Pull out the slow cooker to make Sausage and Chickpea Stew, and this tasty stew is flavored with tomatoes and pesto! See tips for making this recipe lower in carbs.

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I realize some of you aren’t all that enthused about ultra-nutritious garbanzo beans, also called chickpeas. But if you’re one of those people who’s not especially a chickpea fan, I hope you’ll trust me when I promise that this Sausage and Chickpea Stew is truly delicious. Hanging out in the slow cooker with the spicy turkey Italian sausage and tomatoes makes the chickpeas creamy and full of flavor. And the seasonings in this recipe are perfect, with the addition of a small amount of the pesto at the end as a flavor-boosting way to finish the dish.

You can also use Cannellini beans or another type of white bean in this tasty slow cooker stew, or see tips below for making a version with fewer carbs. Once you take a bite you’ll be glad you tried it, I promise!

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What ingredients do you need for this recipe?

• Olive Oil (affiliate link)
• turkey or pork Italian Sausage (hot or mild, but I used hot)
• onion
• Minced Garlic (affiliate link)
• ground fennel (affiliate link) (probably optional, but this adds amazing flavor)
• Italian Herb Seasoning (affiliate link)
• canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
• can of diced tomatoes
• can of crushed tomatoes
• water
• basil pesto (homemade or purchased)
• salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

What if you’re not a fan of Chickpeas?

If you’re not a Chickpea fan, just use Cannellini Beans or another type of white beans in this tasty sausage stew.

How can you make this Sausage and Chickpea Stew lower in carbs?

If you want a version of this recipe that will be a lot lower in carb, double the amount of sausage and only use one can of chickpeas.

How to make Sausage and Chickpea Stew:

(Scroll down for complete recipe with nutritional information.)

1. For this recipe I’d use my favorite turkey Italian sausage that comes raw in a casing. Squeeze the sausage out of the casing and brown it well in a small amount of olive oil. (Yes, it is important to brown the sausage before you put it in the slow cooker. Don’t rush this step.) Be sure to choose a gluten-free sausage if needed.
2. Then push the sausage over and saute the onions a few minutes, adding the garlic and herbs for the last minute before you throw it all in the slow cooker.
3. Drain the chickpeas in a colander placed in the sink, and rinse with cold water until no more foam appears.
4. Put beans in the slow cooker with the browned sausage, onions, and spices.
5. I added one can of diced tomatoes and one can of crushed tomatoes for this, but 2 cans of either one will work too.
6. I cooked this in my Ninja Cooker (affiliate link) which is six quarts, but as you can see a smaller slow cooker will also work.
7. I cooked this for about 3 1/2 on high in the Ninja, but it might take a little longer in a regular slow cooker. (You could also cook it about 8-9 hours on low.)
8. I used some of my frozen pesto, which I thawed just enough to chop it up.
9. Stir in the pesto and cook about 20 minutes longer.
10. And I was surprised that the green pesto didn’t show up at all in the finished dish, but it added amazing flavor
11. Serve this hot, with freshly-grated Parmesan cheese to add at the table if desired.

More Tasty Ideas with Sausage:

Sausage and Meatballs Index ~ Slow Cooker or Pressure Cooker
Beef Chili with Sausage, Mushrooms, and Olives
Instant Pot Sausage and Kale Soup

Weekend Food Prep:

This recipe has been added to a category called Weekend Food Prep to help you find recipes you can prep or cook on the weekend and eat during the week!

Ingredients

• 1 T olive oil
• 19.5 oz. package  turkey Italian Sausage links (hot or mild, but I used hot)
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 T minced garlic
• 1 tsp. ground fennel (probably optional, but this adds amazing flavor)
• 2 tsp. Italian Herb Blend
• 2 15 oz. cans chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed well and drained
• one 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
• one 14.5 oz. can crushed tomatoes (see notes)
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup basil pesto (homemade or purchased)
• salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan, squeeze the sausage out of the casings (discard casings), and cook the sausage over medium-high heat until it’s nicely browned, breaking it apart with a turner as it cooks.  Don’t rush this step; it will take about 10 minutes to get the sausage browned.
2. When the sausage is nicely browned, push it to one side of the pan, add onions, and cook until they’re starting to soften, about 3-4 minutes.
3. Add the minced garlic, ground fennel, and Italian Herb Blend and cook 1 minute more. Transfer sausage/onion mixture to the slow cooker.
4. Drain garbanzo beans into a colander placed in the sink and rinse well with cold water until no more foam appears.  Let beans drain and then add to slow cooker with the diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, and water.
5. Cook for about 4 hours on high, checking after 3 hours. (You can also cook for 8-9 hours on low.)
6. When the beans are quite soft and the flavors are well-combined, add the pesto and cook about 20 minutes more.
7. Season to taste with salt and fresh-ground black pepper and serve hot, with Parmesan cheese to add at the table if desired.

Notes

Use all diced or all crushed tomatoes if that’s what you have on hand.

Try This Next Keto Short Rib Chili

I used my six-quart Ninja Slow Cooker (affiliate link) for this recipe, but any 4-5 quart slow cooker will also work.

Recipe created by Kalyn.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 447Total Fat: 20gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 67mgSodium: 786mgCarbohydrates: 40gFiber: 11gSugar: 10gProtein: 30g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.

Did you make this recipe?

Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating (under the PRINT button in the recipe) or share a photo of your results on Instagram! THANKS!

Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
Chickpeas, turkey Italian Sausage, and tomatoes are all great low-glycemicfoods for the original South Beach Diet, but dried beans are a limited food for phase one. For Phase One I’d have a small serving of this with a big green salad on the side. This is too high in carbs for a low-carb diet plan, but you can make a lower-carb version by doubling the sausage and only using one can of chickpeas.

Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Slow Cooker Recipes to find more recipes like this one. Use the Diet Type Index to find recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to Follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there. You can find more Slow Cooker / Instant Pot Recipes on my other site!

Historical Notes for this Recipe:
This recipe was posted in 2013. It was last updated with more information in 2021.

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Keto Short Rib Chili

Bean-free keto chili made with braised beef short ribs. So easy to make and the perfect low carb comfort food. This keto chili recipe is paleo, dairy-free, and Whole 30 approved! And it can be made ahead and frozen so it’s ideal for keto meal planning.

There’s a definite chill in the air. Can you feel it? Well, maybe not in some parts of the country, but here in the Pacific Northwest, autumn is on its way, if not already here.

The best part of fall is the comfort food and there is no food more comforting than this short rib chili. Well, maybe my Shrimp and Bacon Chowder. Or perhaps my keto Cream of Mushroom Soup. And my Buffalo Chicken Soup is also pretty darn spectacular.

But this keto chili recipe definitely makes the short list.

Chili is and always has been one of my favorite foods, because even not very good chili is pretty darn comforting when you’re cold and hungry. How can you go wrong with meat cooked slowly in rich spices and a thick tomato broth? You can’t, that’s all. You can’t go wrong.

And the crazy part is that while I make chili all. the. time, I don’t actually have a good keto chili recipe here on All Day I Dream About Food. Until now, that is.

What makes the best keto chili?

Well, what really makes good chili is a matter of opinion and taste. And probably a few feuds as well. Everyone has their own take on the best way to make chili.

In my experience, a slow simmered chili recipe is best, as it allows the flavors to develop and intensify over time. So don’t be fooled by promises of “fast and easy”. Good chili is usually easy to make but it takes time to cook.

Keto chili should be devoid of any higher carb items like beans, though. That goes almost without saying, because beans are high in carbs and many consider them inflammatory. Onion needs to be kept to a minimum as well, since it’s surprisingly high carb.

Tomato sauce, paste, and puree can also send the carb count up if used too liberally. I like to keep my chili to less than 5g total carbs per serving, so I use a single can of diced tomatoes. Fire roasted tomatoes help bring out the best flavor.

But the focus of a good keto chili recipe should always be the meat and the spices. Use beef with a high percentage of fat for a satisfying meal, and be generous with the chili, cumin, and garlic.

Can you make keto chili ahead of time?

I find myself wanting to answer this question with a smart ass comment like “Is the pope Catholic?”. Because chili is perhaps the best make ahead meal on the planet.

It’s one of those dishes that seems to actually get better when it’s eaten the next day or even a few days later. And one of the benefits of keto chili is that there are no beans to get mushy as they sit and soften. So it’s just as good or better than the day you made it.

So go ahead and make a huge pot of this short rib chili. This particular recipe serves 10 people. Let it cool to room temperature and then split it up however you see fit. You can do individual servings, or portion it out for your family size.

The chili can be refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months. We froze our leftovers back in May and I just fed my family the second portion about a month ago!

Because it contains acidic ingredients like tomatoes, I recommend storing in glass containers if you have them. If not, good BPA-Free tupperware works too.

Tips for making Short Rib Chili

Short ribs are ideal for comfort food dishes like this, because they are fatty and rich, and become incredibly tender with slow braising.

Always brown the ribs first: This step adds 10 minutes or so, but it’s worth it. Browning the meat in lard or oil helps bring out the best flavor, before the liquids are added. Otherwise, you are essentially just eating stewed meat. Transfer the ribs to a plate while making the rest of the chili.

Sweat the onions and other veggies: While I do keep the onion to a minimum, it definitely helps add flavor. So add the onion and green pepper to the pot and sauté in the oils and fats with a little bit of salt. This will help them release their juices and flavor.

Add the spices into the hot oil: Before adding any liquids into the pot, you want to briefly sauté the garlic, jalapeño, and spices in the hot oil. This enhances and intensifies the flavor.

Adjust the heat to your liking: My husband and I like our chili pretty spicy but our kids have more tender palates. So we keep the heat at a medium level. I always add the seeds from the jalapeño but you can leave them out if you want less spice. You can also leave out the cayenne. Or you can add more jalapeño and cayenne too.

Now add the liquids and the meat: Once the spices and garlic are fragrant, stir in the diced tomatoes and broth and bring to a simmer before adding the meat.

Slow braise in the oven: You’re looking at a good two to three hours of cooking, but this time is completely inactive. You can be doing lots of other things during this time. Slow braising makes the meat from the short ribs fall off the bone and shred more easily.

Doesn’t this keto short rib chili sound like the perfect comfort food? 

Check out my Keto Soups & Stews cookbook for more delicious comfort food recipes.

Keto Short Rib Chili

Bean-free keto chili made with braised beef short ribs. So easy to make and the perfect low carb comfort food. This keto chili recipe is paleo, dairy-free, and Whole 30 approved! And it can be made ahead and frozen so it’s ideal for keto meal planning.

Popular Recipe Cream of Asparagus Soup – Dairy Free Keto Recipe

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: keto chili, keto chili recipe, short rib chili

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 3 hours 25 minutes

Total Time: 3 hours 40 minutes

Servings: 10 servings

Calories: 428kcal

Ingredients

• 3 lb bone in short ribs
• Salt and pepper
• ¼ cup bacon fat, lard, or other high-heat oil
• ½ cup chopped onion
• 1 large green pepper chopped
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 medium jalapeno pepper minced (leave the seeds in for more heat)
• 2 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon cayenne
• 15 ounce can fire roasted tomatoes
• ⅓ cup beef bone broth

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 300F and season the short ribs all over with salt and pepper.

• In a large dutch oven over medium heat, melt the bacon fat or lard. Once hot, add half the short ribs and brown on all sides. Remove to a plate and brown the remaining short ribs. Transfer to the plate.

• Add the onion and pepper to the pot, sprinkle with salt, and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, jalapeno, chili powder, cumin, and cayenne, and cook another minute, until fragrant.

• Stir in the roasted tomatoes and bone broth and bring to a simmer. Add the short ribs back into the pot, cover and transfer to the oven.

• Cook 2 to 3 hours, until the meat is very tender. Remove the ribs, shred the meat and return the meat to the pot. Adjust salt and pepper to taste and serve with your favorite chili toppings.

Nutrition Facts

Keto Short Rib Chili

Amount Per Serving (1 serving = about 1 cup)

Calories 428
Calories from Fat 319

% Daily Value*

Fat 35.4g54%

Carbohydrates 4g1%

Fiber 1.2g5%

Protein 22.6g45%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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