A plate of spicy beef chilli and rice

Beef Chilli Con Carne Recipe

70 Minutes
Serves: 2

A hot beef chilli con carne made with minced beef, diced red peppers, onions, tomatoes and kidney beans flavoured with garlic, coriander, cumin, oregano, fresh & dried chillies and a hint of dark chocolate. This spicy chilli is served on a bed of white rice with a sprinkle of fresh coriander


Recipe Ingreds

Chilli

  • 1 whole bell pepper (red)
  • black pepper (to taste)
  • 2 tsp chilli flakes
  • 5 grams dark chocolate
  • 0.5 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp oregano (dried)
  • 1.5 whole fresh chilli
  • 4 sprig fresh coriander
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 0.5 tsp ground coriander
  • 0.5 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tin tinned kidney beans
  • 250 grams mince beef
  • 1 whole onions
  • salt (to taste)
  • 0.5 cube stock cube beef
  • 1 tin tinned tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp tomato puree
  • 150 ml water (boiling)
  • 1 tbsp olive oil

Rice

  • 1 packet microwave white rice

Recipe with pictures Steps

Step 1

  • heat half the oil in the frying pan
  • peel and chop the onion(s) finely
  • add to the frying pan
  • cook for 3 to 4 mins

Step 2

  • peel and crush the garlic using the garlic crusher or chop finely add to the onions
  • cook for a minute or two
  • wash and finely chop the chilli, add to the onions

Step 3

  • add the spices to the chilli and onion mixture
  • cook for a minute or two
  • wash and slice the peppers into strips, add to the chilli and onion mixture
  • cook for 3 to 4 mins

Step 4

  • empty the contents of the frying pan on to a plate
  • set a side

Step 5

  • heat the remaining oil in the frying pan
  • add the mince beef
  • seal and brown the meat

Step 6

  • Drain the beans and wash in cold water
  • add the onion and pepper mixture, and the drained beans to the beef
  • add the tinned tomatoes
  • add tomato puree
  • cook for a minute or two

Step 7

  • add the stock cube to boiling water
  • add the stock and oregano to the beef chilli
  • cook slowly for 45 minutes

Step 8

  • add the chocolate to the chilli con carne
  • stir till chocolate has melted
  • taste and season with salt and pepper if necessary

Step 9

  • warm the precooked rice by following the instructions
  • place one serving of rice onto a plate

Step 10

  • wash and finely chop the fresh coriander
  • place the chilli on top of the rice
  • sprinkle with coriander
  • serve immediately
  • if cooking extra for the freezer store the extra chilli in a freezable container allow to cool and then place in freezer

Recipe Utensils

  • 1 chopping board
  • 1 cling film
  • 1 Garlic crusher
  • 1 jug
  • 1 large frying pan
  • 1 large knife
  • 1 plate
  • 1 sieve

How to make the perfect chilli con carne with rice

A traditional spicy chilli made with minced beef, simmered with tomatoes, red peppers and kidney beans, served with white rice and a sprinkle of coriander. To make the chilli, chop the onions and gently fry, add the chopped chilli and crushed garlic. Add the spice and cook for a minute or two, then add the sliced red peppers, cook till the peppers soften and then set aside. Add the mince to the frying pan and cook till golden brown. Add the onion and pepper mix previously set aside, add the kidney beans, tomatoes and tomato puree cook for a minute or two. Add the stock and oregano and gently simmer for 45 minutes. Add the chocolate and season with salt and pepper, serve on a bed of white rice with a sprinkle of chopped coriander

When to cook mince beef chilli and rice

This recipe is perfect for late autumn, early spring and winter meals, it's easy to make but does take a while to cook. We would cook this recipe on a weekend make extra and store it in the freezer for a quick midweek meal 

Who will love this spicy minced beef recipe?

This dish is ideal for everyone, it is perfect if you are cooking for a family or if you're just cooking for two. It's great if you are on a tight budget as it's very economical and perfect for taking advantage of supermarket special offers as it freezes well.

This dish can be healthy if you choose low-fat mince beef we recommend adding extra vegetables for additional flavour if you're using low-fat meat.

What to do with leftovers

If you have leftover beef chili then why not try one of these dinner ideas,

  • Quesadillas, spread the chilli over half a tortilla, sprinkle with cheese, fold over and cook in a frying pan till golden brown on both sides 
  • Tacos, pack the taco shells with chilli and sprinkle with cheese or serve with sour cream 
  • Chimichanga tightly wrap the beef chilli in a tortilla and fry in oil till crisp serve with salad and sour cream
  •  Empanadas, make some empanada dough roll it out cut into circles, place the chilli in the middle with some grated cheese, fold over crimp the edges and bake in the oven till golden brown 
  • Freeze it, allow it to cool and then place it in a freezable container

What to eat with beef chilli?

We have kept this dinner idea simple and served it with white rice, but there are loads of different sides that go well with this dish serve it with 

  • Oven-baked crispy jacket potatoes
  • pasta especially lasagne pasta just break the sheets into three
  • Oven-baked sweet potato jacket
  • Crispy nachos and cheese

What makes our spicy chilli and rice the best?

This recipe has loads of spice with fresh and dried chillies, to give it that extra punch. We use minced beef, as we think it is the best meat for this traditional dish. The secret ingredient that makes this the best is the addition of a small square of dark chocolate. 

Alternative Ingredients

Beef

we use mince beef, you can use stewing beef, but it will take quite a bit longer to cook. To reduce the extra cooking time, you can cut the stewing steak into smaller chunks

Beans

Beans or no beans you decide, in our opinion the dish is great with or without beans, if you are not a fan of kidney beans swap them for a different one like black beans

What is chilli con carne 

This recipe is believed to have originated in either northern Mexico or southern Texas. The original recipe did not include the addition of kidney beans, but over the years has become a staple ingredient for this dish. Chilli Verde is a pork dish created in Mexico, made with green tomatoes and green chillies and is often used as a filling for burritos White chilli is a chicken version, which uses green chillies and white beans and is often served with sour cream

Frequently asked questions

Question 

Answer

What is the secret to a good chili? 

Cook it for a long time on the stove so the meat is really soft. Add a square of dark chocolate to bring out the flavours

How do you add flavour to a chilli? 

Herbs and spices add flavour, we use garlic, oregano, chilli flakes, cinnamon, coriander and cumin and a square of dark chocolate that brings out the flavours

What is the difference between chili and chilli con carne?

Chili con carne is made with meat often beef and chili can be made with anything including veggie versions made with lentils

Does chilli con carne have to have beans in it 

Its personal choice, if you like beans put them in, you can also try different beans like black beans stick to coloured beans as white beans won't work as well with beef 

Other minced beef recipes

Chianti Baked Meatballs

Spaghetti Bolognese

Beef Lasagne & Mixed Salad

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