Slow Cooker Root Beer Chili

This Slow Cooker Root Beer Chili might sound unexpected at first, but once you try it, you’ll understand why it wins people over so quickly.

It is a fun twist on the classic comfort dish. The slow cooker transforms everything into a rich, hearty, full-flavored chili that’s perfect for game day, cozy weeknights, or feeding a crowd.

The root beer doesn’t make the chili taste like soda — instead, it melts into the tomatoes, beef, beans, and spices to create a comforting dish with just a hint of caramel flavor. It’s both bold and cozy, and unbelievably easy to prepare.

Pile it high with cheese, scallions, and sour cream for the ultimate bowl of tasty goodness.

As you scroll to the recipe, don’t forget the tips section below. There are a few easy tricks that make this turn out perfectly every time!

Serves: 4
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 4 hours

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This chili is the perfect balance of savory, slightly sweet, spicy, and hearty without spending hours in the kitchen.

The slow cooker does all the work, letting the flavors melt together over several hours until everything tastes like it’s been simmering on the stove all day.

It reheats beautifully for meal prep, freezes well, and feeds a crowd with ease.

Whether you’re serving it in bowls with all the toppings or spooning it over rice, fries, or baked potatoes, this chili always delivers big comfort with simple ingredients.

How To Make Slow Cooker Root Beer Chili

Ingredients

• 2 pounds lean ground beef, browned and drained
• 2 cups chopped peppers and onion (I use frozen)
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 1 (15 ounce) can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (15 ounce) can chili beans, do not drain
• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans rinsed and drained
• 1 (11 ounce) can mexi corn, drained
• 1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chilis
• 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 1 (1 ounce) envelope chili seasoning
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 12 ounce Root Beer
• Scallions, cheese, sour cream for topping

Step-by-Step Guide

1. To the slow cooker add your ground beef, peppers and onions, garlic, beans, corn and tomatoes with green chilies.

2. In a mixing bowl whisk together the tomato sauce, tomato paste, chili seasoning, brown sugar and root beer.

3. Pour into the slow cooker.

4. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 4 hours.

5. Garnish with your favorite topping and serve!

6. Serve!

Tips, Tricks and Storage

Here are a few things I’ve picked up after making this recipe so many times over the years. Nothing fancy, just the tricks that make a difference.

• Brown the Beef First: Searing the beef before adding it to the slow cooker gives the chili a deeper flavor and prevents excess grease from making the chili too heavy.
• Don’t Skip the Root Beer: It doesn’t make the chili taste like soda, but instead enhances the depth of flavor and sweetness. Use regular root beer for the best caramel notes. Avoid diet soda because the artificial sweeteners don’t cook down the same way real sugar does.
• Thicken Toward the End: If the chili looks thinner than you want, remove the lid during the last 30–45 minutes of cooking to thicken it naturally.
• Add Toppings: Shredded cheese, sour cream, green onions, tortilla strips, jalapeños, even Fritos — all of them make a great finishing touch.
• Use a Liner: Chili can stick to the crock pot, so a slow cooker liner makes cleanup easy.
• Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. This chili is one of those dishes that tastes even better the next day! Freeze for up to 3 months; thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding a splash of broth if needed.

Substitutions

This chili is easy to adapt to your preferences, so use what you have at home and make it your own!

Ground Beef → Turkey, Chicken, Pork

Turkey, chicken, or pork creates a lighter flavor than beef and is a slightly healthier alternative. Or swap half the meat for sausage to add extra flavor.

Beans → Pinto Beans, White Beans

You can use pinto beans, white beans, or really whichever beans you have on hand. You can even make a mix! 

Root Beer → Other Dark Soda

Dr. Pepper, Coke, or even Ginger Ale can be used for a sweet twist. Each of these adds slightly different flavors depending on your preference.

Tomatoes with Green Chilies → Regular Diced Tomatoes

Regular diced tomatoes plus a can of green chilies work too. You can also cut up fresh tomatoes and green chilies, but just check them as you’re cooking, as they may need to cook longer.

Chili Seasoning → Homemade Seasoning

Make your own seasoning if you don’t have a packet. Homemade chili usually includes chili powder, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper.

Variations

If you want more heat, add jalapeños, cayenne pepper, hot sauce, or extra chili powder.

For a smokier flavor, use fire-roasted tomatoes or stir in a bit of chipotle chili powder or smoked paprika.

You can even add vegetables like corn or bell peppers, without changing the base recipe.

This can easily be made vegetarian by omitting the beef and adding extra beans, lentils, or quinoa.

However, you customize it, the slow cooker ensures everything comes out warm, hearty, and delicious.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Will the chili taste like root beer?

Not really. The root beer cooks down and blends into the sauce, leaving only a hint of sweetness and caramel flavor.

Q: Can I use diet root beer?

It’s not recommended. Diet soda doesn’t work the same way because of the artificial sweetener, and it can affect the flavor.

Q: Can I prep this ahead of time?

Yes! Brown the beef, combine everything except the beans, and refrigerate overnight. Add to the slow cooker the next day.

Q: Can I cook this on high?

You can, but cooking on low gives the flavors more time to deepen and prevents the beans from becoming too soft.

What can I serve this with? 

Serve this with cornbread, rice, baked potatoes, tortilla chips, or warm rolls.

It also makes fantastic chili cheese fries, nachos, or loaded chili dogs. Spoon over macaroni noodles and top with cheddar for a chili mac dinner. The possibilities are endless!

Looking for other dinner ideas? Check out these other Slow Cooker favorites such as the Dr. Pepper Meatloaf or the Outback Alice Springs Chicken for an easy dinner full of flavor!