Free Printable: Low Carb & Keto Food List
Get It NowI’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 chili right 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:
My Tools For This Recipe
- 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.
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.
Ingredients
Tap underlined ingredients to see the ones I use.
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
Crock Pot Instructions (Slow Cooker):
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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.
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Add the ground beef. Cook for 8-10 minutes, breaking apart with a spatula, until browned.
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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.
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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:
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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.
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Add the ground beef. Cook for 8-10 minutes, breaking apart with a spatula, until browned.
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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.
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Close the lid. Press "Keep Warm/Cancel" to stop the saute cycle. Select the "Meat/Stew" setting (35 minutes) to start pressure cooking.
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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:
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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.
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Add the ground beef. Cook for 8-10 minutes, breaking apart with a spatula, until browned.
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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.
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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.
Did You Like It?
Leave a rating to help other readers (this also helps me continue to provide free recipes on my site), or get the recipe sent to your inbox.
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.
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead. 🙂
620 Comments
Dale
0I googled IP chili recipes and stumbled across your recipe and boy am I glad I did as this recipe ranks right up there with the best of them. I followed the recipe to the letter except I only used 2 lbs of ground beef instead of 2.5 lbs but it still turned out great and the spice level was just perfect. Planning to freeze some for the next time we have baked potatoes. Thanks for sharing!
Catherine
0Made it today in the slow cooker. For the chili powder, did 1/4 C (as recommended) of Penzey’s Salsa & Pico mix. It was absolutely perfect. Couldn’t help but add a bit of smoked paprika and some zucchini and celery cut small. It’s going to be a hit for the family dinner. (Not spicy but rich-flavored; we have hot sauces for those who like it spicier.) Sides of sour cream, shredded cheese and cut green onions. A wonderful basic recipe I’m going to continue to use.
Julie
0Wow! Perfect chili! Add more heat if you love it hot, less if you don’t. The perfect starter. Loaded it with cheese before serving. Will definitely make again and again.
Ili
0Yummy recipe! The best part is that is also gluten free and dairy free so my boyfriend was able to eat as well.
Shannon
0This recipe was SO easy and absolutely delicious!!! I subbed ground venison for the ground beef and added a couple extra dashes of Worcestershire sauce when I was browning it. But after 8 hrs in the crock pot…magic! Thank you so much for this recipe!
Cathey East
0It’s a cold, rainy day here in east Texas and nothing warms the family like chili. I don’t currently have access to a crock pot or instant pot so I went the old-fashioned way and simmered it on the stovetop for 6 hours. It was delicious. I had the keto version, but my guys love their beans. I separated 2 servings out for myself, then added beans to the rest. It worked out great. I love beans in my chili as well and wasn’t sure I would be satisfied with the keto version. This chili has such a wonderful flavor, I didn’t miss a thing. Super easy to make and cooks up a big batch so you can cook once and eat several times. This one is a winner and I will be making it again.
Brenda B.
0This was so good! Quick & easy too, with leftovers to freeze. I actually made it in my crock pot over night while I slept. Yum!
Janet
0Is the recipe true to put a 1/4 cup of chili powder or is that a typo? Thank you.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Janet, Yes that is correct. You can scale it back if you don’t love the chili powder spice.
Dawn
0Excellent flavor. I chose to add poblano and jalapeño peppers to spice it up and sliced black olives for healthy fat and just because I love them.
Janna Settles
0This is an easy but delicious chili recipe for those cold, dreary winter evenings!! Leftovers help with less meal prep for the week!!
Amy
0This is my first ever attempt at making a low carb soup. I made it exactly as written except using half sausage and half ground beef. This is the BEST chili I have ever made. I absolutely love it and can’t believe it fits on my low carb meal plan. Thank you!
Mjo
0My SECOND review 🙂 BEST chili I’ve ever made & now the only chili recipe I use!! I’ve always made it in my Power Pressure cooker XL but have realized when making chili for more than just my family, I need a lot more so I’m going to try it in the slow cooker 🙂 SO good- love this recipe.
koby72cuda@gmail.com
0Made the keto chili and it was fantastic, I added a half of a cup of beef broth. Looking forward to making the chili again, thank you Maya
Lori
0Simple ingredients and easy to follow recipe! Turned out to be the best chili I’ve ever made! Thank you Maya!!
Jennifer Cramer
0Has anyone added mushrooms? Any good?
Valerie
0Amazing flavour.. I will make this many times over.. My new go to chili recipe
Michelle
0It was “ok”. I felt it was a little bland. Next time I’ll add some hot sauce for a little chili kick. This just taste like hamburger in sauce.
Plus I cooked it in my instant pot – I DO NOT recommend the extra cup of water. It made it soupy. All the liquid from the diced tomatoes and chilies I think was plenty.
Otherwise good attempt just needs some revamping.
April Leger
0I made this last night for the first time. My husband is diabetic so I am always trying to find delicious things to make for him. Well, he loved this chili and I can honestly say this was the best chili I have ever tasted! I used course ground meat and was a little concerned about not draining it, but it wasn’t too greasy at all. We like our chili thick, so I used 3 lbs of meat and it was perfect. It went great with the Wholesome Yum almond flour crackers I made last week! This recipe is going to be a new staple in our house during the cold weather months.
Dianna
0I loved the chili but it was just too spicy for me. The spice I used was a cayenne/chili powder blend. So I’m going to try just a chili powder. I think this may have been my problem. Hoping for better results.
Sue Loomis
0I made this recipe tonight and it was so easy and so delish! I added more canned tomatoes than the recipe called for and less ground beef because I like my chili more soupy. The chili was spicier than what I usually make but I just added a lot of sour cream while eating it to calm it down! I didnt even miss the beans!
Debbie Bashford
0Made the Keto Chili yesterday in the slow cooker, it was so easy and delicious. I used jalapenos instead of canned chilies as I could not find those where I shop. Started it early in the day, the house smelled wonderful. Had some for supper then portioned it out into freezer bags and froze them.
Baker Judy
0Hi Maya, I had so much fun with the cookie challenge. So I want to do this one. Gets me out of my comfort zone.
I want to make a half batch in the crockpot. Is the timing different?
Made another batch of your double chocolate high protein muffins. They are incredibly good!
So excited for your new baby! Take care of yourself, please.
Judy
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Judy, The timing will be the same if you do half a batch of chili. I hope you love it!
Baker Judy
0Thanks so much, Maya! Kosher meat is 3x the cost of non kosher beef. So this is a great answer.
I will get non dairy cheese to go with it, since we don’t mix meat and milk. Sounds fabulous!
Another question. I’d only make something like this for our special Friday night/Sabbath dinner. But, if I do that, it will be too late for the contest. Can I post the picture of it all in the crockpot on Thursday night–before cooking it on Friday? That way, I can enter the contest.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Judy, Yes Thursday night will work great! Best of luck!
Kelly
0It was great! Just started the keto diet and tried this recipe tonight and a keto cornbread that I found as well. This was a great meal! Fills you up. Full of flavor.
Kara Harris
0I made this last night. I used my Instant Pot and my husband and I both enjoyed it. I purchased some keto “cornbread” from my keto baker! It was yummy.
Lois
0I made this for a Seahawk football party and my husband’s birthday. Everyone loved the chili- there was none left! I added kidney beans to make it stretch more since they are not on Keto, only me. It had fabulous flavor. I used my Cuisinart pressure cooker and after I did the pressure part I realized I forgot the tomato paste. I had added afterwards and kept it on low heat for the party. It worked out just fine. I’ll be making this again.
Rob
0I’m cooking this right now overnight. I doubled every ingredient so I can feast on it from a week. Only difference is I added a little cocoa powder (to cut the acidity – instead of sugar like a lot of people use) – threw in some red wine instead of water to thin it a tad. I’ll let you know how it tastes tomorrow!
Vicki
0How are you calculating 10 grams of carbs per serving? Other than the onions, there really isn’t that much more carb content in any of the other ingredients. I make a chili that is only 12 grams of carbs for the entire recipe.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Vicki, This chili recipe includes both diced tomatoes and tomato paste, which are where the majority of the carbs are coming from.
Alicia
0This is awesome! Have made it twice with the addition of diced pork belly. So good, satisfying and easy…Thank you!
Lindsey
0We loved it! Made it in the Instant pot and reduced the water to 3/4 cup. Ended up very watery once finished so cooked the water down to thicken it up and it was perfect (we prefer thicker chili). I had to get creative with the spices as I didn’t have enough cumin and oregano so I had to throw in some substitutes. Served it with keto cornless cornbread. My boyfriend loved it so much he asked that I bring it to his parents for Christmas! Love all of your recipes! Thank you!
Marshawn
0This chili is AMAZING!!!! I did 3 meat style…1lb ground beef, 1lb pork sausage and 1lb cubed beef and omg!!! I also added 1 package of cream cheese and 1 cup beef bone broth….5 STARS!!!!
Joy
0Can you give the link for the corn bread recipe?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Joy, I have a keto cornbread recipe coming in January 2020, you can use the site search function to find it anytime after that. 🙂
Rita
0This is absolutely the best chili I’ve ever tasted! Super easy recipe-the spice blend is perfect! I made the crock pot version and the only additions I made was a cup of water (it is very thick), more garlic and threw in some jalapenos to add just a little fire! I am ecstatic to be able to have chili without the excessive carbs! Many, many thanks to you! Your recipes are awesome!
Emily
0Does anyone know if I double this will it fit in a 6 qt Instapot? Thanks!
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Emily, I don’t think it will fit into a 6qt Instant Pot if you double the recipe. There is too much volume for the pot.
Debbie H
0I think there is a mis-print on this recipe and it should read 2 teaspoons of cumin instead of tablespoons? My chili came out so spicy, I can barely eat it and there’s no way it would win any competition as described. I followed the entire recipe EXACTLY as written. Not sure why all the positive reviews. I’m baffled.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Debbie, I’m sorry this recipe didn’t turn out as you had hoped. The cumin is not actually what provides the spicy element to this chili, it’s actually the green chilis. Please either half or omit the amount of green chilis if you would like a more mild version of this recipe.
Maria
0Hi there! I want to make this but just wanted to make sure it’s not too spicy for my boyfriend that’s a little sensitive to spicy foods. Should I omit the green Chile’s? Thank you!
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Maria, Yes, if he is sensitive to heat or spice, then cut the amount of green chilis either down by half or omit entirely.
Jill
0This is THE BEST chili I’ve ever had in my whole life!!! It’s so good I ate too much and threw up in my mouth a little.
Dean
0This recipe was GREAT!!! I added a couple of diced jalapenos, a chopped ripe tennis ball sized tomato and a 1/2 of a chopped red pepper. Topped with shredded cheddar and sour cream of course :). This isn’t just a good low car chili, it is great chili period!
Candace
0Hubby says he does not like beans in his chili. Weirdo. I found your site while searching for a bean free recipe. Very tasty and easy recipe. We like ours a bit spicier so I added some pepper sauce and peppers. I liked the thickness as I don’t care for rice with my chili. I made it in the instant pot and followed the instructions. Regarding the suggestion to add a cup of liquid – I used 3/4 cup beef broth.
Alicia L Robertson
0This was awesome and I added bell peppers, pork belly and rotel instead of diced tomatoes and a bit of smoke. Thank you for this recipe! Will be making this again over the winter!❤
Karen
0This recipe sounds so good. But at 10g. of carbs per serving, my keto carb balance for the entire rest of the day is 4 g.
Wholesome Yum A
0Hi Karen, you can always adjust the serving size to suit your needs! You can also reduce or omit the onion to cut down more carbs.
Bonnie Yang
0How many net carbs would it be if we took out onions?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Bonnie, I am not sure, the original recipe was developed to include the onions. If helps, there are several recipe/food calculators online to help you re-calculate the recipe without onions.
Rachel
0Awesome ! Thank you!
Angela
0Do you think I could substitute bison for beef in this recipe?
Wholesome Yum A
0Angela, I haven’t tried that but I think it would work here!
Heather
0I just finished making the chili, it was fast and smells fantastic. I can’t wait to try it tonight. I believe this will be a family favorite.
Kathy S
0I loved this chili! I’d never made chili before and I’m astounded at how good this is!!
I added black soy beans because I prefer beans in my chili.
I used my Instant Pot and it did give me the burn warning. So, I had to add more than the recommended one cup of broth. In all, I used 2 cups of beef broth.
Delicious!
Jody
0Chili was delicious!! Would definitely make again and serve to dinner guests.
Stephanie Chandler
0My friend made this and brought it to a chili cook-off party. It was up against 16 other crockpots full of non-keto chili and won the most votes! I asked her to share the recipe and it’s now part of our regular rotation. Thank you! I love your recipes!
Marc L. Filippone
0I made this in an Aroma rice cooker, which also has a sauté function and a slow cook function (with a low and high setting). It worked well.
The great thing about chili is there are so many ways you can tweak it, according to your preferences, and it will still come out great. For instance, I threw in some chopped fresh jalapeño peppers, and even left some of the seeds in because I like my chili on the spicy-hot side. Yum!
Marilyn
0I am looking at the chilli but it gives the ingredients but not the amount of each ingredients
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Marilyn, You may need to turn off your browser’s ‘Reader Mode’ to be able to see the recipe card properly.
Linda Dalton
0Just put in the crockpot, minus the green peppers cuz we don’t have any. Looks and smell great!
Zana Sugar
0I made this last night and was really happy with the beautiful melding of flavours. This one’s definitely a keeper! Thank you and please keep those recipes coming!
Cathy
0I am in heaven. This chili is wonderful. I made it without beans and again with black soy beans. I started the black soy beans before the chili so when the chili was ready I was able to just at the black soy beans to the pot. It was delicious and I plan on making it often. Thank you so much for all of the wonderful recipes that you have created for all of us.
Doris
0You rescued me, as I read the recipe it sounded great. I had no hamburger. I had cooked neck bones for broth and had the meat that I pulled off the bones. I had not found anything to do with it. I used it in this chilli recipe. OMGosh it is delicious .Thank you.