A hearty and comforting meal, this Easy Chilli Con Carne is deliciously smoky and packed with lean protein, beans and veggies for a meal the whole family will love. A simple one pot meal that is great for batch cooking, and there are so many uses for the leftovers.
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Whilst there is much debate on how Chilli Con Carne is made across the world (some people will only use cubes of beef and would never use beans or canned tomatoes), this is the chilli recipe we grew up eating and I have been making myself for over 20 years. It's kind of like a Bolognese, but with beans and plenty of spice.
You can adapt this chilli con carne recipe to be as mild or as spicy as you like to suit your families needs, and swap out vegetables for whatever you have on hand, making it a great way to use up what you have.
If you are looking for more chilli recipes, take a look at our easy Slow Cooker Chilli con Carne, lean but tasty Turkey Chilli or our Vegan Bean Chilli.
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Ingredients and Substitutions
A full ingredients list, along with US Customary and Metric measurements, can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Beef - We use 5% fat ground beef mince to keep this lean, but you can use 10% or higher if you want it to have more flavour. If you use 20% fat, I would recommend draining some of the fat away.
- Vegetables - There is onion, garlic, mushrooms, and bell peppers. But any quick cooking vegetables can be added. Use frozen garlic and onion to save time.
- Seasoning - We used our own seasoning blend which can be easily adapted. However, you could use a packet of chilli seasoning if you wanted to save time.
- Tomatoes - Try to use the best quality tinned tomatoes, as the cheaper ones tend to be water.
- Beans - Red kidney beans are a great way to bulk this out, but any beans will do. You could even half the beef and add another can of beans to make this more budget friendly.
- Cocoa - This is our not so secret ingredient in a chilli. You could grate in a square of dark chocolate instead.
- Worcestershire sauce - This little kitchen wonder adds SO much flavour.
- Tomato puree - This helps to add some extra tomato flavour and also thicken up the sauce.
- Stock - Use a beef stock pot. A beef stock cubes works too.
More ingredient substitutions and variations can be found in the recipe card.
How To Make An Easy Chilli Con Carne - Step by Step
- Step 1: Heat the oil in a large pan and add the onion, mushrooms, pepper and garlic and gently cook over a medium heat for 4 minutes until softened. Add the beef mince and cook for 3-4 minutes until browned. Make sure the mince is browned all over before adding the other ingredients.
- Step 2: Add the rest of the ingredients (except the coriander/cilantro) to the pan and stir well.
- Step 3: Simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the sauce has thickened. Stir in the chopped coriander (cilantro) before serving.
Hidden Vegetables
This is a great recipe to make when you have a few different vegetables in your fridge that need using up. Just chop them all up and add them in. You can even grate them up to hide them. Courgettes (zucchinis) work well, as does aubergine (eggplant) and celery.
We also sometimes add some spinach or kale in at the end for a green veggie boost. Why not add some sweet potato or chunks of butternut squash as well?
Chilli Con Carne Seasoning
To get the spicy and smoky flavour of this chilli we added smoked paprika, ground coriander, mild chilli powder, cumin and cocoa powder. Yes - cocoa powder!
Adding chocolate to your chilli will give it a depth of flavour as well as a nice colour. It will also help to balance out any acidity from the chopped tomatoes. Trust us on this!
What To Serve with Chilli Con Carne
Chilli and rice is the obvious combination, but this chilli is great with so many other things. Try it on top of a baked potato or a hot dog to make a chilli dog. If you want to stick with a traditional chilli and rice combo, then why not add our Easy Homemade Flatbread or some simple Baked Tortilla Chips to dip in?
If you take your chilli toppings seriously, then you have loads of choices. We just went with a dollop of cooling creme fraiche and a sprinkling of coriander. However, you have so many options. Why not add some slices of jalapeno, grated cheese, diced avocado or swap the creme fraiche for sour cream. Finely diced red onion or Pico De Gallo is a good choice too.
We always make sure that we have some leftover for the next day, as it makes an epic nacho topping. Also, stir some into Mac and Cheese. AMAZING! Oh, or make a spicy lasagna with it. See, SO many uses.
Tips For Making a Simple Chilli Con Carne
- Chilli is supposed to be spicy, however if you can't handle the heat (no judgement), then use less chilli powder or none at all.
- If you don't want to make your own spice mix, you could just use fajita seasoning instead, however you wouldn't get the same authentic flavour.
- Why not load your chilli with toppings. Grated cheese, jalapenos and avocado work well.
- Make sure you make extra, as leftovers are great on a baked potato, stirred into mac and cheese or used as a nacho topping.
- Any extra leftovers can be frozen for 2-3 months.
- Give a richer flavour to this chilli by swapping some of the stock for red wine.
Frequently Asked Questions
You could use any ground meat in this recipe, so feel free to swap the beef for turkey, chicken, pork or lamb. You could even make a vegetarian version with tofu, extra beans or a vegetarian mince alternative like Quorn.
This chilli recipe is the ultimate batch cook recipe that is just perfect for going in the freezer. This makes 6 portions, so feel free to double it if you want to keep lots in the freezer. Wait for it to cool and then portion it out and put in the freezer.
It will keep for 2-3 months and then once fully defrosted it can either be heated up on the hob or in the microwave. You can also keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days.
Yes, this is a great recipe to make in a slow cooker because cooking it low and slow lets the flavours really intensify and the meat it deliciously tender.
Simply follow our Slow Cooker Chilli recipe.
More Beef Mince Recipes
If you've tried this easy chilli recipe, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - Use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.
Recipe
Easy Chilli Con Carne
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil
- 1 Onion - peeled and diced
- 4 Mushrooms - diced
- 1 Yellow bell pepper - diced
- 3 cloves Garlic clove - crushed
- 500 g (1.1 lb) Beef mince
- 400 g (14 oz) Chopped tomatoes - canned
- 240 g (1.33 cups) Kidney beans - canned, drained
- 2 tablespoon Tomato puree
- 200 ml (0.75 cups) Beef stock
- 1 tablespoon Cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon Smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon Ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon Mild chilli powder - or more to taste
- 2 teaspoon Cumin
- 1 pinch Sea salt
- 1 pinch Ground black pepper
- 15 g (1 cups) Fresh coriander (cilantro) - chopped
- 2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon Olive oil in a large pan and add 1 Onion, 4 Mushrooms, 1 Yellow bell pepper and 3 cloves Garlic clove and gently cook for 4 minutes until softened.
- Add 500 g Beef mince and cook for 3-4 minutes until browned.
- Add 400 g Chopped tomatoes, 240 g Kidney beans, 2 tablespoon Tomato puree, 200 ml Beef stock, 1 tablespoon Cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon Smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon Ground coriander, 1 teaspoon Mild chilli powder, 2 teaspoon Cumin, 2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce and 1 pinch Sea salt to the pan and stir well.
- Simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the sauce has thickened. Stir in the 15 g Fresh coriander (cilantro) before serving.
Recipe Tips
- Chilli is supposed to be spicy, however if you can't handle the heat (no judgement), then use less chilli powder or none at all.
- If you don't want to make your own spice mix, you could just use fajita seasoning instead, however you wouldn't get the same authentic flavour.
- Why not load your chilli with toppings. Grated cheese, jalapenos and avocado work well.
- Make sure you make extra, as leftovers are great on a baked potato, stirred in to mac and cheese or used as a nacho topping.
- Any extra leftovers can be frozen for 2-3 months.
- Give a richer flavour to this chilli by swapping some of the stock for red wine.
Nutritional Information
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The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
As all appliances vary, cooking times are a guide. Please note that by changing the serving size, the cooking time may also need to be altered.
Alisa says
I have recently discovered your HHH site, so pleased I did. Made the chilli tonight along with the flatbreads, the instructions were easy to follow, the results - delicious I made the enchiladas the other night and they were also really good. I love to cook, but it’s always a struggle to decide what to cook to please everyone! With so many recipes on your site it will make my life that little bit easier. Thank you
Dawn says
This chilli was one of the best I've ever made. The addition of cocoa powder gives it an extra depth.
Emmeline says
This chili looks so delicious! It's very similar to the one I usually make, but I never added cacao or corainder - so I'm looking forward to trying your version!
Ashley says
This chili recipe looks like a winning combo!! Can't wait to try it this weekend!
veenaazmanov says
Definitely a healthy and a delicious meal in a Bowl. Full of flavors and I love it.
Angela says
Comfort food at its finest. Thanks for the cocoa powder tip!
Toni says
Everyone at my house really loved it! Such a great meal for weeknights!
Kathryn Donangeo says
This recipe is so good and comforting! Love all of the flavors of this dish! Thank you!
Amanda Wren-Grimwood says
This is a great family meal and so versatile with the leftovers too. Thanks for the tips.
Danielle Wolter says
This is like the ultimate comfort food. The flavors were so delicious and it was easy to make!