Keto chili mac and cheese is a delicious comfort food dish made healthy. Swap chopped cauliflower for the pasta for a hearty low carb meal.
Oh the weather outside is frightful, but this keto chili mac is so delightful.
Seriously, it’s absolutely ghastly here in Portland, with driving rain and gusty winds, and it’s been like that for weeks. We see peeks of sun here and there for maybe 20 minutes at a time, and then the rain takes over again.
And they are predicting snow next week, which if you know anything about Portland, you know that even an inch will bring the whole city to a grinding halt. Because we simply don’t have the snow removal equipment and it often turns icy and treacherous quickly.
So if there are multiple snow days next week, I am going to armed with ridiculous amounts of keto comfort food, like this Cauliflower Chili Mac and Cheese.
Behold the versatile cauliflower
Let me first be clear that I labor under no illusions that cauliflower is really macaroni. I am not that crazy – not yet, anyway.
And some reader or other is surely going to take me to task for suggesting that cauliflower can replace macaroni in any way, shape, or form. But I thumb my nose at those naysayers because I am enjoying a big bowl of keto chili mac with non-macaroni and my mouth is too full to say anything.
The reality is that when you start on a keto diet, you have to make some compromises and accommodations. If you are constantly searching for replacements for old favourites that taste, feel, and behave exactly the same, you will surely be disappointed. And you will likely jump ship from your healthy new lifestyle early on.
It’s time to change your expectations, and embrace cauliflower for what it is. It’s delicious in its own right and exceptionally versatile at playing the role of some of your old standbys. Such as cauliflower “potato” salad, cauliflower risotto, and cauliflower shepherd’s pie.
Cauliflower can play the role of rice and potatoes, so why not pasta too? I already have a lovely cauliflower mac and cheese recipe, but I was drawn to some delicious looking Chili Mac on Pinterest, and decided that cauliflower could be good in that too. And oh it really is delicious!
How to make keto chili mac
There’s nothing earth-shattering about this recipe or the method. Just like regular chili mac, you whip yourself up a nice pot of chili, first and foremost.
Of course, keto chili is bean-free so that helps cut down the carb count. I also always keep my onion to a bare minimum for flavour, since onions have surprising amount of carbs.
Once the chili is nicely cooked and simmered through, you add chopped raw cauliflower. I cut mine even smaller than the natural florets, into 1 inch pieces, so they resembled macaroni a little bit more.
Unlike macaroni, however, cauliflower doesn’t absorb any liquid. In fact, it tends to release liquid, so there’s no need to add broth or water to the chili. And cauliflower cooks quickly as well, so you will only need 10 to 15 minutes for it to be tender.
Finally, grab a brick of your favorite cheddar (I used Cabot Colby Jack), grate it, and stir it in.
What do you end up with? Rich, hearty keto comfort food that won’t spike your blood sugar or add inches to your hips. Who needs macaroni when keto food is this good?
Want more keto comfort food recipes?
Keto chili mac and cheese is a delicious comfort food dish made healthy. Swap chopped cauliflower for the pasta for a hearty low carb meal.
- 1 tbsp bacon grease Sub any oil or fat
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1/4 cup chopped onion
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp chili powder
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1/4 tsp cayenne
- 14 ounce can tomato puree
- 1 small head cauliflower cut into 1 inch pieces
- 8 ounces cheddar cheese grated
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Heat the bacon grease or other oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the beef and cook until mostly cooked through with a little pink remaining, breaking up any clumps with a wooden spoon.
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Add the onions, garlic, chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper, and cayenne, and cook until fragrant, one more minute. Stir in the tomatoes.
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Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the cauliflower and continue to cook until tender, another 15 minutes or so.
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Add the cheese and stir in until melted. Serve with your favorite chili toppings such as sour cream and avocado.
Mandy says
This looks great as always – going on the menu for next week! 🙂 I’ve traded MANY of yours – savory and sweet – and haven’t been disappointed with any of them. I would have made this one this weekend but I just made your Broccoli and Cheese soup from your cookbook which is awesome. Your sweet recipes are definitely attention-grabbing, but your savory ones are the ones I come back to time and again. Thank you for all of your help in making this lifestyle sustainable and delicious. You’re so right about managing your expectations. It’s funny to me that people call this WOE unhealthy – I’ve always been a veggie lover but I’ve eaten so many more on keto than before. Thank you so much again.
Carolyn says
Thanks, Mandy. Hope you love it! I love to bake the sweets and desserts but honestly, my savory recipes are super important to maintaining the diet.
Denise says
Hi Carolyn,
What would you think of adding black soy beans to the chili? According to the can, there are 8 grams of carb in a serving, but 7 grams of fibre, leaving 1 net gram in a half cup. At least that’s the way I read it.
Black soy beans appear to be the magic exception to the high carb bean rule…but maybe I’m missing something…
Thanks.
Carolyn says
You are free to, but I try not to eat soy and I truly think chili does not need beans.
Christine says
Made this tonight but I think recipe might be missing some liquid? Broth? I added two extra cans of tomatoes because there was no liquid at all when it was time to add cauliflower.
Carolyn says
Nope, chili is not usually made with any broth. And if it was dry, you may have had your heat too high when simmering.
Cecile says
I have yet to buy a Dutch oven but do have an InstaPot…..would that work?
Justine says
I don’t make chili regularly either (shocking, I know), but I do enjoy it and this sounds delish. I’ve never seen a 14oz can of tomato puree, and the instructions say to “add the tomatoes” (plural), so I’m wondering if it’s supposed to be a 14oz can of diced tomatoes? Or is it really a large can of puree with no actual tomatoes? Your pictures look really soupy/runny, which would surprise me a little bit if it’s only from puree (though you did say the cauliflower releases liquid). Not meaning to criticize or pester, but I know mistakes do happen so I just wanted to check before I try it out in the next week or two. Thanks for your site and all the great recipes – I’ve used several and enjoyed them!
Carolyn says
It’s not an error, it’s tomato puree (or pureed tomatoes). I happened to use my own homemade from a pint jar, which comes out to almost the exact same amount as a 14 ounce can. I can change the instructions to say 1 3/4 cups, if that makes more sense to you. But trust me, this recipe works as is.
Karen says
Can’t WAIT to make this. Any one of your cornbread/skillet breads and this Chili Mac and Cheese = Keto Comfort Food Heaven!