This comforting dish will become a firm favourite – easy to prepare and cook, made from pantry staples and multiple ways to serve it!
I really enjoy how the seasons change. It’s always a little bit exciting when there are hints of what is to come in the air, but the season I really could leave behind is winter. It’s cold, dark, usually rainy and just not my favourite. The only silver lining in what can be a pretty miserable time of year is that we replace BBQ’s and outdoor eating with big bowls of comfort food – like this chilli con carne!
Chilli con carne (or chili if you live in the US) is basically just a big pot of tomato based mince, kicked up with Tex Mex style spices and beans.
It’s a super simple dish to make with a list of very basic ingredients that you probably already have in your cupboard! If you know how to make spaghetti bolognese, you know how to make chilli.
It’s the usual – brown onions and garlic, add beef and cook then add all other sauce ingredients and simmer away until it smells delicious!
The thing I love about chilli is that it can be a 30 minute meal or it can be a slow simmering dinner that sits on the stove for a couple of hours on a Sunday night getting more and more tasty. Once the ingredients are all added it needs to simmer for at least 20 minutes but it gets better and better the longer you leave it!
This is also a meal that makes excellent leftovers – the flavours get even better after sitting in the fridge overnight! You can also easily make a double batch and freeze half for another time.
How to serve chilli
- On rice with sour cream, grated cheese, avocado and coriander
- On corn chips like nachos (with all the tohppings)
- In baked potatoes
- In stuffed capsicums (peppers)
- In buns (messy but delicious and a great way to feed a crowd!)
- On hot dogs (chilli dogs)
Other easy dinner recipes you might like:
You will love this comforting dish at any time of year!
Ingredients
- 1/2 onion (diced)
- 2 cloves garlic (crushed)
- 500 grams beef mince
- 1 cup diced carrot/zucchini/capsicum (optional)
- 1 cup beef stock
- 1 400 gram tin chopped tomatoes
- 1 400 gram tin black beans
- 2 TBSP tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon chilli powder (adjust to your taste, we like it pretty mild)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (start with this and add more to taste)
- 1/4 tsp black pepper (start with this and add more to taste)
Toppings
- Sour cream
- Avocado
- Grated cheese
- Coriander/cilantro
Instructions
- Heat 1 TBSP of oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat, add the onion & garlic and cook for 2 minutes until fragrant. Add the vegetables and cook for a further 5 minutes or until soft.
- Add the mince and cook until brown (5-10 minutes).
- Add the remaining ingredients, stir together and simmer over a low heat with a lid on for at least 20 minutes or up to 1 hour until the chilli has thickened. Add more salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve with toppings of choice (see notes for serving ideas)
- Store any leftovers in the fridge in a sealed container for 3 days or freeze portions.
Notes
- On rice with sour cream, grated cheese, avocado and coriander
- On corn chips like nachos (with all the toppings)
- In baked potatoes
- In stuffed capsicums (peppers)
- In buns (messy but delicious and a great way to feed a crowd!)
- On hot dogs (chilli dogs)
Nutrition
If you tried and loved this recipe, please leave a comment and a rating below!
I made this for the first time on Saturday night and it was absolutely delicious. It will definitely be becoming one of our family’s firm favourites. Your recipes are fabulous. Thank you so much for making my life easier and helping me provide such yummy dinners and baking for my family 😊
Hi Jane! I am so happy to hear that, thank you so much for the lovely feedback! Laura