Easy Keto Instant Pot Chili (Whole30, No Beans)
This keto instant pot chili is the ultimate cozy dinner: rich, hearty, and ready in a flash, without any beans to weigh it down. Packed with seasoned beef, fire-roasted tomatoes, tender vegetables, and smoky spices, it’s everything you love about classic chili made low carb and Whole30-friendly. Plus, it freezes like a dream, so you can stash away leftovers for busy nights.
If you love cozy one-pan dinners, you’ll also enjoy my Whole30 Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Keto Chili
This Whole30 + keto chili recipe is a flavor powerhouse. The real magic? You’d never guess how healthy it is. With no beans, sugar, or dairy, it still delivers bold chili flavor and satisfying texture thanks to protein-rich ground beef and loads of fresh veggies.
It’s a one-pot dinner that tastes like it simmered all day, but thanks to the Instant Pot, it’s done in under an hour. I use 100% grass-fed beef from ButcherBox for the best taste and cleanest ingredients, and the mix of vegetables adds natural sweetness, body, and color. This has become a family favorite in our house, especially during the cooler months.
Serve it with sliced avocado and a sprinkle of cilantro, or keep it classic and hearty on its own. However you enjoy it, this chili hits the spot!
Watch Chili Recipe Demo Video
Note: You can also watch this recipe video on YouTube.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Vegetables: A mix of yellow onion, zucchini, yellow squash, celery, and red bell pepper builds a base that’s colorful and full of nutrients. Feel free to sub in other veggies like mushrooms or chopped spinach.
- Garlic: Use fresh garlic for the best flavor, or substitute 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder per clove if needed.
- Ground Beef: I love using organic, grass-fed beef from ButcherBox. Ground turkey also works if you prefer a lighter option.
- Canned Tomatoes and Tomato Sauce: Fire-roasted diced tomatoes and plain, no sugar added tomato sauce give this chili a deep, smoky tomato flavor.
- Green Chiles: Mild canned green chiles add gentle heat. Want it spicier? Use hot chiles or add cayenne pepper.
- Spices: This chili gets bold flavor from chili powder, cumin, oregano, and smoked paprika. Adjust amounts based on your heat preference.
- Chicken Stock: Adds body and depth. You can sub beef broth or bone broth for even more richness.
- Avocado Oil, Salt & Pepper: For sautéing and seasoning the base.
How to Make This Keto Instant Pot Chili
Step 1: Set your Instant Pot to SAUTE. Add avocado oil, then add the chopped vegetables along with salt and pepper. Sauté for 7-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
Step 2: Add ground beef and break it up with a wooden spoon. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink.
Step 3: Stir in diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, green chiles, spices, and chicken stock until everything is well combined.
Step 4: Secure the lid, set valve to SEALING. Hit CANCEL, then select HIGH PRESSURE for 15 minutes. Let pressure build (about 10-15 minutes), then cook.After the timer goes off, do a QUICK RELEASE by carefully turning the valve to VENTING. Once pressure is released and the float valve drops, open the lid safely.
Step 5: Serve hot with your favorite toppings: avocado, cilantro, jalapeños, or green onions. Store leftovers or freeze for later.
Variations + Substitutions
- Add Beans (Non-Keto): If you’re not following a low carb diet, feel free to add canned kidney or black beans.
- Spice It Up: Extra chili powder, cayenne, or hot green chiles for more heat.
- Switch the Protein: Ground turkey or chicken works great.
- Want It Thicker? Simmer with the lid off for 10 minutes after pressure cooking or stir in a spoonful of tomato paste.
- Topping Ideas: Avocado slices, chopped cilantro, jalapeños, green onions
Meal Prep, Storage + Freezing Tips
This recipe makes 8 generous servings, perfect for batch cooking.
- Meal Prep: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave (3-5 minutes) or on the stove until warm.
- Freezing: Cool completely before freezing. Store in freezer-safe containers for up to 6 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! Sauté the vegetables and beef in a large pot, then simmer everything on the stovetop for 1-2 hours. Or use a slow cooker: sauté ingredients on the stove, transfer to your crockpot, and cook on low for 4 hours or high for 2 hours.
Yes! It has no added sugar, no beans, no dairy, and uses clean, real-food ingredients.
Add hot green chiles, more chili powder, or a pinch of cayenne to increase the heat.
Try sliced avocado, chopped cilantro, jalapeños, or green onions. Skip cheese and sour cream to keep it Whole30.
This keto instant pot chili is everything you want in a one-pot dinner: fast, flavorful, veggie-packed, and perfect for meal prep. Whether you’re eating low carb, Whole30, or just craving a cozy bowl of chili, this recipe delivers.
Have you tried it yet? Let me know what you think in the comments below! Want another easy skillet dinner? Try my Creamy Keto Beef Stroganoff with Mushrooms next!
More Delicious Keto Recipes
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Keto Instant Pot Chili (Whole30, No Beans)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1 zucchini, chopped
- 1 yellow squash, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 4 ribs of celery, chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, grated or finely minded
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 2 14.5-ounce cans diced fire roasted tomatoes
- 1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
- 2 4-ounce can diced green chiles
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 cup chicken stock
Equipment
Instructions
- Heat your instant pot over SAUTE. Add the avocado oil, and saute all the vegetables with the salt + pepper for 7-10 minutes until soft, stirring occasionally.
- Add the ground beef and break it up with a wooden spoon. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add in the canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, spices + chicken stock. Stir to combine.
- Close with the lid of your instant pot, and make sure the vent is at SEALING. Hit CANCEL, then cook on HIGH PRESSURE for 15 minutes. Will take about 10-15 minutes to reach pressure, then it will start counting down from 15. After the 15 minutes is up, do a QUICK RELEASE, where you move the valve to VENTING to release all the steam. Once all the steam is gone and the float valve has dropped, you can safely open the instant pot.
- Serve warm topped with your favorite toppings: sliced avocado, jalapeños, cilantro, etc.
- Will keep in an airtight container refrigerated for 5 days, or frozen for 6 months.
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196 Comments on “Easy Keto Instant Pot Chili (Whole30, No Beans)”
This Instant Pot chili is the kind of hearty, no-fuss comfort food I need on busy weeknights—Whole30 and keto-friendly, bean-free, yet still bursting with bold flavor and perfect for freezing for later.Minute Cryptic
Plus, it freezes like a dream, so you can isothermenergy stash away leftovers for busy nights.
Great, simple and easy to follow recipe :) I added potatoes and 1 Chile de Arbor for some extra kick and it was great!!
Incredible!!!!! I didn’t have all the spices so I added some Trader Joe’s Soffrito seasoning, TJ green goddess seasoning, 1/4 packet of taco seasoning and 1/2 packet of spicy chili seasoning. Absolutely blown away by the flavour!
Oooh these tweaks sound amazing! So glad you liked it!
I loved how simple she made it and how it helped me make it from scratch and in a less processed way.
Love this, thank you!
We love this and I am a Texan and very picky about my chili!! (That is saying a lot) Have been using for it for as long as I can remember. We make double batches and freeze them so when we don’t want to cook we defrost, heat and serve. Thank you for the recipe!!
Wow! This is such an honor! Thank you, Cheryll!
SO GOOD! Reminds me of Wendy’s, but better and paleo! It makes a ton, which I love for meal prep.
I love this, thank you! Wendy’s chili is so good right?? So happy to have a version that tastes as good but is a bit healthier!
Should you drain the canned tomatoes and other canned items first? I tried this without draining them and it was really thin and soupy–not the thick chili I was expecting.
I don’t drain them, but if you want a thicker chili you can drain them so it will have less liquid content!
Such a great combination of flavors. I’m a throw what I’ve got into my chili kind of girl. No longer. This is my new chili.
I love to hear this! Thank you Judy! So glad you liked it :)
Love this chili!
Thank you, Greta!
I was taste it this is so delicious and impressed me keto lifestyle is vey good guidelines for the health.
I’m usually left disappointed by most of the chili recipes i’ve tried in the past. Typically the seasoning is off (I’d rather err on the side of OVER seasoned vs not enough) but i followed this recipe almost to a T (just used carrots instead of zucchini since i’m not a fan) and NO NOTES. This is amazing!! So glad I also decided against scaling this recipe to yield a smaller portion so now I can freeze the leftovers!! <3
Thank you, Sam! I’m so happy to hear this! Getting the seasoning right is such a huge deal to me, and I am so glad it was perfect for you!
I’ve commented on this before but have to comment again… this is amazing! One of my favorite meals is Tastes Lovely chili and biscuits. Delicious!
Thank you, Erin!! So honored that this is such a favorite for you! It means the world to me!
This came together quickly and easily with little mess and lots of satisfaction from the fam. We topped with avocado, cheddar, cilantro. We had lots of leftovers – saved half for the week and froze the rest. Definitely a keeper!
I am so happy to hear that this was quick, easy, and loved by all! With little cleanup, this is seriously a perfect meal! Love the toppings you chose, and super glad you were able to have leftovers for the week and more to freeze! Thank you, McKenzie!
My family LOVES this chili! It’s absolutely delicious!!! This is on our weekly meal plan!
Yea! I love this! So glad your whole family enjoys this recipe- the BEST!
Just finished making this. I added 3 chipotle chilis in adobe and it’s the perfect amount of heat. Can’t wait for dinner.
YUM! I hope you enjoyed it!
What’s the suggested serving size? Looking forward to making this next week!!
About 1.5 cups! Hope you love it!
SO GOOD . I never bother to write reviews but this is amazing!! Better than any non-keto chili I have ever made. I thought the vegetables would get all soggy but day 3 now and it’s still amazing. Love love love! I also added a chipotle pepper from the canned “chipotle peppers in adobe sauce”. So good. thank you !!
This makes me so happy! I am so glad you liked it so much- it’s totally one of my favorites!