On a low carb diet but craving a big bowl of chili? We’ve got you covered. You’ll never miss the beans in this hearty and delicious beef and mushroom low carb chili. It’s packed with flavor thanks to a yummy blend of herbs and spices and lots of good-for-you veggies!
Even though we’re well into spring, the weather has been cold and blustery here in southwest Virginia. Seriously… we had snow just yesterday, and we got almost 12 inches a little over a week ago. Isn’t that madness? Okay, it’s probably not for those of you who live in the northeast or in places like Minnesota, but I am SO DONE with snow once March is here.
Oh well. At least I have a big pot of mushroom and beef chili to keep me warm.
Doesn’t that look yummy? Here’s how to make a big batch of your own.
How to Make Low Carb Chili
In order to make chili low carb, you have to eliminate the beans. Typically, this creates a very meaty chili, but using so much meat can get expensive, right? So, to cut calories, fat and cost, you can substitute a pound of mushrooms instead of doubling the meat. It creates a chili that’s just as hearty and delicious, but it’s a little better for you.
You can add a couple of carrots to this to add some natural sweetness. I left them out to lower the carbs a little more, but it’s definitely delicious with them. And if your family likes chili with a little more heat, add a diced jalapeno pepper in with your other veggies. My husband and son don’t like really spicy foods, so I keep hot spices and peppers to a minimum for them.
Directions for Our Low Carb Chili Recipe
You can find the full list of ingredients in our recipe card below. Print it out and add it to your recipe box so you can make it again and again!
Step 1 – Heat the oil in a skillet, and cook the veggies until they’re tender. If you’ve added carrots, you may need to cook yours a little longer since it takes them longer to soften.
Step 2 – Add ground beef, stirring and crumbling it and cooking until it’s browned.
Step 3 – Add spices and tomato paste, and cook until spices are fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
Step 4 – Add diced tomatoes and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, and simmer on medium heat for about 20 minutes.
Serve this chili with a heaping helping of sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese. So good!
Beef and Mushroom Low Carb Chili
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 2 medium celery stalks diced
- 2 medium red bell peppers diced
- 1 lb. white mushrooms chopped
- 1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 t. dried oregano
- 1 T. ground cumin
- 2 T. chili powder
- 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
- 2 T. tomato paste
- 1 24 oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 c. chicken broth
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, celery, bell peppers and mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, until veggies are tender, approximately 7 minutes.
- Add ground beef to pot along with garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until beef is browned. Drain and return to pot.
- Add oregano, cumin, chili powder and tomato paste to beef and veggie mixture. Stir together, cooking for 1-2 minutes.
- Add diced tomatoes and chicken broth to pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove from heat. Let cool for 5-10 minutes before serving. Top with sour cream and/or shredded cheddar cheese, if desired.
Nutrition
I hope you like this low carb chili! If you’re not watching your carbs, you might like our Turkey Corn Chili, which is incredible with a big slice of yellow cornbread.