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Keto Beef Chili (No Beans)

This bean-free chili is built from ground beef, pantry spices, and canned tomatoes. It is not kitchen-tested, developed through culinary reasoning only, so treat the doneness checks below as your guide and the simmer time as a starting point to judge for yourself.

Recipe status: This fixed editorial formula is not kitchen-tested. The pictures are conceptual illustrations, not photographs of a cooked result. Finished yield, preparation time, texture, storage quality, and nutrition have not been measured or calculated.

Food safety first: Use a food thermometer to confirm the thickest ground-beef clumps reach 160°F (71°C) before breaking them into smaller crumbles; color alone cannot establish doneness. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F (32°C), and reheat them to 165°F (74°C). See cooking chart ground beef leftovers.

Concept illustration of a plain bowl of bean-free beef chili without unlisted toppings
Illustrated finished-dish concept for this untested formula.

Ingredients​

Illustration of 80/20 ground beef, tomato products, pepper, onion, garlic, broth, oil and spices for a proposed chili
Illustrated ingredients for the proposed fixed formula; use the measured amounts in the list below.
  • 680 g (about 1 1/2 lbs) 80/20 ground beef
  • 27 g (2 tablespoons) avocado oil
  • 150 g diced yellow onion (about 1 medium onion)
  • 150 g diced red bell pepper (about 1 medium pepper)
  • 12 g minced garlic (about 4 cloves)
  • 32 g tomato paste (about 2 tablespoons)
  • 411 g canned diced tomatoes, no sugar added (one 14.5 oz can)
  • 240 g unsalted beef broth (1 cup)
  • 16 g chili powder (about 2 tablespoons)
  • 6 g ground cumin (about 1 tablespoon)
  • 2 g smoked paprika (about 1 teaspoon)
  • 5 g unsweetened cocoa powder (about 1 tablespoon)
  • 1 g cayenne pepper (about 1/4 teaspoon)
  • 6 g salt (about 1 teaspoon)
  • 1 g black pepper (about 1/2 teaspoon)

Equipment​

  • Large Dutch oven or heavy pot
  • Instant-read food thermometer
  • Cutting board and chef's knife
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Wooden spoon
  • Ladle
  • Shallow containers for refrigerated leftovers

Method​

  1. Heat the 27 g of avocado oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the 680 g of ground beef in a few large clumps, turning occasionally as a cue to start checking after a few minutes.
  2. Insert a food thermometer into the thickest part of the largest clumps and continue cooking until they read at least 160°F (71°C) at the center; only then break the beef fully into small crumbles. Checking every individual crumble afterward isn't practical, so confirm the thickest clumps before breaking them down. Drain excess rendered fat from the pot.
  3. Add the diced onion and diced red bell pepper and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
  4. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant.
  5. Stir in the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, and cocoa powder, and toast for 30 to 60 seconds, stirring constantly.
  6. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 to 2 minutes to deepen its color.
  7. Pour in the diced tomatoes and beef broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot, and bring to a low boil.
  8. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally; begin checking the thickness around 35 minutes and continue simmering until it reaches a consistency you find appropriate.
  9. Stir in the salt and black pepper, then ladle the chili into bowls to serve.

Practical notes​

  • Use a food thermometer rather than color to confirm the thickest clumps of ground beef reach 160°F (71°C) before breaking them into smaller crumbles.
  • Divide leftover chili into shallow containers and refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking, or within 1 hour if the surrounding temperature exceeds 90°F (32°C); reheat leftovers to 165°F (74°C).
  • Simmering time is a checking cue, not a guarantee; actual thickening may vary by pot size and heat level. Drained fat and finished yield are not measured here.

This formula contains no egg, dairy, tree nut/almond, or fish ingredients based on the ingredient list above.

The ingredient choices follow a lower-carbohydrate style, but no nutrient calculation or individual keto-fit verdict has been approved for this formula.

Article history

  1. Restored as an editorially developed, not kitchen-tested recipe with a fixed formula and no measured yield, timing, sensory, or nutrition claims
  2. First published

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