Here is my homemade chilli con carne recipe.

Easy Chilli Con Carne Recipe

This easy chilli con carne recipe is a warming family dinner made with lean minced beef, kidney beans, grated carrots, chopped tomatoes and passata. It cooks gently on the hob until the beef is tender and the tomato sauce is lovely and thick.

It is straightforward food that works well for an ordinary weeknight. Serve it with rice, spoon it over a baked potato or add tortilla chips and grated cheese. Any leftovers can go into the fridge or freezer for another day.

What Goes Into This Chilli Con Carne

Lean minced beef and kidney beans make the chilli filling, while finely grated carrots cook into the sauce. Chopped tomatoes and passata create the rich tomato base, and a little red wine vinegar and sugar balance the flavour.

The grated carrots are useful if your family is not keen on obvious pieces of vegetables. Once the chilli has simmered, they soften into the sauce.

Which Chilli Seasoning Should I Use?

I use 2 level tablespoons of my homemade chilli spice mix. It is easy to make, and you can adjust the heat to suit your family.

A shop-bought chilli seasoning works perfectly well too. Use 2 level tablespoons for this recipe, or follow the packet instructions if the manufacturer recommends a different amount for 750g of minced beef. Start with less if you prefer a mild chilli, because you can always add more.

How to Serve Chilli Con Carne

Rice is the classic choice, but this chilli is also good with baked potatoes, sweet potato fries or tortilla chips. Add grated cheese, natural yoghurt or sliced spring onions if you fancy them.

How to Store Chilli

Allow leftover chilli to cool fully before transferring it to an airtight container. Keep it in the fridge and use it within two days, or freeze it for later. Defrost frozen chilli thoroughly in the fridge and reheat until piping hot throughout.

This is a simple homemade chilli con carne with familiar ingredients and plenty of flavour. Once everything is in the pot, leave it to simmer gently and let the hob do most of the work.

mrshawkinshouse

Chilli Con Carne

Slow cook for 3 to 4 hours, perfect for cold winter evening.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 35

Cook Time 2

Servings: 8

Course: Main Course

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

750 g Minced beef
2 med onions
1 tbsp Olive oil for cooking, use as much as you need.
2 tins Kidney beans
1 tin Chopped tomatoes
3 bulbs Garlic
Salt and pepper
2 small carrots finely grated ( optional but good for bulking)
1 carton Passata
1 tbsp Red wine vinegar
1 Beef stock I used an Oxo cube
1 tbsp Sugar Sweeten as you prefer ie honey, brown sugar etc
2 tbsp Tomato puree
2 tbsp Homemade spice mix (or a chilli spice mix of your choice, read instructions for quantity) Recipe for my homemade chilli spice mix is linked below
Splash of water which you may or may not need to melt your stock pot and to loosen the mixture if needed.

Method

Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based pan over a medium heat.
Add the onions and cook until soft.
Season the minced beef. Push the onions to one side, add the beef and break it up with a spoon. Cook until browned.
Add the kidney beans, grated carrots, chopped tomatoes, passata, stock pot, red wine vinegar, sugar and chilli seasoning. Stir well.
Pour in approximately ½ cup of boiling water. Add a little more only if needed. The sauce should be loose but not watery.
Cover and simmer gently for at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Remove the lid near the end if the sauce needs to thicken.
HINT: You can leave this on the stove cooking slowly for 3 to 4 hours if you want to deepen the flavour.
Serve hot with rice, baked potatoes, sweet potato fries or tortilla chips.