Game Day Food – Low Carb Chili Recipe
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Celebrate Game Day with this hearty Beef Chili Recipe. This Low Carb Chili is full of flavor, perfect for warming you up on cold winter days, and is especially great for a potluck party.
You can stick to your low carb/keto plan, and no one will know your chili is low carb!
The Best Low Carb Chili for Game Day (or any day)!
It’s January, and you know what that means… Football and game day parties!
We moved into a smaller temporary home and aren’t planning a big party this year. (I say “temporary,” but, it’s already been eight months, and we have at least eight more months to go… I’ll tell you more in another post.) So for the Big Game, we’re keeping our guest list small.
I’ll be cooking up all sorts of low-carb appetizers, including this beef chili recipe.
The good thing about small get-togethers is it’s so much easier to get ready for. A few snacks, plus this Low Carb Chili recipe is all you need. Our guests will bring their favorite chips and dips, so everybody gets the foods they love.
Why you need to try this No Bean Chili Recipe:
When it comes to Chili Recipes, I’ve always been a “beans in my chili recipe” type girl, but since I’m trying to stick to my lower-carb/keto eating plan right now, I need a low carb chili recipe option!
- This no-bean chili recipe is great for gatherings and is perfect for the low-carbers and regular-carbers alike! The chili is so flavorful; I promise you won’t even miss the beans!
- This chili recipe is mild, which is how the kids and I like our chili. However, my hubby likes a bit of kick to his food. The beauty of this recipe is that you can add as much heat as you like. For my hubby, he adds a pinch of cayenne and tops his bowl with jalapenos
- It really hits the spot when it’s cold out and it’s a perfect dish for low carb eaters and their non-low carb eating friends! (Because who doesn’t love chili?)
Why I Love This Low Carb Chili:
You would think a commercially prepared, ready-to-eat, no bean chili would be naturally low carb, but have you ever checked out the nutrient info on the back of a can of chili?
Hormel No Bean Beef Chili, for example, (which I have always enjoyed) has 19 grams of carbs per serving. That’s a lot of carbs!
My low carb chili recipe is a delicious keto chili that cuts the carbs down to around 6 net carbs per serving. Those carbs are coming from the tomatoes, onions, and peppers, but I don’t recommend leaving them out as they add a lot of flavor to the chili.
A reader even left me a comment that they won “best mild chili” with this recipe at their office chili cook-off! Yay!
Ingredients Needed to Make this Chili Recipe:
Want to give this low carb chili recipe a shot? You won’t regret it! These are the ingredients: (At a glance- grab the full list and printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.)
- Ground Beef | Just 1 pound, but you can double or triple this recipe with no problem. I prefer leaner ground beef so there will be less fat to drain off.
- Produce | Bell pepper (your favorite color) and an onion.
- Pantry items: diced green chiles (I always use canned), tomato sauce, beef broth, tomato paste
- Spices | Cumin, celery salt, chili powder, salt, and pepper (you could cheat and just use two tbs of a chili spice mix in place of the 4 spices.) Worcestershire sauce.
How to Make Low Carb Chili:
You’ll love how easy this low carb chili recipe is to make!
Just brown your meat, toss in the onion, bell pepper, chiles, and tomato products, plus the spices, and let it simmer for 30 minutes to an hour.
The longer it simmers, the less liquid-y it will be, plus it helps the flavor meld together! You also have the option to kick up the spiciness by adding a pinch or two of cayenne. Since we feed this to the kids, I always leave out the extra spice.
Tips and Tricks for Serving to Non-Low Carbers:
Is not everyone in your family or friend group into low carb or keto? To keep everyone happy and satisfied I do have a few tricks I use when serving this chili to the family.
- Since beans are actually good for you, and they are one of the few veggies my son will eat without complaint, I will heat up a can of pre-seasoned chili beans and add about a quarter cup to the bottom of the kid’s bowls. (or just serve them on the side, and guests can add however much they want. I then top the beans with the chili, cheese, and whatever other toppings they want.
- Another option is to precook several baked potatoes and offer the option of a chili cheese baked potato. You might be surprised how many will go for this option when offered.
- The third option is to just make another recipe, lol. I have two great chili recipe alternatives: Panera Turkey Chili (copycat version) and a Slow Cooker Beef Chili (with beans).
Options 1 and 2 work perfectly and help the chili go further, too!
Can I Make this Low Carb Chili Recipe in a Crock-Pot?
Yes, of course! This chili is great in the slow cooker too.
I love my crockpot for dishes like this. This chili recipe works perfectly in the slow cooker for days you know you’ll have a good 8 hours away from the kitchen. Nothing better than coming home tired and hungry and having an on-plan hot meal waiting for you.
To make this easy low carb chili in the crockpot, you will need to saute the garlic, peppers, and onions in with the ground beef before adding them to the slow cooker. Once that’s done though, you just toss everything into the crockpot for 8 hours on low.
If at the end of the 8 hours, your chili is still too liquidy, you can remove the lid and let it simmer for another 30 minutes to an hour to help the liquid cook out.
Can You Freeze This Low Carb Chili Recipe?
Yes, you can definitely freeze this Chili. Let chili cool significantly, and package it up into smaller servings in a freezer bag, taking care to remove all the air from the bag. Then when ready to eat, microwave it on medium power until defrosted. Transfer to a bowl and continue to heat until warmed through.
How Many Carbs are in Chili:
The carb count in chili recipes will vary from chili to chili based on the ingredients used. If you are trying to stick to a strict low-carb plan, you definitely don’t want to use a commercially prepared no-bean chili. (Wolf Brand no-bean chili has 18 carbs per serving!)
My low carb chili recipe, prepared as directed below, has 8 carbs and 2 grams of fiber (so if you follow the net carb idea, that’s only 6 carbs!)
Most of the carbs come from the tomato sauce, peppers, and onions.
(Important tip: I don’t recommend lowering the amount of any of these ingredients as they really contribute to the flavor.)
More LOW CARB Recipes You Might Like:
- Low Carb Chili Dog Casserole
- Low Carb Enchilada Soup
- Avocado and Bacon Chicken Salad
- Beer Marinated Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Recipe
- Favorite Broccoli Salad Recipe
Pin this Chili Recipe Here:
Let us know what you think!
Print
Low Carb Chili Recipe
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 75 minutes
- Yield: 5 servings 1x
- Category: chili
- Method: stovetop
Description
This low carb chili has all the classic chili flavors you love, but without the beans (so it’s low in carbs.) It’s hearty, flavorful and perfect for those cold winter nights.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced (or 1/2 tsp garlic powder)
- 1 large bell pepper (your favorite color)
- about 1 cup onion, diced (use more if you like sauteed onion)
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp salt (You could cheat and just use 2 tbs of a chili spice mix in place of the 4 spices above.)
- 1 tsp Worcestershire
- 1/2 tsp celery salt
- 4 oz can diced green chiles
- 1 cup of tomato sauce
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 tbs tomato paste
Instructions
- Combine the ground beef, onions, bell peppers and garlic in large frying pan and sauté until ground beef is browned. Drain fat.
- Add spices, Worcestershire, diced green chiles, tomato sauce, tomato paste and broth to the pan. stir to combine and simmer for 30 minutes to an hour.
- Give chili a taste, add additional cumin, chili powder and additional cayenne if desired.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/5 of recipe
- Calories: 316
- Sugar: 5
- Fat: 16
- Carbohydrates: 8
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 33
Keywords: recipe, chili, low carb
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Outstanding chili. Very flavorful. My husband doesn’t like it when the chili is too spicy, so I used Chipotle Chili pepper from McCormick, and it gave it the right amount of heat and a terrific depth of flavor. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Best chili recipe ever! Thank you!
★★★★★
My husband and I used this recipe for a chili cookoff yesterday and we won 1st place!!
★★★★★
I love hearing that!
I add diced zucchini in my chili, it does help to thicken the pot. I also usually make it in a crock pot. I plan on making your version this weekend. What are your thoughts about keeping in the zucchini, do you think it would be too thick? TIA for your opinion, Debbie
If you know you like zucchini in chili, (personally I’m not a fan, lol) I think it would be fine.
Excellent Chili recipe! Thanks so much for posting. I have made chili for many years and this is by far the most flavorful recipe and beats out all the others. Hubby and I almost ate entire batch. Will definitely need to double or triple batch next time. Thank You!
My daughter in law made this. It is unbelievably good. The only bad part is that we all want to eat several bowls lol. Nothing better on a cold night. Thanks so much.
A friend sent me this recipe when I asked her for a good chili recipe… she was wrong! This chili is amazing! My husband kept wanting me to add some of our “normal” spices and I kept to this recipe and he liked it better than our normal!
What I did differently though…
**No pepper as out family does t care too much for them
**onion powder instead of onion
**ground venison instead of beef
Never did beef broth nor Worcestershire and I will use them from now on! Amazing! Thank you!
★★★★★
Thank you so much for the kind comments. I bet it was the Worcestershire that he liked. It adds a depth of flavor that I can’t explain..
I made this and it was delicious! I can’t eat beef so switched vegetable broth and ground turkey for the beef. I might make it with 2lbs turkey next time to thicken and increase protein.
Stats: calories-240; carbs-17.2;
fiber-3.8; fats-8.5; protein-23.4
★★★★★
awesome, thanks!
I’ve never added Worcestershire to my chili before, but I think that must be the ingredient that puts this keto chili recipe over the top. thanks for sharing.
★★★★★
This recipe looks divine! I’m excited to try it with using Worcestershire! If I am eating less beef, do you think I could sub the ground beef for ground turkey? If so, should I also replace the beef stock?
Can’t wait to try it!
You can sub turkey for beef. You ms want to up the spices, just give it a taste. I would still use the beef broth. Good luck!
Much in a serving of this
Made this today, delicious!
★★★★★
Precisely what I was searching for, thanks!
★★★★★
My family absolutely loves this recipe for low carb chili! It is amazing and I am very glad I found it. You rock !
★★★★★
thank you!
Does it have to be covered when simmering?
1. it keeps too much liquid from simmering off and 2,from splattering all over the stove top. That being said, it wont ruin the chili if you leave it off.
omg, the best keto chili recipe!
★★★★★
Hands down a great recipe. You truly don’t miss the beans.. Keep throwing out low carb recipes so I don’t get bored!
This is amazing! We all love it! I made a side of red beans for the rest of the fam, but we all loved it without! The only change for our house was that it wasn’t spicy enough! We all have dead or mostly dead tongues! So we diced up a jalapeño and added 1/2 a tablespoon or so of cayenne pepper! I made it before work, cooked it in the crock pot and it was perfect by dinner!
I will be making this again! Thank you for the recipe!
★★★★★
This is my go to chili except I use Turkey instead of beef. Everything else I follow exactly. Has been my go to for quite a while. Today I won best mild chili for our office chili contest. I LOVE this recipe!
★★★★★
That’s awesome! (I also prefer a mild chili. 🙂 )
I also made it for Thanksgiving and my father thought it was spicy so it all depends on the person. I had some of the other Chili’s there and personally felt mine (yours) was the best overall (as did quite a few others). I’m convinced the contest was rigged. 😛
So good! Didn’t even miss the beans.
★★★★★