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    Home » Course » Main Course

    No Bean Chili with Blueberries

    Published: Nov 23, 2018 · Modified: Feb 6, 2023 by Erin Carter · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

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    A bowl of no bean chili topped with blueberries and fresh cilantro.

    This no bean chili with blueberries is the ultimate in comfort food. This healthy chili is packed with flavour and loaded with vegetables. You'll love that it's also paleo, gluten free, dairy free and Whole30 compliant. 

    A bowl of no bean chili topped with fresh, chopped cilantro and blueberries.

    Why you will love this recipe: 

    • The flavour! This is the best no bean chili.
    • This healthy chili is loaded with vegetables and instead of beans I added blueberries to give this chili recipe a fun twist.
    • This chili without beans is so simple and easy to make and can be made on the stovetop, in a slow cooker, crockpot, or in an Instant Pot.
    • This chili recipe is gluten free, dairy free, paleo and Whole30 compliant. 
    • It's made in one pot so the clean up is simple and easy.
    • This chili is kid friendly and a great family friendly meal.
    • It freezes really well and is perfect for meal prep. 
    • You can change up the ingredients to make it your own - feel free to add other vegetables such as sweet potato or other meat such as bacon. 

    Taste and texture:

    This think and chunky chili has the best, mild flavour. It isn't too spicy, but has a bold, unique taste. All the vegetables add a delicious texture and make it so hearty. This is a meal that will keep you full and satisfied for hours.

    Key ingredients and substitutions: 

    The ingredients needed to make a no bean chili separated into bowls.
    • Ground beef - ground beef is used to make this delicious healthy chili. I recommend using grass fed beef if you can. You could also swap the ground beef for other ground meats such as ground turkey or ground chicken. 
    • Blueberries - blueberries are used to make this chili without any beans. They give the similar appearance to beans and also add a unique flavour to this chili recipe. 
    • Tomatoes - while some chili recipes are made with no tomatoes, this is a tomato based chili and fresh tomatoes are used to give it so much flavour! 
    • Spices - chili powder, cumin, oregano, parsley, paprika, salt and pepper all blend beautifully to give this chili such an incredible taste. 
    • Cacao powder - cacao powder adds a unique flavour to chili recipes and helps enhance the flavours of the dish. Instead of cacao powder you could use cocoa powder. 

    How to make this recipe: 

    Step one:

    First you are going to cook the ground beef by placing a large pot on the stove on medium heat and adding 2 tablespoon of cooking fat. Allow the fat to melt and then add the beef to the pot. Cook the beef until it is browned and no longer pink, stirring frequently to break the meat apart. 

    A pot full of cooked ground beef on the stovetop.

    Step two:

    Once the meat is cooked, add the remaining ingredients to the pot and stir everything well to combine.

    A pot filled with chopped vegetables, cooked ground beef, blueberries, spices and broth.

    Step three:

    Turn down the heat and cover the pot with the lid. Let the chili simmer for approximately 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have the texture you prefer.

    A pot filled with no bean chili on the stovetop.

    To make this chili in a slow cooker:

    First, brown the meat in a pan on the stovetop. Then transfer the cooked ground beef to the crockpot or slow cooker and add the remaining ingredients. Turn the slow cooker onto low heat and cook the chili for 8 hours, stirring every so often to ensure all the ingredients cook evenly.

    To make this chili in an Instant Pot:

    Step one:

    First, turn your Instant Pot on to the sauté function and add the cooking fat, tomatoes and ground beef to the Instant Pot and sauté until the meat is browned and the tomatoes are tender.

    Step two:

    Then add the chopped celery, carrots, and bell pepper and sauté for a few more minutes, until the vegetables start to become tender.

    Step three:

    Now add the remaining ingredients to the Instant Pot and stir them well to combine.

    Step four:

    Next, turn the Instant Pot to the chili function and cook for 18 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally for 10-15 minutes or perform a quick release with the vent. Then serve and enjoy this delicious Instant pot chili no beans!

    Chef's tips and variations: 

    • Feel free to add other vegetables such as sweet potatoes, zucchinis or corn to this beanless chili recipe. 
    • You could add other meat such as bacon or swap the ground beef for ground turkey, ground pork or ground chicken. 
    • If you don't have fresh blueberries you can also use frozen blueberries to make this chili.
    • You can use any type of broth that you like to make this chili including vegetable broth, chicken broth, beef broth or bone broth.

    How to serve:

    You can serve chili in so many different ways. It is delicious served as is, but some unique ideas include serving it with hot dogs, over nachos, over French fries, over sweet potato fries, over rice, with potato chips, or in hamburger buns.

    What to serve with chili:

    Chili goes well with so many side dishes. Here are a few ideas: 

    • Paleo cornbread! Chili and cornbread are made for each other - these Cornbread Muffins are my favorite 
    • A side salad
    • Coleslaw 
    • Sweet potato fries
    • Potato wedges

    How to store: 

    Store any leftover chili in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days. 

    This chili freezes really well for up to 3 months.

    Nutrition info:

    Each serving of this chili has approximately 544 calories with 34 grams of total carbohydrates, 7 grams of fiber, 27 grams of net carbs, 32 grams of protein and 32 grams of fat. This chili is healthy, gluten free, dairy free, low in sugar, paleo and Whole30 compliant. It is not low in sodium, keto or low carb.

    A bowl of no bean ground beef chili topped with fresh blueberries and chopped cilantro.

    Frequently asked questions: 

    Is this a Whole30 chili recipe?

    Yes! It's also safe if you are on the GAPS or SCD diets as well. There is just one modification that needs to be made if you are on the SCD diet (see the recipe instructions).

    Can you eat chili on paleo?

    Yes you can eat chili on the paleo diet as long as the chili is made with paleo friendly ingredients. You can't have beans on the paleo diet so be sure to modify any chili recipes accordingly.  

    What can I substitute for beans in chili?

    Instead of beans you can add more meat to chili such as ground beef, ground turkey or ground pork. You could also add blueberries which will give a similar appearance to what beans look like in chili. 

    Is this chili keto?

    No, this no bean chili is not keto or low carb.

    Does this chili taste like blueberries?

    No it doesn't. You can barely even tell the blueberries are there so you can easily omit them if you prefer.

    Do I have to add the blueberries?

    Nope! If you prefer to omit the blueberries from this recipe you totally can. It won't change the flavour of the recipe.

    Other recipes you will love: 

    • Easy Stuffed Peppers
    • Orange Ginger Chicken Stir Fry
    • Three Meat Raspberry Chili
    • Texas Slow Cooker Beef Chili
    • Burrito Bowls 

    Since you made it this far we are basically best friends so be sure to follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok and Facebook where I share even more recipes and healthy living tips! And don’t forget to leave this recipe a star review before you go!

    A bowl of no bean chili topped with fresh blueberries and chopped cilantro.

    No Bean Chili with Blueberries

    You are going to love this no bean chili with blueberries! It has such an incredible flavour and is healthy, complete meal.
    4.78 from 9 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Diabetic, Gluten Free, Low Lactose
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 35 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 45 minutes minutes
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 544kcal
    Author: Dr. Erin Carter

    Ingredients

    • 2 tablespoon cooking fat of choice (coconut oil, ghee, bacon fat are all great options)
    • 2 lbs ground beef
    • 4 cans chopped or diced tomatoes (approximately 1592 mL)
    • 2 cups broth (you can use vegetable broth, chicken broth or beef broth)
    • 2 cups fresh blueberries
    • 5 celery stalks, chopped
    • 5 carrots, peeled and chopped
    • 3 sweet bell peppers, chopped
    • 1 white onion, chopped
    • 2 tablespoon dried oregano
    • 1 tablespoon organic cacao powder (omit for SCD)
    • 1 tablespoon dried parsley
    • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
    • 1-2 teaspoon sea salt (to taste)
    • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder (use pure chili powder, not a mixed spice chili powder)
    • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
    • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
    • 2 cloves garlic, minced

    Instructions

    • Cook the ground beef by placing a large pot on the stove on medium heat and adding 2 tablespoon of cooking fat. Allow the fat to melt and then add the beef to the pot. Cook the beef until it is browned and no longer pink, stirring frequently to break the meat apart. 
    • Add the remaining ingredients to the pot and stir everything well to combine.
    • Place the lid on the pot and turn down the heat. Allow the chili to simmer for about 30 minutes, until the vegetables have the consistency you desire.
    • Serve and enjoy!

    Notes

    1. If you find this a little spicy simply add 1/4 - 1/2 cup of full fat coconut milk (as needed based on your tolerance).
    2. Optional topping ideas: Chopped avocado and cilantro.
    3. Store this chili in the fridge in an air tight container for up to 5 days.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 544kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 86mg | Sodium: 16092mg | Potassium: 1331mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 8267IU | Vitamin C: 84mg | Calcium: 179mg | Iron: 6mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @pureandsimpleno or tag #pureandsimpleno!

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    DISCLAIMERS: The statements made on this website have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration or Health Canada. The information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease. You assume full responsibility for how you use this information. Always consult with your physician or other health professionals before making any diet or lifestyle changes. This post may contain affiliate links whereby if you purchase these products I receive a small percentage of the sale price. This allows me to keep the blog running and I thank you for allowing me to do that!

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    Hi everyone! My name is Dr. Erin Carter and I am so thrilled you are here. I am a physician with specialities in both internal medicine and rheumatology, and I believe that food and healthy living are forms of medicine. In my spare time I share health information and delicious, healthy recipes here on Pure and Simple Nourishment.

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