No Bean Chili Recipe Slow Cooker will have you hooked. It's a super easy Texas-style chili full of meat, tomatoes, onions, chili seasonings, and an added twist - BBQ sauce. So good!
WATCH: No Bean Crock Pot Chili
This No Bean Chili is easy and delicious
"This is one of my favorite ways to make chili - Texas BBQ style. It's easy, low carb/keto - and has no beans! Meat lovers will LOVE this! The taste of this chili will change based on the type of barbecue sauce you use - happy taste testing!" 🙂 - Kori
Easy Slow Cooker Recipe
This no bean chili slow cooker recipe is VERY EASY - just dump it all in your slow cooker, turn it on low all day, and voila! Super easy chili. It really is that simple.
Delicious
I think you'll love the taste of this no bean chili with stew meat and ground beef. All the seasonings and spices blend perfectly after a day of low and slow cooking, and the twist of BBQ sauce makes it unique from many other chilis. So unique!
Play around with your barbecue sauces and see what is your favorite! I created my own sauce recipe which is what I used when developing this chili recipe. There are so many varieties to choose from.
Healthy Low Carb and Keto
This keto chili slow cooker recipe works well on a low carb and keto diet because there are no beans.
The protein is slightly higher than the fat content, but you can overcome this by adding some olive oil and using higher-fat beef.
You can also increase healthy fat by adding toppings such as cheese, sour cream, diced avocado, etc.
You can find the full nutritional analysis at the bottom of the recipe card.
15.8 g fat | 6.1 g net carbs | 23.4 g protein
How we like to serve Crock Pot No Bean Chili
This crock pot chili no bean recipe is really a meal in one, but here are some ideas if you're looking for more.
- Fresh green salad with Avocado Dressing or Chipotle Crema
- Cheese crisps
- Corn chips, tortillas, breadsticks, or cornbread (not low carb)
Chili (No Beans) Ingredients and Equipment
Ingredients
Don't let the number of ingredients intimidate you. Most of the ingredients are spices - chili always uses a lot of spices! 🙂 The rest are common ingredients that you can easily find.
- Stew meat
- Ground beef - I used 80/20 but you can also use lean ground beef.
- Small onion - I used a yellow onion, but you could use red or sweet onion.
- Green Bell Pepper - any color is fine
- Diced tomatoes - stewed tomatoes, or a mix of both, also work well
- Barbecue Sauce - I use my Sugar-Free BBQ Sauce Recipe (keto followers use sugar free)
- Tomato paste
- Garlic
- Chili Powder
- Dried Oregano
- Paprika - use regular or smoked. If you haven't tried smoked paprika yet give it a shot - it's really good)
- Cayenne Pepper
- Cumin
- Kosher Salt or Sea Salt
- Ground Black Pepper
- Bay leaves
- Optional: 4 to 6 whole pepperoncini peppers (adds some heat!)
- Optional thickeners: 1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 1 tbsp of water, or 1/2 tsp xanthan gum mixed with 1 tbsp olive oil.
Equipment
Here is a list of equipment you will need to make this recipe:
- 4 to 6 quart slow cooker
- Cutting Board
- Chef knife
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
- Nonstick spray
- Mixing spoon
- Small bowl
- Small spoon
- 12" Skillet
No Bean Chili Recipe Variations
Here are some different ways you can customize your no bean chili recipe!
- Add a can of beans, rinsed and drained (not low carb)
- Add a can of corn, drained (also not low carb)
- Use lean ground beef instead of 80/20 to the fat in this recipe.
- Use dice tomatoes with green chilis for more flavor and spice.
- Use a variety of tomatoes for a different texture.
- Add more vegetables like hot peppers (like jalapenos) for the spicy lovers, or maybe even sliced mushrooms, diced carrots, or diced zucchini.
- Substitute ground chicken or ground turkey for the ground beef.
- Use smoked sausage instead of ground beef or the stew meat.
- Want a smoky taste? Add a few drops of liquid smoke.
Note that if you add additional ingredients the seasoning quantities may need to be adjusted. Also, some ingredients such as fresh vegetables will add more liquid so you may need to thicken the chili before serving.
How to make No Bean Chili
Here are the instructions for making no bean chili recipe slow cooker:
Brown Ground Beef
In a skillet, brown ground beef until no longer pink.
Add Ingredients to the Slow Cooker
Spray crockpot with nonstick spray.
Add stew meat, browned ground beef, onion, green pepper, diced tomatoes, barbecue sauce, tomato paste, garlic, chili powder, cayenne, oregano, cumin, bay leaves, pepperoncini, salt, and pepper to the slow cooker.
Add Thickener
In a small bowl, mix xanthan gum and olive oil together until dissolved. Add to slow cooker then stir.
Slow Cook
Cover and cook on low 6 to 8 hours or until stew meat is tender.
Serve
Serve and garnish with additional pepperoncini peppers. Season with additional salt and pepper or barbecue sauce if desired.
Adjust spiciness with more cayenne pepper or a few drops of your favorite hot sauce. Enjoy!
Crock Pot No Bean Chili Top Tips for Success
Here are my top tips for making the best crock pot chili with no beans:
- Like your chili spicier? You can add cayenne pepper for spice or a few drops of hot sauce. Some barbecue sauces can be spicy so if I'm not sure I adjust the spiciness at the end.
- Want your chili thicker? If your chili is not as thick as you would like, there are a couple of ways you can thicken it. Add the cornstarch or xanthan gum mixture to your slow cooker and stir. Allow the chili to sit for a few minutes with the lid off.
- Cornstarch. Use 1 tbsp of cornstarch dissolved in 1 tbsp of water. Add to the chili and stir. Allow chili to sit without lid for a few minutes and it will thicken.
- Xanthan Gum (low carb thickener option). Use 1/2 tsp xanthan gum dissolved in 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add to the chili and stir. Allow chili to sit without lid for a few minutes and it will thicken.
How to store No Bean Crock Pot Chili
How long does this No Bean Chili Recipe stay good for?
This chili will stay good for about 4 days. It can also be frozen for up to 4 months.
How long will this recipe keep in the refrigerator?
Chili will keep for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator after it has cooked. It makes GREAT leftovers!
Can I freeze chili?
Yes, chili is freezable! Cook and cool the recipe. Transfer to a freezer-safe container, then freeze. To reheat, partially thaw overnight in your refrigerator. Remove from the fridge 30 minutes prior to heating.
How to reheat this Chili Recipe (No Beans)
Reheat slowly in a saucepan on a stove, stirring frequently. Or, microwave in a loosely cover dish for 1 min 30 seconds on high. Stir and continue heating for 30 seconds at a time, stirring after each time, until heated through.
No Bean Chili Recipe FAQs
This Texas style chili is crock pot chili with no beans and is predominately made of meat and spices. Some recipes will call for tomatoes in the recipes, while some do not. The spices in Texas chili make it extra flavorful.
To reduce the fat in this recipe, use lower fat ground beef.
You can increase the fat in this chili by using higher fat ground beef and by adding olive oil. You can also add even more fat with your toppings - grated cheeses, diced avocado, sour cream, etc.
If you tried this crock pot chili (no bean) recipe, let me know! I'd love for you to come back and give the recipe a star rating and/or a review in the comments! 🙂 Let's stay connected, so please share photos of your creations with me and others on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest!
📖 The recipe.
Slow Cooker No Bean Chili Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound stew meat
- 1 pound ground beef (cooked)
- 1 small onion (diced)
- 1 green pepper (diced)
- 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
- ½ cup sugar free sweet bbq sauce recipe (or, a store-bought sauce)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoon oregano
- 2 teaspoon paprika (try smoked paprika- it's really good)
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 2 bay leaves
- Optional: 4 to 6 whole pepperoncini peppers (adds some heat!)
- Optional thickeners: 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon of water (or, 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum mixed with 1/2 teaspoon olive oil.)
Instructions
- In a skillet, brown ground beef until no longer pink. Dice onion and green pepper. Mince garlic.
- Spray crockpot with nonstick spray Add stew meat, browned ground beef, onion, green pepper, tomatoes, barbecue sauce, tomato paste, garlic, chili powder, oregano, cayenne pepper, cumin, salt, and pepper to slow cooker.
- In a small bowl, mix xanthan gum and olive oil together until dissolved. Add to slow cooker then stir. Add bay leaves and pepperoncini.
- Cover and cook on low 6 to 8 hours or until stew meat is tender.
- Serve and garnish with additional pepperoncini peppers. Season with additional salt and pepper or barbecue sauce if desired. Adjust spiciness with more cayenne pepper or a few drops of your favorite hot sauce. Enjoy!
Video
Kori's Tips
- Like your chili spicier? You can add cayenne pepper for spice or a few drops of hot sauce. Some barbecue sauces can be spicy so if I'm not sure I adjust the spiciness at the end.
- Want your chili thicker? If your chili is not as thick as you would like, there are a couple of ways you can thicken it. Add the cornstarch or xanthan gum mixture to your slow cooker and stir. Allow the chili to sit for a few minutes with the lid off.
- Cornstarch. Use 1 tbsp of cornstarch dissolved in 1 tbsp of water. Add to the chili and stir. Allow chili to sit without lid for a few minutes and it will thicken.
- Xanthan Gum (low carb thickener option). Use 1/2 tsp xanthan gum dissolved in 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add to the chili and stir. Allow chili to sit without lid for a few minutes and it will thicken.
Nutrition
© 2025 Seeking Good Eats™
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More Delicious Recipes to Try
Easy Texas-style no bean chili in your slow cooker! Super easy crockpot recipe loaded with meat, tomatoes, onions, chili spices, and barbecue sauce! A fuss-free family favorite dinner recipe that you can make in the morning and have it ready in the evening with ease! A low carb keto chili recipe that everyone in your house can eat. #chili #slowcooker #crockpot #nobeanchili #beef #groundbeef #stew #ketochili #easyrecipe #dinnerrecipe #lowcarb #keto #glutenfree #texaschili
Janet Bradley
Could I use crushed tomatoes in this recipe vs diced. Not at fan of chopped.
Thanks, Janet
Kori
Yes, absolutely. 🙂 I used crushed a lot, or sometimes even a mix depending upon what's in my pantry at the time.