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This super easy low carb Texas keto chili is bursting with flavor! Enjoy it mild, or spice it up with more peppers. Prep takes only minutes, and you can make it on the stove, in a slow cooker, or in an Instant Pot.
From the first cool breeze in the fall through the dead of winter, you’ll find me making low carb chili. It’s a satisfying dish that always warms you up. Plus, it’s so easy to make!
But this recipe for Texas style chili may just be my favorite.
Actually, my whole family loves it! It has also been my top chili recipe on this blog for several years running. It seems like everyone loves this hearty, flavorful, keto chili recipe.
Prep is quick and easy. You simply brown the beef, drain it, then add the rest of the ingredients. That’s it! And you can choose to make it on the stove top, in a slow cooker, or in an Instant Pot.
Easy modifications
Personally, I like my chili with a bit of spice. Not burning hot, just a bit of a kick. So for me, the amount of peppers used was perfect.
However, if you don’t like spicy food, feel free to adjust. Anyone that doesn’t like spice should probably stay away from hot peppers.
I also like to include black olives to add flavor as well as healthy fat. But please note that they are completely optional! Some people really don’t enjoy black olives. If that’s you, just omit them or add in some chopped veggies like zucchini.
However you customize your chili, you can be sure it will warm you up and satisfy your chili craving!
What is Texas chili?
This style of chili is very meaty and well-suited for a low carb diet. Well, after a few small changes, of course.
Traditional Texas style chili uses minimal or no tomato products and does not include any beans. Instead, it is made primarily from meat and chili paste. This gives us a wonderful, hearty bowl with just the right amount of kick!
It’s also known as Texas red chili or cowboy chili.
Because it uses less tomato products and no beans, this kind of chili is pretty easy to convert to a low carb version. It still packs all the flavor you expect, just with a lower carbohydrate count.
How to make Texas style keto chili
You can choose to make the dish on the stove, in a slow cooker, or in your Instant Pot. Each method will turn out hearty and flavorful.
Initial preparation
- Brown the ground beef over medium high heat. This can be done in a large pot, a Dutch oven, or in an Instant Pot on the sauté setting.
- As the meat cooks, chop the peppers and the onion. I like using a hand chopper to speed things up.
When chopping your hot peppers, I highly recommend wearing gloves to prevent the juice from getting on your skin. Also be very careful not to get any juice near your eye. I speak from personal experience on that one!
Final cooking steps
- Once the ground beef is browned, drain out the fat.
- Add the chopped onions, peppers, and other ingredients to the pot.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat.
- Simmer for about 1-2 hours, stirring occasionally.
Instructions for cooking in an Instant Pot or slow cooker are provided in the printable recipe card further down.
Chili with the lowest carb count
The exact nutritional value will always depend on the ingredients you use. Especially in a recipe like this one, where the size of ingredients like peppers may vary.
For precise macros, I recommend weighing and inputting your ingredients into a macro tracker. But out of all my low carb chili recipes, this one has the least amount of carbs.
With the ingredients I used, a 1 cup serving came out to 7 grams of total carbs and 2 grams of fiber. This means there’s about 5 grams of net carbs per 1 cup serving.
Carbs in black olives
As I mentioned before, black olives are entirely optional in this recipe. Olives tend to be very hit or miss for people. If they’re a miss for you, just leave them out.
If you enjoy olives though, they are a great source of fat and flavor in this recipe. They are also very low carb.
This recipe calls for 2.25 oz (about 67 grams) of black olives. That comes out to 4 grams of total carbs and 2 grams of fiber. So there are 2 grams of net carbs from black olives in the entire recipe.
Per 1 cup serving, black olives only account for 0.3 grams of net carbs.
What types of chili are keto?
Traditional chili is usually not keto friendly.
Tomato products tend to be higher in carbs. They are fine in moderation, but most traditional chili recipes call for a larger quantity. This contributes to the higher carb count.
You’ll also find beans in many recipes. Beans are a cheap filler that take up space and increase the carb count.
And, of course, many traditional recipes include sugar. Which we definitely don’t want on a ketogenic eating plan.
This keto chili recipe, on the other hand, doesn’t call for sugar or beans. It also uses tomatoes in moderation.
Thanks to a few substitutions, one serving comes out to only 5 net carbs. So this recipe is perfect for any low carb diet!
Other low carb chili recipes
Looking for a few more delicious chili recipes to warm you up on a cold day? Check out a few of these other favorites:
- No Bean Chili uses diced tomatoes and plenty of protein-rich meat to fill you up. A mix of peppers gives a moderate amount of spice.
- Paleo White Chicken Chili is a thick, hearty soup that’s packed with flavor, totally dairy free, and can be made in the Instant Pot or on the stovetop.
- Turkey Pumpkin Chili made in the slow cooker is super filling and perfect for warming up on a cool fall day!
- Venison Chili is a rich, hearty dish made with ground meat, bacon, veggies, and healthy beef bone broth.
- Low Carb Turkey Chili is a healthy recipe made without beans that’s low carb and full of flavor!
For another Instant Pot recipe, take a look at this easy chili verde. And be sure to check out my other keto Mexican recipes.
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Texas Style Keto Chili
Ingredients
- 4 cups water
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 cup onion chopped
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce check ingredients for paleo
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 3/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice
- 6 ounces tomato paste
- 3 bay leaves
- 2.25 ounces sliced black olives can be omitted or replaced with zucchini
- 1/4 cup chili peppers finely chopped
Instructions
- Brown ground beef in large pot (or Instant Pot sauté setting) and drain out fat.
Stove Top
- Add remaining ingredients, bring to a boil. Then simmer about 1-2 hours, stirring occasionally. If using zucchini in place of olives, add them during the last 15 minutes of cooking.
Slow Cooker
- Add all remaining ingredients to the slow cooker.Cook for 3-4 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low.
Instant Pot
- Once the beef has browned in the Instant Pot, add the other ingredients. Lock the lid and ensure the valve is set to sealing. Set the pressure cooker to manual high pressure for 10 minutes.
- After the timer goes off, let the pressure naturally release for another 10-15 minutes. Set the valve to venting to release any remaining pressure.
Notes
Low Carb Sweeteners | Keto Sweetener Conversion Chart
Nutrition
Additional Info
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Note on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for the recipe is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site. Erythritol carbs are not included in carb counts as it has been shown not to impact blood sugar. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber.
Unauthorized use of this material without written permission from Lisa MarcAurele is strictly prohibited unless for personal offline purposes.
Single photos may be used, provided that full credit is given to LowCarbYum.com along with a link back to the original content.
First Published: September 18, 2010… Last Updated: January 20, 2020
Lisa MarcAurele has been creating keto friendly recipes since 2010. She enjoys experimenting in the kitchen to create low sugar foods that taste like high carb favorites!
Patricia says
Made this today and it is so good. I omitted the olives and chili peppers.
Becky says
Hi. This recipe looks great. Do you know what the nutritional values are if I replace with the zucchini?
Lisa MarcAurele says
I’d have to do a separate calculation, but it doesn’t change it by much.
Clark says
Lisa,
I’m collecting beanless chili recipes, keto, LCHF, etc. The one you have posted here looks like a great candidate to add to my collection. I’d like a copy of your original beanless recipe mentioned below. Would you email it to me, please?
Thank you,
Clark
Lisa MarcAurele says
Clark, you’ll find the other recipe here: low carb no bean chili
Cassandra Quinn says
Hi, can I please have the original recipe with the balsamic vinegar? It’s the best! Thank you!
Lisa MarcAurele says
You’ll find that recipe here: no bean chili
Amy says
What happened to the original recipe for the low carb chili without beans? I loved that recipe!
Lisa MarcAurele says
The carbs were too high for most, but you can get it by email if you really want it.
Brad says
Please email me the original recipe. It was delicious and my favorite chili. I was starting to freak out😂.
Lisa MarcAurele says
Check your email. The other no bean chili was just sent. I may just bring the recipe back if others miss it too.
Bernadette says
Would like recipes for buns
Lisa MarcAurele says
Try this low carb hamburger bun recipe. It’s excellent for dinner rolls.
Ranie says
Thank you for the recipe, but, chili never has beans in it, though chili beans does have beans…*smile*…trying to change diet to a low carb diet, I don’t know why I didn’t think chili as a low carb….
Alisha Ross says
Hello! I stumbled across your blog some time ago and enjoy all the recipes! The Spaghetti Squash Bake looks yummy! Several in our family are on the GAPS diet right now and we are always looking for new recipe ideas! Thanks for sharing!
Lisa MarcAurele says
I do have a lot of GAPS recipes. Maybe I should make that a category. Thanks for getting me thinking about that. I’ll add it to a list of items I have to do later.
Jay says
OMG….. This makes a great chili…. my hubby is NOT a chili fan, but I am…. so, sometimes, I just have a “chili” craving and I try to make it in such a way that my hubby will like it too. Since he is a HUGE bacon fan, I added a lot of bacon in with the ground beef…. wowzers, he loved it and asked for seconds this time…. lol lol
I also found another use for left-over chili…. since our house is dealing with diabetic issues, we are trying hard to stick to low-carb meals, but every Friday is “pizza” night at our house. I found a great low-carb pizza crust recipe and now I use the left-over chili as the “tomato” base…. wow, what a great addition to the pizza. Of course, I add a little bit of other meat and cheese on top…. but it sure has upgraded the pizza from boring to super-good!
Thank you for such an amazing recipe – it should be 10 stars…… loveeeeeeeeeeeeee it!
Lisa says
Bacon sounds like such a good add. Thanks for sharing that!
Saleha says
Oh my goodness. My husband LOVES chili, and since he isn’t feeling well, I wanted to make something warm and hearty. I realized I was out of beans, and I came across your recipe for no beans chili.
I just halved the chili powder, and followed the recipe to a T, otherwise. It was phenomenal!! I added in some leftover rotisserie chicken, added that in too.
The flavours, the smells, it was divine! =)
Lisa says
Hope your husband is feeling better and the chili helped comfort him.
Michele says
Any idea how long to cook in an instant pot?
Lisa says
I’d say about 10 minutes and then a natural pressure release (about 10-15 minutes) at the end.
donna whitener says
Could I make this chili in the crock pot?
Lisa says
It can definitely be put in the slow cooker rather than simmered on the stove.
Andi Hawkins says
Oh, and the olives add awesomeness!
Andi Hawkins says
I just made this today. I used a Pablano pepper and a whole medium onion. This is the best chili recipe ever! Spicy, sweet, savory, all rolled into one. 5 stars!
Judie says
I will definitely try this recipe looks yummy but will not be using hot red peppers using green chili peppers instead, I’m not a spicy girl. With that being said please don’t compare beans (legumes) to rice. Legumes are
full of protein, vitamins and minerals. You can substitute legumes for the meat and get the same affect only much
more fiber. They are not by any means a filler.
Julie says
I put 1/2 the amount of chilli peppers in and it was TOO hot. Can’t eat it 🙁
Lisa says
If you dislike spicy hot, you should not have put any chili peppers in.
Michele A says
Does this qualify for Paleo?
Lisa says
Yes. All the ingredients are paleo friendly.
Megan says
So good! I did mushrooms instead of black olives. Thank you for the great recipe
Lisa says
Mushrooms are a great replacement for olives!
Stephanie says
Made this yesterday; just adjusted spices/water for one pound meat (used ground turkey) and added the veggies from your Texas slow cooker recipe…slamming!!! Topped with a dollop of sour cream; leftovers today was even better. This will replace my current chili recipe. Thanks!
Lisa says
Sounds super delicious!
Megan says
This was so easy to make and absolutely delicious. I chickened out of putting a 1/4 cup of chopped chillies in though because I wasn’t sure how hot mine were so erred on the cautious side. Beautiful flavour. I made a second much larger batch so I could freeze meals.
Lisa says
I’ve found the chili freezes very well so I always make a double batch.
Carrie says
Will this freeze very good? Has anyone tried it?
Lisa says
I have and it freezes well for me.
Barb says
Added half a can of the black soybeans. Awesome chili! Definitely will be makimg regularly ?
Lisa says
If you like the beans, black soybeans are a great low carb option!
Loretta says
I’m making this now for the first time,but I am adding peppers and portobello mushrooms,and no olives since I hate them lol
can’t wait to freeze left overs for meal the rest of the week for me 🙂
Lisa says
I always add in extra peppers!
Jennifer says
I can’t quite imagine black olives in chili. Do they still taste like black olives after they’ve cooked in there for a while?
Lisa says
They do taste like olives. We often add them along with sour cream to top off chili. If you don’t like them, you can leave them out or use black soy beans.
Carly Koehn says
BallPark Hot Dogs and Hilshire Farms Lil’ Smokies are listed in links above. Are they part of the ingredient list? The Hot dogs are also listed in the “chunky” recipe version.
Lisa says
They are not ingredients for the recipe.
Paulina says
What would be the length to cook in the crockpot on low?
Lisa says
I’d say at least 3-4 hours.
HazelP says
Lisa, I’ve just found your website in a search and discovered your chili recipe (among others). I’m glad to see this recipe because other recipes I’ve tried have simply been not to our taste. I think this will be just right; the spices you suggest are ones that we like, and for us, the thicker the better. 🙂
Thanks.
Lisa says
This has been my most popular chili recipe for over five years. It’s also my personal favorite. I know you’ll love it!
Marilyn Fish says
If you use venison, do you add any other fat to make up for the leaness of the deer meat.
Lisa says
The ground venison I use does have some added fat so I don’t add any.
Megan says
When I enter the ingredients on myfitnesspal it gives me 24 carbs per serving! I’m trying to figure out why. If you’re familiar with the app, do you have any suggestions?
Lisa says
There are known issues with the MFP app. Try inputting into the Calorie Count recipe analyzer instead.
Mark H says
Absolutely delicious! I made this for the first time a couple of weeks ago, and will make a double batch this weekend. So good!
Lisa says
So glad it was a hit!
Josh says
Great recipe. I used venison and I didn’t have red peppers so I used some jalapeños. I started it on the stove, brought it to a ,”boil” the transferred. It to a crock pot. It came out awesome.
Amanda Zajes says
Looks good! Can I add all of this into a Slow Cooker instead and if so, would I add the ground beef raw or cooked?
Thanks!
Lisa says
Can be made in slow cooker if desired. It’s best to cook the ground meat first so it doesn’t cook into one large mass. I like to precook ground beef and freeze it for use in crock pot recipes.
Melody says
This was great tonight! A hit with the entire family. I did not have a fresh red pepper so put in a small can of Hatch green peppers. Also added in a can of tomato sauce. Let it simmer until it thickened. Those not LCHF ate over Frito’s but I had it without. In our rotation from now on….
Lisa says
Welcome Melody! Thanks for sharing your adapted version with us.
roclafamilia says
Helpful blog, bookmarked the website with hopes to read more!
Matt Kay says
This is right up my alley. I love that you used cinnamon in the recipe. It always gives a really nice boost to the other flavors in chili.
Cheers!
Matt Kay