Keto

Serving

Keto Chili

Name: Keto Chili
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Keto
Ingredients: 1.5 lbs ground beef; 1 can (14oz) diced tomatoes; 1 cup beef broth; 1 green bell pepper (diced); 1 jalapeño (minced); 1 small onion (diced); 3 cloves garlic (minced); 2 tbsp chili powder; 1 tsp cumin; 1 tsp smoked paprika; 1/2 tsp cayenne; salt and pepper

A hearty, thick keto chili without beans — packed with seasoned ground beef, tomatoes, and peppers.

45 minutes

Serves 4

Dinner

16 min prep

25 min cook

Contains common allergens

Dairy

In the app, Listahan checks these against your household automatically.

Good to know

One-pot

Matched from this dish's own ingredients and timing. Browse more: one-pot dinners

Instructions

6 steps

1
Brown the ground beef in a large pot over medium-high heat, breaking it up as it cooks, about 7 minutes; drain excess fat.
2
Add the onion, garlic, and bell pepper and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
3
Stir in the diced tomatoes, chili powder, and cumin, and bring to a simmer.
4
Reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 25 to 30 minutes.
5
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
6
Ladle into bowls and top with shredded cheese before serving.

Keto Chili — plated and served — Serving moment. How Keto Chili looks plated and ready to eat — a representative photo, not a step in the recipe.

Listahan Family Score™

63/100

Works for many families

Allergen-friendly 90

Kid-friendly 27

Weeknight-easy 54

Budget-friendly 82

Great leftovers 87

Pantry-friendly 37

Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.

Nutrition

per serving

445

Calories

45 g

Protein

4 g

Carbs

26 g

Fat

Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.

Listahan cooking guide

Chef notes & practical guide

Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.

Cultural context

Chili has always had a carb problem for keto eaters: kidney beans, a staple of most American chili recipes, are dense with starch. But the argument about beans in chili has been going on for over a century — Texas chili, the oldest American style, has never included beans at all, making it naturally low-carb and arguably the most authentic version. Keto chili is essentially a return to Texas red: a meat-forward, deeply spiced bowl that relies on layers of chili peppers, fat, and long cooking time to develop complexity rather than legume bulk.

Listahan note

This version uses a blend of ancho chili powder and smoked paprika to build a sauce with the depth of a restaurant bowl, and a small amount of dark cocoa powder that adds resonance without sweetness.

Technique cues

Brown the meat in batches in a very hot, dry pot rather than adding it all at once — the meat should sizzle and brown, not steam gray, and crowding the pot is the main reason home chili lacks the depth of a restaurant version.
Bloom the dry spices in the fat for 60-90 seconds before adding the tomatoes; this step releases the fat-soluble aromatic compounds that give the chili its base flavor and cannot be achieved by simply adding spices to liquid.
Add a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar 5 minutes before serving to brighten the long-simmered flavors; this is the step that makes the chili taste finished rather than flat.

Kitchen flow

Parallel prep: Dice the onion and peppers while the first batch of beef browns; by the time the aromatics are ready, the pot is ready for them.
Make-ahead: Keto chili is one of the best make-ahead dishes in this collection — it tastes significantly better on day 2 and 3, and can be refrigerated for up to 5 days or frozen for 3 months.
Leftover move: Use leftover chili as a topping for cauliflower nachos, as a filling for stuffed bell peppers, or spooned over scrambled eggs for a morning meal.
Cleanup rhythm: Make the entire chili in one Dutch oven from start to finish; deglaze with a splash of broth immediately after dishing up to prevent the chili fond from baking onto the pot.

Ingredient brief

Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.

ground beef

protein and fat base

Purpose: 80/20 ground beef provides enough fat to render into the base, enriching the chili liquid naturally as it cooks down over time.

Handling: Brown in a single layer in a very hot pot, breaking into large irregular pieces rather than fine crumbles, so some pieces stay chunky.

Adaptation: Ground turkey works for a leaner version but produces a lighter-tasting chili; bulk pork sausage added at half the amount of beef adds back fat and spice depth.

ancho chili powder

primary spice

Purpose: Ancho chili powder — ground dried poblano — contributes a mild, fruity, slightly smoky heat that builds complexity without a sharp burn.

Handling: Measure together with cumin, smoked paprika, and garlic powder into a small bowl before starting so you can bloom them all at once.

Adaptation: Regular chili powder blend can substitute; it is more assertive and less fruity, so start with two-thirds the amount listed.

crushed tomatoes

sauce liquid

Purpose: Crushed tomatoes provide the liquid base and mild acidity that balances the fat and spice, cooking down into the sauce over the long simmer.

Handling: Add after the spices have bloomed and the aromatics are softened; stir to incorporate before adding any broth.

Adaptation: Fire-roasted diced tomatoes add a hint of smoke and a slightly chunkier texture that many people prefer.

unsweetened cocoa powder

depth enhancer

Purpose: A small amount of cocoa powder adds a dark, slightly bitter resonance that makes the chili taste as if it has been cooking for hours even when made in under an hour.

Handling: Add with the dry spices during blooming so it toasts slightly rather than dissolving raw in the liquid.

Adaptation: A square of 90 percent dark chocolate (no sugar added) melted into the chili at the end produces a similar effect with a more pronounced richness.

Technique notes

The chili is better after 2 hours of low simmering than after 30 minutes — the proteins in the beef break down and the spice flavors meld into a coherent sauce rather than reading as separate elements.
Taste for seasoning 10 minutes before the end, not during cooking, as the salt concentration intensifies as liquid reduces throughout the simmer.
Top with sour cream, shredded cheddar, sliced jalapeños, and fresh cilantro at the table rather than mixing in — the cold dairy against hot chili is a textural contrast that transforms the eating experience.

Ingredient swaps

Lower-fat direction: Use 90/10 ground beef or ground turkey and add a tablespoon of olive oil when blooming the spices to ensure the aromatics do not stick to a dry pot.
Weeknight shortcut: Use an Instant Pot or pressure cooker: brown the beef on saute mode, add all ingredients, and pressure cook for 15 minutes with a quick release instead of simmering for 1-2 hours.
Cross-contact caution: Skip the dairy garnishes and verify that your chili powder and spice blends are processed in nut-free, gluten-free facilities if serving someone with multiple allergies.

Serve alongside

Keto cornbread made with almond flour
Simple shredded cabbage slaw with lime
Sliced avocado with sea salt
Sparkling water with lime
Unsweetened iced tea with a mint sprig

Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.

Storage & reheating

Refrigerate for up to 5 days in an airtight container; the flavor peaks on day 2 as the spices continue to meld in the fat.
Freeze in individual portions for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat on the stovetop with a splash of broth to restore the original consistency.

Equipment

5-quart Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot for even heat and long simmering
Wooden spoon for breaking up meat and stirring without scratching
Ladle for serving and portioning

Make this household-aware

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