This crockpot chili with no beans is easy to make, and delicious all the way to the last spoonful! Whip up this dish for a delicious weeknight meal that everyone will enjoy.
It is an ideal cold-weather dish! This easy crockpot recipe lets you skip the beans and adds extra veggies in their place.
It is loaded with flavor from lots of veggies, hearty beef, and all the spices that make a classic chili recipe. Using your slow cooker means the homemade chili can cook all day, and then you can enjoy this hearty comfort food meal when you get home from work.
This chili without beans has a mild taste that you can make hotter by adding extra spices. The lack of beans makes it a simple keto-friendly meal that fits well in a low-carb diet. Plus, it just tastes fantastic!
Want more recipes? Check out my recipes for slow cooker pineapple chili and Instant Pot Cincinnati chili.
Key Ingredients
For exact amounts needed see the recipe card below
Ground beef – You can use lean ground beef or meat with higher fat content, such as ground chuck. Since you brown the meat on the stove, it is easy to drain it and leave most of the fat behind. You can also use ground turkey or ground chicken instead.
Onions, bell peppers, carrots, celery – I like to add lots of veggies to make up for the lack of beans. Onions and green bell pepper are traditional chili ingredients, but carrots and celery, not so much. Just dice them small, and they dissolve right into the finished dish.
Crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce – Include both crushed and diced tomatoes to give the dish a variety of textures. There is no need to drain these. Just dump the cans right in.
Spices – I have an extensive spice collection, so I flavor this with chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, basil, cumin, salt, and pepper. You can also use a store-bought packet of chili seasoning if you prefer.
How to Make Crock Pot Chili
1. Brown the Meat
Put the ground beef and diced onion in a frying pan on the stove. Cook it until the meat is brown and has released most of its fat.
While the meat browns, dice all the rest of the vegetables into small pieces. I like to cut the carrots and celery reasonably small, so they aren’t noticeable, and my kids don’t complain!
Once the meat is brown, use a slotted spoon to move it to the crockpot. Using a slotted spoon makes it easy to drain grease from ground meat, so the no bean crockpot chili is lower in fat.
2. Combine
Add in all the chopped vegetables, crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and spices. You can add a little bit of extra chili powder or cayenne pepper to give it a hotter taste.
Stir it all together and put the lid on. Set the slow cooker on low and let it cook for 8-10 hours. You can also cook it on high for 4-5 hours, but I think it tastes better when it simmers more slowly and cooks all day.
Serving Ideas
There are so many different things to serve with your bowl of chili! Honey jalapeno cornbread or smoked biscuits are perfect for soaking up some of the broth.
I also like to provide a variety of toppings for this beanless chili so that everyone can make the crockpot chili their own. Excellent chili toppings are:
- sliced avocado
- cilantro
- hot sauce
- shredded cheese
- sliced jalapenos
- pickled onions
- cooked bacon
- oyster crackers
- sour cream
- sliced green onions
- guacamole
- tortilla chips
I wouldn’t provide all these toppings for a meal, though. Four or five are plenty to give everyone a little variety, but still keep things simple!
How to Store
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. To reheat, put it in the microwave for 2-3 minutes or heat in a saucepan on the stove.
This chili also freezes very well. Let it cool completely before freezing, and then package it in freezer-safe food storage bags or containers where it will keep for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight.
Key Tips for This Recipe
Be sure to check out the step by step instructions
Drain the meat well so that the chili isn’t greasy.
Use a crockpot liner to make cleanup simple.
This chili has a mild flavor. Add extra chili powder or cayenne to make it spicier.
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Crock Pot Chili Recipe – No Beans
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
- 1 yellow or white onion
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 6 bell peppers
- 1 1/2 cups carrots
- 3 stalks of celery
- 1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 1 14 ounce can diced tomatoes
- 2 8 ounce can tomato sauce
- 2 1/2 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the crockpot for cooking with a liner, if desired. Using a liner will simplify cleanup.
- Chop the yellow onion into small size pieces.1 yellow or white onion
- On medium heat, heat a frying pan with olive oil. Once heated, add in the onion and ground beef. Brown the beef and onion mixture until the meat is no longer pink.1 1/2 pounds ground beef, 3 tablespoon olive oil
- While the meat browns, prepare the other vegetables. Chop the peppers into slices cut up the carrots and celery into small pieces.6 bell peppers, 1 1/2 cups carrots, 3 stalks of celery
- Add the ground beef and onion mixture to the crockpot. Then add the chopped vegetables on top.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, and tomato sauce into the crockpot.1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes, 1 14 ounce can diced tomatoes, 2 8 ounce can tomato sauce
- Put the chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, basil, cumin, salt, and black pepper in the crock pot. Stir until everything is well combined.2 1/2 tablespoon chili powder, 2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 tablespoon dried oregano, 1 tablespoon dried basil, 1 tablespoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- Put the lid on and let it cook for 8-10 hours on low or 5-6 hours on high.
- Once cooked, serve with avocado, cheese, or your other favorite toppings.
Notes
- Suggested toppings: avocado, shredded cheese, sliced jalapenos, cooked bacon pieces, crackers, sour cream, cornbread, tortilla chips.
- This dish has a mild flavor. Add extra chili powder or cayenne to make it spicier.
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Nutrition Information
Nutrition facts are estimates.
