Slow Cooker V8 Chili
54 Comments Mar 24, 2022
Updated May 01, 2025
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Slow Cooker V8 Chili has plenty of vegetables in it because of the V8 juice in the sauce! This recipe makes a big batch of chili, enough to freeze or share.
If you love making big batches of bean recipes, also try my 15 bean chili and my slow cooker red beans and rice recipes.
The recipe was given to my husband from his best friend’s mom Janet. She gave him a handwritten recipe card with this recipe on it. Her recipe is made on the stove-top and mine in the slow cooker.
What is V8 juice?
V8 juice has eight different vegetables in it. I mostly taste tomato, but it also has carrots, beets, celery, parsley, spinach, watercress, and lettuce. I love that the V8 juice adds depth to this chili recipe that canned tomatoes can’t. You can make other recipes with V8 juice such as bloody mary’s, goulash, or even spicy braised pork.
Recipe Ingredients
- Ground beef – Brown the meat before adding it to your slow cooker.
- Stewed tomatoes – Not a common chili ingredient nowadays. We love the texture and flavor stewed tomatoes bring to this chili recipe. Chop these roughly.
- V8 juice Original – Yes, an entire 62-ounce bottle! This will make plenty of sauce for your chili and stretch it out to feed a large crowd.
- Kidney beans – You’ll want to add canned kidney beans to this recipe, it’s not recommended to add raw to the slow cooker for raw kidney beans need to be cooked at a very high temperature.
- Other Seasonings – Chili Seasoning Packets, diced onion, and garlic powder.
Step-by-Step Directions
Step One – In a large skillet on the stove-top, brown the ground beef until cooked through.
Step Two – Add the stewed tomatoes to the slow cooker and cut them into quarters using a butter knife.
Step Three – Add the cooked ground beef and remaining ingredients to the slow cooker. Stir.
Step Four – Place the lid on the crockpot and cook on LOW for 8 hours or HIGH for 4 hours.-
Can I use ground turkey?
Yes! Ground turkey is so good in chili. I love how much flavor turkey gives the broth of soups and chili. Brown the ground turkey the same way as the beef in this recipe, you’ll have great results.
Can I make this vegetarian?
Yes! Try one or more of these options to make this V8 chili vegetarian.
- Use soy crumbles instead of beef
- Add more beans such as pinto or garbanzo
- More veggies such as bell pepper, celery, corn and sweet potatoes
What to serve with this:
This is one of the very few chili recipes that I can eat without toppings but I know it’s fun to have an array of choices. Here is what I set my table up with alongside the crockpot of V8 Chili.
- Saltine crackers
- Shredded cheese
- Diced Sweet Onion
- Sour Cream
- Cornbread
Slow Cooker V8 Chili
How to Video
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. ground beef,
- 30 oz. stewed tomatoes, (2 cans) not drained
- 1 white onion, diced
- 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
- 2.50 oz. chili seasoning packets, (2 packets)
- 30 oz. kidney beans, (2 cans) drained and rinsed
- 64 oz. V8 juice original
- 1/4 tsp. pepper
Instructions
- In a large skillet on the stove-top add the ground beef. Brown and drain.
- Add the stewed tomatoes to the slow cooker. I like to cut them in quarters right in the slow cooker with a butter knife. If you are skilled with a paring knife you can cut them up by hand.
- Add the ground beef to the slow cooker along with the onion, garlic powder, pepper, chili seasoning packets, drained kidney beans and V8 juice.
- Stir and add the lid. Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours.
Sarah’s Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
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Try making dumpling and drop it into the chili soooooo good.
Great Idea Bonnie!
I found that the 64 ounces of V8 was too much. Too soupy. I use 48 ounces and it comes out perfect. Otherwise this is my go to chili recipe.
Can you put another can of beans in this????
Yes!
I made this for dinner using Turkey tonight. It was very good but a little more soupy than I like my chili. Next time I may use less of the V8 Juice.
This is very similar to the chili my Mom made, and now I have made my entire adult life (I’m kinda old now). It’s really simple, and really good. I also add a 40 oz. can of chili beans to the crock pot first, mash some of them to thicken the juice a bit. Also diced green pepper and celery added to the meat when browning. I have done this both on stovetop and crockpot. It’s always better the second day too!
Yes it is better the second day and thee aroma when you take the lid off the bowl is so good……. Thanks for sharing your tips also…..
This is the basic recipe I use, but I also add a green pepper, can of mushrooms, and substitute chili beans in sauce for the kidney beans. Personal preference. I simmer on top of stove for several hours until it has thickened. Of course, chili is one of those dishes that always tastes better the next day.
OK. I just found your recipe, where oh where…… do you use the onion in this recipe! Please advise, it doesn’t look wright, I’m
surprised no one caught the blunder from the video, however, it sounds really good.
Now, why would you use a whole onion in this recipe….
Thanks for the reply
Luisa
Do add an entire diced white onion. I think I forgot to add it in the video (but did off camera).
It was absolutely amazing just exactly how it is!! Just like my moms but hers was on the stove top
Im using Chilli O’s seasoning and it’s 2.50 oz per packet… How many packets One or Two? Thank you!
I’ve been looking for a good chili recipe. Found it! This was the best one yet. The only thing I did differently was add a tablespoon of sugar for the acidity. Otherwise this is my go to.
Can you put the beef in raw and let it all cook together? I’m a teacher so browning hamburger meat at 5AM is not something I look forward to, haha!
You can, only if the meat is very lean. Otherwise brown it the night before.
I am a horrible cook and this is the easiest and most delicious recipe for chili ever!! I Would give 100 stars if I could.
I’m so glad you liked it, it was one of my first recipes I learned how to cook too.
Awesome.