Is Chili on the Keto Diet
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- Keto Chili without Beans (No Bean Chili)
- Why I'm Making So Much Paleo Chili
- Paleo Chili for Freezer Meals
- Low Carb Chili in a Crock Pot Slow Cooker
- Instant Pot Chili is Even Faster
- Tools To Make Keto Chili
- Low Carb Keto Chili Recipe (Crock Pot or Instant Pot)
After sharing my Instant Pot shredded chicken recipe, I felt like my Crock Pot deserved some love, too. I really do enjoy using both! With the cold and dreary days of January in full swing, I'm majorly craving comfort food. Chili has always been one of my all-time favorites in that category. More recently, I've fallen in love with this keto low carb chili recipe in the Crock Pot slow cooker. And if you'd rather use your Instant Pot pressure cooker again, you can make it in there too!
Don't forget the keto cornbread! It makes this keto chili recipe even more amazing.
Keto Chili without Beans (No Bean Chili)
I'm really happy that this paleo chili turned out. I was a little unsure about it, since beans are such a crucial part of most recipes for it.
Unfortunately, the carbs in beans are just too high to make it work. The only possible exception might be soy beans, but I didn't want to use those. They are not really the right beans for chili, anyway.
So, is chili low carb? The answer is usually no.
I knew that if I wanted a keto chili recipe, I would have to make it chili without beans. That's really the only way to avoid too many carbs in chili.
Besides, I had the same uncertainty that I did with my sugar-free BBQ sauce. As with that recipe, people have different perceptions about what a good beef chili should taste like, and it's so much of "a thing" that people have contests about it.
Uncertainties notwithstanding, I decided to try my hand at low carb chili anyway! I'm really glad I did. It made such a satisfying, healthy dinner.
Surprisingly, I didn't even miss the beans!
I think the key to getting no bean chili right was being generous with the spices. Even my little girl enjoyed it, after I mellowed out the heat a bit for her by adding sour cream and shredded cheese.
Obviously, these fixings aren't paleo, but if you don't mind that, they make delicious additions. They are perfect if you are going for a keto chili.
Why I'm Making So Much Paleo Chili
Another reason I had to make this low carb chili recipe, like ASAP? I'm in total freezer meal making mode.
I'm officially six months pregnant today, which means there are just three months left until a newborn turns our world upside down all over again. Eek! I'm excited, stressed, nervous, and curious to meet her… all in one.
While I still have the time, I've had all kinds of home improvements in queue. If nothing else, it's been a good way to distract myself from the morning sickness that is still persisting.
I spent the last couple weeks rummaging through every closet in our house, cleaning out extra "stuff" we don't use. Oh my goodness, when did all these things even pile up?! Whew, it felt so good to get rid of it all!
The next project on deck is painting a few accent walls throughout the house in complimentary contrast colors. With multiple visits to the paint store (while trying to keep my daughter from destroying the place) and poring over color samples, I'm both exhausted and exhilarated at the same time.
I'm not doing the painting myself, but even the design steps are a lot of work. Once that's done, we'll be converting the formal dining room we never use into a playroom. I hope it all looks as nice, when it's finished, as it does in my head!
Paleo Chili for Freezer Meals
I digress. Back to freezing that paleo chili.
It's super easy! You can make it ahead in your Crock Pot or Instant Pot, and then freeze it using freezer bags. I also like to do this with beef barbacoa for a ready to go taco night!
If you want it to last even longer, you could vacuum seal the freezer bags to remove any remaining air once it's solid. When you're ready to eat, just thaw and reheat it.
And, since this is a dairy-free keto soup, there are no texture issues associated with freezing. Did I mention it's easy?
I keep thinking of more things I want to do before this baby comes, but she's not going to wait for anyone! And that's a great reason for me to make this keto chili recipe.
I made lots of freezer meals in advance toward the end of my first pregnancy, and it was the best decision ever. It was a relief not to be stressing over meals when we were sleep deprived and busy with the new baby. I'm already getting a head start on that again.
Fortunately, Crock Pot low carb chili (or Instant Pot low carb chili, if you prefer) is perfect for freezing. This one is a big batch recipe that makes ten cups – plenty to cover dinner right away and the freezer for later.
Low Carb Chili in a Crock Pot Slow Cooker
Like I mentioned before, you can make this keto chili in both a Crock Pot and an Instant Pot.
I tried it in a Crock Pot first, because I'm just more familiar with using it. I've had it around for so much longer.
Low carb Crock Pot chili is a great option for those times when you'll be running around all day, or even doing other things at home all day.
Brown the ground beef, dump all the ingredients into your slow cooker in the morning, and off you go! It will do its thing on its own. You'll have a delicious low carb dinner ready to go at the end of the day.
This is one of the reasons I make my no bean chili more often in the Crock Pot. It's super convenient to take care of dinner early on and not have to worry about it for the rest of the day!
If you agree that no bean chili in the slow cooker is the way to go, you can also try slow cooker steak chili from Perry's Plate. It has just a little sugar that you can easily swap with a low carb sweetener or even simply omit if needed. Otherwise, it's naturally low in carbs just like this one.
Instant Pot Chili is Even Faster
If you want to know how to make low carb chili even faster, the Instant Pot is the way to go.
I have to admit, this device is still pretty new to me, but I can already tell it's going to be one of my favorites. I love that you can get a slow cooker effect with it very quickly!
The Instant Pot actually has a slow cooker function too, so you can use that if you want to prep in the morning like I mentioned before.
Otherwise, if you want to make dinner quickly at the end of the day, use the pressure cooker function. This method will only need a little over a half hour to cook. It's up to you!
No matter what method you use, I hope keto paleo chili will become a staple in your house, like it is in mine. With only fifteen minutes of prep, it's perfect whether you're short on time now, or like me, you know you will be later.
And even if neither applies at the moment, there's always the aspect of it being the ultimate low carb comfort food. Will you try it?
- Saute pan – For sauteing the onions and ground beef. This one is hard anodized, so it's non-stick without PTFE or PFOA, and virtually nothing will scratch it.
- Wooden spatula – This one is great for both stirring and breaking apart the meat, and won't scratch any cookware, in case your pan does scratch.
- Meat chopper – This little tool has 3 sections to break up ground beef faster for quick and even browning. Also awesome for tacos or taco salad!
- Crock Pot – This is the slow cooker I use for everything, including this Crock Pot low carb chili!
- Instant Pot – Use this if you prefer pressure cooker keto chili over the slow cooker version. Just as good, but much quicker!
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Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
Crock Pot slow cooker instructions
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In a skillet over medium-high heat, cook the chopped 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 a minute or less, 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 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 pressure cooker instructions
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Select the "Sauté" setting on the pressure cooker (this part is done without the lid). Add the chopped onion and 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 a minute or less, 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 remaining ingredients, except bay leaf, to the Instant Pot and stir until combined. (For the Instant Pot version, it is recommended to also add 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.
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Serving size: 1 cup
Recipe from the Easy Keto Cookbook.
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.
Video Showing How To Make Keto Low Carb Chili:
Tap here to jump to the video for this recipe -- it's located directly above the ingredients list. It's the easiest way to learn how to make Keto Low Carb Chili!
Nutrition Facts
Amount per serving. Serving size in recipe notes above.
Calories 306
Fat 18g
Protein 23g
Total Carbs 13g
Net Carbs 10g
Fiber 3g
Sugar 5g
Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.
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