This classic chili is full of flavor but also Whole30-friendly.
There are no beans, soy, dairy, or legumes in this dish; it’s just ground beef, bison, turkey, or chicken in a thick and spicy tomato sauce with vegetables.
Why Is This Recipe So Delicious?
- This Whole30 chili is thick, meaty, and delicious. The beans will be forgotten!
- You may make this chili mild, medium, or hot, depending on your desire.
- It’s free of beans, therefore it’s lower in carbohydrates.
How Do You Make Whole30 Chili?
- Cook ground meat of your choice in a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed stock pot (preferably enameled cast iron) over medium heat until brown and crumbled. Take the meat out of the Dutch oven and set it aside in a basin.
- In the Dutch oven, pour the avocado oil or any neutral oil. Add the onion, celery, red bell pepper, 1 finely chopped jalapeno (cored and seeded for reduced heat), and minced garlic to the pan. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring periodically until the vegetables are soft.
- Chili powder, oregano, cumin, tomato paste, bay leaves, garlic powder, salt, and pepper are added to the pan. Stir everything together until it’s entirely blended.
- Add the diced tomatoes and their juice, as well as the beef broth (or pickled jalapeno juice, or a combination of both, depending on how hot you want your chili). Stir.
- Return the meat to the Dutch oven. Bring everything to a low boil, then turn it down to low to medium-low heat. In your chili, you want a robust simmer with bubbles. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring regularly, for a 45-minute chili. On low heat, the chili can be cooked for up to 2 hours.
- Turn off the heat in the Dutch oven. Allow 5-10 minutes for the chili to rest before serving. Avocado, sliced green onions, chopped yellow onions, and jalapeno serve as garnish.
Chef’s Advice
- I like to make this chili with a mix of grass-fed ground beef and bison, but any meat will do. If you’re using ground turkey, combine it with meat that’s higher in fat.
- You can spice it up as much or as little as you want. Replace some of the beef broth with pickled jalapeno juice for added heat. If you want a milder chili, remove the center and seeds from the fresh jalapeno.
- This Whole30 chili may be made in 45 minutes, but it can also be cooked on low for up to 2 hours.
Whole30 Chili
Preparation time: 10 minutes 35 minutes to cook 45 minutes total |
A Whole30, paleo, and low carb version of a popular chili recipe. This soup is spicy and rich, filling and comfortable, yet it only takes 45 minutes to make!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon avocado oil or other neutral oil
- 2 pounds ground meat like beef, bison, turkey, or chicken. See Note
- 1 large red bell pepper cored, deveined, and chopped
- 2 cups chopped onions
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 1 jalapeño pepper cored, deveined, and finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 24 oz can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 1 cup beef broth or chicken broth
- 1 1/2 tsp Salt and pepper to taste
Garnishes
- Sliced green onions
- Chopped yellow onions
- Diced avocado
- Fresh or pickled jalapeño slices
Equipment
- Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed stockpot
Instructions
- Over medium heat, brown and break up the meat in a Dutch oven. Place the meat in a mixing bowl.
- In a Dutch oven, drizzle avocado oil. Combine the onion, celery, bell pepper, jalapeno, and garlic in a large mixing bowl. Cook until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Occasionally stir.
- Combine chili powder, oregano, cumin, tomato paste, garlic powder, bay leaves, salt, and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Stir until everything is well combined.
- Add beef broth, pickled jalapeno juice, or a combination of the two (see notes), along with diced tomatoes and their juice. Stir.
- Return the meat to the Dutch oven. Bring to a low boil everything. Reduce the heat to medium-low or low. For a 45-minute chili, simmer the chili for 20-25 minutes. Simmer for up to 2 hours on low heat. Occasionally stir.
- Before serving, remove the Dutch oven from the heat and set aside for 5-10 minutes. Avocado, sliced green onions, chopped yellow onions, and jalapeno serve as garnish.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 512kcal, Carbohydrates: 17g, Protein: 29g, Fat: 36g, Saturated Fat: 12g, Cholesterol: 107mg, Sodium: 1154mg, Potassium: 774mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 7g, Vitamin A: 2846IU, Vitamin C: 37mg, Calcium: 120mg, Iron: 6mg, Net Carbs: 12g