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In This Post
- Why You’ll Love My Keto Chili Recipe
- How To Make Keto Chili
- Common Questions
- Low Carb Chili Toppings
- Storage Instructions
- More Keto Freezer Meals
- My Tools For This Recipe
- Keto Chili Recipe (Low Carb Chili)Recipe card
- Recipe Reviews
I’m pretty sure that whoever came up with the term “comfort in a bowl” had to be talking about this keto chili recipe. It warms me from the inside out. It’s got heat and flavor. It leaves me full and satisfied. It quenches my rich comfort food cravings. Seriously, I fall in love with this low carb chili all over again every time I make it. And I think you will, too.
This is by far the most classic of my keto chili recipes, but if you want some variety, try my keto white chicken chili and whole30 chili. No matter what kind you make, don’t forget the keto cornbread!
Why You’ll Love My Keto Chili Recipe
- Rich, hearty, and full of flavor – With the rich tomato sauce, a kick of green chilies, flavorful ground beef, and generous heaps of spices, I promise you won’t miss the beans one bit. Readers have even told me that they won competitions with my low carb chili recipe!
- Thick and chunky – Nope, this is not brothy soup. When it comes to texture, my chili falls firmly in the camp of thick and chunky. A.k.a. the best camp. 😉
- Quick and easy – This recipe needs only 15 minutes of your time, and the rest of it is hands-off. Leave it to simmer all day in the slow cooker (it makes my house smell amazing!), or use one of my 2 quicker cooking options.
- 3 cooking methods to choose from – Make my keto chili in the Crock Pot (my go-to option). Make it in the Instant Pot. Make it on the stovetop. Just make it!
- Keto friendly and gluten free – While it has a few more net carbs than your average keto meal, it’s well worth it. And I’ve always been able to fit it into my macros, even when I was limited to 25g per day. This dish is also naturally gluten-free.
Ingredients & Substitutions
This section explains how to choose the ingredients for my best keto chili recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
- Ground Beef – I prefer grass-fed ground beef and typically use 85/15, but 80/20 or 90/10 will work. You can also substitute ground turkey or chicken for lighter options.
- Aromatics – White onion and garlic. Both are so important! You could substitute 2-3 teaspoons of onion powder and 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, but it’s just not the same.
- Canned Diced Tomatoes – These make the saucy tomato base and chunky texture, but they also provide the liquid, since I don’t add any extra water or broth to my keto chili recipe (unless I’m using the Instant Pot). If you like a smoky taste, try fire-roasted tomatoes instead of regular.
- Green Chiles – These add a very mild heat, but are there more so for taste. You can skip them if your diced tomatoes have green chiles in them already (like the kind I use for Rotel dip). If you’re worried about heat, use a diced bell pepper instead.
- Tomato Paste – Adds a more concentrated tomato flavor and depth. Be sure there is no added sugar. This is one of the higher carb ingredients in my recipe, so you can leave it out if you really need to lower the carbs.
- Worcestershire Sauce – I use just a couple tablespoons of this gluten-free brand in the entire low carb chili recipe, for umami flavor and slight sweetness. Worcestershire sauce is not keto friendly in large quantities, but this small amount in the whole batch is fine for me. You can substitute coconut aminos if you like, or leave it out altogether, but I think it’s worth it for the flavor.
- Spices – The key to getting no bean chiliright is being generous with the spices. I use chili powder (the most important one!), cumin, dried oregano, sea salt, black pepper, and a bay leaf. Even my little girls enjoy it, after I mellow out the heat a bit for them with added toppings (ideas below!).
How To Make Keto Chili
This section shows step-by-step photos together with the instructions, to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
You can make keto chili in your Crock Pot, Instant Pot, or just the stovetop if you don’t have these appliances. I use the slow cooker when I can plan ahead, or the other two when I need something faster. The process is very similar for all three…
- Saute the aromatics. Cook the chopped onion in a little oil until translucent. Use a skillet on the stovetop if you’ll be making your keto chili in the slow cooker, the Saute setting on your Instant Pot for the pressure cooker method, or a Dutch oven for the stovetop method (not a skillet to have room for adding other ingredients later). Add the garlic and saute until fragrant.
- Brown the beef. Add the ground beef and cook until browned, breaking apart with a spatula.
- Combine the ingredients. Transfer ground beef mixture to your slow cooker if you’re using it, otherwise just leave it in the Instant Pot or Dutch oven. Add the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, green chiles, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, cumin, dried oregano, sea salt, and black pepper. (If you’re using the pressure cooker, also add 1 cup of beef broth.) Mix well, then place the bay leaf in the middle.
- Slow cook, pressure cook, or just simmer. Cook the low carb chili using your preferred method below.
- Crock Pot – Close the lid, and slow cook for 6-8 hours on Low or 3-4 hours on High. If your slow cooker tends to run hot, stir every couple of hours.
- Instant Pot – Close the lid, select “Meat/Stew” mode, and pressure cook for 35 minutes. Wait for natural release if you can, or turn the valve to vent if you’re short on time.
- Stovetop – Cover the Dutch oven and simmer for about an hour, or until the flavors develop to your liking.
Common Questions
- Do I really need 1/4 cup of chili powder? People often ask me if this is really the right amount, and the answer is a resounding YES! The chili powder does make the keto chili a little spicy, but it adds flavor more than anything. If you want less heat, reduce or omit the black pepper instead.
- Can I place the ingredients in the slow cooker raw? You can, but I don’t recommend it. I know it’s tempting to just plunk the raw ground beef, onions, and garlic right into the slow cooker or Instant Pot, but taking 15 minutes to saute the aromatics and brown the beef makes a huge difference in flavor. If you still want to do it, make sure you break up the meat before cooking.
- Can I add beans to low carb chili? Beans are not keto friendly, so you can’t use them for a keto chili, but yes, it will work. In fact, I used this recipe as a base for my classic chili recipe. Some people do add black soybeans instead, which are lower in carbs, but this is why I don’t recommend soy.
- Do I need to drain the beef? I use 85/15 ground beef and don’t usually need to drain it, but you can if yours has more fat content.
- Do I need to add any liquid? The Crock Pot and stovetop versions don’t need any, other than the liquid from the canned tomatoes and chiles. But for the pressure cooker version, I do add 1 cup of broth (or water is also okay). Instant Pot keto chili will be a bit thinner than the Crock Pot and stovetop versions, due to the added broth, but this is needed for pressure cooking so that it won’t burn.
- Where do the carbs come from? The carbs in this chili come primarily from the onions, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, chili powder, and Worcestershire sauce.
Low Carb Chili Toppings
Toppings really make this meal — just keep them low carb! They can also help to mellow out the heat if it’s too spicy for you. Here are some favorites in my family:
- Shredded Cheese – Cheddar cheese is my go-to, but you can also use Mexican blend or any other type from my keto cheese list.
- Sour Cream – This is my #1 tip for calming spicy chili. My kids add a lot!
- Green Onions – I prefer to slice them using kitchen shears. See how in my YouTube video of this keto chili recipe.
- Keto Tortilla Chips – If you want some crunch! The regular kind are not keto, but mine are.
- Avocado – Dice it, slice thinly and fan out, or even top with a dollop of guacamole.
- Jalapenos – My husband likes these for more heat! Slice them thinly, and remove the seeds if you want the flavor with less spice.
- Keto Cornbread – My best side for keto friendly chili!
Storage Instructions
- Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. The flavors actually develop more when I store it!
- Reheat: The microwave, stovetop, or the Warm setting on your slow cooker will all work.
- Freeze: This keto chili freezes beautifully, which is a great thing because my recipe makes a big batch! I freeze it flat in zip lock bags, then keep them vertically in my freezer to save space. You can thaw overnight in the fridge, or even reheat from frozen.
More Keto Freezer Meals
I first made this low carb chili recipe when I was in “freezer meal mode” before my second daughter was born… and never stopped. If you like to keep freezer meals on hand too, try some of my others:
Keto Pizza
Instant Pot Chicken Breast
Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
- Saute Pan – For sauteing the onions and ground beef. Mine is hard anodized, so it’s non-stick without PTFE or PFOA, and it doesn’t scratch easily.
- Meat Chopper – This little tool has 3 sections to break up ground beef faster for quick and even browning. I also use it for taco meat in my taco salad!
- Crock Pot – This is the slow cooker I use for everything, including my Crock Pot keto chili!
- Instant Pot – I use this when I want a quicker option.
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Recipe Card
Keto Chili Recipe (Low Carb Chili)
This low carb keto chili recipe is hearty, easy, & flavorful! Make it with common ingredients using your Crock Pot, Instant Pot, or stovetop.
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 8 hours
Total: 8 hours 15 minutes
Author: Maya Krampf from WholesomeYum.com
Servings: 10 (adjust to scale recipe)
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Ingredients
Tap underlined ingredients to see where to get them.
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
Crock Pot Instructions (Slow Cooker):
In a lightly oiled skillet over medium-high heat, cook the onion for 5-7 minutes, until translucent (or increase the time to about 20 minutes if you like them caramelized). Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute, until fragrant.
Add the ground beef. Cook for 8-10 minutes, breaking apart with a spatula, until browned.
Transfer the ground beef mixture into a slow cooker. Add all the remaining ingredients, except bay leaf, and stir until combined. Place the bay leaf into the middle, if using.
Cook for 6-8 hours on Low or 3-4 hours on High. If you used a bay leaf, remove it before serving.
Instant Pot Instructions:
Select the "Sauté" setting on the pressure cooker. Add a little oil and the onion. Cook for 5-7 minutes, until translucent (or increase the time to about 20 minutes if you like them caramelized). Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute, until fragrant.
Add the ground beef. Cook for 8-10 minutes, breaking apart with a spatula, until browned.
Add all the remaining ingredients, except the bay leaf, to the Instant Pot and stir until combined. (For the Instant Pot version, I also recommend adding a cup of water or broth.) Place the bay leaf into the middle, if using.
Close the lid. Press "Keep Warm/Cancel" to stop the saute cycle. Select the "Meat/Stew" setting (35 minutes) to start pressure cooking.
Wait for the natural release if you can, or turn the valve to "vent" for quick release if you're short on time. If you used a bay leaf, remove it before serving.
Stovetop Instructions:
In a lightly oiled Dutch oven over medium-high heat, cook the onion for 5-7 minutes, until translucent (or increase the time to about 20 minutes if you like them caramelized). Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute, until fragrant.
Add the ground beef. Cook for 8-10 minutes, breaking apart with a spatula, until browned.
Add all the remaining ingredients, except the bay leaf, to the Dutch oven and stir until combined. Place the bay leaf into the middle, if using.
Cover and simmer for about 1 hour, or until the flavors develop to your liking. If you used a bay leaf, remove it before serving.
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Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 cup
This is a very chunky keto chili, which I think is a good thing. If you prefer yours thinner, you can add a little water (or broth!) prior to cooking to thin it out as desired. This may also reduce calories and carbs per serving, depending on how much you add.
Recipe from my Easy Keto Cookbook.
Nutrition Facts
Amount per serving. Serving size in recipe notes above.
Calories306
Fat18g
Protein23g
Total Carbs13g
Net Carbs10g
Fiber3g
Sugar5g
Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.
Course:Main Course
Cuisine:American
Keywords:keto chili, keto chili recipe, low carb chili
Calories: 306 kcal
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Easy Keto Chili Recipe
