Slow Cooker Chili Recipe With No Beans (Meat & Veggie Paleo Chili)

by Laura Fuentes

February 27, 2019
updated Jul 7, 2023

5 from 21 votes

This Slow Cooker All Meat and Veggie Chili recipe has no beans, is super hearty and makes the perfect Paleo and Whole30 approved chili.

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This chili recipe is a retake of one of the most popular recipes on my blog, my Paleo Chili has no beans and it’s 100% paleo-approved. I think it’s about time we made the slow cooker version, don’t you?

Who doesn’t love a big bowl of chili? I’ve learned that it doesn’t matter what time of year it is, my crew is always game for this healthy Chili.

I’ve always preferred more meat, and fewer beans when it comes to chili so after testing and tweaking recipes I found the perfect compromise. It’s been quite a success. People have even won chili cook-offs with the recipe after finding it on my site. It’s literally award-winningly delicious.

What goes in Paleo Chili?

We all love a good, thick hearty chili and it’s possible to make without beans! Just like regular chili, you’ll find tomatoes, chili spices, and beef but instead of beans, we use diced zucchini and carrots to really up the ante on this chili. The veggies add volume, fiber, and make this it super filling.

If you’re doing paleo, Whole30 or the Family Kickstart program this recipe is exactly what you need to get that chili fix. It’s been one of the most popular recipes on Kickstart and many have added it to their regular meal routine.

If you haven’t heard about Family KickStart yet, it’s the 30-day program I created to help busy families ours to eat real food together. It includes recipes, meal plans, and shopping lists to make the whole process painless for you and the whole family. Learn more about the Family KickStart Program and grab your free trial here!

Best Vegetables to Put in Chili instead of beans

I’m all about loading on the veggies for bean-free chili. I always start with zucchini and carrots but those aren’t the only options.

You can use diced sweet potato, eggplant, bell peppers, summer squash, sauteed mushrooms, or cauliflower to beef things up even more. If you plan on making this recipe on the stove top, make sure to saute your veggies with the ground meat for extra flavor and a thicker chili.

While my kids aren’t fans of raw vegetables, they’ll gladly scarf down a big bowl of this chili, no questions asked!

How to make Healthy Chili in the Slow Cooker with No Beans

Here’s where we make the original Paleo Chili Recipe even easier with the help of a slow cooker! All you need to do: brown the beef, garlic, and onion over medium heat. Transfer to a slow cooker, add the veggies, spices, and remaining ingredients. Cover, set to cook, and just like that dinner is taken care of.

More Ways to Make this Recipe
Ground Chicken Chili | Ground Turkey Chili | Lower Carb Chili

Slow Cooker Times for Meat & Vegetable Chili

Depending on how quickly you want a bowl of chili, cook 4 hours on high or 6 to 8 hours on low. After that, it’s ready to be topped with corn chips, cheese, sour cream, and avocado – depending on your dietary restrictions.

How thick is Slow Cooker Paleo Chili

Despite having no beans, this chili is super thick and sticks to your ribs, just like it should be! If you want to make it a little soupier add 2 cups of beef stock to thin it out a bit. And if you’d like the quicker, stovetop version of this Paleo Chili Recipe I have that for you too!

Other serving ideas for Slow Cooker Paleo Chili

We all know the classic, cheese and sour cream topping but would you consider these:

• Loaded onto a baked sweet potato
• With chips, avocado, cheese, and sour cream
• Tossed with pasta and cheese (or on a bed of spaghetti squash if you are doing paleo or Whole30)
• On top, a bed of sweet potato fries- don’t mind if I do!
• Served over Cauliflower Rice
• On Chili Tacos

Now, you know how to serve it, I’ll give you one last piece of advice – double the recipe and save some for another dinner or a thermos lunch. You won’t regret it. And if you’re not sure how to best to store it, I will show you how to freeze chili in this post/video combo!

What is your favorite way to eat a big bowl of Paleo Chili with No Beans?

Slow Cooker Chili Recipe With No Beans (Meat & Veggie Paleo Chili)

Laura Fuentes

5 from 21 votes

This Slow Cooker All Meat and Veggie Chili recipe has no beans, is super hearty and makes the perfect Paleo and Whole30 approved chili.

Servings: 8 servings

Cook Mode

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 6 hours hrs

Total Time 6 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Ingredients

• 1 ½ pounds ground beef
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 ½ cups yellow onion, diced
• ½ cup celery, chopped
• 1 ½ cups carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
• 2 medium zucchini, diced
• 15 ounce can tomato sauce
• 15 ounce can diced tomatoes

Instructions

 

• In a large pan, brown the beef, garlic, and onion over medium meat, until the beef is cooked through. Transfer the meat mixture to a 6-quart slow cooker with the celery, carrots, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, cayenne pepper, zucchini, tomato purée, and diced tomatoes.
• Cover and cook on high for 4 or 6 hours or low for 7 to 8 hours, until the chili is thickened. 

Equipment

Slow Cooker

Meal Prep’d

Nutrition

Serving: 1 large bowlCalories: 209kcalCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 21gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 53mgSodium: 735mgPotassium: 867mgFiber: 4gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 5029IUVitamin C: 22mgCalcium: 71mgIron: 4mg

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