Chili Cheese Spaghetti

Low-Carb Chili Cheese Spaghetti

How do you like your chili? Meaty? Served over noodles? Sounds like a dream to us! We’ve made this delectable dish with tender It’s Skinny Spaghetti smothered in hearty chili and cheese. (Is your mouth watering yet?)

This guaranteed crowd-pleaser has tons of beef, veggies, and cheese, hearty tomato sauce, and filling ZERO net-carb pasta. It's the perfect chili dish you've been waiting for. The next time you want a keto chili recipe, this is it!

Why Do We LOVE Chili?

Chili is one of those delicious dishes that can be changed up to suit your tastes and preferences. The idea of combining meat and chili peppers goes back to Native American cuisines. Indigenous people in the Americas used chili peppers ubiquitously throughout their cooking. 

Chili con carne, or chili with meat, dates back to the 18^th or 19^th century in the Southwestern United States. It was a great way to enjoy beef, along with spices, peppers, and vegetables. The hearty stew of meat, herbs, and sometimes dried beans was enjoyed by cowboys on the trail during cattle drives. It was easy to prepare and very filling.

Chili became even more popular after visitors enjoyed it at the World’s Fair in Chicago in the 1890s. The dish spread throughout the states, where folks added their own spins and preferences to the dish.

The range of chili available these days is vast. Chili Verde from New Mexico uses green chilis and pork for a green-hued dish. In Texas, they enjoy "Texas Red," a spicy, meaty version of the dish. Vegetarian chilis are popular options, too. It seems everyone has at least a few favorite chili recipes, whether it's a spicy chili with meat sauce or a mild bean chili with lots of veggies.

Chili cook-offs have become popular; you can find delicious canned chili at the grocery store. It is truly one of the great American comfort foods.

One of the most popular varieties is Cincinnati Chili, a spin on the dish that includes Mediterranean spices. Cincinnati chili is one of our favorites because it’s topped with cheese and served over a bed of spaghetti! When beanless chili is served over spaghetti and topped with cheese, it’s called “three-way” by native Cincinnatians. Two-way refers to the chili and pasta without cheese; add onions, and it’s called four-way, or add beans and bump it up to five-way chili.

Today, we've kept the flavors (and the pasta) but ditched the carbs in this crave-worthy dish. We took some inspiration from Cincinnati chili, using It's Skinny Spaghetti for a guilt-free and delicious meal everyone will love.

It’s Skinny Spaghetti: Chili’s BFF

It’s Skinny noodles make the perfect partner for this yummy chili dish. You can enjoy It’s Skinny pasta without feeling carb-overloaded. One pack of It’s Skinny has zero net carbs and only 9 calories.

It’s Skinny gets these stellar stats from a special ingredient called Konjac. The root of the konjac plant is similar to a turnip, radish, or parsnip. However, this special ingredient is full of a particularly filling fiber known as glucomannan. The fiber fills you up and keeps your blood sugar levels steady, so there’s no crash later.

It’s Skinny is ideal for all kinds of noodle, pasta, and rice-style dishes. You can swap in the usual carb and calorie-laden foods with It’s Skinny to lighten up any recipe. It’s perfect for keto dieters and carb counters. It’s Skinny is plant-based, kosher, and available in organic styles as well. 

These gluten-free pasta varieties come in several shapes so that you can use them almost anywhere. Choose from:

• Spaghetti
• Fettuccine
• Angel Hair
• Rice Shape

Can't pick just one? You don't have to! We offer a variety pack so you can get a selection of all the shapes to find your favorite. No matter what type of It's Skinny you choose, you'll be amazed at how easy it is to work with, too. Open the package, drain it, and add the noodles to the other ingredients at the end of cooking.

Once It's Skinny heats through (in about 3 minutes), it's ready to enjoy! Just like traditional pasta, there's no strong flavor to overpower the dish. Instead, It's Skinny takes on the surrounding flavors with the perfect al dente noodle texture.

We love It's Skinny and are sure you will, too. Check out our recipe database if you're looking for even more tasty keto-friendly recipes for making It's Skinny your way.

Customizing Low-Carb Chili Cheese Spaghetti

How do you make chili cheese spaghetti your own way? Can you customize this dish? You bet! With all the varieties of chili out there, there are plenty of new riffs on this classic. Whether you want to enjoy the recipe as written or add a different spin, it will still be delicious!

Looking for customization ideas? Here are a few that we suggest.

Can I use a different cut or type of meat?

You can make chili with ground beef, cubed beef, pork, turkey, or chicken. There’s really no wrong way to make this deliciously meaty chili. We went with the classic beef for flavor, but if you’d rather have another type of protein or a meat mixture, go for it.

Do you prefer beans in your chili? If you're following keto, beans can be a challenge to keeping your carb count in check. However, low-carb dieters and low-calorie dieters may enjoy the option of adding lentils or kidney beans to the mix.

Can I add some more veggies to my chili?

We always encourage more vegetables. You can include kale, spinach, or another leafy green if you'd like to bulk up the chili and stretch it further. We use Roma tomatoes, but nearly any variety will do. We also use green or red bell pepper and jalapeno pepper. You could try a different pepper variety such as hatch, ghost, habanero, or serrano.

Add additional onion and garlic to the chili if you want to ramp up the flavors. Mushrooms are also a nice option that plays well with the other ingredients. Olives are also a good choice. We added a little avocado for healthy fat, but it’s certainly optional. You could also try a squeeze of lime juice, cilantro, chili powder, garlic powder, or other spice combinations for the flavor you crave.

What type of cheese should I use?

When it comes to cheese, we often say more is more—especially if you're following a keto or low-carb diet plan, where healthy fats are encouraged. Don't deprive yourself—grate your favorite cheese generously over the top of your chili spaghetti.

What type of cheese goes best? We like classic Cheddar cheese, but you could try Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack, or even a smoked Gouda. For a more Italian spin, go with Mozzarella cheese or Parmesan cheese (you can also add Italian seasoning). For a callback to the Greek origins of Cincinnati chili, you could crumble in feta, too.

Ready to Make Low-Carb Chili Cheese Spaghetti?

If you’re ready to start cooking, this low carb chili recipe comes together quickly. Unlike some forms of chili that take hours to simmer, you get the flavors and satisfaction in just a few minutes with this recipe. It’s a great lunch, dinner, or any-time easy weeknight meal.

Ready to try this today? Follow the recipe for a classic cheesy chili over pasta noodles.