You’ll love this recipe for delicious keto chili made with ground beef — and get this — no beans.  It’s easy to throw together in your Crockpot or Instant Pot. And bonus — it’s perfect to make for freezer meals, too. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Keto Beef Chili without Beans

Chili is one of those dishes that elicits very strong opinions from food lovers! Some cooks love beans in their chili, some love tomatoes.  And others believe that the only real chili is “Texas style” chili with no beans or tomatoes.

This keto-style chili, in my humble opinion, has some of the best of both camps.  It’s made with ground beef, some tomatoes and onions, and get’s its delicious flavor from a blend of chilis.  But, to keep it low-carb, it’s made without beans.

• Peas: 25 grams of carbs, 9 grams fiber, 14 net carbs
• Lentils: 40 grams of carbs, 16 grams fiber, 24 net carbs
• Black beans: 41 grams of carbs, 15 grams fiber, 26 net carbs
• Kidney beans: 40 grams of carbs, 13 grams fiber, 27 net carbs
• Pinto beans: 45 grams of carbs, 15 grams fiber, 30 net carbs
• Chickpeas: 45 grams of carbs, 12 grams fiber, 33 net carbs

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Low Carb Chili Ingredients

This recipe for keto chili starts off with ground beef. Ground or cubed beef is commonly used in a traditional red chili like this.  But, if you’d like to use something different, just about any meat would work in this recipe.  You could try using ground turkey, chicken, or pork to change things up.

And, if you’d like to add more low-carb vegetables to your meal, try adding chopped celery, zucchini, cauliflower, mushrooms, or spinach!

Here’s what you need for Keto Chili:

• Bacon adds savory flavor, richness, and a welcome smokiness
• Onions and Garlic
• Jalapeno.  I added one diced jalapeno, and our chili had a mild/medium level of heat. If you are sensitive to heat, feel free to add less.
• Fire roasted tomatoes and chiles.  Canned diced tomatoes will work well, too.
• Spices, including chili powder, cumin, and oregano

Remember that carb-containing ingredients like tomatoes, onions, and garlic are spread out over multiple servings!

Low Carb Toppings for Chili

I like to serve this recipe with sour cream, grated cheddar cheese, and cilantro.  It would also be delicious with more jalapenos, diced avocado, or extra bacon.

Freezing Chili for Easy Freezer Meals

I love having freezer meals stored away in my freezer.  Fortunately, this keto chili recipe is perfect for freezing. This recipe makes a big batch – plenty to serve for dinner right away and enough to store in the freezer for later.  If you have a large Crockpot or Instant pot, you could even make a double batch.

How to Make Keto Chili

You can make this keto chili 3 ways.  On the stovetop, in a Crock Pot, or in an Instant Pot.

First, cook the bacon, onions, garlic, and jalapeno.  Then, brown the beef.  Add the tomatoes, spices, and stock, and simmer away.

If you are using the Instant Pot, I recommend using the “Natural Release”.  Natural Release reduces the temperature more gradually, resulting in more tender meat and better texture.

I hope you LOVE this recipe! It’s:

• Comforting
• Flavorful
• Savory
• Easy to make
• & Freezer friendly

Keto Beef Recipes

If you like cooking with ground beef, you may also like Keto Lasagna with Zucchini Noodles, Keto Egg Roll in a Bowl (Crack Slaw), Keto Stuffed Peppers (without rice) and Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs.

Keto Beef Chili

Yield: 6

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

You'll love this recipe for delicious keto chili made with ground beef -- and get this -- no beans.  It's easy to throw together in your Crockpot or Instant Pot. And bonus -- it's perfect to make for freezer meals, too. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Print

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 4 oz bacon, diced
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 jalapeno, minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 lbs ground beef
• 10 oz fire-roasted tomatoes and chiles, 1 small can
• 2 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1 tbsp oregano
• 2 tsp  salt
• 2 cups beef or chicken stock

Instructions

Crock Pot / Slow Cooker instructions

1. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the diced bacon for 5-7 minutes, until browned. Add the chopped onion and cook for for 5-7 minutes, until soft translucent. Add the garlic and jalapeno and cook for a minute or two, until fragrant.
2. Add the ground beef. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring with a spatula, until browned. (Optionally, drain extra fat from the pan.)
3. Transfer the ground beef mixture into a slow cooker. Add remaining ingredients: tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and broth.
4. Cook for 6-8 hours on low or 3-4 hours on high.

Instant Pot / Pressure Cooker instructions

1. Select the "Sauté" setting on the pressure cooker. With the lid off, add the diced bacon and cook for 5-7 minutes until browned. Add the chopped onion and cook for 5-7 minutes, until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and jalapenos and cook for a minute or two, until fragrant.
2. Add the ground beef. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring with a spatula until browned. (Optionally, drain extra fat from the pan.)
3. Add remaining ingredients: tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and broth. Stir until combined.
4. Close the lid. Press "Keep Warm/Cancel" to stop the saute cycle. Select the "Meat/Stew" setting (35 minutes) to start pressure cooking. Use a natural release.

Stove Top instructions

1. In a large pot over medium-high heat, cook the diced bacon for 5-7 minutes, until browned. Add the chopped onion and cook for for 5-7 minutes, until soft translucent. Add the garlic and jalapeno and cook for a minute or two, until fragrant.
2. Add the ground beef. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring with a spatula until browned. (Optionally, drain extra fat from the pan.)
3. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes - 1 hour for best flavor, stirring occasionally.

Notes

Beef: I usually make it with 85/15 beef. If you want to use a higher fat meat, you might want to drain it after browning, before mixing with the other ingredients.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 417Total Fat: 25gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 115mgSodium: 1578mgCarbohydrates: 7gFiber: 3gSugar: 3gProtein: 39g

The nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. It was calculated by My Fitness Pal with the recommended brands and ingredients. All brands are different, so please verify the macros with your specific ingredients to ensure accuracy.

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