Slow Cooker Beef and Refried Bean Chili
Slow Cooker Beef and Refried Bean Chili is an easy chili recipe that cooks in a few hours, and the refried beans thicken the chili! This recipe is delicious, but if chili with beans doesn’t work for you, check out my low-carb chili recipes.
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Chili is perfect when you’re wanting comfort food and needing to use pantry ingredients. This Slow Cooker Beef and Refried Bean Chili is a delicious chili recipe that’s been popular for years, but with pinto beans, kidney beans, and refried beans, it’s definitely not a low-carb recipe.
So recently I decided to improve the recipe with a new option that makes it a bit lower in carbs. (Here’s the original version for anyone who was a fan!) My new recipe omits the kidney beans and adds one large chopped red bell pepper that’s cooked with the onion and spices. Everything else is the same, and I love the red pepper and don’t mind that there are a few less carbs either!
Either way you make it, this is a delicious chili with pinto beans, Pace Picante Sauce, a perfect blend of spices, and a can of refried beans to thicken it. There’s also a healthy amount of lime juice, and I’d serve this with slices of lime so lime lovers (like me) can squeeze even more lime into their chili! I hope you love this one as much as I do!
What ingredients do you need for this recipe?
(This is only a list of ingredients; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)
- lean ground beef
- Olive Oil (affiliate link)
- onion
- red bell pepper
- Minced Garlic (affiliate link)
- Chili Powder (affiliate link)
- ground Ancho chile (affiliate link) (or use more regular chili powder if you don’t have Ancho)
- ground cumin (affiliate link)
- Mexican Oregano (affiliate link)
- Pace Picante Sauce (affiliate link)
- canned pinto beans
- can of refried beans
- canned beef broth (affiliate link)
- fresh-squeezed lime juice
- lime slices for serving (optional)
Why put refried beans in chili?
In this recipe the refried beans thicken the chili, but they also add amazing flavor! If you’re a fan of refried beans, I bet you’ll love this refried bean chili!
Want lower carb chili recipes?
For those who prefer Low-Carb Chili, check out my round-up with 20 Amazing Low-Carb and Keto Chili Recipes from around the web!
How to make Slow Cooker Beef and Refried Bean Chili:
(This is only a summary of the steps for the recipe; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)
- Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan and cook the ground beef until it’s nicely browned.
- While the beef browns, chop the onion and red bell pepper.
- When the beef is browned, add it to the slow cooker and turn slow cooker to high.
- Add more oil to the frying pan and cook onions until they’re starting to brown, then add the Minced Garlic (affiliate link) and cook a minute or two more.
- Add the chili powder, ground Ancho chile, ground cumin, and Mexican Oregano and cook the spices with the onions.
- While onions cook, drain the pinto beans into a colander placed in the sink.
- Rinse the beans with cold water until no more foam appears (rinsing is probably optional.)
- Add the onion mixture to the slow cooker with the pinto beans. Then add the Pace Picante Sauce (or other salsa of your choice).
- Add beef broth to the frying pan and scrape off the browned bits that stick to the pan. Add the can of refried beans and stir, then add that mixture to the slow cooker.
- Cook chili about 3-4 hours on high (or you can cook for 6-8 hours on low if you prefer.)
- When the Ground Beef and Refried Bean Chili is done, stir in the lime juice and serve hot.
- If you have a large slow cooker I’d double the recipe because this freezes very well!
More Chili Recipes to Enjoy:
- Healthy Chili Recipes Your Family Will Love ~ Kalyn’s Kitchen
- Slow Cooker and Instant Pot White Bean Chili ~ Slow Cooker or Pressure Cooker
- Amy’s Amazing White Chicken Chili ~ Kalyn’s Kitchen
- Low-Carb and Keto Instant Pot Chili Recipes ~ Slow Cooker or Pressure Cooker
- All-Beef Instant Pot Keto Chili ~ Kalyn’s Kitchen
Weekend Food Prep:
This recipe has been added to a new category called Weekend Food Prep to help you find recipes you can prep or cook on the weekend and eat during the week!
Slow Cooker Beef and Refried Bean Chili
Slow Cooker Beef and Refried Bean Chili is loaded with flavor and cooks in a few hours in the slow cooker!
Ingredients
- 1 lb. lean ground beef
- 2 tsp. + 1 tsp. olive oil
- 1 cup finely chopped onion
- 1 large red bell pepper, chopped
- 2 T minced garlic (or less)
- 2 tsp. chili powder
- 2 tsp. ground Ancho chile pepper (or use more regular chili powder if you don’t have Ancho)
- 1 T ground cumin (or less if you’re not a big fan of cumin)
- 1 tsp. Mexican oregano
- 1 1/4 cups Pace Mild Picante Sauce (see notes)
- one 15 oz. can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
- one 16 oz. can refried beans
- one 14 oz. can beef broth
- 2 T fresh-squeezed lime juice
- lime slices for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan and cook the ground beef until it's nicely browned, breaking apart with a turner while it cooks.
- While the beef browns, chop the onion and red bell pepper.
- When the beef is browned, add it to the slow cooker and turn slow cooker to high.
- Add a little more oil to the frying pan and cook the onions until they're starting to brown, then add the garlic and cook a minute or two more.
- Add the chili powder, ground Ancho chile (affiliate link), ground cumin (affiliate link), and Mexican Oregano (affiliate link) and saute the spices for a couple of minutes with the onions.
- While onions cook, drain the pinto beans into a colander placed in the sink.
- Rinse the beans with cold water until no more foam appears. (Rinsing is probably optional, but it makes the beans a bit more digestible.)
- Add the onion mixture to the slow cooker with the can of pinto beans. Then add the Pace Picante Sauce (or other salsa of your choice).
- Then add beef broth to the frying pan and scrape the bottom of the pan to get off the browned bits that stick to the pan. Add the can of refried beans and stir until the beans are partly mixed with the broth, then add that mixture to the slow cooker.
- Cook chili about 3 hours on high (or you can cook for 6-8 hours on low if you prefer.)
- When the Ground Beef and Refried Bean Chili is done, stir in the lime juice and serve hot.
- If you have a large slow cooker I'd double the recipe because this freezes very well!
Notes
I used a 2.5 quart slow cooker (affiliate link) for this recipe. If you only have a big slow cooker, I’d double the recipe. This freezes well and can be reheated in a microwave or in a small pan on the stove.
I use Pace Picante Sauce (affiliate link) because it's low in carbs, but you can use any salsa of your choice.
Recipe adapted from Penzeys catalog recipe by Kathleen Bergeron.
Nutrition Information
Yield
6Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 376Total Fat 13gSaturated Fat 4gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 6gCholesterol 68mgSodium 1299mgCarbohydrates 31gFiber 10gSugar 9gProtein 31g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.
Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
This Slow Cooker Beef and Refried Bean Chili is loaded with low-glycemic ingredients and approved for all phases of the original South Beach Diet. However, dried beans are limited so you should have a small serving for Phase One, and use beef with less than 10% fat for South Beach Diet. Chili with beans won’t work for a low-carb diet, but if you’d like a chili like this with even fewer carbs, I’d use the red pepper variation and just use one can of beans.
Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Chili Recipes to find more recipes like this one. Use the Diet Type Index to find recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest, on Facebook, on Instagram, on TikTok, or on YouTube to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.
Historical Notes for this Recipe
This refried bean chili recipe was first posted in 2012; it was updated to a more carb-conscious version with much better photos in April 2020. The recipe was last updated with more information in 2023.
29 Comments on “Slow Cooker Beef and Refried Bean Chili”
I have never really cared for chili (even though I’ve lived my entire life in Texas), but I still make a pot a couple of times each winter. It just seems like the right thing to do. My family doesn’t really love chili, either, and they usually aren’t too thrilled when I declare that it’s “chili weather”. But this recipe has changed ALL of that! This is some seriously good stuff! I guess maybe it’s the refried beans that took this to the next level, or perhaps it’s the lime juice added just before serving. I will never try any other chili recipe, and I’ve deemed it “chili weather” just 10 days after making this recipe the first time. I don’t think anyone is going to complain!
So glad you enjoyed it! I love the lime in this, so I’m voting for that being the thing that makes it so good!
This Chili recipe is amazing. I’ll be making a double batch next time. I have a lot of Chili recipes but this is my new favourite.  The refried beans make this so tasty and just the right consistency. Â
SO glad you enjoyed it!
I can't say for sure since I haven't made it that way, but probably at least an hour simmering on low. Longer might be even better.
So glad you have enjoyed it! And I like the idea of less beans.
I love this recipe! I make it often. I find the thickness and flavor just perfect! I add an orange or yellow bell pepper chopped and omit one can of whole beans. So good!
Thanks — you can never have too many slow cooker chili recipes in your repertoire!
Thanks Lydia, so true!
Raven, thanks for catching that! This is a small 2.5 quart slow cooker, so you should be fine. I will update the post with that information.
Best chili I've ever made. Yummm
Glad you enjoyed I!
This smelled great just getting assembled in the slow cooker! I have cilantro on hand to sprinkle on our bowls; can just imagine how good it tastes the next day, too. Thank you for the recipe.
Thanks Tia; glad you liked it!
I'm a Texan, and I take great pride in my chili making abilities. However, this chili blows mine out of the water! The refried beans are a great addition and really make the soup feel rich. We had this last night during the Super Bowl, and it was a perfect choice. Highly recommended!
THANK YOU for this recipe. I made it this weekend and absolutely loved it. Made a couple of changes (black eans vs. pinto, cooked on the stove vs. a crock pot), but am in love with how it turned out!
I imagine the refried beans add plenty of creamy richness and I love the burst of lime flavor! I have my favorite chili recipe but I might have to squeeze this one in 🙂
Cara, it was really a good one. Never too many chili recipes!
Enticing, enticing slow cooker recipes. What's a more classic use than CHILI? (Obviously one of my all time faves.) I love the flavor combos you use here – in all this time, I don't think I've ever added lime and I have no idea why it never occurred. Can't wait to give it a shot!
– Anne (Apron Strings Blog)
Anne, truthfully I am starting to think of lime as an essential ingredient in chili. Love the flavor boost it adds!
I love that this is slightly chili…I love a little spice but not the overly chili recipes. I love beans too. This is a treat for the whole family. Thanks Kalyn!
Glad you like it. I am the same; like a little spiciness, but not too much!
Thanks Dara. Still trying to decide what to make for Superbowl Sunday but this may be it!
What a great idea to use refried beans to thicken the chili. I'll bet this will be a big hit at the next Denny family party.
Barb, we would get along well on the lime. I skipped the beer, and changed the proportions a bit for the slow cooker, but I thought it was definitely a winner.
Kalyn I also saw this in the Penzey catalog and made it. I thought it was very good as did the folks I served it to. I'm a lime lover too so gave a few extra squeezes of it to inhance the flavor.
Joanne, I thought the refried beans thickened it just enough!
Thanks Kay, glad you liked it!
thanks kalyn! i love this recipe! my hubby doesn't like kidney beans so i substitute black beans. this is going on my regular rotation for sure!!
GO GIANTS!!
I love that there are both regular AND refried beans in this! So much texture and flavor in one bowl.