The Best Texas Style Chili (Easy No Bean Recipe)

As an Amazon Influencer, I may earn commissions from qualifying purchases from Amazon.com.

What’s thick, rich and smoky, loaded with meat and seasoned with the ultimate Tex Mex seasoning blend? This Texas style chili, that’s what. 

 It’s all meat, all the time with this one. No beans, no fillers, no added sugar.

Which makes it perfect if you’re following a keto diet or if you’re just an every day carnivore. It’s smoky, filling and stick-to-your-bones delicious.

This is the best chili recipe for when you want to feel full without completely derailing your low carb lifestyle. 

You’re going to need an extra big spoon for this one!

What is Texas Style Chili? 

Authentic Texas chili is missing two things: beans and tomatoes. It gets its red color from dried chiles and other seasonings. 

This chili recipe is missing beans, but it still includes tomatoes. That is why I’m calling it “Texas style” and not “true Texas chili”. I don’t want to get in trouble with any hard core chili experts out there.

When doing my research, I found plenty of recipes calling themselves Texas-style that still include tomato sauce or tomato paste, so I feel like I’m pretty safe. Plus, the tomatoes in this no bean chili recipe are totally necessary. I can’t imagine it without them.

If you like a more classic chili with hearty kidney beans or pinto beans and you don’t mind the extra carbs, try my Blue Ribbon Ground Turkey Chili.

Ingredients

So, we know there are no beans in this chili. So what is in it? Here’s what you’ll need: 

• Ground beef or turkey. I use lean ground turkey in my traditional chili recipes because I don’t eat beef. But I know people who have made this recipe with lean ground beef and reported it was – obviously – amazing. If you’re using the 92% lean ground turkey, drizzle a little olive oil into the pan when browning it. A little fat never hurts.
• Onions
• Bell peppers
• Chopped tomatoes. These are a slightly larger cut than diced tomatoes, and really add to the heartiness of this keto chili recipe. In a pinch, you could substitute diced tomatoes.
• Ancho chili powder. Not to be confused with regular chili powder, ancho powder has a smoky, rich flavor that has only a mild level of heat. It gives this chili its smoky flavor profile.
• Garlic
• Cayenne pepper
• Smoked Paprika
• Onion Powder
• Cumin
• Worcestershire sauce
• Masa harina. This is simply corn flour. You won’t taste it in the chili, but it helps to really thicken it up. Masa flour is a great way to thicken up lots of dishes and still keep them gluten free. We’re adding just one tablespoon of masa flour to the entire pot of chili, so it has a negligible impact on net carbs.

Don’t be intimidated by what looks like a long list of ingredients!

The foundation of this beanless chili recipe is simply meat, tomatoes, onions and peppers. The rest of the ingredients are just spices.

How to make Texas style chili

Constantly seasoning the meat throughout all the stages of cooking is what gives this chili its depth of flavor. Here’s what it looks like:

First, season the meat as you’re browning it.

Start by browning the meat in a large pot or large Dutch oven. Sprinkle salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder to taste as you go.

Don’t worry about measuring anything out. Just sprinkle!

Do the same thing when you add in the peppers and onions.

Once your meat is browned, remove it from the stock pot. If you’re using ground beef, drain off any excess fat. If you’re using ground turkey, there shouldn’t be much fat to drain.

Now, put your peppers and onions into the same pot. Again, just season season season! Then, add the meat back in. 

When you’ve got your meat, onions and peppers cooked and seasoned, that’s when you’ll do the big dump of spices that are in the actual recipe. 

Yes, the measurements in the recipe are in addition to the sprinkles you’ll be doing throughout the cooking time. You’ll find all the details in the recipe card below.

Finally, stir the tomatoes in.

Now, just let this bold, smoky Texas-style chili simmer. 

As with any good chili recipe, the longer you let the flavors mellow together, the better it will be. It’s even more delicious the next day! 

Serving Suggestions

1. Keep it Warm: If you’re serving chili on game day or for a larger group, keep it warm in a slow cooker, crock pot or instant pot on the lowest setting.

2. Garnish your bowl of chili with your favorite toppings: Mine are grated cheddar cheese, sour cream and green onions.

3. Don’t skip the sides: We love enjoying chili with cornbread and hearty corn chips. Try my recipes for Honey Cornbread and Homemade Tortilla Chips. 

Storage Instructions

The best thing about this recipe is that it makes a big ol’ mess of chili, so plenty for leftovers! 

There are two different ways to store your leftover chili, depending on how long you want to keep it:

1. Refrigeration. Store your leftover chili in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will last for up to 5 days this way. Reheat it in the microwave or over low heat on the stove. 

2. Freezing. If you want to keep this chili for longer, it freezes beautifully, making it a great recipe for making ahead too! I like to put the chili in large freezer bags and lay them flat in the freezer. It takes up a lot less space this way. 

When you’re ready to enjoy your chili again, let it thaw in the refrigerator and reheat it over low heat on the stove. 

There is truly nothing like the comfort of a big bowl of this Texas style chili!

And when you make it, I’d love to hear about it! Drop a rating or leave a comment below. Enjoy! 

For more comfort food recipes, try these:

• Blue Ribbon Ground Turkey Chili
• Pasta alla Vodka with Sweet Peas & Bacon
• Easy Homemade Chicken Ramen

For more low carb recipes, try these:

• Wasabi Cream Cheese Spread
• Chicken Shawarma with Tahini Yogurt Sauce
• Thai Turkey Lettuce Wraps