Nightshade-Free AIP Chili made with ground turkey, pumpkin puree, ginger, vegetables and more. This bean-less chili recipe is low-inflammatory, easy to prepare, and so comforting!
If you follow an Autoimmune Paleo diet (AIP), or are cognizant of the amount of inflammatory foods you eat, this chili recipe will please you silly!
It has that same comforting, filling essence as regular chili, but is made nightshade-free and bean-less.
This low-inflammatory rendition of chili hits your essential macronutrients and leaves you feeling so pleasantly full.
For anyone who enjoys a clean, home-cooked meal, this AIP chili recipe is fantastic! You don’t need to follow a strict diet like AIP, paleo, or Whole30 in order to enjoy this delicious chili recipe!
It is guaranteed to please all the palates.
Let’s cover some basics, as I know some of you may have questions.
What is the AIP Diet?
The Autoimmune Protocol Diet, also known as the AIP diet, is a clean eating protocol that eliminates all pro-inflammatory foods.
This includes all kinds of peppers and chilis, beans, grains, legumes, potatoes (not including sweet potatoes), black pepper, nuts, seeds, coffee, and chocolate.
The end goal is to lower systemic inflammation in those who have autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, Hashimoto’s, celiac disease, crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and more.
When the immune system begins to calm down due to lower inflammation, some real healing can occur.
For those suffering from inflammation and digestive ailment, an AIP diet can not only reduce symptoms, but in some cases, it can put autoimmune disease into remission.
But you don’t need to have a diagnosed autoimmune condition to find great relief in the AIP diet. In fact, those with food allergies and mystery ailments can find so much support in a soothing diet like the Autoimmune Protocol or a Paleo Diet.
So what do we need to do in order to make chili AIP-friendly? WELL…
How to Make Chili AIP-friendly:
Nightshades like chilies, tomatoes, and bell peppers provide a mild heat, tang, and acidity in chili.
In order to replace them and still make a chili that’s nice and thick and flavorful, with the sweet tang, I use pureed pumpkin, ginger, a lot of dried herbs, onion, garlic, lemon juice, and coconut aminos.
When all is cooked together, you still end up with a chili that has a natural sweetness, a tiny kick, big bold flavor, and that tang.
Other ingredients you can use to make an AIP chili are beet puree (for thickness, sweetness, and color), cider vinegar (to mimic the acidity of tomatoes), and nutritional yeast (for cheesy/creamy flavor).
Because beans can be pro-inflammatory and are usually avoided on AIP, Paleo, and Whole30, we replace them with chopped veggies.
I use carrots, zucchini and yellow squash, but you can choose any low-inflammatory (AIP-friendly) vegetable you would like.
Let’s discuss the specific ingredients in this paleo chili recipe, as each one plays an important role.
AIP Chili Ingredients:
Coconut Oil: Used to sauté the vegetables and brown the beef, we need an AIP-friendly cooking oil. Coconut oil is most popular because not only is it not pro-inflammatory, but it has anti-inflammatory properties.
Olive oil is not acceptable on the AIP diet, but feel free to use it if you know you don’t react to it.
I like using avocado oil too, as it is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids and is AIP-friendly.
Onion & Garlic: Fresh onion and garlic add a flavor backbone to this recipe that is imperative for our taste buds.
Ground Beef: Bringing a big boost of protein and flavor, we need ground beef to bring heartiness to this healthy meal. You can also use ground turkey, ground chicken, or a sugar-free, nitrate-free sausage if you have access to one.
Carrots, Yellow Squash, Zucchini Squash: My fresh veggies of choice here. Replacing beans and bringing texture to this AIP chili, I like adding zucchini and yellow squash as well as carrots for natural sweetness.
Canned Pumpkin: Believe it or not, canned pumpkin puree takes the place of diced tomatoes, fresh tomatoes, or tomato paste. While it doesn’t have the exact same flavor, its slight sweetness and acidity can swap the flavor of tomatoes.
If you are familiar with making your own nomato sauce, feel free to replace the pumpkin puree with it.
Chicken Broth, Beef Broth, or Bone Broth: Adding some liquid to the recipe, we need some form of broth or stock. I like using chicken bone broth or beef bone broth for added health benefits (hello, collagen!), but any kind of broth works.
For thicker chili, use less broth, or add tapioca flour or arrowroot starch.
Dried Herbs: Dried Oregano, Ground Turmeric, Dried Basil, Dried Parsley. This combination of herbs brings flavor to this easy pumpkin chili recipe, but it also adds some healing elements.
Ground turmeric is known to be a powerful anti-inflammatory food, and dried oregano is known to have natural antimicrobial benefits. All elements combined, we’re left with a healing chili recipe that is designed to boost the immune system.
This combination of spices replaces chili powder.
Coconut Aminos: In case you aren’t familiar, coconut aminos is a coconut nectar extracted from fresh coconuts. It adds natural sweetness and also some umami flavor.
Sea Salt: Season the soup with salt to your personal taste. Remember that black pepper is not allowed on the AIP diet, so skip it unless you are sure your immune system tolerates it.
It can take the place of soy sauce in many applications.
So let’s make this recipe!
How to Make Nightshade-Free AIP Chili:
Heat the avocado oil in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until it has softened, about 5 minutes.
Add the garlic and carrots and continue sautéing another 2 minutes.
Scoot the vegetables off to one side of the pot and add the ground turkey, ginger, oregano, basil, parsley, turmeric, and sea salt. Brown the turkey for 2 to 3 minutes, flip, then brown on the other side for an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Use a spatula or wooden spoon to break up the meat into smaller pieces and stir it into the vegetables.
Add the remaining ingredients, cover the pot and bring to a full boil.
Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook 20 minutes, until the vegetables have reached desired done-ness and the turkey is cooked through.
Serve chili with fresh chopped parsley, fresh cilantro, chives, and/or your choice of toppings such as avocado slices.
Storage Options:
- Store leftover chili in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- You can also freeze chili in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
Is This Recipe Low-FODMAP?:
As you know, I discuss gut health quite a bit on this site, and the majority of the recipes I make are Low-FODMAP. This recipe is not low-FODMAP due to the onion and garlic.
The onion and garlic are pretty pivotal when it comes to providing flavor to this recipe, since we are already omitting tomatoes, bell peppers, and chilies.
If you follow a Low-FODMAP diet, you may certainly omit the onion and garlic and add something else to replace the tang, such as 2 to 3 tablespoons of dijon mustard, more lemon juice, and/or cider vinegar.
If you don’t follow a strict AIP diet, as mustard is not allowed on AIP.
Looking for ways you can customize this recipe? Here are some great options.
Recipe Adaptations:
- Make recipe Low-FODMAP by omitting the onion and garlic.
- Replace the canned pumpkin with two cups mashed butternut squash and/or mashed/pureed beet.
- Add more onion, garlic, lemon juice, etc. to taste.
- Replace the ground turkey with ground beef, pork or chicken.
- Add your favorite vegetables, like broccoli, cauliflower, celery, parsnips, turnips, celeriac, or bok choy.
- For more tang, add some fresh lemon juice or apple cider vinegar to taste.
- Reduce the broth for thicker chili, or add a little extra broth for soupier soup.
- Toss in some root vegetables, such as red beets, golden beets, parsnips, rutabaga, turnips, etc.
If you’re looking for more belly-soothing, low-inflammatory meals, check out these easy AIP recipes.
More AIP Recipes:
- AIP Salmon Curry
- Nighshade-Free AIP Curry
- Turkey, Beet, and Zucchini Hash
- Zucchini and Ground Turkey Skillet
- Instant Pot Beef Stew
Enjoy this big bowl of protein and veggie bliss!
AIP Chili Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp coconut oil or cooking oil of choice
- 1 small yellow onion chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 3 large carrots peeled and chopped
- 1 lb ground beef or ground turkey
- 1 Tbsp minced ginger
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1/4 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp sea salt to taste
- 2 small yellow squash chopped
- 1 medium zucchini squash chopped
- 1 (15-oz) can pumpkin puree
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 3 Tbsp coconut aminos optional
Instructions
- Heat the coconut oil in a large dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Add the onion and saute, stirring occasionally, until it has softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and carrots and continue sauteing another 2 minutes.
- Scoot the vegetables off to one side of the pot and add the ground turkey, ginger, oregano, basil, parsley, turmeric, and sea salt. Brown the turkey for 2 to 3 minutes, flip, then brown on the other side for an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Use a spatula or wooden spoon to break up the meat into smaller pieces and stir it into the vegetables.
- Add the remaining ingredients, cover the pot and bring to a full boil.
- Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook 20 minutes, until the vegetables have reached desired done-ness and the turkey is cooked through.
- Serve chili with fresh chopped parsley, chives, and/or your choice of toppings.
Nutrition
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An amazing easy recipe for chili without tomatoes! Easy to modify to your family’s needs. My family did take a look at the end product and said, “Chili?” but they ate seconds and the leftovers. I loved it!!! They did not know about all the vegetables.
I modified this recipe to be more flavorful by doubling garlic, ginger, and all spices (except parsely). Since others said it was soupy consistency, I chose to double the turkey and I added more carrots. I did add 4 cups bone broth for extra protein, but it would be easy to reduce this liquid amount if you chose. This recipe is a keeper!!!
Your changes sound amazing! Thanks so much for sharing – I’ll have to try your version soon 🙂
My entire family loves this recipe! How would you recommend doing a freezer version of this? I made it and froze some, but it was pretty mushy. I would love to have it handy for a quick dinner night this Fall when we are running around doing all the things. Thanks!
Hi Kim! I’ve found certain vegetables (like zucchini) have a tendency to be mushy after being thawed, so you could try using only hearty vegetables (like root veggies, for instance). Let me know if that helps!
Forgot to rate the recipe
Thanks, Mary! xoxo
This has become such a go to meal for my family!!
I use whatever veggies I have on hand, usually ends up being carrots, parsnips, sweet potato, cauliflower this time of year and use my own bone broth and it’s truly the most comforting thing! I’ve made it for others and everyone asks for the recipe! Thank you SO much for sharing this!!!
My pleasure, Tara! Thank you for the sweet note! I’m thrilled you and your family enjoy it 🙂 I love the idea of adding cauliflower and parsnips – I’ll try this too! xo
This recipe wowed the whole family! My husband and my dad both chose this over the “regular” chili made for the kids.
I am not AIP, but I can’t have nightshade, and this recipe was the perfect comforting bowl of chili on a cold fall evening. I am already looking forward the the next time I make this!
I’m so happy to hear you and your family enjoy the chili, Suzanne! I find it tastes so similar to regular chili too and just love the flavor and texture. So thrilled you all feel the same and that you plan on making it again! This always feels like a win for me! 🙂 xo
Vegetarian here, so I omit the meat and add beans. otherwise I follow the recipe. My whole family enjoys this and I have made it for the past few Halloween nights to share with friends. My family asks if I will make it again so here I am making it again right now for Halloween!
I’m so happy to hear you and your family enjoy the recipe with beans instead of meat 🙂 This is helpful to others who want to try the same thing. Thanks for sharing, Nikki!
My family really enjoyed this. It reminded me of an AIP version of albondigas soup. I’m thinking of shaping the meat into meatballs next time, to be even more reminiscent of the meatballs soup I’ve missed since doing the AIP.
Ooh I love the idea of making AIP Albondigas Soup! Sounds delightful! Happy to hear your family enjoys the recipe xo
This is delicious! I just started the AIP diet and this is so satisfying. I made a couple vegetable substitutions based on what I had on hand. Thank you for the recipe!
That’s exactly how I felt when I was eating an AIP-ish diet – I found this curry to be so comforting! I’m so happy you enjoy the recipe, Jackie! xo 🙂
Wow! This was yummier than expected. My husband and I are both following the API diet and both loved this recipe. I read the reviews before making it and reduced the broth and used rutabaga instead of some of the squash. Delicious! It was surprising how it had a chilli flavour without having the usual ingredients! Even better leftover!
I’m so thrilled you and your husband enjoy it, Shauna! Thanks so much for reporting back! xo
Can this be made in an instant pot? I love this and have made it on the stove top several times.
Hi Jane! I bet it can! I would saute the veggies in the instant pot, then pressure cook on high for 10 minutes. After the 10 minutes, allow it to naturally release for 5 to 10 then release the remaining pressure. Let me know how it turns out! xo
I make this all the time with some gf cornbread. Especially fall / winter. Really good but I change the turkey for ground beef, add way more salt (the og, recipe tastes like there’s none almost …, and add a shitload of quinoa Bc it’s a soup consistency with of recipe. I usually cook the quinoa separate and add it at the end. Over all four stars ⭐️ thanks for the post
I’m so thrilled I found this recipe! It’s become a staple recipe in our household, even though I found it doing the AIP diet. However, i don’t think it’s comparable to a chili, as it’s much thinner and the ginger flavor is far different than chili flavor. We call it turkey ginger soup, and everyone loves it! Thanks again!!
My pleasure, Jen! Thank you for the feedback – this is very helpful to others who want to try the recipe 🙂
Nervous to try it with the pumpkin purée. Saw the other substitutes & it all sounds scary lol. Never tried these things. Please, are there any other substitutes I can do instead or can I omit completely?
Hi Jess,
You can use mashed sweet potato or butternut squash to keep it AIP friendly. Otherwise, if you don’t need it to be AIP you can use a 28-oz can of crushed tomatoes or diced tomatoes. If you omit the pumpkin puree entirely and don’t replace it with anything, you’ll end up with soup, which will be delicious, but it won’t be thick like chili. Let me know if you have any other questions!
I make this probably bi-weekly and it’s always great. I use ground beef and honestly I like my meat so I add 1.5 pounds. Other than that I have found no need to tweak this amazing recipe further. As someone who doesn’t eat tomatoes it’s refreshing to see a recipe without the dreaded tomatoe paste :0
Pro tip: pair it with some cast iron cornbread and you’ll be sittin pretty ! <3
Ooh, cornbread is the absolute best complement to chili – love it! So happy to hear you’re enjoying the chili recipe. I’m a fellow meat lover over hear, so high fives to you for adding in more! xoxox
Yum! Made this with beef carrots celery and broccoli (didn’t have squash, basil or parsley) and it came out quite delicious! Really tasty zippy flavor.
I’d say definitely felt more like a soup than a chili — next time i think I’d double the beef for a heartier less brothy vibe (and maybe play with a few blends from an immersion blender so it partially thickens).
Thanks for a super tasty recipe!
Thanks so much for sharing your additions! That’s so helpful for those who want to try the same thing. I appreciate all the feedback! xoxo
Delicious! The pumpkin added a good flavor. It was definitely more like a soup then a chili. I added a arrowroot slurry to thicken slightly.
Good call on the arrowroot for thickening! So happy you enjoyed it, Taylor! xo