This low-carb beef and bacon chili is rich, hearty, and deeply satisfying — true comfort food that’s perfect for family dinners and meal prep.
I love making soups and stews for my family, and this chili was an immediate favorite. It yields a large batch, reheats beautifully, and adapts well to personal tastes — you can easily make it milder or spicier by adjusting the peppers and seasonings.
About chili
Chili is a flexible stew-like dish with countless variations. Most versions include meat, though vegetarian chilis are popular too. Ground beef is common, but bacon, chicken, sausage, steak, or venison also work well. Some recipes include beans and tomatoes, while others omit them — it’s all a matter of preference. Vegetables, different sauces (red, green, or white), and a wide range of spices and toppings let you make chili your own.
Controlling the heat
This recipe as written is fairly mild. To make it milder, omit the jalapeño and the cayenne, or top each bowl with sour cream to cool the flavors. If you want more heat, include some of the jalapeño seeds and membranes, swap in a hotter pepper such as serrano or habanero, or increase the cayenne or red pepper flakes. Adding a favorite hot sauce at the table is an easy, customizable option.
Serving suggestions
This chili is hearty enough to serve on its own as a complete meal. Top servings with chopped onions, shredded cheddar, sour cream, chopped cilantro, chives, diced avocado, jalapeños, sliced olives, or shredded lettuce. It pairs nicely with a green salad or coleslaw. For low-carb sides, consider keto biscuits, cornbread, or English muffins. For gatherings, offer several toppings and let guests customize their bowls. Finish the meal with a rich, low-carb dessert if you like.
Helpful hints
* Chop bacon before cooking for evenly distributed pieces, or cook whole slices and crumble after crisping if you prefer.
* If you prefer larger tomato pieces, use regular diced tomatoes instead of petite diced.
Main kitchen equipment and utensils:
- Large skillet
- Large stockpot
- Measuring spoons
A short encouragement
***But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self‑control. Against such there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23***
Low Carb Beef and Bacon Chili
10 Servings
30 minutes
30 minutes
1 hour
This low-carb beef and bacon chili is hearty, flavorful, and perfect for family meals or leftovers.
Ingredients
- 16 ounces bacon, chopped
- 1½ pounds ground beef
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium red pepper, diced
- 1 jalapeño, seeded, deveined, and diced
- ⅓ cup diced onion
- 1 (28 ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, undrained
- 2 (15 ounce) cans black soy beans
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 tablespoon ancho chili powder
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar substitute (Swerve)
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon tamari
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Optional: chopped onions, shredded cheddar, or sour cream for topping
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the chopped bacon until it reaches your desired level of crispness. Drain excess grease, transfer the bacon to a plate, and set aside.
- Using the same skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef until no longer pink, breaking it into small pieces as it cooks. Drain excess grease.
- While the beef cooks, heat butter and olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Sauté the diced red pepper, jalapeño, and onion for 5–7 minutes, or until the vegetables begin to soften.
- Add the cooked bacon, ground beef, diced tomatoes (with juices), black soy beans, beef broth, and all seasonings to the stockpot. Stir well to combine.
- Raise the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer gently for 25–30 minutes, stirring occasionally to meld flavors.
- Serve hot with your choice of toppings such as chopped onions, shredded cheddar, sour cream, avocado, or cilantro.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10
Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 538
Total Fat: 31g
Saturated Fat: 11g
Trans Fat: 1g
Unsaturated Fat: 17g
Cholesterol: 112mg
Sodium: 849mg
Carbohydrates: 14g
Net Carbohydrates: 8g
Fiber: 6g
Sugar: 3g
Protein: 48g
Nutrition values are estimates and provided as a courtesy. Values vary by ingredients and brands used. Net carbs shown subtract fiber; sugar alcohols are not included in net carb calculations.
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