Is Chili Low Carb? Low Carb Chili with Beans

Chili is one of those dishes that people in my area have very strong feelings about. Beans or no beans is the biggest thing people can get into arguments about. Texas chili is a “no beans” allowed thing. Finding a low carb chili without beans recipe with isn’t as easy as it should be. Most traditional chili recipes include noodles and a ton of ton of beans. A recipe with beans and noodles can up your carb count a lot. Beans and noodles can make something that could be healthy, into a dish that makes up your carbs for a whole day. is one of those dishes that people in my area have very strong feelings about. or no is the biggest thing people can get into arguments about.

Of course, what is chili without crackers? Well, if you add crackers or a peanut butter sandwich with your chili you’ve eaten your entire week’s worth of carbs in one sitting. Thankfully, we’ve come up with this low carb chili recipe with the taste and texture of beef chili but keeps the carb count fairly low. Feel free to leave out the beans if you like.

For this recipe, you’ll need: canned whole tomatoes, canned red kidney beans, chili powder, and ground beef.

If you are in a hurry, feel free to Jump to the Recipe

Are kidney beans keto?

I know what you are thinking. Are kidney beans low carb? Are kidney beans keto? Well unfortunately no. Kidney beans have 22.8 grams of carbs per 3.5 ounce serving. The good news is they have a low glycemic index. That’s good news is your are concerned about high blood sugar. Kidney beans release their carbs slowly.

Is chili okay on keto?

We consider ourselves keto chili recipe experts. My husband often wins homemade chili cook-offs and both of our families each have their secret recipes. We’re that family that spreads out all the toppings on the side to satisfy everyone’s preferences. We even make peanut butter sandwiches to go along with the keto chili recipe. You aren’t alone if this raised your eyebrows as some guests find this really odd too. No matter what the weather is doing, we’re always ready for a big batch of our low carb chili recipe.

Is chili on keto okay?

When I started on a low carb eating plan, I decided to get my carbs as low as possible. Many days, I am more at a keto diet level with my carbs these days, so 20 grams and under. I’d let my carbs get a bit higher on some days, up around 50 to 60 g. I knew I wanted a low carb chili recipe that I could make easily. It had to freeze well and that it’s fairly low in carbs.

I first tried different keto-friendly chili recipes without beans but I didn’t find one I liked. Most were too meaty for my taste buds and they didn’t have the texture of the beef chili I grew up with. It also wasn’t soupy enough. I like my homemade chili a little soupy and not so thick. The keto chili recipe I used called for tomato paste, which made it too sweet and added to the carb count.

After several attempts, I’ve perfected my “keto chili con carne” recipe for my tastes. I recommend you start with this recipe or our recipe for Texas Chili . Then you should experiment. Try to tweak the recipe until it has the taste and texture your family loves. For example, you can try beef broth to help with that rich beef flavor. Or you can reduce the fluid by draining the beans or leaving the lid off and cook off the liquids. It helps to concentrate the flavors. You can also try to add less beef broth too.

I add just one can of chili beans to a large pot of chili to give it texture but keep the carbs low.

Low Carb Chili FAQs

How do I make low carb chili?

This low carb chili recipe is so simple that you’ll want to make a huge pot of it. Don’t worry, if there are just a couple of you eating, it’s easy to freeze and it reheats perfectly. Homemade low carb chili actually tastes better a second time around (or third, fourth, or fifth time).

You can use any type of tomatoes you prefer to change the taste of this chili.

1. Brown ground beef and onions, drain and pour into a large pot or slow cooker.
2. Add 1 can of red kidney beans.
3. Pour in two large cans of diced tomatoes.
4. Add chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper.
5. Simmer on stove top for 2-3 hours or in a crock pot for 5-6 hours on low.
6. Top with sour cream and shredded cheese.
7. Enjoy!

How can I thicken homemade low carb chili without using flour?

As I mentioned above, this chili recipe is a bit more watery than what you might be used to. I like it that way, but if you want a thicker chili, you can add tomato paste without changing the flavor much. However, it will up the carb count slightly. People that are aren’t on a low carb diet often use flour to thicken chili. That doesn’t fit into a low carb or keto lifestyle, though, so I’d avoid flour.

If you want to thicken your chili without the carbs that flour or cornstarch will add, try mashing some of your beans. This releases the starches and helps thicken the recipe.

How can I make my low carb chili spicier?

I like to use two different products to make my chili spicier. I either sprinkle in some cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes for extra spice Personally, I think the cayenne tastes best with chili but use this with caution. A little bit of cayenne goes a very long way. Start with one or two quick shakes of the spice and taste test before adding more! Remember that the longer you cook red pepper flakes, the more heat they release. My husband loves his chili super spicy and adds a few dashes of hot sauce before he digs in. This is a great way to add tons of flavor and spice tailored to each person’s preference.

How long does low carb chili keep in the refrigerator?

As with most meats, three days is a good guess on how long you should keep chili before freezing or eating it. The USDA recommends refrigerating cooked ground beef within 1-2 hours and consuming within 3-4 days. Cooked ground beef can be frozen for up to four months safely.

My chili is too sweet, what can I do to fix it?

Unfortunately, you can’t easily fix chili that’s too sweet. What you can do is add more ingredients in an attempt to lessen the impact. Tomato paste is sometimes the culprit and some tomato brands taste very sweet to me. Experiment with different brands until you find the one that works best for your chili. You can try adding a splash of lemon or lime juice. This helps balance the sugar from the tomatoes. Try 1/2 a teaspoon, mix well and simmer for a few minutes. Taste your chili and add more if you need.

How do I freeze low carb chili?

Allow the chili to cool completely. I usually let it sit in the fridge overnight in an airtight container. Then, portion it up into the typical amount you’d eat in a meal and portion into gallon size freezer bags with the zip tops. Easy meal prep ! I prefer these because you can lay them flat and they are easier to store in the freezer. They are also easy to label with the contents and date with a black permanent marker. Lay flat and freeze. You can then stand them up or rearrange as you’d like.

If you want to keep it for several months, try vacuum sealing them. What? How do you vacuum seal something that has so much liquid? I didn’t think it was possible until I read the manual and found the “liquid” setting on the machine.

Variations to Chili Recipe Lower Carb

There are so many ways you can make this lower carb chili your own:

• Add a chopped bell pepper and cook along with the onions and ground beef.
• Smoked paprika adds an exotic, rich flavor.
• Use a different variety of beans – black, pinto, canned chili beans (watch carb counts!)
• Use tomatoes with green chilies for more spice.
• Add a pinch of cinnamon for a unique taste.
• Use ground turkey for a low carb turkey chili recipe. I like to add some beef Better than Bouillon and my family never knows it isn’t ground beef.
• Reduce the amount of beef to make the chili more soupy.
• Add more beef to make the chili meatier and thicker.
• Reduce the amount of beef broth and/or drain the beans to make it thicker.
• Toppings ! Add some shredded cheddar cheese, chopped red onion, some crumbled bacon, or chopped jalapeno.

Low carb chile with beans ingredients

When I was a kid my mom always had bouillon cubes in the pantry. I never realized how amazing they were. That is until I tried to use ground turkey or ground chicken instead of ground beef in my recipes. My family didn’t let me hear the end of it. Then I found beef flavored Better than Bouillon. Wow. The depth of flavor is rich and beefy. Just add a teaspoon per pound of ground beef and no one can taste the difference.

Low Carb Homemade Chili Recipe

When you simply have to have some chili to really fill you up, turn to this easy keto recipe that is much lower in carbs than a conventional recipe. If you enjoyed this delicious recipe please give it 5 stars.

Navigation tip. If you want to make a smaller or larger batch of this low carb chili with beans recipe, you can place your cursor over the number ‘12’ which is to the right of the ‘Servings’ in the recipe card. A slider will appear and you can move it to the amount of servings you’d like to make. Adjust more or less depending on your portion size. The amount of ingredients will adjust automatically for you.  No math mistakes!

More Low Carb Chili Recipes

• Low Carb Chili Recipe: Texas Style
• White Chicken Chili: Creamy Low Carb Goodness
• Home Made Cracker Recipe: Low Carb Buttery Goodness – You don’t have to give up crackers! Just make these low carb ones.