A hearty, gluten-free crockpot chili built on seasoned beef, four kinds of beans, and tomato purée, with a fresh-processed jalapeño, red onion, garlic, and cilantro base stirred in for brightness. Made to rest overnight — the flavor deepens considerably by day two.
Best for: feeding a crowd, game day, or cooking ahead — it's better the second day. Makes a big crockpot batch. Best started the day before you plan to serve it.
Chili — Recipe
Prep
20 min
Cook
3+ hr
Rest
overnight
Serves
a crowd
Equipment
Large skillet
Crockpot / slow cooker
Food processor
Ingredients
Meat
2 lb 93% lean ground beef (or ground turkey)
2 packets McCormick Gluten-Free Taco Seasoning
Tomatoes
2 large cans tomato purée (reserve about 1 cup for the pepper mixture)
Beans
1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 can Bush's Light Chili Beans (do not drain)
1 can Bush's Dark Chili Beans (do not drain)
Seasonings
Cumin, to taste
Chili powder, to taste
Fresh pepper mixture
Reserved ~1 cup tomato purée
3 jalapeños
½ red onion
5 cloves garlic
1 generous handful fresh cilantro
To serve
Shredded cheddar cheese
Sour cream
Fritos
Cornbread
Brown & season
Brown the ground beef in a skillet. Drain if needed, then stir in both packets of taco seasoning per the package directions. Transfer to a crockpot.
Build the pot
Add both cans of tomato purée to the crockpot — but hold back about 1 cup for the pepper mixture.
Add all four cans of beans (drain and rinse the garbanzo and pinto; leave the two cans of Bush's chili beans undrained).
Add cumin and chili powder to taste. Stir the meat, tomatoes, and beans together.
Fresh pepper mixture
In a food processor, combine the reserved tomato purée, jalapeños, red onion, garlic, and cilantro. Process until almost completely smooth.
Pour into the crockpot and stir well.
Cook & rest
Cook on Low at least 3 hours, longer if you like.
For the best flavor, cool and refrigerate overnight, then reheat the next day to serve. The flavors deepen considerably after resting.
Notes from experience
The overnight rest isn't optional if you want this at its best — it's a different, deeper chili on day two. The fresh-processed jalapeño-and-cilantro base is what sets it apart from a dump-and-go chili; don't skip it. Leaving the Bush's chili beans undrained adds body and seasoning to the broth.
Make-ahead & freezing
Built to be made ahead — cook, cool, and refrigerate overnight at minimum. Freezes very well; portion after it's cooled and reheat gently. Thin with a little water or broth if it tightens up.
Dietary note
Built gluten-free with McCormick GF taco seasoning and the bean varieties listed, but tagged conditional — confirm your chili beans and any cornbread are GF, and the Fritos (original corn Fritos are typically GF, but check). The cheese and sour cream add dairy; skip them or use substitutes to keep it dairy-free. Easily vegetarian by dropping the meat and leaning on the four beans.
