This easy beanless chili takes very little prep yet turns out an amazingly delicious chili. Three kinds of chili powder is the secret to its deep, rich flavor!
This beanless chili recipe just might be my favorite chili to date. Loads of beef (a whopping four pounds!) in a flavorful sauce chock full of fire-roasted diced tomatoes, onions and poblano peppers. Less than ten ingredients but it packs a flavor punch!
Chili always makes me think of my Dad; chili is his favorite food. I love chili, too, but I can be particular about it. My chili has to have a lot of meat and - although I do like beans in my chili - I prefer no bean chili with loads of tomatoey goodness.
What Makes Chili "Chili"?
Websters defines chili as "a spicy dish made of ground beef, hot peppers or chili powder, and usually beans".
But what actually makes a chili "chili" is both personal and regional. Some people might scoff at a beanless chili recipe and claim that it can't possibly be considered "true" chili, and others couldn't care less.
In Texas, you've got chile con carne. In New Mexico, it's all about chile verde and carne adobada. And in Cincinatti, there's Skyline Chili. Louisiana does cajun chili. And don't even get me started with Frito Pie!
My beanless chili recipe is based on a Midwestern-style chili, which makes sense since that's where I was born and raised.
The bottom line is that whatever kind of chili you like best, odds are it can safely be called "chili".
How to Make Beanless Chili
(Scroll down to the bottom for the printable recipe card with exact measurements and recipe instructions.)
This beanless chili recipe is a pretty simple one, despite how flavorful it is. The secret is using three different types of chili powders for a good depth of flavor. I've made it with just plain old chili powder, too, and that's also delicious.
You basically just brown the ground beef, add the poblanos and onions, then the spices, tomato sauce, and diced tomatoes. After that, just sit back and let it simmer!
You could add some fresh corn; I think it would be a great addition. And I suppose you could toss in some beans if you feel you must, but in that case I'd add more tomato sauce and adjust the seasoning accordingly.
This beanless chili is on the mild side of the heat spectrum but some finely chopped chipotle peppers would be a delicious way to spice it up. You could also dice some jalapenos to serve on the side along with a few bottles of your favorite hot sauce.
I prefer to keep things mild and let everyone's tastes dictate how much heat to add but if your family can handle the spice, I say go for it! It's a thick chili, too, especially the next day. So, if you've been looking for a thick, super-beefy, beanless chili that's on the mild side, this is the chili recipe for you!
Slow Cooker Beanless Chili
This recipe can easily be prepared in a Crock Pot or Slow Cooker. We've included instructions for cooking both in a slow cooker and a stovetop in the recipe card.
- Cook ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat until browned
- Transfer beef to a slow cooker.
How to Make Keto Chili
Since this is already a bean-free chili recipe it makes for a great dish to adapt to a keto diet. Simply select a keto-friendly tomato sauce and fire-roasted tomatoes that are low in net carbs and sugar-free. Hunt's makes keto-friendly tomato sauce and fire-roasted tomatoes as do many other brands such as Rao's, Ragu, and Muir Glen. Organic on the label is typically a good indication of keto-friendly.
Lean No Bean Chili
Any ground beef blend can be used but I prefer 85/15 (15% fat). Ground chicken or turkey can also be substituted, if you prefer, but I would suggest ground dark meat. Ground turkey or chicken is not quite the same as ground beef but you'll gain the health benefits and it's still delicious.
Thick and Beefy Beanless Chili
This is a fairly mild chili. Feel free to add jalapenos along with the onions and poblanos, some hot sauce or some chopped chipotles in adobo sauce. All would be delicious and add some good, hot spice!
Ingredients
- 4 pounds ground beef
- 1 large sweet onion, chopped
- 2 medium poblano peppers, chopped
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ancho chili powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 14- ounce cans tomato sauce
- 3 14- ounce cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes, do not drain
- kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper, season it well!!
Instructions
Stovetop Chili
- In a large pot or dutch oven, cook ground beef until almost no pink remains. Drain off fat. Add onions and poblano peppers, cook another 2-3 minutes. Add spices, cook another two minutes or so, stirring occasionally.
- Add tomato sauce and diced tomatoes, stirring well. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer, mostly covered with just a small amount of space for heat to escape, for at least another hour (and up to two or three if you've got the time). SEASON TO TASTE (be sure to add enough salt until the flavors really pop)!
- Top with sour cream, shredded cheese, diced poblano and/or jalapenos, chopped green onion and anything else you prefer!
Slow Cooker/Crock Pot Chili
- Cook ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat until browned.
- Drain off fat and transfer beef to a slow cooker.
- Add onions, poblano peppers, spices, tomato sauce and diced tomatoes.
- Cook on low 8 hours or on high for 5-6 hours. SEASON TO TASTE (be sure to add enough salt until the flavors really pop)!
- Top with sour cream, shredded cheese, diced poblano and/or jalapenos, chopped green onion and anything else you prefer!
Notes
Ground turkey or chicken can be substituted, if you prefer.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 695Total Fat: 41gSaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 2gUnsaturated Fat: 19gCholesterol: 202mgSodium: 1033mgCarbohydrates: 17gNet Carbohydrates: 11gFiber: 6gSugar: 10gProtein: 65g
This data was provided and calculated by Nutritionix.
Try delicious chili recipes next:
- Award Winning Texas Chili
- Healthy Boilermaker Chili
- Instant Pot Turkey Chili
- Slow Cooker Turkey Chili
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karrieMae says
Dumb question here, but I'm on a weightloss journey and tracking calories. The whole pot is 8 servings, what is considered a serving? A cup? I know probably a dumb question but I'm trying to track. I ABSOLUTELY loved the recipe! It was great!
Kristy Bernardo says
Not a dumb question at all! A serving is two cups, which is enough for a decent-sized and filling bowl. I'm so happy you love it!
Natalie says
I just made this chili, and it will be my go-to recipe for chili from now on. Thanks for sharing this fantastic recipe!
Steve says
I just made this and it’s still simmering but wow it’s so good for how simple it is. My wife doesn’t do beans or much spice so this is a perfect base chili. I think next time I might add some allepo chili powder or maybe some jalapeño but man this is an awesome base chili recipe to explore from. Gonna have it with cornbread tonight but it’ll be awesome on rice or a baked potato.
Karen says
I made this recipe tonight and it is delicious! I used ground venison as the meat.
Erin says
Just found this recipe!! I’m allergic to beans but LOVE chili with a passion. We’re a big fan of ground pork in this household so subbed that for the beef and added chopped celery and orange bell peppers (cause I love the crunch). So so good. Can’t wait to have leftovers for lunch tomorrow!!
Linda says
Where can I see the 151 4.5 star reviews?
Kristy Bernardo says
They're all in the comments. You can leave a review after rating and that's where it shows up.
Maxine Smith says
I have made this several times and we love it! We like spicy food so I took your suggestion and added jalapeno peppers and all I can say is YUM!
Alex says
Hi there! I love this recipe! Do you think it would be okay if I throw it in the crockpot?!
Kristy Bernardo says
Hey Alex! I think it would definitely be okay. I've even made it in my Instant Pot and it turned out really well.
Maxine Smith says
I have never made chili before and am not really a big fan of it but i was craving it so I tried this recipe. I followed it exactly except my chili powders and cumin might have been a little heaping ;). It was amazing! I had two bowls of it and I am trying really hard not to eat it for breakfast. Amazing recipe
Kristy Bernardo says
Maxine, thanks so much for taking the time to let me know! I'm so happy you love it so much. It's definitely my favorite chili recipe (although I do love chili. Have a great day!
Maxine Smith says
@Kristy Bernardo, I already made it again!!
Kristy Bernardo says
haha, that's awesome! I'm so glad you love it so much! 🙂
Meryl says
Hi Kristy! This recipe looks delicious!
For clarification, do you add the salt and paper when you start the simmer or after 1-3 hours?
Kristy Bernardo says
Hi Meryl! I'd add it at the end. Although it probably wouldn't make much of a difference, since some of the liquid does evaporate, it could end up over-seasoned if you add it too early. Let me know how you like it! - Kristy
Cindy Hale says
Made this for Halloween - delicious! I swapped one pound of ground beef for a pound of hot sausage to add some spice; followed the recipe exactly otherwise. So much flavor - didn’t even miss the beans! Love the little touch of chipotle pepper. This one’s going into the rotation! Thank you!
Kristy says
Oooohhh - love the idea of swapping some sausage in! I'm going to try that myself. Thanks, Cindy! You've reminded me that I need to make this again soon 🙂
Shoshi says
Ancho chili powder and chipotle chili powder? Can I sub anything?
Kristy says
You could use regular chili powder for both, although the flavor won't be quite the same.
Rachel @ Queen Of Constance says
I think I just found what I’m making for dinner…. Yum!
Anna Casarez says
My first time making chili because my husband after 15 years of marriage stated he loved chili. Who knew! Haha! However, he doesn't like cornbread (I know, he's a maybe a little crazy). He thinks cornbread is too dry. Anyway, im gonna serve this over some jasmine rice and maybe next time over a baked potato. It's currently simmering and I will let it simmer for 3 hours. But the flavors are bomb already. I can't even imagine when it has gone the whole 3 hours!
Kristy says
ahh, love this! I hope you loved it! Cheers - Kristy
Jonathan says
@Anna Casarez, I agree with your husband! I'm not a fan of cornbread myself because, like your husband said, it's dry. Lol
Linda Lazarus says
We are a family of 3... and neither child will eat what the other wants... He loves chili and always wants me to make it, she doesn't like beans or chili. I made it anyway... we're a "fluffy" family, as my son likes to say, so I try to make things healthier. Instead of using the 4 lbs of hamburger meat, I used 2 and 2 lbs. of ground lean chicken (turkey works too!). I followed the rest of the recipe and took a big bowl out for my chick before adding the spices. Then spiced it up. She's NEVER liked chili before, but she LOVED this! she wanted to try it after I spiced it, but I knew it would be too spicy for her, so I took a 2nd bowl and put half of the spiced chili and have of the unspiced that I'd previously taken out for her and she LOVED it! I've never seen her finish a whole dinner before, but she did! I made this with Jasmin Rice and served the chili over it with Shredded Taco Cheese (and added sour cream to mine) and warm corn muffins on the side completed our dinner... I found this recipe last night and at dinner tonight, we decided the leftovers would be used for chili dogs and another meal of chili cheese fries! This was bookmarked and put in the family recipe book! Thank you so much for this great recipe~
Kristy says
Hi Linda! I love this! It can be so hard to please everyone with dinner and I'm so happy this recipe did the trick for you. Thank you so much for letting me know! Cheers - Kristy
Chanel says
Hi Kristy! Im cooking this recipe today, my husband is not a fan of beans so this is perfect! Question, how many does this recipe serve? Im looking to make a decenf amount of leftovers for the week for us as well! Thank you!!
Kristy Bernardo says
Hi Chanel! It will serve a family of four plus leftovers, so if it's just you and your husband, you should be fine. Having said that, you can always double it and freeze some if it's too much. Hope that helps! Cheers 🙂
Kimberly Ann @ Bake Love Give says
Whoah that's a lot of beef! Though the Texan in me is certainly not complaining! Will add this to our chilly evening dinner rotation (pun intended).
Kristy Bernardo says
Yes, it really is a lot! It makes it very thick and meaty...would be great over spagehetti since it's so thick. Thanks Kimberly Ann!
Nutmeg Nanny says
If my husband didn't love beans in his chili I would happily leave them out and bulk up on the beef. This version looks great. I need to make this!
Kristy Bernardo says
I hear you...a lot of people are die-hard beans-in-their-chili fans! I like them, too, but sometimes going without is a nice change. Have a great day, NN!
Brandy M. says
My husband hates beans so I can never get him to eat chili. This is right up his alley and would be perfect on a baked potato.
Kristy Bernardo says
Ohhh...you're right, this WOULD be perfect on a baked potato! Great suggestion, Brandy, thanks!
heather @french press says
Beans are fine, but I think chili should always be about the meat! This may just have to be added to our Sunday menu!
Kristy Bernardo says
I agree - the meat is where it's at!
Marjory+@+Dinner-Mom says
Well...I had to pin this right away! My hubby would be in heaven for an all beef chili. We usually compromise and have beef and beans...I'm gonna surprise him with this one! Sounds yummy!
Kristy Bernardo says
awww, that's so sweet to do for your hubby, Marjory!
Heather at Basilmomma says
This is perfect for my non-bean eating son!
Kristy Bernardo says
That's great, Heather!