No Bean Chili Recipe {low carb!} - Lauren's Latest (2024)

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This No Bean Chili Recipe is a hearty and healthy recipe, filled with turkey and tons of vegetables! This meal comes together quickly and is perfect for a busy weeknight dinner! Be sure to serve with this *BEST* Cornbread Recipe and homemade Honey Butter! Yum! Recipe is based off my Original Chili Recipe, but with no beans.

A Low Carb Chili Recipe (with No Beans!)

While I have some classic, family-friendly Chili recipes on my site, this one might be considered a little different. Most chili recipes add cans of beans. But for this lower carb chili recipe, we replaced the beans with a ton of veggies (carrots, zucchini, corn, yellow squash, celery, onions and garlic). Because this is spiced with lots of cumin and chili powder, you won’t even notice that the beans are missing.

Is This Really Low Carb?

So, I have a hard time answering this question because there are so many variations of what a ‘low carb diet’ means. Keto is different from Atkins which is different from Paleo. All have different numbers of carbs you can eat. So, in general, compared to the original recipe, yes this is low carb! The vegetables have carbs in them-not nearly as many as you’d find with the addition of rice or beans, but carbs nonetheless. If you are looking to reduce the carbs even lower than what is calculated per serving in the recipe card, feel free to omit the corn.

Easy Substitutions

The thing I love about any chili recipe is it comes together in a snap and it uses a lot of canned products that are inexpensive and easy to store. This No-Bean Chili mostly falls under that category, but we are substituting the canned beans for some fresh veggies.

1. Use Ground Turkey and Ground Beef Interchangeably. Both ground meats work perfectly in a stew like chili and most of the time no one can really tell the difference because it’s all spiced exactly the same. To make this lower fat, consider using a 96% lean ground beef or a 99% fat free ground turkey.
2. Other Low Carb Veggies for Zucchini and Yellow Squash. While I like the texture of zucchini and yellow squash after cooking, I LOVE that it blends in and tastes like whatever you pair with it. If you don’t like zucchini or squash, instead of omitting it, try switching it out for a lower carb veggie: mushrooms, chard, broccoli, bell peppers or asparagus. All of these will make your chili recipe a unique one with their own flavor and textures, but it should be fine with all that cumin and chili powder.
3. Make it Spicy with Jalapenos. While I cook this recipe for a younger crowd with mild palates, feel free to spice this recipe up with some fresh jalapenos, more chili powder, cayenne powder, dried chiles, hot sauce and/or red pepper flakes. They are all delicious in their own way, so use as you’d like.
4. Taco Seasoning for Cumin and Chili Powder. In a perfect world, everyone would use my recipes as written and not have any problems whatsoever. The reality is most people won’t have every single ingredient and that’s ok! If you don’t have cumin and chili powder but do have taco seasoning, use the taco seasoning! Yes, it will taste a little like tacos, but still delicious!

How to Make No Bean Chili in 3 Easy Steps

These directions are pretty darn simple! But for more specific increments and instructions, please refer to my recipe card at the bottom of this post. Also, the nutritional information is included there as well.

1. Cook Ground Turkey

In a large pot, heat oil. Drop turkey meat into the pot and break apart using a wooden spoon. Cook until meat is cooked thoroughly.

2. Add Veggies and Spices

Add in onions, garlic, carrots, celery, zucchini, and squash until slightly softened. Stir in the broth, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, salt, pepper and spices. Bring the whole pot to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for up to 3 hours. (30 minutes is fine!)

3. Dish up and Serve

Serve Chili with desired toppings and cornbread.

What to Serve with Chili Besides Cornbread

I’m not gonna lie, I make a mean cornbread. It’s sweet, tender and addicting. But not everyone wants cornbread. (Shocking, I know.) Here are a few ideas that you might like instead:

• Homemade Bread Bowls
• Baked Potatoes
• Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls
• Crescent Rolls– no knead recipe!
• Doritos Taco Salad
• Southwest Salad with Chicken

If none of these seem like good options, feel free to browse my side dish recipe archive. I’ve got a little something for everyone there.

Storing Leftover No Bean Chili

This recipe will stay good in the fridge for up to five days, covered in an airtight container.

Or try making a double batch and freezing half of it for a quick, delicious, and healthy dinner some other time. No bean chili can be frozen in an airtight container or bag for up to two months.

To reheat, allow to thaw in the fridge overnight. Heat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes, stirring half way through to heat evenly. Yum yum!

Favorite (Low Carb) Chili Toppings

I’m assuming if you’re looking for a no-bean chili recipe, you are also in the market for some lower carb chili toppings to take things over the top. While any topping you’d put on regular chili you can put on no bean chili, not all of them are low carb. Here are some of my favorites:

• Avocados or homemade guacamole
• Fresh diced tomatoes or pico de gallo
• Grated Cheese (cotija, mexican blend or sharp cheddar are my favorites)
• Chopped Cilantro and/or fresh jalapeno slices
• Sour Cream
• Black Olives

Loved this No Bean Chili Recipe? Try these other Lower Carb Recipes:

• Low Carb Burrito Bowls
• Low Carb Bagel Sandwiches
• Chicken Lettuce Wraps
• Chicken Pot Pie Soup
• Zucchini Pizza Casserole

Anyways, printable recipe is below! Pin it, print it, or bookmark this page. Have a great day!