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Elk and Avocado Chili

Ground elk simmered with crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, red bell pepper, onion, garlic, and warm cumin, chili powder, and paprika, then crowned with diced avocado, shredded cheddar, and fresh cilantro.

By Camille McLaughlin, RDN, LD, registered dietitian nutritionist

Built forKetoDinner
Also fits High-Protein Low-Carb
Ground elk browns deep and takes on cumin, chili powder, and paprika until the kitchen smells like a long afternoon. Crushed tomatoes and tomato paste cook down thick around softened onion, garlic, and red bell pepper, then cold diced avocado, shredded cheddar, and torn cilantro go over each bowl right before it goes out.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe

This is a hearty, deeply savory bowl for anyone who wants a filling dinner without a mountain of starch. Ground elk gives it a clean, almost sweet meatiness that stands up to bold spice, and the tomato base carries a familiar comfort. It is a good fit for people cooking for a hungry household, for those watching their carbohydrate intake, and for anyone who simply loves a rich chili with real staying power.

Tomato paste and the dry spices get toasted in the hot fat first. Cooking cumin, chili powder, and paprika for a minute in the oil opens up their aromatic oils and pushes the flavor from raw and dusty to round and smoky. Browning the elk first also builds a savory foundation, and the twenty-minute simmer lets the crushed tomatoes reduce into something thick and clingy rather than watery.

The contrast arrives at the table, not in the pot. The chili itself is warm, spiced, and protein-rich, while the cool diced avocado adds a buttery, creamy note and the cheddar melts into pockets of richness. Elk is deeply savory and full of iron and protein, the avocado brings good fats and fiber, and the peppers and tomatoes add color and vitamins, so the bowl eats as nourishing as it does comforting.

A bowl of deep-red elk chili topped with diced avocado, shredded cheddar, and cilantro. Save
Prep: 15 minsCook: 35 minsTotal: 50 minsMakes: 4 servingsServing: About 1½ cups

Ingredients

Serves4Amounts change with the number. The nutrition panel is per serving, so it stays the same.
  • 1 1/4 lb ground elk, browned
  • 5 tbsp olive oil
  • 3/4 cup crushed tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 small red bell pepper, diced
  • 1/2 small onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 1/4 avocados, diced
  • 1 1/4 cups shredded cheddar
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 2 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Instructions

  1. Prep the aromatics and garnishes: Dice the onion and red bell pepper into small, even pieces so they cook at the same rate, and mince the garlic. Chop the cilantro and set it aside for the end. If your cheddar is not already shredded, grate it now. Leave the avocado whole for the moment so it stays fresh; you will cut it just before serving.
  2. Brown the elk: Warm the olive oil in a heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the ground elk and cook, breaking it into small crumbles with a wooden spoon, until it loses its pink color and picks up some browning, about 6 to 8 minutes. Elk cooks fast and dries out quickly, so stir often and watch it closely; cook it through to an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C).
  3. Build the base: Add the diced onion and red bell pepper to the pot and cook, stirring, until they soften and the onion turns translucent, about 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomato paste, cumin, chili powder, paprika, and salt, and stir constantly for about a minute so the paste and spices toast and darken slightly, which deepens their flavor.
  4. Simmer: Pour in the crushed tomatoes along with a splash of water to loosen the mixture. Stir to combine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Bring to a gentle bubble, then lower the heat and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the chili thickens and the flavors meld, about 20 minutes. Add a little more water if it reduces too far. Taste and adjust the salt.
  5. Top and serve: Just before serving, halve the avocado, remove the pit, and dice the flesh. Ladle the hot chili into bowls and top each with diced avocado, shredded cheddar, and chopped cilantro. Serve right away, while the cheese softens against the warm chili.
Nutrition Facts
4 servings per recipe
Serving sizeAbout 1½ cups
Calories593
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 40g52%
Saturated Fat 12g59%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 115mg38%
Sodium 959mg42%
Total Carbohydrate 16g6%
Dietary Fiber 7g25%
Total Sugars 5g
Includes 0g Added Sugars 0%
Protein 44g
Vitamin D 0.2mcg1%
Calcium 306mg24%
Iron 6.3mg35%
Potassium 1043mg22%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Values are computed from USDA FoodData Central and are estimates. Per serving (About 1½ cups).

Variations

  • Turn up the heat: Add a diced fresh jalapeno or serrano along with the onion and pepper, or stir in a pinch of cayenne with the other spices, for a chili with real warmth.
  • Smoky and deep: Stir in a spoonful of minced chipotle in adobo along with the tomato paste for a smokier, slightly sweet-hot backbone.
  • Creamy finish: Add a dollop of sour cream and a squeeze of lime over each bowl at the table; this adds dairy but brings a cool tang against the spice.
  • Swap the cheese: Trade the cheddar for crumbled cotija or shredded pepper jack; this keeps the dish in dairy while changing the flavor from sharp to salty or gently spicy.
  • Different game or meat: Use ground bison, venison, or beef in place of the elk; this changes the meat and, with fattier cuts like beef, will make the chili a little richer, so drain excess fat after browning.

Storage & Leftovers

Cooled leftover chili keeps well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. Store the chili on its own and keep the avocado, cheddar, and cilantro separate, since avocado browns and cheese and herbs are best added fresh at serving.

To reheat, warm the chili gently in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring now and then and adding a splash of water if it has thickened too much in the fridge. You can also microwave a bowl in short bursts, stirring between them, until steaming throughout. Add the avocado, cheddar, and cilantro only after reheating.

For make-ahead, the chili base actually improves overnight as the spices settle, so it is a strong candidate for cooking a batch in advance. Simmer it fully, cool, and refrigerate, then reheat and add the fresh toppings just before you eat.

Notes & Tips

A few notes from my kitchen to help this chili come out rich, balanced, and easy to make your own.
  • Do not overcook the elk: Elk turns dry and grainy if pushed too far. Brown it just until it loses its pink, then move straight into building the base so it finishes gently in the simmer.
  • Pick a ripe avocado: Choose one that yields to gentle pressure but is not mushy. If yours is firm, buy it a few days ahead and let it ripen on the counter, since a good avocado is what makes the topping creamy rather than crunchy.
  • Cut the avocado last: Dice it only when you are ready to serve so it stays bright green. A squeeze of lime over the diced flesh slows browning if you are plating in stages.
  • Adjust the thickness to taste: For a thicker, spoon-standing chili, simmer a few minutes longer; for a looser one, stir in a little more water. The crushed tomatoes are the main body, so let them reduce to the texture you like.
  • Season in layers: Salt lightly with the spices, then taste again at the end after the tomatoes have concentrated. Toasting the chili powder and cumin in the fat makes a noticeable difference, so do not skip that minute.
  • Good things to serve alongside: A crisp green salad or roasted low-starch vegetables round out the plate without weighing it down, and extra cilantro and a wedge of lime on the side let everyone brighten their own bowl.

Nutrition & Mindful Eating

Deep, smoky and long-simmered, this chili gets its body from ground elk and tomato paste cooked down until it goes dark, then finishes cool and creamy under sliced avocado, sharp cheddar and a handful of cilantro.
  • The elk, the tomato and the toppings each pull in a different direction, and the bowl needs all three. The meat and tomato build something dark and savory over the burner, then the avocado and cheddar go on cold at the end and soften the whole thing.
  • Elk is a close-grained red meat with a clean, faintly sweet flavor that browns beautifully and stays firm through a long simmer rather than going stringy, and it carries iron in the form your body takes up most readily.
  • Avocado is not a garnish here. Sliced over the hot chili it goes half melted at the edges, and its creamy monounsaturated fat is what rounds off the heat of the chili powder so the bowl tastes full rather than sharp.
  • Cumin, chili powder and paprika go into the hot oil before any liquid, which is the step that makes the difference. Blooming them in fat wakes up the smoke and the earthiness so the chili tastes like it has been going for hours.
  • Bell pepper, onion and garlic melt into the base and give the chili its sweetness underneath the spice, and the vitamin C in the peppers helps your body get more from the iron in the elk sitting alongside it.
  • As you eat, let the spoon go slowly through the cool avocado and the hot chili together, notice how the cilantro lifts each bite, and give the bowl your attention long enough to feel it settle.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do I find ground elk, and what if I cannot get it?

Look at butcher counters, game or specialty meat shops, and many online meat purveyors. If elk is unavailable, ground bison or venison are the closest substitutes in texture and flavor, though the recipe changes slightly with each.

My chili tastes a little dry or flat. What happened?

Elk is a quick-cooking meat, so if it browns too long it can taste dry. Next time cook it just to the point it loses its pink, and lean on the olive oil, avocado, and cheddar toppings, which all add richness back to the bowl.

Can I make this in a slow cooker?

Yes. Brown the elk and toast the tomato paste and spices on the stovetop first, since that step builds the flavor, then transfer everything with the crushed tomatoes to a slow cooker and cook on low until thick and melded. Add the avocado, cheddar, and cilantro fresh at serving.

Is this spicy?

As written it is warm and smoky rather than hot, coming mostly from chili powder and paprika. Add fresh chiles or a pinch of cayenne to push the heat up, or hold back the chili powder for a milder bowl the whole table can enjoy.