Keto Chili Recipe

Introduction to Keto Chili

There’s nothing quite like warm keto chili that has been stewed for hours on a cold winter day. It’s spiced with cumin, garlic, oregano, and chili powder, sure to comfort even the most refined palates. So quit waiting and start cooking, this Southern recipe is sure to fill your stomach and your heart!

Keto Chili With Bacon for Dinner

One Saturday afternoon, we decided it was time to break in our new cast iron pot. There was only one food I thought could do it justice, Keto Chili With Bacon. I pitched the idea to Matthew, and although he wasn’t fully on board, we decided to go with it. As soon as we cooked down the bacon and tossed in the ground beef, he was hooked. Matthew was officially a chili man! If you want to watch exactly how we make our chili, check out this step-by-step Live Cookalong video of Matt and I hanging out in the kitchen, cooking keto chili.

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Tips for the Best Keto Chili Recipe

This easy low carb chili recipe is flavorful and filling, tastes amazing (even without beans), and is done in just 30 minutes (if you choose not to simmer it for longer). BUT, if you’re looking to get the most flavor possible and want to know the tips to make your keto chili recipe the best we’ve got everything you need to know below:

• Slow Cook it – The key to getting an extremely flavorful keto chili is the slow cooking process. We tossed in green bell peppers, onions, tomatoes and jalapeños, but after two hours of cooking and reducing on the stove everything was fully incorporated.
• Make A Keto Chili Packed Salad – Another great tip is to top a bed of lettuce with this chili, and then add some guacamole and cheese for a filling meal.
• Add a Hint of Sweetness – Chili can be spicy and smokey depending on the amount of chili powder and bacon used. Add a drop or two of liquid stevia, or a diced carrot for natural sweetness.
• Get Creative – Sometimes playing with spices is all you need to do to make the best low carb chili recipe. We’ve added in things like a 1/2 tsp of instant coffee, a touch of cinnamon, and a splash of bourbon to make different chili flavor profiles.
• Make it Thick – A thick and hearty chili is always the best route to go. If you miss beans and heartiness they bring, add some extra tomato paste for a thicker and heartier chili.

A No Bean Low Carb Chili!

There are a few keto bean options we could have turned to, but decided to go with a no-bean chili here! Chili without beans may not be the traditional route, but it is certainly a delicious one. In one serving of kidney beans (100g) there are grams of 60 carbs and 35 grams of net carbs. Definitely not keto friendly! Rather than try to squeeze in a tiny half serving of beans, we thought best to amplify the flavors we already had with spices and bacon.

Let’s Talk Tomatoes

Okay let’s address the elephant in the chili… We don’t use tomato sauce, or even fire roasted diced tomatoes! We know it sounds crazy, but the carbs per serving size of those ingredients were just too high in our opinion.

Where’s the Tomato Paste?

Many keto chili recipes also use tomato paste or tomato sauce to not only give it more substance, but to give it a more tomato-y flavor. We heavily considered our options and ultimately decided to go with a single roma tomato. We opted for the fruit instead of the canned stuff because it is significantly lower in carbs.

How Many Carbs are in Keto Chili?

You will be happy to know our keto chili contains just 4.8 net carbs and 50 grams of protein per serving! That means for those with a big appetite who want two servings, you will be eating just under 10 net carbs and 100 grams of protein.

What to Make With Keto Chili

This gluten free keto chili recipe is so good you’ll want to make a double batch! That in mind, you’ll definitely want to cook up a few sides to go with it! If you make this keto chili pair it with:

• Gluten Free Keto Cornbread
• The Best Keto Cinnamon Rolls
• Low Carb Keto Crackers
• Keto Nachos

How to Make Low Carb Chili

If you’ve been craving some warm comfort food, then this low carb chili is for you. There are just 4.8 net carbs per serving, and it’s packed with spices like chili powder and fresh garlic. So get your ingredients together and let’s get started!

Ingredients

To make this easy keto chili you will need ground beef, we usually purchase the fattiest beef there, or you can use ground turkey if preferred. Then you will need some sugar free bacon. For the vegetables we like using white onion, green bell peppers, roma tomato (or diced tomatoes), jalapeños and fresh chopped garlic.

Cooking Low Carb Chili

To begin cooking this easy to make chili, finely chop your bacon and add it into a large pot or dutch oven. Give the bacon time to crisp and cook until all the fat has rendered off into the pan. We will use this grease to cook the beef.

Simmering Time

We simmer our low carb chili for 1-3 hours to really deepen the flavor. If you don’t have the time you can just serve it as is, but we highly recommend simmering if time allows.

Topping Low Carb Chili

With such low net carbs per serving we always recommend topping your keto chili with a few extra high fat ingredients. Our favorite chili toppings are:

• Sour Cream – If you don’t have sour cream you can also try plain greek yogurt.
• Shredded Cheddar Cheese – Shredded cheese is great on chili because it gets nice and gooey.
• Avocado or Guac – Guacamole is an easy keto topping to make from home and enjoy all week.
• Green Onion – Green onions are a simple yet flavorful topper that keep your chili keto.

More Keto Comfort Food

Have you been missing the typical hearty and comforting meals that take you back to your childhood? Try some of our favorite warming low carb recipes:

• Low Carb Chicken Chili
• Keto Meatloaf
• Crispy Keto Fried Chicken
• Keto Mac and Cheese

Nutrition Facts

Keto Chili With Bacon Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 527.8
Calories from Fat 329
% Daily Value*
Fat 36.6g 56%
Carbohydrates 6.6g 2%
Fiber 1.8g 7%
Protein 50.6g 101%

• Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Recipe Instructions

1. Finely chop bacon and add to a large pot or large dutch oven.
2. Allow bacon to cook down until all fat is rendered and bacon is nearly done.
3. Add ground beef and allow if to cook down and get some color.
4. Finely chop garlic and jalapeno peppers. Rough chop tomato, bell pepper and onion.
5. Add remaining ingredients, along with 2 cups of chicken or beef stock and allow to simmer for 1-3 hours. The longer it goes the better it tastes! If you don’t have stock on hand, water will be fine.
6. Near the end of cooking remove the lid and allow chili to cook uncovered until most of the liquid is evaporated. Enjoy!