Updated: Jul. 12, 2022
If you're following the low-carb, high-fat keto diet, you must try this simple keto chili recipe.
If youlove a hearty bowl of chili but are trying to cut back on carbs, this keto chili recipe is for you. Like all of our favoriteketo diet recipes,we’ve reduced the carbs without cutting back on the deliciousness.
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. Plus, if you love a particularly spicy chili, add some chopped jalapenos to the mix. (One jalapeno has less than 1 carbohydrate.)
How to Make Keto Chili
This recipe makes 8 servings of chili.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup chopped onion
- 2 to 4 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 cans (14.5 ounces each) fire-roasted diced tomatoes (no salt added)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
Instructions
Step 1: Brown the beef
First, preheat your slow cooker. Then, add the olive oil to a skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook until browned. Use a slotted spoon to carefully transfer the cooked browned beef to the slow cooker.
Step 2: Caramelize the onions
Remove all but about a teaspoon of fat from the skillet you used to brown the beef. Add the chopped onion and saute until golden brown, about 3-5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Transfer the onion and garlic to the slow cooker.
Step 3: Cook it slow
Add all of the remaining ingredients except the cilantro to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 3-5 hours.
Step 4: Stir in some extra flavor
Stir in the cilantro.
Step 5: Serve it up!
Serve immediately with your favorite keto-friendly chili toppings, like cheese or sour cream.
How to Store It
Any leftover chili can be kept in the fridge for up to one week. You can also store the chili in the freezer in a freezer-safe container for up to three months. If frozen, let thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
Keto-Friendly Chili Variations
- Prefer a sweeter chili? The addition of unsweetened cocoa powder can add a depth of sweetness to your chili while also enhancing its spicy flavor.
- If savory is more your style, consider adding cooked bacon.
- For a smoky flavor, replace a portion of the liquid in the recipe with brewed coffee. In addition to smokiness, coffee can add a unique earthy and robust flavor to your chili.
Low-Carb Chili Toppings
Dress up your chili with some extra ingredients. Keto-friendly chili toppings include cheese, sour cream or Greek yogurt, scallions and sliced avocado. See what else you can eat on the keto diet.
If you like adding on hot sauce, beware of sugar-heavy products like Sriracha. Instead, look for brands that are low in sugar and salt.
What to Serve with Keto Chili
While traditional cornbread is out, you can make a keto-friendly bread. Try this recipe for keto cloud bread. Given the heartiness of chili, you can’t go wrong with serving a low-carb salad on the side.
FAQs
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!
What beans have the lowest carbs? ›
Highest and Lowest Carb Beans
Among these, black soybeans and green beans have the lowest carbs, potentially making them better for a keto diet. On the other hand, chickpeas, pinto beans, and navy beans have high carbs. You might want to avoid these if you're strictly following a keto diet.
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 carb blockers? ›
White Kidney Bean Extract is most often used forFat LossandGut Health. Get Examine+ to unlock these insights and the details of over 50,000 other studies. White Kidney Bean extract (also known by the brand Phase 2) is a carbohydrate blocker that works by inhibiting the digestion of starches.
What are the best beans for slow carbs? ›
When looking to add more slow-burning carbs to your diet, you can't go wrong with legumes, which include mature beans and peas. Kidney beans, butter beans, chickpeas, black-eyed peas, navy beans, lentils and yellow split peas all make good choices.
What secret ingredient will deepen the flavor of your chili? ›
Stir some puréed pumpkin into your chili just after sautéing your aromatics (onions, garlic, etc...) and before adding any liquid. This will deepen and sweeten its flavor, making it a great balance for all the chile peppers and heat.
Does Wendy's put sugar in their chili? ›
Chili Concentrate: Chili Sauce (Water, Tomato Juice, Tomatoes, Calcium Chloride, Seasoning (Sugar, Salt, Corn Starch, Dried Chilies, Spices, Flavor Enhancer [Dextrose, Salt, Yeast Extract, Silicon Dioxide, Modified Corn Starch], Citric Acid, Disodium Inosinate, Disodium Guanylate, Xanthan gum), Beans (Pink Beans, Red ...
Is chili from Wendy's low carb? ›
This is unfortunately the only side that's keto-friendly at Wendy's. That's right: All fries and baked potatoes are far too high in carbs, as is the famous chili. Frostys and cookies are also a no-go, as well as all the house lemonades, regular sodas and sweetened iced tea.
What is the number one worst carb? ›
THE WORST: Refined or processed carbohydrates
These are carbohydrates like white bread, white sugar, white flour pasta, and white rice that have been stripped of their blood-sugar-buffering fiber, as well as vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, things both your body and hair are big fans of.
Should you avoid beans on a low carb diet? ›
Beans and Legumes
Eat them in moderation when on a low carb diet. Animal products such as meat, eggs, and fish can be used to supplement your daily protein intake, while avocados, nuts, and vegetables like broccoli and artichokes should be eaten to ensure that you're getting enough fiber.
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.
How do you thicken chili without carbs? ›
Don't share any of your delicious chili with the cringers. 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.
Does homemade chili have carbs? ›
Chili with beans and meat, homemade (1 cup) contains 23.5g total carbs, 16.3g net carbs, 9.1g fat, 18.2g protein, and 242 calories.
What can I replace beans with in chili? ›
Replacing up to 2 cups chopped vegetables is a great choice and one of the best substitutes – Cauliflower florets, broccoli florets, bell pepper, white or portobello mushrooms, sweet peas or split peas, carrots, zucchini or butternut squash.
What are the best low gas beans for chili? ›
The easiest beans to digest (therefore less likely to cause gas), according to Country Life Foods, are lentils, black eyed beans, adzuki beans and mung beans. (Click through to learn more about the amazing health benefits of mung beans.) The harder ones to digest are red kidney, soy, black and lima beans.
What is a low-carb substitute for chickpeas? ›
One cup of chickpeas has 45 grams of carbs.
Many people on the keto diet use alternatives to canned garbanzo beans like lupini beans or cauliflower in order to make low carb versions of dishes like hummus or Jennifer Aniston's famous salad.
Is chili okay to eat on a low carb diet? ›
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.
