Chili Recipe (No Beans) (2024)

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My cousin calls our Chili Recipe (No Beans) the BEST CHILI EVERRRRR. She and her husband make it at least once a month! It’s savory, filling, and oh so satisfying!

If you love chili, but don’t love beans, this beanless chili is the perfect solution! We serve it with a green salad and sweet cornbread!Chili without beans is perfect for folks who are doing avoiding grains or gluten, and is even whole30 compliant if you use the right chili spices!

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Chili Recipe (No Beans) (1)

Chili Recipe (No Beans)

Chili Recipe (No Beans)

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Ingredients for chili with no beans

  • ground beef – I tend to use a lean ground beef since we will be draining off the fat.
  • pork sausage – we usually use mild pork sausage, but if you like a really spicy chili then this is a great place to add more heat!
  • bacon – oh yes, you read that right.
  • onion – I like to use a sweet yellow onion to offset the spice.
  • tomato – we use a few different iterations of tomato in this recipe. Yum! (We do not use tomato sauce!)
  • hot peppers – not too many, because my kids wouldn’t eat it. But you can always add more.
  • sweet peppers – lots and lots of sweet bell peppers. You’re going to question my sanity – that is, until you try it!
  • celery – just a little bit of celery. Trust me on this one.
  • carrots – carrots are the ingredient that people always look at me co*ck-eyed over. But I promise, you’ll love the way they work in this no bean chili!
  • seasonings – I have a secret seasoning that will sound weird, but mmmm mmmmm mmmmm.

Suggested toppings and garnishes

  • Shredded cheese
  • Sour cream
  • Diced tomato
  • Sliced jalapenos or green chilies
  • Chili powder

How do you make chili without beans?

First, brown ground beef, pork sausage, and bacon on high heat. Drain and return to large pot, pan, or dutch oven.

Then, add onions, chili seasoning, and cocoa powder. Saute an a little longer.

Next, add remaining ingredients and stir well.

Finally, cook covered on low for several hours.

Chili Recipe (No Beans) (2)

I want to pretend that he was SO ready to dive into that chili, but really he just wanted mommy’s attention. (He does love the chili though!)

What is chili with no beans called?

Chili that doesn’t contain beans is still called chili, although for some folks those are fighting words! Many Texans believe that chili is ONLY meat and a tomato based sauce. No beans OR vegetables allowed!

All that said, I have sometimes heard this referred to this as beef chili.

Is chili good without beans?

Oh my goodness, chili is so good without beans. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I love a chili recipe with beans too, but this no bean chili recipe is deep and rich and so incredibly savory. It’s a great alternative to traditional chili and tastes amazing in a chili pot pie!

Can chili without beans be frozen?

Chili with no beans can definitely be frozen! I love to make a double batch in my super giant stock pot and freeze half for later. You can also do what we did in the video below, and portion out/prep the uncooked ingredients and freeze them for later.

Pro tipcornbread freezes well too, so you can make a double batch of both and then have them ready to eat in no time on a busy night!

Chili Recipe (No Beans) (3)

Yep, those are carrots. And they are delicious!

Nutritional Information

Is this Chili Recipe (No Beans) healthy?

Chili without beans is healthy depending on the diet you follow. One thing I love about this recipe is it is totally grain free (just watch what chili seasonings you are using). So that means our bean free chili is gluten free, paleo compliant, and whole thirty compliant. Don’t quote me on this, but I think it might even be keto friendly!

This no bean chili recipe is on the calorie dense side because of all the meat, but it is also super full of protein and tons of healthy vegetables! I definitely don’t feel guilty when I eat it.

Is chili without beans gluten free?

If you use a gluten-free chili seasoning (typically available right next to the classic seasoning packets), then this recipe will be gluten free.

Preparation

Can this be made in a slow cooker or crock pot?

Yes, saute meat on the stove top, then drain off fat. Add meat along with remaining ingredients to your slow cooker. Cook covered on high for 4 – 6 hours or low for 8 – 10 hours. If mixture seems to dry, add 1 – 2 cups beef stock, chicken stock, or water.

Can this be made in an instant pot?

Yes, brown meat using saute feature, then drain off fat. Add meat along with remaining ingredients to your instapot. Cook manual (high pressure) and then natural pressure release. Remove lid and then saute (stirring regularly) until desired consistency is reached.

Chili Recipe (No Beans) (4)

I love it in a bowl, hubby loves it on a hot dog!

More chili recipes we love

  • Chili Dog Casserole– This simple chili dog casserole is a fan favorite in our house. So much easier than making chili dogs one by one!
  • Breakfast Chili – Chili for breakfast is a thing! And it’s a really really GOOD thing! After you try this you’ll wonder where chili for breakfast has been all your life.
  • Chili Mac – Sing it with me… these are a few of my favorite things… woah. Yes. Chili + mac and cheese = happy mouth.
  • Wendy’s Copycat Chili– Legit tastes just like the real thing!
  • Chili Pot Pie Recipe – Only a few steps and you’ve got a delicious and unique dinner recipe! I like to use a pre-made crust for quick prep.
  • Turkey Chili – Trying to keep it light? This recipe is low in fat and calories, but high in flavor!
  • Easy Chili Dogs – Classic and delicious. My dad asks for these when he visits!
  • Pumpkin Chili – Get into the feel of fall with this hearty chili made special with the addition of pure pumpkin.
  • Quick Chicken Chili – No time for an all day chili simmer? No sweat. This Last Minute Chicken Chili is ready in no time and perfect for a simple weeknight meal.
  • Make sure to check out all our different chili recipes!

More recipes with ground beef

  • Hamburger beef stroganoff
  • Mexican ground beef bake
  • Cabbage roll soup
  • Cheeseburger soup in a bread bowl
  • Quick shepherd’s pie
  • Make sure to check out all our recipes with ground beef!

Tools we love!

Chili Recipe (No Beans) (5)

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Complete this meal with our serving suggestions!

I love to crumble sweet cornbread into my chili and my husband is a fan of scooping every last bit out of the bowl with chunks of our easy beer bread recipe. If my son were king of the castle (which he definitely thinks he is), we would always eat chili over a bowl of homemade mashed potatoes.

What we can all agree on though, is finishing off the meal with a pile of cinnamon roll cookies!

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How to Make Chili with No Beans

Chili Recipe (No Beans) (6)

Chili Recipe (No Beans)

OurChili Recipe (No Beans) is the perfect chili recipe made with beef and pork.

5 from 18 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: no bean chili

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 4 hours hours

Total Time: 4 hours hours 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 24 cups

Calories: 260kcal

Author: April Woods

Ingredients

  • 2 ½ pounds ground beef
  • 2 pounds mild pork sausage ground (you can usually find this in 1lb tubes near the bacon)
  • ¼ pound bacon chopped into small pieces
  • 1 large yellow onions diced
  • 2 packages McCormick Mild Chili Seasoning 1.25 ounce packages - they have a gluten free version too!
  • 1 tablespoons dark cocoa powder
  • 1 can Rotel mild
  • 1 can tomato paste 6 ounces
  • 6 green bell peppers diced
  • 1 large piece of celery diced
  • 1 can petite diced tomatoes not drained (14 ounces)
  • 1 ½ cups carrots diced

Instructions

STOVE TOP

  • Brown ground beef, pork sausage, and bacon. Drain and return to pan.

  • Add onions, chili seasoning, and cocoa powder. Saute an additional 2 - 3 minutes.

  • Add remaining ingredients and stir well.

  • Cook covered on low all day, or at least 4 hours. Alternatively, use manual for 45 - 60 minutes in an electric pressure cooker.

INSTANT POT

  • If you are using smaller than an 8 quart pot, halve this recipe.

  • Brown ground beef, pork sausage, and bacon using saute feature. Drain and return to pan.

  • Add onions, chili seasoning, and cocoa powder. Saute an additional 2 - 3 minutes.

  • Add remaining ingredients + 2 cups water and stir well. Cover, set to sealing, and cook on manual (high) pressure for 45 minutes. Allow natural pressure release.

  • Remove lid and, if desired, turn on saute feature and simmer (stirring constantly) until desired consistency is reached. Alternatively, you can add a cornstarch slurry to thicken (see notes below).

SLOW COOKER

  • If you are using smaller than an 8 quart cooker, halve this recipe.

  • Brown ground beef, pork sausage, and bacon in a large pan on the stove top. Drain and add cooked meat to slow cooker.

  • Add onions, chili seasoning, and cocoa powder to slow cooker. Stir.

  • Add remaining ingredients and stir well. Cover, and cook on high for 4 - 6 hours or low for 8 - 10 hours.

  • Remove lid and, if desired, add a cornstarch slurry to thicken (see notes below).

Video

Notes

Calories are automatically generated. For best results calculate based on your exact ingredients.

HOW TO THICKEN WITH CORNSTARCH:

  • Create a cornstarch slurry by whisking together equal parts cornstarch and cool water. (I typically work in 1 +1 tablespoon increments.
  • Pour slurry into simmering chili and stir for about 30 seconds. Repeat until desired consistency is reached.

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Nutrition

Calories: 260kcal

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Chili Recipe (No Beans)

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Chili Recipe (No Beans) (7)

originally posted 1.18.14

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Chili Recipe (No Beans) (2024)

FAQs

What is chili without beans called? ›

No bean chili, also known as Texas chili or Chile con carne, is a spicy stew made without any beans. It traditionally contains meat (usually ground beef), tomatoes, peppers, onions, aromatics and flavorful spices.

What can I put in chili instead of beans? ›

Best Bean Substitutes for Chili
  • Ground meat: adding extra meat to a chili recipe is an excellent low-carb bean substitute for chili. ...
  • Chopped veggies: cauliflower, carrots, zucchini, and butternut squash are terrific too! ...
  • Sweet Potatoes: cubed sweet potatoes are great and provide lots of nutrition in chili.
Aug 23, 2022

Why do Texans make chili without beans? ›

If you go pretty much anywhere in Texas you will find chili ingredients simple and rarely differing: meat, sauce, peppers and spices. Carol Hanco*ck, President and CEO of the International Chili Society, told Texas Living there is a specific reason why Texas chili contains no beans: it's tradition.

What makes chili chili? ›

Beans, tomatoes, chili powder, ground beef, green pepper. Add some cheese on top after it cooks. For a chili to be chili, it needs to have tomatoes & meat & be cooked by simmering the ingredients all in one pot with spices. That's it.

What not to put in chili? ›

Beans and non-vegetable fillers such as rice and pasta are not allowed." If that sounds a bit uptight, the ICS's Homestyle Chili competition defines chili as: "any kind of meat, or combination of meats, and/or vegetables cooked with beans, chili peppers, various spices, and other ingredients.

Why does authentic chili not have beans in it? ›

No-beans side argue that beans distract your mouth from the beef and spices that chili is supposed to showcase. Texans in particular are likely to reject beans; in fact, the no-bean version is often referred to as Texas chili.

Is chili better without beans? ›

The comparison can (and has) been made that chili without beans is really just a meat sauce, like a spicier Italian-style sauce you would serve over spaghetti. Chili with beans is much more substantial and can stand better by itself, some say.

Does traditional chili have beans or no beans? ›

Beans in chili? Not if you're from Texas! While some people claim that chili can be made with a variety of ingredients—including beef and bean chili, chipotle chicken chili, or dare we say veggie chili—anyone from the Lone Star State would argue that traditional chili simply does not contain beans.

What to add to chili to make it better? ›

Elevate your chili recipe by adding an extra layer of flavor. Cocoa powder, bacon, cinnamon, ground coffee and tomato paste will all add a rich sweet & salty flavors that are sure to surprise and delight.

Who eats chili without beans? ›

Of course, those results might make you cringe if you're from the Lone Star State — Texas chili is famously bean-free. Still, no-bean chili remains the favorite of many chili fans, accounting for 13.4% of our survey respondents.

Should I put corn in my chili? ›

Many chili aficionados add a little sweetness to their chili with some brown sugar or even maple syrup to complement the earthy peppers and balance out some of the spice. But adding corn cobs to your chili is the secret to bringing natural sweetness without adding sugar.

What did cowboys eat chili? ›

Suppression only fueled this fire and in the 1800's chili was a staple food for cowboys, ruffians, and Adventurers on the Western Frontier. It was even served up in jails. Originally made of dried beef, fat and spices carried in saddlebags, then reconstituted over campfires. It was cheap and hearty and filling.

What is the secret to making good chili? ›

Cook it long enough

Chili recipes need time for flavors to meld and come together, and collagen-rich meat (like chuck roast or ground beef) needs 90 minutes to two hours to fully break down and become tender. If you don't have time for a long simmer, try using a slow cooker or making it the day before.

What spice makes chili taste like chili? ›

Most Common Chili Spices. Cumin, Chile Powders, and Paprika are the most common spices in chili followed by garlic, onion, coriander, Mexican oregano, and bay leaves. These ingredients can be combined to create a savory and well-balanced pot of top notch comfort food.

What is considered traditional chili? ›

As purists would have it, traditional red (chili con carne) hasn't changed much over the years. It still consists of meat, red chili peppers, and spices—no beans, rice, pasta, or other fillers, aside from vegetables, according to ICS criteria.

What is the difference between chili and Texas chili? ›

What primarily distinguishes Texas chili from other chili recipes you might find is a lack of beans, but it also doesn't feature any tomatoes. It is, largely, a ground beef dish that's seasoned with a spicy chili paste made of dried peppers.

What are the different types of chili? ›

A Basic Guide to America's Most Beloved Regional Chili Recipes
  • Texas: Chili Con Carne.
  • Ohio: Cincinnati Chili.
  • Indiana: Hoosier Chili.
  • Illinois: Tavern Style Chili.
  • Oklahoma: Oklahoma Chili.
  • Missouri: Kansas City Chili.
  • New Mexico: Chile Verde.
Nov 8, 2021

Does Mexican chili have beans? ›

"In Mexico, chili is made from vegetables, including various chili peppers, and seasonings. Chili con carne (with meat) has meat added, and chili beans have beans. We in the U.S. have generalized chili to mean almost anything with chili powder in it.

What is no bean chili made of? ›

Easy No Bean Chili

Ground beef, onions or shallots, and garlic are browned then simmered with tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, fire roasted tomatoes, beef stock, and green chilis, plus herbs, spices, and seasonings for just 20 minutes. If you love classic chili, you will LOVE this easy no bean recipe.

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