Keto Chili Recipe with Double Meat (Thick, Hearty, and No Beans)

If you’re used to chili having beans, this keto chili might surprise you. I skip the beans completely and use a mix of ground beef and chunks of stew meat instead. It gives you a chili that’s thick, hearty, and actually filling without needing anything extra.

This chili comes out to about 7g net carbs per serving, so it fits easily into a low carb or keto way of eating. It’s also a true chili con carne, which simply means “chili with meat,” and this one definitely leans into that.

What you'll need

Even though I grew up eating chili with beans, I actually prefer this version. Using chunks of stew meat in place of beans gives the chili more texture and makes it a lot more filling.

Beans like kidney beans and black beans are higher in carbs, which is why I leave them out here. But if you really want that traditional feel, you can add black soybeans. They’re much lower in carbs and work well in recipes like this.

Meats: This recipe calls for both stew meat and ground beef. Of course, you can replace the stew meat with more ground beef if you want, or just leave it out for less meat. You could also use all ground turkey.

Vegetables: I like to use diced onion and red bell pepper for this recipe. You could definitely use green peppers or just omit them altogether.

Tomato products: Tomato paste is one of the key ingredients here. It adds a deeper, richer flavor without needing a lot of extra liquid. I also use fire roasted diced tomatoes for a little more flavor. I don’t recommend adding much tomato sauce since it can add carbs quickly without adding much texture.

Toppings: This is where everyone can make it their own. I usually go with shredded cheese and sour cream, but green onions, crushed pork rinds for crunch, or serving it over cauliflower rice are all good options. It’s also really good with keto biscuits on the side.

My Method for a Thick, Meaty Keto Chili

I give full instructions for stove top and slow cooker in the recipe card toward the bottom of the page.

1. Brown the meat - To get started on this recipe, I first browned my stew meat in the large pot with some oil.  Browning adds so much flavor to the chili so don't skip this step.

2. Saute the vegetables - Remove the meat from the pan and added the onion and red bell pepper so they can cook in the excess grease.  Cook them until they are soft.  I really like the addition of red bell pepper to this chili to add a little sweetness.

3. Cook the ground beef and add spices - I then added the garlic and the ground beef.  After the ground beef was browned, I added the spices and the tomato paste.  

4. Everything in the pot - Now we add the stew meat back to the pot and the fire roasted tomatoes.
5. Simmer - You now want this keto chili to simmer over medium-low heat for at least an hour. This should be enough time for the stew meat to get tender.

I could eat this everyday, all winter long, it is such a great recipe.  If you prefer your chili on the spicy side you can add cayenne pepper to taste, chipotle peppers, or diced jalapeño!

Slow cooker instructions

This recipe transfers to a slow cooker very easily.

Follow the instructions for the stove top, but transfer to the slow cooker when it is time to simmer and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours.

If you have a crockpot that has a browning feature, you can do all of the browning in the crockpot and then you only have to clean one pot!

How to freeze chili

I like to make a double batch of this chili recipe and freeze it for meals all winter long.  Simply scoop out portions into freezer bags or bowls and leave in the freezer for up to 2 months.  

The day before you are ready to eat the chili, remove it from the freezer to thaw in the refrigerator over night. Heat in a large pot over medium-low heat until heated through. I also do this with my keto beef stew.

Tips from Jennifer's Kitchen

• Replace half of the diced tomatoes with a can of black soy beans if you can't skip the beans in your chili.  They only have 1 net carb per serving!
• If you are short on time, you can use 2 pounds of ground beef instead of the stew meat - then it doesn't need to slow cook.
• If you want your chili spicier, you can add 1-2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper or diced jalapeño.

Frequently Asked Questions

Serving Suggestions

This chili is filling on its own, but I usually add something on the side to round it out, especially if I’m feeding my family.

My go-to is keto Mexican cornbread. It pairs really well with the chili and makes it feel like a complete meal.

For toppings, I keep it simple with shredded cheese and sour cream, but you can also add green onions, avocado, or even crushed pork rinds for a little crunch.

If you want to stretch it further or make it more of a bowl-style meal, you can serve it over cauliflower rice. For my family, I’ll sometimes serve theirs with regular cornbread or rice while I keep mine lower carb.

This is also one of those meals that works great for leftovers. I’ll reheat it for lunch the next day or use it as a topping over scrambled eggs for something different.

Variations and Swaps

If you’ve made this a few times, here are a couple of easy ways to change it up without overcomplicating it.

For a quicker version, skip the stew meat and use all ground beef. It won’t have the same chunky texture, but it still tastes great and cooks faster.

If you want it spicier, add cayenne pepper or diced jalapeños when you sauté the vegetables.

For a more traditional chili feel, you can add black soybeans. They’re lower in carbs and give you that bean texture without changing the recipe too much.

You can also swap the ground beef for ground turkey if that’s what you have on hand. I’ve done this when I want something a little lighter and it still works well.