Chilli con carne
Rich, slow-simmered chilli with beef, beans and a touch of dark chocolate for depth — smoky, spicy and perfect for a chilly evening.
This is the sort of chilli that warms the soul — beef browned well, a long, gentle simmer and a sneaky bit of dark chocolate to round the sauce. It’s smoky, spicy and properly satisfying. Make it for a midweek supper with crusty bread or for a weekend batch-cook; it improves the next day and freezes beautifully.
Ingredients
- 30 ml olive oil
- 1 brown onion — large, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves — finely sliced or crushed
- 2 red peppers — seeds removed, diced
- 500 g beef mince — ideally 10–15% fat
- 10 ml ground cumin
- 5 ml smoked paprika
- 10 ml chilli powder — adjust to taste
- 1 bay leaf
- 400 g tinned chopped tomatoes — one standard tin
- 30 ml tomato purée
- 500 ml beef stock — hot
- 400 g tinned kidney beans — drained and rinsed
- 15 ml soft brown sugar — balances acidity
- 10 g dark chocolate — 70% cocoa, grated or chopped
- 15 ml Worcestershire sauce
- 5 ml sea salt — plus extra to taste
- 5 ml black pepper — freshly ground
- 100 g soured cream — to serve
- 15 g fresh coriander — roughly chopped, to serve
- 1 lime — juice only
Instructions
Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat on the hob. Add the brown onion and sweat gently until soft and translucent, about 6–8 minutes.
Stir in the garlic cloves, ground cumin, smoked paprika and chilli powder and cook for 45–60 seconds until fragrant. Keep the spices moving so they don’t burn.
Turn the heat up to medium–high and add the beef mince in batches so it browns rather than steams. Break it up with a wooden spoon and cook until nicely browned with no pink remaining, about 8–10 minutes. Season with about half the sea salt and half the black pepper while browning.
Add the red peppers and cook for 4–5 minutes until they start to soften.
Stir in the tomato purée, then add the tinned chopped tomatoes, beef stock and bay leaf. Add the soft brown sugar and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a gentle simmer — this should take around 8–10 minutes.
Lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened and the flavours have deepened.
About 10 minutes before the end of cooking, stir in the tinned kidney beans and the dark chocolate. Simmer for a further 8–10 minutes until the beans are heated through and the chocolate has melted into the sauce.
Remove the bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasoning with the remaining sea salt and black pepper. Stir in the lime juice, then spoon into bowls and finish each serving with a dollop of soured cream and a scatter of fresh coriander.
Tips
- Brown the mince properly — good caramelisation is where most of the flavour comes from.
- Simmer low and slow, uncovered: it concentrates the sauce. If it’s reducing too fast, lower the heat rather than covering the pan.
- Make ahead and chill overnight; flavours develop and any excess fat is easy to skim off before reheating.
- Freeze in portions for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat gently on the hob.
- If you prefer a smoother sauce, blitz a third of the chilli briefly with a hand blender before adding the beans.
Substitutions
beef mince → turkey mince, same weight
Stays closetinned kidney beans → tinned black beans, same weight
Stays closedark chocolate → 1 tsp cocoa powder dissolved in a little hot water
Noticeably differentWorcestershire sauce → 1 tbsp soy sauce plus 1 tsp vinegar
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 590
- Calories
- 38 g
- Protein
- 32 g
- Carbs
- 34 g
- Fat
- 6 g
- Fibre
- 9 g
- Sugar
- 900 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I make this in a slow cooker?
Yes — brown onions, spices and mince on the hob first, then transfer to a slow cooker with the remaining ingredients and cook on low for 6–8 hours.
How do I make a milder chilli?
Reduce the chilli powder and omit any hot smoked paprika. Use sweet smoked paprika instead for smokiness without heat.
Can I freeze the chilli?
Absolutely. Cool completely, portion into airtight tubs and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge before reheating.
How can I thicken the sauce if it’s too runny?
Simmer uncovered to reduce, or mash a few beans into the sauce. A small slurry of plain flour mixed with cold water can also be stirred in and cooked for a few minutes.
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