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You won’t miss a thing with this rich, meaty keto chili that checks all the boxes for flavor and texture while keeping it low-carb.
Can You Eat Chili on Keto?
I came up with this keto chili when I was following a keto diet and couldn’t have my go-to paleo chili. Here, I swapped the higher-carb veggies, like carrots from that recipe, and omitted the beans in classic chili for cauliflower with astonishing success.
This isn’t a veggie soup pretending to be chili; it’s bold, smoky, and loaded with beef and spices. The veggies cook down and blend right in for the magical meaty texture we all love.
Ingredients
The meaty base of this keto chili is lean ground meat, beef, turkey, or chicken. Garlic, onion, and celery build a rich aromatic flavor sauteéd in a little olive oil. It’s seasoned to perfection with chili powder, cumin, oregano, cayenne, and salt, which add depth and a little heat. Zucchini and cauliflower replace the beans and are cooked down with some diced tomatoes, a little tomato paste, and water or stock.
How to Make Keto Chili
If it’s your first time making this recipe, watch the quick step-by-step video in the recipe card. Here is what you need to know:
- Chop all the veggies (garlic, onion, celery, cauliflower, and zucchini) before you start cooking, it makes the process go by quick!
- Brown the beef and drain off any excess fat after transferring the meat onto a plate.
- Sauté the veggies over medium-high heat until they’re soft. First, the onions, celery, and seasonings, then you’ll add the zucchini and cauliflower.
- Simmer for 20 minutes, after adding the beef back in and the rest of the ingredients.
Add the cooked beef, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and broth. Stir to combine and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes. - Serve it up with your favorite toppings like a little cheese, sliced avocado, and sour cream. Bulk it up with a simple salad on the side.
How Many Calories and Carbs Are in Keto Chili?
This crazy-good bowl of chili has a terrific macro count. Each serving has a mere 172 calories and 6 grams of net carbs (8.4 total carbs – 2.4 grams of fiber).
How to Freeze and Reheat Keto Chili
Once cooled, portion this chili into air-tight containers, zip bags, or freezer cubes and freeze the chili for up to 3 months. To reheat, thaw it in the fridge or microwave and then heat it up on the stovetop.
The Best Ever Keto Chili
Watch how it’s made:
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds ground beef
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- ½ cup chopped celery, about 1 stalk
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
- 3 medium zucchinis, diced small
- 2 cups chopped cauliflower
- 15- ounce can low-sodium diced tomatoes, with liquid
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup water or beef broth or stock
For topping:
- Sliced avocado
- Shredded Cheddar cheese
- Sour cream
Instructions
Cook the beef:
- Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef and garlic and cook until the beef is thoroughly cooked and browned. Drain off excess fat, and set it aside.
Cook the veggies:
- To the skillet, add the oil, onions, celery, and seasonings and cook over medium-high heat until translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Once the onions are golden and the veggies are semi-softened, add the zucchini and cauliflower. Cook for 2 minutes, making sure to stir everything well.
Combine:
- Add the cooked beef, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and broth. Stir to combine and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring throughout.
- Serve the chili in bowls topped with avocado, cheese, and sour cream, if using.
Beth says
Yay! I JUST switched over to keto, and I’ve been looking for something like this. YUM!