Hearty Low Carb Keto Chili

This thick and hearty no bean keto chili is filling and full of delicious chili flavors.  Ground beef and sliced smoked sausage are simmered with onion, bell pepper, celery, diced tomatoes, and lots of classic chili seasoning.  Fits perfectly on your high protein low carb diet.

Welcome to My Kitchen Serenity!  October is national chili month but at our house, we eat chili year-round.  Why?  Because it's an easy keto dinner that's full of flavor and ready in 30 minutes, with plenty of leftovers for the next day!

This meaty, chunky chili recipe uses hamburger meat AND sliced smoked sausage! The smoked sausage adds an interesting texture that creates a chunky, hearty bowl of chili.  The sausage also adds a delicious hint of smokey flavor that enhances and blends the flavors nicely. 

Here in the south, our traditional chili recipes are commonly made with beans (pinto beans or kidney beans).  However, beans are not low carb or keto-friendly!  Fortunately, this bold and meaty, keto-friendly recipe is low-carb and satisfying, even without the beans, making it the perfect keto chili recipe.

We use a small amount of tomato paste and half the tomatoes that traditional chili recipes use.  For an extra spicy kick, use a can of Rotel tomatoes instead of regular canned tomatoes.

This delicious beanless chili recipe makes about 6-8 servings.  Each serving contains 3 net carbs*. 

Ingredients for Low Carb Keto Chili

please scroll down to the printable recipe card for detailed ingredient list

Ground beef

Smoked sausage

Bell pepper

Red onion

Celery

Minced garlic

Diced tomatoes

Beef or bone broth

Tomato paste

Chili powder

Parsley

Smoked paprika

Cumin

Bay leaf

Salt

Black pepper

Cayenne pepper

Optional Toppings:

Cheddar cheese

Sour cream

Jalapenos

How to Make Low Carb Keto Chili

1) Chop the onion, bell pepper, celery, and sausage into approximately 1-inch pieces.  Set aside.

2) In a 5-quart heavy pot, add a small amount of bacon grease or oil to the pot.  Y'all know I used my Calphalon pot that I love and have had for many years!  Next, brown the sliced sausage on medium-high heat just until it begins to get nice and browned, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove the sausage from the pot and set aside.

3) Brown the onion, bell pepper, and celery in the same pot, covered,  for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove from pot and set aside.

4) To the same pot, add the ground beef and cook until no longer pink; breaking up the ground beef into bite-sized pieces with a spatula as it cooks; drain off the grease.  Add the sausage and the remaining ingredients (not the cheese or sour cream, of course).  Stir well to blend. Taste for flavor and add additional seasonings if desired. 

5) Stir well.  Chili will be very thick!  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Cover, reduce heat to low, and slow simmer for 20-30 minutes.  After the chili simmers for 20-30 minutes, the vegetables will release a little more liquid making the consistency perfect!  

Meat Substitutions

Instead of beef, try ground turkey, venison, or bison are excellent substitutions.  

Slow Cooker Version

Notes:  *Different brands will vary on the net carbs so keep that in mind.  For the most part, they should be fairly close.  Use a site like MyFitnessPal.com or verywell.com to figure out this information based on the brands or ingredients you used.  

Now the legal stuff (because my mama didn’t raise a fool):  Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional.  I am simply sharing my personal favorite recipes on this blog.  Please consult with your physician before starting any diet or exercise program.  I provide some nutritional information for my low carb and keto recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers.  I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.