Kelly, LowSoRecipes.comThis low sodium chili recipe is a delicious salt-free dinner, a healthier take on this classic dish with meat, veggies, and spices. This chili is loaded with flavor, and slow simmered for a delicious bowl of comfort food.
Making your own low sodium chili is simple to do with a few ingredient swaps! Use salt free bean, good quality ground beef, and bold spices for a bright and flavorful dish. Serve with a slice of low sodium cornbread for a tasty meal!
This low sodium chili recipe is one of our go-to comfort food dinners for fall and winter nights. Its absolutely delicious and has an incredible flavor. I like loading my chili with vegetables and beans for extra fiber to keep you full.
Once fall rolls around, I am all for chili nights. I love to make a big batch of chili so we can enjoy it for a few dinners during the week. I love using ground sirloin which has an incredible flavor from using really good quality meat. No salt needed for this delicious dinner!
This Low Sodium Chili Recipe is
- Hearty
- Spicy
- Smokey
- Packed with Vegetables
- Easy to batch cook, meal prep, or make ahead
- Gluten Free
Low Sodium Dinner Recipes The Family Will Love
This easy chili recipe is low in sodium and couldn’t be easier to make! Low Sodium cooking does NOT have to be bland, boring, or flavorless… It’s quite the opposite when done right. By building meals around salt free pantry staples and swapping a few ingredients you can make healthier meals for you and your family.
These salt-free dinners are healthier versions of classics that everyone will love. You can browse all our low sodium dinner recipes. Find your next family favorite!
What’s In This Salt Free Chili Recipe?
I stock up on produce with Misfits Market – they have a fantastic selection of in-season fruits & veggies, low so pantry items, and great food finds for a fraction of grocery store prices! You can get $10 off your first $30 box by clicking here!
- Ground Sirloin – I like to use good quality ground sirloin in my chili recipes, which make the dish leaner and more flavorful. You can use any type of ground beef you like, just ensure it’s not a pre-packaged blend with added salt/flavorings.
- Carrots, Celery, Onions, Bell Pepper
- Black Beans: Use no salt added or low sodium beans for better flavor and control of the salt in your chili.
- No Salt Added Kidney Beans: These boxed kidney beans are a really fantastic alternative to canned beans. I only use no salt or low sodium beans which gives this dish a really great flavor without the salt.
- Diced Tomatoes: I only use no salt added diced tomatoes, these boxed tomatoes are really great to stock up on! I like boxed tomatoes better because they are BPA free and more eco-friendly than aluminum cans. If you haven’t read about the dangers of consuming foods stored in BPA cans, head over to Nutrition Facts to read more.
- Chili Powder: for a really nice flavor in this dip – the chili powder isn’t spicy but will give you a rich and bright flavor.
- Oregano: a spice I always put in my chili, tacos, or fajitas! This dried oregano has a bright and earthy flavor, and goes so well with the roasted vegetables.
- Red Chili Pepper Flakes: for a little heat! I like to add a few shakes to this recipe to give this dish a nice complex depth of flavor.
- Lime – the secret to making the flavors pop!
No Salt Canned Beans Versus Homemade
While I love the convenience of no-salt-added canned beans, I also love cooking dry beans from scratch in my Pressure Cooker – the texture is better and it’s more economical. I use the 8-Quart Instant Pot Ultra, which is larger than standard models3 to 4 times a week. The Instant Pot works wonders for cooking dried beans fast, no soaking required!
While canned beans are super convenient, normal varieties are often loaded with sodium. If you buy canned beans, I always recommend using a no salt added variety so you can control the amount of sodium in your recipes.
Next time you reach for the canned beans, think about investing in a pressure cooker instead! Homemade beans are incredibly cost efficient, and you can add seasonings and spices to the beans while they cook for extra flavor.
How Do I Make Chili without Salt?
- In a Dutch oven or large pot, add the ground sirloin. Break it into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon and brown the sirloin over medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes until all the pink is gone. With a slotted spoon, remove the meat, and drain most of the grease from the bottom of the pot. Leave about 1 tablespoon to sauté the vegetables.
- To the pot, add the onion and garlic and sauté for 7 or 8 minutes until soft. Add the celery and bell peppers, and sauté for 3 more minutes.
- Add the black beans and kidney beans to the pot. Then add diced tomatoes with juice, and add the cooked meat back into the pot.
- Add spices to the pot: Chili powder, oregano, parsley, cumin, and chili flakes. Simmer all on low for 1 hour until veggies are tender.
- Before serving squeeze fresh lime juice in the chili. Serve with your favorite chili toppings (I like red or green onions, and sour cream1) and fresh chopped cilantro. Store leftovers for up to 4 days in the fridge.
A Great Make-Ahead Salt Free Dish for Entertaining
This low sodium chilli recipe is fantastic to make ahead of time for a party, potluck, or gathering. Making this recipe in advance allows you to skip any cooking or prep on the day-of. This is a great recipe to entertain with, or bring to an event (hello Superbowl parties) . A crowd-pleaser that everyone is sure to love! Check out my other low sodium make ahead meals too.
More Low Sodium Dinners You’ll Love
Low Sodium Meat Sauce for Pasta Recipe (No Salt Added)
No Salt Added Shepherd’s Pie Recipe
Low Sodium Steak Recipe (No Salt Added)
Get the Same Ingredients I Use For My Low Sodium Chili Dinner
As always, if you make this low sodium chili recipe be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe, and tag us @lowsorecipes on Instagram so we can feature you. We love seeing all your photos of our recipes!
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Low Sodium Chili
Equipment
- Dutch Oven or large pot
- Slotted Spoon
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground sirloin
- 1 sweet onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 3 stalks celery diced
- 2 bell pepper I use green and yellow
- 1 13- ounce can black beans
- 1 13- ounce can kidney beans
- 28 oz No-Salt-Added Diced Tomatoes
- 2 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp oregano
- 1 tbsp cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes
- 2 limes juiced
Instructions
- In a Dutch oven or large pot, add the ground sirloin. Break it into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon and brown the sirloin over medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes until all the pink is gone. With a slotted spoon, remove the meat, and drain most of the grease from the bottom of the pot. Leave about 1 tablespoon to sauté the vegetables.
- To the pot, add the onion and garlic and sauté for 7 or 8 minutes until soft. Add the celery and bell peppers, and sauté for 3 more minutes.
- Add the black beans and kidney beans to the pot. Then add diced tomatoes with juice, and add the cooked meat back into the pot.
- Add spices to the pot: Chili powder, oregano, cumin, and chili flakes. Simmer all on low for 1 hour until veggies are tender.
- Before serving squeeze fresh lime juice in the chili. Serve with your favorite chili toppings (I like tomatoes and sour cream) and fresh chopped cilantro. Store leftovers for up to 4 days in the fridge.
Notes
Save Money on Fresh Groceries & Pantry Staples!
I get all the fresh produce for my recipes from my garden and from Misfits Market – they sell organic produce at a discounted price, and it’s purchased direct from farmers to reduce food waste. We get Misfit boxes every other week and love picking out our favorite seasonal produce for delivery. You can save up to 40% off grocery store prices. If you think produce delivery is too expensive… think again, and give Misfits Market a try!Nutrition
*Please note, all nutrition content is estimated based on the ingredients we used, it may vary based on your ingredients. Always check your nutrition labels to confirm amounts.
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A great addition and so tasty
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I’m cooking for my elderly parents and as my dad is in heart failure sodium is on a budget. He is limited to 2000mg per day and 1 can of chili from the store is 990mg. It is CRAZY how much salt is in everything. I don’t use much salt in from scratch cooking anyway so it isn’t a big deal bit chili is challenging because of the salt in canned beans. I didn’t realize how many people interpret the “reduced sodium” on some products as low sodium they are mutually exclusive. Reduced means the company dropped some of the sodium content from the original. There is no regulation on reduced sodium labels; for a product to qualify as “LOW SODIUM” it must have no more than 360mg. I avoid the center isles at the store in most instances with very few exceptions. This recipe is great and as I’m not buying pre-ground beef anymore (too many upset tummies with store ground beef) I get to grind steaks in my Ninja blender. I swear to the stars it is Russian Roulette to serve my parents ground beef from the store. I will check out more of these low sodium recipes. I love cooking and have a long list of dishes I am more than proficient at but it is always handy to add to my repertoire.
Thank you so much for your review – and I completely agree, navigating nutrition labels can be so frustrating! I always make my recipes from scratch when I can too, and I adapted this chili recipe from one that my family uses to make it more “low so” friendly. You’re doing an amazing job cooking for your parents, it’s no small feat and I’m glad this recipe was a winner 🙂