Chilli Con Carne

Chris has been making this chilli con carne for 15 years. It’s always on our recipe rotation. The perfect blend of spices, beans and extra veggies, means you can make a pound of minced beef feed 8 people! Check out the full recipe including step-by-step photos and a video below.

We love this belly-warming dish of meaty, spicy chilli. It’s a regular on our dinner table.  You can pretty much guarantee there are at least a couple of portions of it in our freezer at any one time and that we’re never more than 7 days away from our next bowl.

It’s a classic. Only this one is better 🙂

Today’s recipe comes from my husband Chris! Who – although he is a really great cook (thanks Chris’s mum!) – usually sticks to BBQ feasts and cauldron size vats of Chilli.  This chilli is his baby, and it’s taken me forever to get him to write it down for me.

In the 15 years we’ve been together, I think I’ve made chilli 5 or 6 times.  It’s been made clear to me that this is not my domain, and i’m only allowed in the kitchen to swoon over the pre-dinner taste-testing or to clean up.

Fair enough.  I know my place.  Note: that’s the only time you’ll hear me saying that!!! erm unless the tyre needs changing or a particularly welded jar lid needs unscrewing.  That’s it though.  We’re definitely equal in all other things!

Starting by cooking onions and garlic with a little oil in a large pan until softened.

Add the minced beef and cook until browned – breaking up any lumps with a wooden spoon. Then pour in the red wine and simmer for a few minutes.

Next, add beef stock, Worcestershire sauce and a little honey.

Then chop two red bell peppers and add those in too.

Add in four tins of good-quality chopped tomatoes and stir.

Next is the spices. We have smoked paprika, cumin, ground coriander, chilli powder (more or less depending on how hot you like it), ground ginger, salt and pepper and mixed herbs. Chris also adds in a freshly chopped red chilli at this point too.

Then add in tomato puree (paste), tomato ketchup and chipotle paste.

Bring to the boil, stir, then turn down the heat and loosely cover with a lid. Simmer for about an hour, giving it a stir every 10-15 minutes.

After an hour, add in some tinned mixed beans and kidney beans, stir, and cook for a further 20 minutes, uncovered (this is a good time to put your rice on to cook too).

Right before serving, stir in a big handful of chopped fresh coriander (cilantro).

Then serve with rice. If you like you can also serve with soured cream, tortilla chips (we love the blue corn chips) and an extra sprinkling of fresh coriander and finely chopped red chillies.

I know it seems like a long list of ingredients, but most of it gets thrown in together, and you probably have most of the ingredients in your cupboard already.

Although we often serve it with rice, it’s also great with pasta, on tortilla chips or jacket potatoes.  I even sometimes use a portion from the freezer to make a quick, spicy lasagne.

Can I make it gluten free?

Yes, use gluten-free beef stock and Worcestershire sauce. Also make sure the tomato puree, ketchup, chipotle paste are gluten-free versions.

Can I make it ahead?

Yes, we think it tastes even better when made ahead and reheated – as it allows the flavours to develop even further. Once cooked, cool quickly, cover and refrigerate for up to two days. Reheat in a pan or the microwave until piping hot throughout.

Can I freeze it?

Yes. Once cooked, cool, then split into portions if necessary, cover and freeze. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight, then reheat in a pan or the microwave until piping hot throughout.

Can I make it in the slow cooker?

Yes. We find it needs a little less liquid in the slow cooker, so reduce the stock to about 90 ml (1/3 cup).  Cook in a pan right up until the simmer stage (right after you add the tomato puree and ketchup) then transfer to a slow cooker and cook for 6-7 hours on low or 5-6 hours on high. Add the beans, then continue to cook for a further 30 minutes to heat them through. Then stir in the coriander (cilantro) and serve.

Can I make an alcohol-free version?

Yes, simply replace the wine with the same amount of beef stock.

The Chilli Con Carne Recipe:

Chilli Con Carne

Our favourite chilli con carne recipe - packed with flavour! One pound of minced beef can easily stretch to 8 servings in this recipe - making it healthier and cheaper too.

5 from 5 votes

Print Rate

Prep Time: 20 mins

Cook Time: 1 hr 35 mins

Total Time: 1 hr 55 mins

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: Any Time Of the year, Comfort Food, winter food

Servings: 8 Servings

Author: Nicky Corbishley

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 large onions peeled and chopped
• 6 cloves garlic peeled and chopped/crushed
• 1.1 pounds (500g) minced beef
• 1 1/2 cups (360ml) full-bodied red wine
• 3/4 cup (180ml) beef stock hot water plus 2 stock cubes is fine
• 4 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tbsp honey
• 2 red bell peppers chopped
• 4 x 400ml (14oz) tins chopped tomatoes
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 4 tsp cumin
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 2 tsp hot chilli powder
• 3 tsp ground ginger
• 2 tsp mixed herbs
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 chopped fresh chilli more if you like it hotter
• 3 tbsp tomato puree/paste
• 1 tbsp tomato ketchup
• 1 tsp chipotle paste
• 2 x 400g (14oz) can kidney beans drained and rinsed
• 1 x 420g (14oz) can mixed beans drained and rinsed
• Small bunch chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)

Serve with (optional):

• cooked rice
• fresh coriander (cilantro)
• sour cream
• chopped fresh chillies

Instructions

• Heat up the oil in a very large pan. Add the onions and cook on medium/high for about 5-6 minutes until they're soft and translucent. Add in the garlic and cook for a further minute. 
• Add in the mince and cook until just browned. Break any large pieces up with a wooden spoon. 
• Add in the red wine, bring it to the bubble and simmer for 3 minutes.
• In a jug, mix together the stock, Worcestershire sauce and honey. Pour it into the pan and give it a stir.
• Add in the red peppers and cook for another minute. Then stir in the tinned tomatoes.
• Add in the smoked paprika, cumin, ground coriander, chilli powder, ginger, mixed herbs, salt and pepper and the chopped fresh chilli pepper. Give it all a mix and cook for 2-3 minutes.
• Add in tomato puree (paste), tomato ketchup and chipotle paste. Stir and bring to a simmer, then loosely cover and simmer for one hour.
• After an hour, add in the kidney beans and mixed beans (this is also a good time to put your rice on if you're serving it with rice). Give them a stir and allow the chilli to simmer for another 20 minutes.
• Finally stir in the chopped coriander just before serving.
• Serve with rice, coriander, soured cream, chopped fresh chillies if you like.

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

Can I make it gluten free?

Yes, use gluten-free beef stock and Worcestershire sauce. Also make sure the tomato puree, ketchup, chipotle paste are gluten-free versions.

.

Can I make it ahead?

Yes, we think it tastes even better when made ahead and reheated - as it allows the flavours to develop even further. Once cooked, cool quickly, cover and refrigerate for up to two days. Reheat in a pan or the microwave until piping hot throughout.

.

Can I freeze it?

Yes. Once cooked, cool, then split into portions if necessary, cover and freeze. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight, then reheat in a pan or the microwave until piping hot throughout.

.

Can I make it in the slow cooker?

Yes. We find it needs a little less liquid in the slow cooker, so reduce the stock to about 90 ml (1/3 cup).  Cook in a pan right up until the simmer stage (right after you add the tomato puree and ketchup) then transfer to a slow cooker and cook for 6-7 hours on low or 5-6 hours on high. Add the beans, then continue to cook for a further 30 minutes to heat them through. Then stir in the coriander (cilantro) and serve. 

.

Can I make an alcohol-free version?

Yes, simply replace the wine with the same amount of beef stock.

.

Nutritional Information Is Estimated Per Serving, excluding any rice or other serving suggestions.

Nutritional Information

Nutrition Facts

Chilli Con Carne

Amount Per Serving (551 g)

Calories 431 Calories from Fat 108

% Daily Value*

Fat 12g18%

Saturated Fat 3.8g19%

Cholesterol 43mg14%

Sodium 337mg14%

Potassium 577mg16%

Carbohydrates 47.5g16%

Fiber 10.8g43%

Sugar 20.3g23%

Protein 25.2g50%

Vitamin A 1500IU30%

Vitamin C 88.3mg107%

Calcium 150mg15%

Iron 5.2mg29%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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This post was first published in October 2014. Updated January 2019 with new photos, step-by-step photos, tips and recipe video.

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