Easy Keto Chili (2024)

Published: · Modified: by Kay Johnson · Leave a Comment

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Keto Chili made with ground beef and seasoned to perfection! This chili without beans is full of delicious flavor, without the carbs. This recipe is sure to be a family favorite!

Easy Keto Chili (1)

Chili is one of those cozy, comforting foods that taste so delicious! This no bean chili has only 5 net carbs.

This easy recipe is great for weeknight dinners! The real secret is that the bold flavors will often taste even better the next day because they’ve had a chance to really come together. When you make this ahead, you will not be disappointed in the results.

Is chili okay on the keto diet?

The simple answer is no. Chili typically contains one or more types of beans and many include either added sugar or ingredients with extra sugar. Most canned chili is not keto friendly.

Though beans offer some protein, they are high in carbs. This makes them a bad choice when following a keto diet. This recipe has no beans or added sugar, so it is keto friendly!

Easy Keto Chili (2)

Keto bean substitutes for chili

You can use the following ingredients in place of beans in keto chili:

  • Cauliflower florets
  • Mushrooms
  • Eggplant
  • Diced avocado
  • Green beans

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Ingredients

  • Ground beef - You can use your preferred variety, but I find using 85/15 or leaner works best.
  • Onion and Green Pepper - These tasty veggies add flavor without adding much in the way of carbs.
  • Diced Tomatoes - Diced tomatoes help make up the chunkiness of the chili.
  • Tomato Sauce - You should make sure to check that the sauce does not contain added sugar.
  • Seasonings - To season the chili, I used chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
  • Beef Broth - Adds more flavor, and helps with the consistency of the chili.
  • Cheese and Sour Cream - These are optional toppings that I highly recommend adding.

How to make keto chili

  1. In a large pot, cook the ground beef with the chopped onions and green pepper. Drain the excess grease.
  2. Season the meat mixture with the seasonings, and mix everything together to coat the meat mixture.
  3. Add the remaining ingredients to the pot, and stir everything together.
  4. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
  5. Serve in small bowls, and top with your favorite keto friendly chili toppings!

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How to thicken keto chili

There are a couple of ways to thicken keto chili.

One option is to boil the chili with the lid off so the excess liquid evaporates, thus thickening the chili.

Another way to thicken chili is to add a slurry using xanthan gum and water. To do this, mix equal parts water and xanthan gum in a small bowl. When combined, stir the slurry into the chili before it comes to a boil. The slurry will help to thicken the chili as it cooks.

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Recipe Tips and Variations

For some great variations, you can try the following changes:

  • Top with shredded cheese, sour cream, or even Greek yogurt for added flavor and creaminess.
  • Add jalapenos or other hot peppers for extra spice.
  • Sub beef for ground turkey or chicken.
  • Add other keto friendly veggies like mushrooms or green beans to the chili as it cooks.

Storage and reheating instructions

Chili stores well and actually taste even better the second and third days after making it. To store, place the cooled chili in an airtight container and then keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days.

You can also freeze it for up to 4 months for an easy lunch or dinner all year long.

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What to serve with

Keto chili would go great with keto cornbread, keto tacos, coleslaw, or cauliflower rice. It also tastes great by itself with keto friendly toppings. This recipe is great for meal prep, and can also be added to your favorite keto Mexican dishes!

More easy keto comfort recipes

If you like easy to make dinner ideas, you should check out these other great options:

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Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

This keto chili is full of flavor, and seasoned to perfection. Made with ground beef and vegetables, this is sure to be a family favorite!

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds ground beef
  • 1 green bell pepper, diced
  • 1/4 large onion, diced
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons cumin
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
  • 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup beef broth

Instructions

  1. In a large pot over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef, diced bell pepper, and onion. Drain any excess grease.
  2. Reduce heat to medium. Add the seasonings to the meat mixture, and mix to coat the meat with the seasonings.
  3. Add the remaining ingredients, and mix everything together.
  4. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to simmer. Allow the chili to simmer for 15 - 20 minutes stirring occasionally. Stir in more beef broth if needed.
  5. Serve in small bowls. Top with sour cream, chopped green onion, shredded cheese, or other keto-friendly toppings.

Notes

  • For thicker chili, add less beef broth. Add more broth to loosen up the chili. (up to preference)
  • Feel free to adjust seasonings to taste.
  • Optional toppings: sour cream, shredded cheese, chopped green onions.
Nutrition Information:

Yield: 5Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 532Total Fat: 32gSaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 161mgSodium: 1144mgCarbohydrates: 8gNet Carbohydrates: 5gFiber: 3gSugar: 3gProtein: 51g

All nutritional information and calculations are provided as a courtesy. Nutritional values are estimates only. Variations may occur due to product, and brand selection. You should not rely on this information for medical advice.

Did you make this recipe?

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Kay is passionate about living a healthy low carb lifestyle. She loves low carb comfort foods that are also family-friendly!

Easy Keto Chili (2024)

FAQs

Is chili keto-friendly to eat? ›

Is chili keto-friendly? Classic bean-based chili is not keto-friendly, as beans are high in carbohydrates. Luckily you can still make a keto-friendly chili without the beans. All of the traditional chili spices, such as chili powder, ground cumin and smoked paprika, are great flavor-boosters for keto foods.

What can you use to thicken keto chili? ›

Top 5 keto thickener substitutes
  1. Xanthan gum. Used for baking or thickening soups or sauces, xanthan gum has zero net carbs. ...
  2. Guar gum. A plant fiber from the seed of the guar plant, guar gum has zero net carbs. ...
  3. Glucomannan (konjac): ...
  4. Agar agar. ...
  5. Gelatin.

What is a low carb bean substitute for chili? ›

Here are my favorite bean substitutes for chili: Ground meat: adding extra meat to a chili recipe is an excellent low-carb bean substitute for chili. You'll want to add ½ lb of ground beef, turkey, or chicken per can of beans. Chopped veggies: cauliflower, carrots, zucchini, and butternut squash are terrific too!

Why is chili so high in carbs? ›

Even savory dishes like chili can contain sugar from ketchup and tomatoes, and tons of beans that are packed with carbohydrates. Even some spice mixes come with fillers that can increase the carb count of your meal.

Which beans are keto friendly? ›

Keto-friendly beans

On a strict keto diet, your best bet for beans is to choose either green beans or black soybeans. While green beans are typically prepared more like a vegetable than a bean, black soybeans are a great alternative to other, starchier beans in soups, bean dips, refried beans, or other recipes.

Are peppers OK for keto? ›

Foods you can eat on the keto diet include fish and seafood, meat and poultry, non-starchy vegetables like bell peppers, broccoli, and zucchini, avocados, berries, nuts and seeds, eggs, high-fat dairy products, olive oil and other oils, and high-cocoa chocolate.

Is sour cream keto? ›

Regular, full fat sour cream is made from cream and contains far more fat than carbs. Therefore, it's considered keto-friendly. However, low fat or nonfat sour cream is not. Full fat sour cream can provide some variety in a keto diet when used as a dip base or incorporated into recipes to boost the fat content.

Can you eat tomatoes on keto? ›

Can you eat tomatoes on the keto diet? "Tomatoes are keto," says Abby Langer, R.D., author of Good Food, Bad Diet. "They're low in carbs, so they fit perfectly into keto." One whole medium tomato contains roughly 5 grams of carbohydrates, of which 1.5 grams are fiber and 3 grams are sugar.

Is peanut butter keto? ›

Peanut butter can definitely be part of a keto diet, but it's best to stick to plain options that are free of extra flavors and sweeteners. Almond butter is a good choice, too, and it's slightly lower in carbs. Additionally, you should be mindful of your portion size if you're trying to lose weight.

What rice has no carbs? ›

It's Skinny rice is also known as shirataki rice. Like It's Skinny pasta, It's Skinny rice has ZERO carbs in a 1 cup serving and only 9 calories in the entire two-serving bag! That's right!

Which beans are carb blockers? ›

White Kidney Bean extract (also known by the brand Phase 2) is a carbohydrate blocker that works by inhibiting the digestion of starches.

Are chickpeas keto-friendly? ›

Chickpeas. Roasted chickpeas may be a favorite trendy snack, but they probably won't fit in a keto diet. One cup of cooked garbanzos has 12.5 g of fiber — but it also has more than 32 g of net carbs, according to USDA data. Hummus is a better choice, with under 3 g of net carbs per 2 tablespoons, per USDA data.

Why is chili not keto friendly? ›

The simple answer is no. Chili typically contains one or more types of beans and many include either added sugar or ingredients with extra sugar. Most canned chili is not keto friendly. Though beans offer some protein, they are high in carbs.

How do you thicken chili without carbs? ›

A low-carb thickener for chili could be xanthan gum or glucomannan powder. Both of these are low-carb, keto-friendly thickeners that can be used in small amounts to thicken chili without adding carbs.

Can you eat kidney beans on keto? ›

Due to their high carbohydrate content, most types of beans, such as red kidney beans, black beans, and pinto beans, should be avoided on a typical ketogenic diet. Low-carb bean options like edamame, and green beans, on the other hand, can be consumed in moderation.

Is hot pepper sauce keto friendly? ›

Hot sauce can be considered keto friendly because it contains few to no carbohydrates, as well as little to no sugar or other added sweeteners. Additionally, many hot sauces are naturally low in calories and contain beneficial nutrients like capsaicin, which may help boost metabolism and suppress appetite.

Is ground pepper keto friendly? ›

Additionally, black pepper's antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties may offer further health benefits. By incorporating black pepper into a variety of dishes, keto dieters can enjoy the flavor and health benefits of this versatile spice.

Is spicy food allowed in keto? ›

Yes, really!! For instance, spicy chicken, hot and spicy chicken, spicy fried chicken, spicy chicken curry, spicy grilled chicken, spicy chicken nuggets, tandoori chicken dishes, etc., are examples of some keto-friendly Indian dishes that non-vegetarians can easily add to their daily diet.

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