This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy here.
Packed with meat and veggies and no beans at all, this paleo chili is a cinch to prepare in the slow cooker all year round.

Slow Cooker Chili Recipe with No Beans
This Crockpot Chili recipe is a retake of one of the most popular recipes on my blog, my Paleo Chili, which has no beans and it's 100% paleo-approved. I think it's about time we made the slow cooker version, don't you?
I use veggies instead of beans to make a thick, hearty chili, and it couldn’t be any better! While my kids aren't fans of raw vegetables, they'll gladly scarf down a big bowl of this chili, no questions asked!
What goes in Paleo Chili?
Just like regular chili, you'll find onion, garlic, celery, tomatoes (canned diced tomatoes and tomato sauce), ground beef, chili spices (chili powder, cumin, oregano), and cayenne pepper (optional for extra heat), but instead of beans, we use diced zucchini and carrots to really up the ante on this chili.
Best Vegetables to Put in Chili instead of Beans
I always start this no-bean chili 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 make this recipe on the stovetop, make sure to saute your veggies with the ground meat for extra flavor and a thicker chili.

How to make No Bean Crockpot Chili
Here’s where we make the original no-bean chili even easier with the help of the crockpot:
- Brown beef and aromatics
In a large pan, brown the beef, garlic, and onion until the beef is cooked through. - Combine
Transfer the meat mixture to the slow cooker with the celery, carrots, seasonings, zucchini, tomato purée, and diced tomatoes. - Cook
Cook on high for 4 or 6 hours or low for 7 to 8 hours, until the chili is thickened.
More Ways to Make this Recipe
Ground Chicken Chili | Ground Turkey Chili | Lower Carb Chili
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.
Slow Cooker Chili Recipe With No Beans (Meat & Veggie Paleo Chili)

Watch how it’s made:
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
Brown the beef:
- In a large pan, brown the beef, garlic, and onion over medium meat, until the beef is cooked through.
Cook:
- 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.










Julia says
I cooked this on the stovetop in about an hour (don’t have a crock pot) and it turned out wonderful.
Cheryl Joyce says
I love this recipe, one of my go to favorites
Alyssa Praechter says
absolutely delicious! a family friend does not like beans so i made him this recipe and got rave reviews! speaking for all the bean-lovers out there including myself, i personally did not miss the beans. love this recipe!!
Cici says
The chili was wonderful! Very flavorful and hearty! I took a risk by making a new recipe, doubling it and serving it to our small group. Everyone loved it and asked for the recipe. The chili is very thick so I added some extra tomato sauce and water to thin it out. Will be making it again soon!
Dorothy C says
Delicious….how long would it take to reheat in the. Crockpot?
Laura Fuentes says
Depends how much you’re reheating. About an hour on low.