This keto vegan chili is packed with nourishing, plant-based ingredients! Pecans help to add healthy fats and texture to this chili recipe, making it filling as well as flavorful. It’s a perfect cozy dinner for a cold winter night.
WHY IS IT HARD TO COMBINE KETO AND VEGAN DIETS?
It can be quite challenging to combine a keto diet and a vegan diet. Since keto diets focus on high-fat foods, they are often high in dairy products and animal proteins (which naturally contain fat). Vegan diets, on the other hand, eliminate these products.
It is possible to combine both but requires a lot more planning. Most people on a vegan keto diet stay under 50 grams of total carbohydrates per day, or less than 20 grams net carbs. (However, it’s worth tracking your individual response to meals to see what works best for your body.)
This can be tough when plant foods are your source of sustenance. But luckily, it’s not impossible.
This vegan keto chili is a perfect option to try on this diet! It’s delicious, and clocks in at 10 grams of net carbs – making it possible to include in this type of diet for lunch or dinner.
(PS – If you’re new to a vegan keto diet, it’s probably beneficial to consult with a nutritionist or dietitian that can help with meal planning to ensure you’re getting enough nutrients. My family does not follow a vegan diet but we can empathize with how tough it can be to plan!)
INGREDIENTS AND INSTRUCTIONS
Find the full amounts and instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
This recipe looks like it uses a lot of ingredients, but about a third of the list is spices. Here’s what you’ll need for the spice blend:
- Chili powder
- Cumin
- Paprika
- Cocoa powder (No, this won’t make it taste chocolatey! It just enhances other flavors)
- Salt
- Pepper
I recommend measuring these all out and mixing them in a prep bowl prior to starting the rest of the recipe. That makes everything move along quickly once you start cooking.
Next, gather up the rest of the ingredients you need – here’s a list of them with some helpful notes:
- Olive oil – This contains heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, but you can feel free to use any oil you prefer (like avocado oil or coconut oil).
- Onion – Onions are high in carbohydrates, so we’ll limit this to half an onion.
- Bell pepper – This adds flavor and texture to the chili.
- Jalapenos – These add some subtle heat. If you prefer spicy chili, leave the seeds in – but we tend to deseed them for a more subtle heat.
- Garlic – Adds flavor.
- Mushrooms – These help to bulk up the chili, and take on a bit of savory umami flavor in the recipe.
- Pecans – Pecans are relatively low in carbs, rich in fiber, and high in healthy fats – making them a perfect choice for a vegan keto diet. While nuts may sound odd in chili, they offer that heartiness that is typically found in meat.
- Soy sauce – You can skip this if you prefer (depending on how you structure your keto diet), but using a smidge of soy sauce makes the chili more savory.
- Tomato paste – Chili wouldn’t be complete without some tomato flavor!
- Vegetable broth – Combined with the tomato paste, adds that classic base for chili.
- Canned diced tomatoes – These are fairly high in carbohydrates, so we limit them to 1 cup in the recipe. However, they add a lot of traditional flavor to this chili.
Ready to make it? Once you’ve got all your ingredients prepped, you’re ready to roll – the rest of this goes quickly.
You’re going to start by sautéing your onion in olive oil for a few minutes, then adding in your pepper, jalapenos, garlic, and mushrooms. Let those cook for about 5 minutes, then add in your pecans, soy sauce, and spice mixture.
Once that gets all nice and fragrant, you’ll add in the last of the ingredients – the tomato paste, broth, and tomatoes.
Now all that’s left to do is let that simmer for 15-20 minutes, and you’re ready to eat!
As a heads up, I will warn you that this dish looks ugly, haha – as evidenced by the photo below. 😉 I promise, it tastes delicious.
MACRONUTRIENT BREAKDOWN
This chili contains 300 calories per bowl, with 10 grams of net carbs. The macronutrient breakdown is as follows:
- 77% fat
- 9% protein
- 14% net carbs
This may be a little higher in net carbs than other chili recipes (for example, our regular meat-based keto chili clocks in at 7 grams of net carbs) – but the fact that this is vegan and includes such a high percentage of fat is a major win!
Plus, these nutrients are for a full bowl of chili. Some recipes will break a small pot of chili down into 8 servings, and that is often completely unrealistic (who eats 3 spoonfuls?!). With this recipe, you’re getting an actual bowl of delicious chili.
(If 10 grams of net carbs at a meal knocks you out of ketosis though, feel free to enjoy a smaller portion of this meal alongside a high-fat low-carb side dish.)
RECIPE FAQ
Here are some common questions that may come up as you prepare this recipe:
Yes. Portion it out into single servings in freezer-safe food storage containers, then freeze. You can keep it in the freezer for 3 to 4 months. Make sure to wait until is has fully cooled down before freezing. Another important tip, you need to leave a bit of headspace in your container as your chili will expand as it freezes. When you’re ready to enjoy it, let it thaw in your fridge and just reheat in the microwave for a few minutes.
Yes, if you’d prefer using something like Beyond Beef, try using 8 ounces of that along with ½ cup of pecans (instead of the 1 cup of pecans called for in the original recipe). However, note that this will increase the net carbs to 11 grams per serving.
Unfortunately, beans are a no-go on a keto diet. While they are a great source of protein and fiber, they’re also high in carbohydrates and difficult to include without breaking you out of ketosis. For example, one cup of cooked kidney beans contains approximately 45 grams of carbohydrates.
Pecans can be included in a ketogenic diet, as they are relatively high in fat and low in carbohydrates. One ounce (28 grams) of pecans contains approximately 4 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, and 20 grams of fat. My other go to nuts on keto are Brazil nuts and Macadamia nuts with respectively 4 and 5 grams of carbs..
I hope you enjoy this recipe! We really loved this new take on chili. If you get a chance to try it, please leave a recipe rating or comment below
Keto Vegan Chili
Ingredients
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp cocoa powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 medium onion diced
- 1 large bell pepper diced
- 2 jalapeños minced ((deseeded for subtle heat, seeds left in for more heat))
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 8 oz mushrooms chopped
- 1 cup raw pecans chopped
- 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup canned diced tomatoes (not drained)
- Cilantro to garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the spice mixture first. In a small prep bowl, combine all the spices – the chili powder, cumin, paprika, cocoa powder, salt, and pepper. Stir to mix. Set aside for now.
- In a large pot over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and sauté for 3 minutes.
- Add the bell pepper, jalapenos, garlic, and mushrooms to the pot. Sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in the pecans, soy sauce, and the spice mixture. Let cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add the tomato paste, broth, and diced tomatoes. Let simmer over low heat for 15-20 minutes.
- Garnish with cilantro and enjoy!