The Best Healthy Chili Recipe (Cozy, High-Protein, No Seed Oils)
When it’s cold, rainy, and dark by 5pm (hello, winter), all I want is something warm, comforting, and actually nourishing. This healthy chili recipe is one of those meals I make on repeat because it checks every box: cozy, flavorful, high-protein, and made with real, simple ingredients.
It’s also a great “reset” meal, filling, blood sugar friendly, and perfect for meal prep. No weird additives, no seed oils, and no sugar… just a really good bowl of chili that the whole family will eat.
Why You’ll Love This Healthy Chili
Healthy Chili Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb grass-fed ground beef or ground turkey
- 1 tbsp olive oil or avocado oil
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1 zucchini diced (it blends right in, promise)
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes (fire-roasted if you can find them, but regular works great)
- 1 cup beef bone broth or chicken bone broth if using turkey
- 1 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 15 oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon don’t skip – it adds the best warmth
- 1/2 tsp sea salt more to taste
- 1/4 tsp cayenne optional
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar or fresh lime juice
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.
- Add garlic, bell pepper, and zucchini. Sauté 2–3 minutes.
- Add ground meat and cook until browned.
- Stir in tomato paste and spices. Let them bloom for about 1 minute.
- Add crushed tomatoes, bone broth, and beans.
- Simmer uncovered for 25–40 minutes (the longer it simmers, the better it gets).
- Finish with apple cider vinegar or lime juice and adjust salt to taste.
Healthy Topping Ideas
packaging to share
This recipe made enough to share with my neighbors, so I packed it up and hand delivered it in the cutest little boxes.
Everything i used:
If you can’t find fire-roasted crushed tomatoes, regular crushed tomatoes are totally fine. Fire-roasted just add a little smoky depth. You can always boost that flavor with a touch of smoked paprika or chipotle powder.
This chili freezes beautifully and is one of those meals that tastes even better the next day. I love making a big batch on Sunday and having it ready for easy lunches or cozy weeknight dinners.
It’s simple, comforting, and the kind of real-life healthy food I actually want to eat, especially during a reset season when I still want everything to feel warm and satisfying.
Want to pair it with classic cornbread? Here’s my recipe!
Cornbread Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 ½ tablespoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (8 tablespoons) melted butter
- ½ cup oil
- 1 ¼ cups milk
- 3 large eggs
- Honey and extra butter for serving optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9×13 inch pan.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- In a medium bowl, mix together butter, oil, milk, and eggs.
- Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
- Transfer batter to prepared pan and bake 35–45 minutes, until golden and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool for 15–20 minutes before cutting into squares. Serve warm with butter and honey.
pin it for later!
How do you serve your chili? Let me know!
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