Oct 23, 2021

Slow Cooker Chorizo Chili

Spicy chorizo chili recipe you can set and forget until dinnertime.

I love being able to load everything into the slow cooker and getting on with my day. This is especially true when it comes to chili. A really good chili needs time for all those flavours to come together, and what better way than cooking low and slow for 8 or more hours?

I consider chili to be the perfect recipe for any ingredients that need to be used before they spoil. Have a bag of fresh tomatoes that are getting too ripe? Dice them up and use them instead of canned. Add thawed corn or any other preferred veggies.

This recipe can be very easily made entirely vegan if desired. Just swap the chorizo sausage for any spicy vegan version.

Ingredients

(Makes 6 servings)

4 chorizo sausages, casing removed and meat broken up
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 large Vidalia onion, diced
1 red chili pepper, deseeded and finely chopped
1 jalapeño pepper, deseeded and finely chopped
1 medium carrot, peeled and finely chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chili seasoning
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 dried ancho chili peppers, deseeded and roughly chopped
2 cups beef broth, hot
1, 14floz. can diced San Marzano tomatoes, not drained
1, 14floz. can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1, 14floz. can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 teaspoon salt

Directions

In the canister of a blender or bullet-size blender, add the chopped ancho chili peppers and pour in the hot beef broth. Cover and let soak for 15 to 20 minutes.

In a sauté pan, add 1/2 the olive oil and brown the crumbled sausage. Transfer the sausage to the slow cooker.

In the same sauté pan, add the rest of the oil and sauté the onion, red chili pepper, jalapeño, carrot and celery until they begin to soften. Add the garlic, and sauté an additional minute. Add the seasoning and mix well. Add the tomato paste and mix well. Transfer the vegetable mixture to the slow cooker.

Blend the ancho chilies until relatively smooth and pour into the slow cooker.

To the slow cooker add the diced tomatoes in juice along with the beans and salt. Mix well. Cover and set the slow cooler to either low temperature for 8 to 9 hours, or on high for 4 to 5 hours. Do not open the slow cooker during the cooking time.

When done, mix the chili while breaking up about half of the beans with the back of a spoon or ladle. They should be soft and easy to mush. This will add additional thickness to the chili. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

Serve while hot. Optional garnishes are shredded cheddar cheese or Pepper Jack, small dollop of sour cream, corn chips, or chopped cilantro.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: