No Bean Chili

A hearty and flavorful beanless chili recipe, perfect for those who prefer a beefy and rich dish loaded with spices and veggies. This slow cooker recipe is easy to prepare and ideal for a comforting meal on a cold day.

Traditional chili con carne are all heavy on beans and tomatoes. But I think we can make the best chili even without using any kidney beans, and it is actually called Texas Red Chili.

Slow-cooked meat with veggies and spices is full of flavor and is the staple comfort food for dinner. If you were looking for a new recipe for your crockpot, bookmark this thick and hearty Texas chili.

This Recipe Works Because It Is…

• Filling and satisfying for cold days;
• Saucy and thick (with all these tomatoes and spices, and rich beef broth!);
• Mildly hot (get that spicy kick) and packed with so much flavor!
• Easy meal prep for a whole week or a hearty dinner for the entire family. It tastes even better the next day.
• Homemade chili and not a store-bought can with some modified ingredients.
• Effortless since the slow cooker does the hard work. Dump-and-go recipe with only 29 minutes of prep time.
• Delicious chili and even bean lovers won’t notice the difference!
• Keto-friendly. This no-beans chili works as keto chili too and is great for low-carb diet; Fewer carbs than in a can of store-bought chili.
• Versatile – serve like this, make it a soup (by adding more beef broth), a bowl, a dip, a side, or a game day snack.

Ingredients For No-Bean Chili

• Ground beef is the main ingredient.
• Veggies: diced onions (any: red onions, white or yellow onion), red and green bell peppers, garlic, crushed tomatoes.
• Tomato paste, tomato sauce, and beef broth for sauce.
• Chili spice and herbs mix. Can be spicy or not that spicy. I use chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, dried oregano, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. Taco seasoning will work fine too. Add can also add red pepper flakes, onion powder, 

Kitchen Appliances You’ll Need

• Skillet to brown the ground beef. If you’re using frozen cooked ground beef, you don’t need the pan.
• Slow-cooker (This is my all-time favorite 7qt slow-cooker). A large Dutch oven, hot pot, or a large pot will work too, but a crock pot is ideal.

How To Make No-Bean Chili With Ground Beef

1. Heat the ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook until brown, breaking it apart as it cooks. Drain any excess grease. An alternative way is to cook the beef in the slow cooker. In this case, grease the pot with a nonstick spray.
2. Transfer the browned beef to the slow cooker. 
3. Add the diced onion, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, and minced garlic. If cooking in a regular pot, cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they soften.
4. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, and beef broth. Reduce heat.
5. Add the rest of the ingredients: chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, dried oregano, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper (if using).
6. Mix all the ingredients until well combined.
7. Cover the slow cooker and adjust the cook time: on low cook for 6-8 hours, and on high – for 4-6 hours.
8. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary before serving.

Serving & Favorite Chili Toppings

I love it simple, my favorite toppings are shredded cheddar cheese and sour cream.

You can serve no-bean chili with chopped green onions, cilantro, diced avocado or guacamole, baked potatoes, and corn chips or cornbread with hot sauce or adobo sauce.

If you don’t mind mild heat – fresh or pickled jalapenos.

Lime wedges are a classic add-on on top of the chili.

This chili recipe also makes fantastic tortilla bowls, nachos, Frito pie, and hot dogs (aka chili dogs). It is a delight atop spaghetti as well! Proven by my family.

Storage

Store any leftover chili in an airtight container. The no-bean chili lasts in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

Slow-cooker beef chili freezes great. You can easily freeze chili for up to 6 months which makes it a perfect recipe for weekly meal prep. 

After it is done, let it cool completely and then pack for freezing. If you do that, make a double batch (simply double the recipe).

After 3 months, check that the chili has not gone sour (a sign of it going bad).

You can reheat frozen chili on the stove over low to medium-low heat or let it thaw on the counter and then reheat in the microwave.

Tips & Tricks For Making The Best Beanless Chili

• I prefer crushed tomatoes over diced tomatoes because they give more juice and the skin cooks better too.
• To make a classic chuck roast, swap ground beef with beef chunks.
• To make vegetarian chili, skip the meat and use veg-based stock for the sauce base.
• If you don’t have store-bought or homemade beef broth, you can replace it with bouillon cubes. Beef broth is easy to replace with stock, chicken broth, or bone broth.
• Canned corn, sweet potatoes, celery, and garlic are some great veg to add to the beef chili recipe.
• You can substitute ground beef with any other ground meat like ground pork, or ground turkey and ground chicken for a healthier option. For a leaner version, use lean ground beef, venison, or bison.
• Make this chili not spicy by removing cayenne pepper. You can use a whole variety of dried peppers! Adding a little sugar or maple syrup helps to balance out the heat.
• To enrich the sauce and add flavors you can use Worcestershire sauce, red wine, beer, or simple olive oil.
• If you like spicy, use chili peppers, green chiles, jalapenos, poblano pepper, or habanero. Dehydrated work too! 
• The secret ingredient in some recipes is unsweetened cacao because it enhances the spices. You can use simple cacao powder.
• Cook more beef one time and freeze all the rest to make other chili recipes. Cooked ground beef freezes well and cuts the prep time to just a few minutes to chop the vegetables.
• To make this recipe extra fatty and satisfying you can add butter and bacon.
• Once done, switch the slow cooker to warming mode. This is a great trick for busy families when everyone eats dinner at different times. When the last family member finishes dinner, let the chili cool down and store it in the refrigerator or freeze it. One pot feeds the whole family.

Popular Questions About No-Bean Chili Recipes

What Can I Use In Chili Instead Of Beans?

You can just skip the beans without substituting them. And to replace beans in chili you can use legumes with similar textures like lentils or peas. Cornstarch also helps to thicken the no-bean chili.

Is Chili Better In A Slow Cooker?

Chili is best cooked in the slow cooker as it allows the beef to simmer for hours soaking flavors of all the spices and vegetable juices.

However, you can always use a Dutch oven or an instant pot (on sauté setting or using pressure cook mode and high pressure) to make chili without beans.

Can I Make No Bean Chili On The Stovetop?

Yes, no bean chili recipe is easy to make on the stove top but it will require your active stirring and checking on the consistency.

It will take about 30-60 minutes to cook on medium heat or medium-high. The flavors are deeper when the chili is cooked longer though.

How Do You Keep Chili From Getting Watery In A Slow Cooker?

If you think the chili or sauce is too watery and thin, you can either keep simmering it until it is cooked to the desired consistency or add a little bit of cornstarch or flour.

If you love this slow cooker recipe, you’re going to love these other hearty Crockpot dinners too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!

More Great Chili Recipes

Green Chili

Instant Pot White Chicken Chili

Slow Cooker Chili

Panera Bread Turkey Chili Recipe

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