cheddar cheese
- diced red onion
- diced green onion
- chopped avocado or guacamole
- tortilla strips
- tortilla chips (Try our easy air fryer tortilla chips)
- crumbled queso fresco
- sliced jalapenos
- sour cream
- Greek yogurt
- chopped fresh cilantro
Recipe tips:
- This is a great recipe if you have a lot of home-canned garden tomatoes you need to use up.
- Add more of your favorite beans to bulk up this meal for a larger group or family.
- Any ground meat can be used in place of the ground beef, such as chicken or turkey, if you want a lower-calorie option.
- Use Beyond Meat or Impossible Burger meat substitute if you’re looking for a vegetarian option.
- We used coconut sugar in this recipe for a healthier option, but brown sugar can be used as well.
- Eliminate the coconut sugar, and this is a Whole 30 recipe!
- Note that the nutrition information (below the recipe) is for the chili only and does not consider the bread bowls or garnish.
Hearty Slow Cooker Chili in a Bread Bowl
Servings 5 servings (one cup each)
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. Ground Beef
- 1 – 14.5 oz. Can Diced Tomatoes
- 1 – 14.5 oz. Can Rotel Tomatoes
- 1 – 6 oz. Can Tomato Sauce
- 1 – 4 oz. Can Tomato Paste
- 1 Medium Onion Diced
- 5 Tbsp. Chili Powder
- 4 Tbsp. Coconut Sugar or brown sugar
- 1 tsp. Salt
- 1 tsp. Onion Powder
- 1 tsp. Garlic
- Optional — 2 – 15-16 oz. Cans of Beans These can be 2 cans of kidney beans or 1 can kidney and 1 pinto or black beans. Choose your favorites.
- bread/rolls to serve the chili in
Instructions
- Brown ground meat and diced onion together in a skillet until meat is cooked through. Strain off excess fat, and place in slow cooker.
- Add spices and sugar to ground beef, and stir to combine. Then, add canned beans (if desired), tomatoes, sauce, and paste, and stir to combine.
- Slow cook on high for 4-6 hours or on low for 6-8 hours.
- Cut off the top off the bread/rolls, and hollow out the center a bit. Then add the chili.
- Garnish as desired.
Notes
This is a great recipe if you have lots of home-canned garden tomatoes to use up.
Add more of your favorite beans to bulk up this meal for a larger group or family.
Any ground meat can be used – such as chicken or turkey for a lower calorie option.
Use Beyond Meat or Impossible Burger meat substitute for a vegetarian option.
This is a great topping for chili dogs, of course, but my family likes it on nachos too!
We used coconut sugar in this recipe for a healthier option, but brown sugar could be used as well.
Nutrition information is for the chili only and does not consider the bread bowls or garnish.
Eliminate the coconut sugar and this is a Whole 30 recipe!
Add more of your favorite beans to bulk up this meal for a larger group or family.
Any ground meat can be used – such as chicken or turkey for a lower calorie option.
Use Beyond Meat or Impossible Burger meat substitute for a vegetarian option.
This is a great topping for chili dogs, of course, but my family likes it on nachos too!
We used coconut sugar in this recipe for a healthier option, but brown sugar could be used as well.
Nutrition information is for the chili only and does not consider the bread bowls or garnish.
Eliminate the coconut sugar and this is a Whole 30 recipe!
Weight Watchers Nutrition Information:
Weight Watcher’s Smart Points = 14
Weight Watcher’s Points Plus = 12
Weight Watcher’s Points = 11
You might also like these recipes:
20 of the Best Homemade Vegan Chili Recipes
27 Delicious Vegetarian Slow Cooker Recipes Everyone Will Love
30 Soul-Warming Comfort Foods
20 of the Best Homemade Vegan Chili Recipes
27 Delicious Vegetarian Slow Cooker Recipes Everyone Will Love
30 Soul-Warming Comfort Foods
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