Wondering what to make to get through these cold winter days? Warm up with Keto Chili! Made with juicy ground beef, onions, peppers, and a little bit of heat, it’s the perfect low carb dinner recipe!
Easy No Bean Keto Chili
You might be thinking, chili without beans? That’s a thing? Sure it is! But I am from Texas where we often skip the beans in our chili. This beanless Keto Chili has quickly become one of my favorite chilly evening dinners! It’s packed full of sizzling ground beef, spicy peppers, and seasonings that will make your mouth water.
I love making huge batches of this homemade chili because it’s great for quick lunches AND hearty dinners. It’s freezer friendly too, so on days when I don’t have time to make dinner from scratch, we’re still good to go.
Looking for more chili recipes? Try my Chunky Beef Chili made with two kinds of meat or my favorite Creamy White Chicken Chili!
Recipe Ingredients
Except for the missing beans, this is a pretty standard chili recipe. I promise you won’t miss them though! Here’s what you’ll need to get started:
- Avocado Oil: Olive oil is also fine.
- Ground Beef: You can also use ground turkey if prefer that instead.
- Garlic: Freshly minced garlic will give you the most flavor.
- Onion: I used 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped.
- Peppers: 1 finely chopped yellow bell pepper, 1 jalapeño pepper – seeded and finely chopped, and 4 ounces of green chiles.
- Tomato Paste: Tomato sauce could work as a substitute if you don’t have tomato paste.
- Seasoning: I like to use cumin, chili powder, oregano, Kosher salt, cayenne pepper (adjust for spice preference), and black pepper.
- Bay Leaf: Remember to remove before serving the chili.
- Diced Tomatoes: Use your favorite store brand!
- Beef Broth: If using ground turkey, feel free to substitute with turkey or chicken broth.
How to Make Keto Chili
The prep work for putting this keto chili together won’t take you more than 10 minutes. Once you’ve chopped the veggies and browned the meat, basically all you have to do is let the chili simmer and let the flavors come together!
Heat Oil: Place oil in a large pot or Dutch oven on the stove top over medium heat.
Brown the Ground Beef: Once hot, add beef, breaking up with a spatula as it cooks until browned, about 5 minutes.
Add Garlic: Once browned, drain any excess grease/liquid and add minced garlic to the pot. Cook for 2 minutes until fragrant.
Add Onions & Peppers: Add the onions, bell pepper and jalapeños. Stir to combine and cook for about 5 minutes until softened.
Mix in Tomato Paste: Add the tomato paste, spices and bay leaf. Stir to combine and cook for 1-2 minutes to meld flavors.
Let Chili Simmer: Lastly, add the diced tomatoes and beef broth. Stir to combine and simmer uncovered on medium-low heat for 30-40 minutes until the chili thickens, stirring occasionally as it cooks.
Add Garnishes: Season to taste with additional salt and pepper and serve with desired garnishes.
Tips for the Best Chili
Is there anything better than a big bowl of piping-hot chili? Some days there really just isn’t. In any case, here’s a few tips and tricks on how to get the best results with your chili:
- Tomato Sauce vs Tomato Paste: Obviously both work well in chili, but tomato sauce is higher in carbs than tomato paste is, so for keto chili I stick to tomato paste.
- Cooking the Chili for Longer: Adding to the cooking time can be a good idea if you like stronger flavors. The longer the chili cooks, the better it will taste! Just don’t forget to add more broth if you decide to go longer. Or, make it in the slow cooker!
- Make the Chili Ahead of Time: It will taste even better on the second day when you reheat it! Plus, meal prep is a huge timesaver.
Serving Suggestions
What goes best with chili? Good question! Here are some of my favorite things to serve on the side:
- Garnishes: We like to do shredded cheese, a dollop of sour cream, sliced green onions and sometimes sliced peppers.
- Cornbread: Toasted low carb bread is good too, but if you’re okay with a few added carbs, cornbread is the best! Or go wild with my favorite beer bread!
- Tortilla Chips: Low carb tortilla chips are so tasty when served with chili! Or I have some low carb crackers that would also go well and give you some added crunch.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
You can store keto chili in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. When you want to heat it up again, throw it back in the pot and let it simmer on low on the stovetop until it reaches the desired temperature. If you’re in a hurry, you can just microwave it for a couple of minutes, too.
Can You Freeze Homemade Keto Chili?
Sure! You can freeze homemade chili in an airtight container or tightly-sealed freezer bags for 2-3 months.
More Low Carb Recipes to Try
Check out these other delicious, savory, low carb recipes!
- The Best Keto Bagels
- Best Creamed Spinach
- Air Fryer Salmon
- Low Carb Keto Pancakes
- Grilled Steak Kabobs
- Pico De Gallo Chicken
- Best Baked Chicken Recipe
Keto Chili
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil, or olive oil
- 1 ½ pounds ground beef
- 3 large cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 yellow bell pepper, finely chopped
- 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped
- 4 ounces green chiles
- 6 ounces tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, adjust for spice preference
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 28 ounces diced tomatoes
- 1 cup beef broth
Instructions
- Place oil in a large pot or Dutch oven on the stove top over medium heat.
- Once hot, add beef, breaking up with a spatula as it cooks until browned, about 5 minutes.
- Once browned, drain any excess grease/liquid and add minced garlic to the pot. Cook for 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add the onions, bell pepper and jalapenos. Stir to combine and cook for about 5 minutes until softened.
- Add the tomato paste, spices and bay leaf. Stir to combine and cook for 1-2 minutes to meld flavors.
- Lastly, add the diced tomatoes and beef broth. Stir to combine and simmer uncovered on medium-low heat for 30-40 minutes until the chili thickens, stirring occasionally as it cooks.
- Season to taste with additional salt and pepper and serve with desired garnishes.
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