This gluten-free chili is a blend of beef, beans, tomatoes and spices, all simmered together until tender and flavorful. Naturally gluten-free and easy to make in the instant pot or on the stove top!

There’s nothing better than a big bowl of chili on a cold day. Serve this chili with gluten-free garlic bread, gluten-free corn muffins or gluten-free rolls for a cozy meal.

gluten-free chili in white bowl topped with sour cream and cheese

This is my family’s very favorite recipe for chili! With beef, sausage, spices and tomatoes, it’s full of bold flavors.

Lately I’ve been making this chili in the instant pot because it’s so quick and easy, but you can easily make this recipe on the stovetop too.

For more gluten-free comfort food try these recipes for gluten-free chicken noodle soup, gluten-free enchiladas or this gluten-free lasagna.

Is chili gluten-free?

Most chili is naturally gluten-free. The ingredients for the base of chili – beef, tomatoes, beans and spices are gluten-free. Sometimes you need to watch for ingredients like beer or Worcestershire sauce that can contain gluten.

This recipe is made with 100% gluten-free ingredients. As always check the labels on ingredients like the turkey sausage and chicken stock to be sure the brand you pick is gluten-free.

Try serving this with gluten-free cornbread!

Ingredients You’ll Need

ingredients for gluten-free chili set out on marble background

  • Ground Beef/Sausage: I like to use a combination of the two meats. The sausage adds a delicious flavor!
  • Onion/Green Pepper/Jalapeno/Garlic
  • Crushed Tomatoes: I prefer the texture of this chili when made with crushed tomatoes.
  • Tomato Paste: Adds a deep tomato flavor
  • Spices: A combination of chili powder, cumin, oregano and bay leaves
  • Brown Sugar: Off-sets some of the acidity of the tomatoes
  • Chicken Stock or Water: Especially important if using the instant pot so the pot can come up to pressure
  • Kidney Beans: Canned beans work great. Be sure to drain and rinse them.

How to Make Gluten-Free Chilistep by step photos of how to make gluten-free chili

This chili can be made in the instant pot or on the stovetop. I’ve included pictures for how to make it in the instant pot here. See the recipe card for notes on how to make it on the stovetop.

  1. Brown the meat. I like to use a meat chopper to break it up.
  2. Add the onion, green pepper and jalapeno. Cook until softened.
  3. Add the spices and tomato paste and cook for 1-2 minutes.
  4. Add the tomatoes, beans and stock and stir to combine.
  5. Cook on high pressure for 15 minutes. Natural release for 10 minutes.
  6. Serve and enjoy!

close up shot of gluten-free chili in white bowl topped with sour cream and cheese

Serving/Storing Gluten-Free Chili

How to Serve

This chili is delicious topped with any of your favorite chili toppings. Try cheese, jalapenos, sour cream, green onions, or chips.

Serve this chili with some freshly baked cornbread or dinner rolls for a cozy meal. Sometimes we also like to eat this chili over spaghetti or gluten-free pasta to make chili mac.

You might also like this gluten-free meatloaf.

How to Store

This chili can be made up to 5 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator. It just gets better with time and is great reheated!

To freeze this chili let it cool completely to room temperature before packaging into a resealable bag or tupperware to freeze. Let the chili defrost in the fridge overnight before reheating, or simply put the frozen chili in a glass bowl to defrost in the microwave.

More Gluten-Free Soups and Stews:

I hope you like this recipe as much as we do! If you try it be sure to leave me a comment/rating below. I’d love to hear from you!

gluten-free chili in white bowl topped with sour cream and cheese
5 from 29 votes

Gluten-Free Chili (Award Winning!)

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 8 servings
This gluten-free chili is a blend of beef, beans, tomatoes and spices, all simmered together until tender and flavorful. Naturally gluten-free and easy to make in the instant pot or on the stove top!

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 pound sausage I use pork breakfast sausage
  • 1 large onion chopped (about 2 cups)
  • 1 green pepper chopped (about 1 cup)
  • 1 jalapeno pepper seeded and minced
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 28 oz cans crushed tomatoes
  • 1/4-1/2 cup water or chicken stock
  • 2 15 oz cans red kidney beans drained and rinsed

Instructions 

For the Instant Pot:

  • Turn your Instant Pot to Saute. Add the olive oil. Add the meat and cook until browned, breaking up the beef and sausage with a spatula (or meat chopper) as you stir.
  • Add the onion, green pepper and jalapeno and cook for 3 more minutes or until softened.
  • Add the chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, pepper, brown sugar, bay leaves, garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
  • Pour in the crushed tomatoes, chicken stock and beans and stir to combine. Press MANUAL or High Pressure on the instant pot and cook for 15 minutes. Allow the chili to natural release for 10 minutes.
  • Serve with favorite toppings. Enjoy!

For Stovetop:

  • Heat a large dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil. Add the meat and cook until browned, breaking up the beef and sausage with a spatula (or meat chopper) as you stir.
  • Add the onion, green pepper and jalapeno and cook for 3 more minutes or until softened.
  • Add the chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, pepper, brown sugar, bay leaves, garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
  • Pour in the crushed tomatoes, chicken stock and beans and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer then reduce the heat and cook, stirring often for 40-50 minutes. Let sit with the lid on and the heat off for 10 minutes before serving.
  • Serve with favorite toppings. Enjoy!

Notes

To Store: This chili can be made up to 5 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator. It just gets better with time and is great reheated!
To Freeze: To freeze this chili let it cool completely to room temperature before packaging into a resealable bag or tupperware to freeze. Let the chili defrost in the fridge overnight before reheating, or simply put the frozen chili in a glass bowl to defrost in the microwave.

Nutrition

Calories: 199kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 40mg | Sodium: 268mg | Potassium: 326mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 768IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 2mg

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Hi, I’m Erin!

BS Food Science,

MS Nutrition

I believe you can make amazing, gluten-free food with everyday ingredients that everyone will enjoy. I’m here to share my tried-and-true recipes with you!

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This is the 2nd time I have made this. I use 1/2 turkey and 1/2 beef to lower the fat. I add Itallian seasoning to increase the flavors. I also add more peppers to increase the vegetable content. I love this recipe and so does my husband. I swear he goes into DTs if it’s not in the freezer.

    1. Yes that should work great! You can follow all the instructions through adding the stock/beans then cook it in the slow cooker for 6-8 hours on low or 3-4 hours on high. You might need to add a little more liquid towards the end of cooking.

  2. 5 stars
    This was a really great chili! The extra herbs made a big difference,and other add-ins created a really lovely chili.
    I made gluten free cornbread, and I also made brown rice. One of us ate the chili over cornbread, another over rice, another just chili, and then ate the cornbread with butter. I most certainly
    make this recipe again.

  3. 5 stars
    Great flavor!!!!I was really concerned about the flavor since this was my first time making chili without a seasoning packet. I added a little hot sauce for additional heat because my stomach cannot handle the jalapeño.

  4. 5 stars
    I don’t always love chili but my family requested it for dinner. I recently learned of my allergy to gluten, so I wanted to make sure the ingredients were clean for me as well. I dusted off the insta pot and cooked up the recipe as posted. Lovely result. Flavors were just spicy enough without overwhelming my sensitive taste buds. Felt great after too. Thumbs up!

    1. I’m so glad you and your family enjoyed it! Great the spice/flavor level was just right for you. Thanks for the comment!

  5. 5 stars
    This has become my family’s favorite and go to chili recipe. Last year I won my office’s chili cook off taking home the 1st annual golden ladle award. This year I’ve made two separate tweaks that gave two totally different flavor profiles. One recipe I substituted brisket for beef and poblano peppers for green pepper, and the other I replaced the beef for beef and pork chorizo and used a half great northern beans and dark kidney beans. My family loved them both. We’ll see if I can repeat and retain the coveted golden ladle award.

    1. This is such a great comment – ha! The golden ladle award! Hooray! Both those variations sound delicious. I want to try the brisket/poblano version! Thanks for the comment 🙂

  6. 5 stars
    My daughter and I made this today after she got home from school. The recipe was easy to follow and turned out amazing! Thank you so very much! We are looking forward to making this again, and even more to search your other recipes now that we found you:)

    1. 5 stars
      Thanks again, the brisket/pablano recipe was a hit, I repeated as our office’s chili cook off champion and retained the golden ladle. The chorizo version was well re3ceived. This weekend I hosted my two oldest sisters and they loved the brisket version, although I didn’t have the pablano peppers. Thanks again for the great recipe.

  7. 5 stars
    This is so good. It was our turn to cook for our daughters life group bible study and a couple of the girls are gluten free. It was a big hit with the kids and adults who run the class told my wife that she is married to a top notch chef. This will be our go to chili recipe from now on.

    1. I know this is an older comment but I love meal prep recipes. Makes life so much easier and in this year (November 2022) with such inflation, can also save dollars! Will be making this this week – our first cold snap of the year.

  8. 5 stars
    Perfect for the chilly Fall weather! Next time I will halve the meat and use more beans and peppers but this was so tasty and very satisfying. Thank you!

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