Easy Chilli Con Carne
About this recipe
Chilli Con Carne is a classic dish that's not only hearty and satisfying but also packed with flavor. This version from Cooking With Aunt Jay simplifies the process while ensuring a rich taste that won't break the bank.
With a blend of spices, lean minced beef, and optional dark chocolate for depth, this recipe is perfect for a cozy dinner or meal prep for the week.
Ingredient notes
- Use generous amounts of tomato paste for a richer flavor.
- The recipe calls for pre-cooked kidney beans, which save time and effort.
Tips from Cooking With Aunt Jay’s video
- Make sure to brown the minced beef without letting it form liquid for the best texture.
- Allow the spices to infuse in the oil before adding the meat to enhance the flavor profile.
Good to know
- How long does it take to cook this Chilli Con Carne?
- The total cooking time is about 30 minutes, with 20 minutes on medium heat and an additional 10 minutes after adding the kidney beans.
- Can I adjust the number of servings?
- Yes, you can increase the number of kidney beans and tomatoes to make more portions.
No life story here — the video and the recipe are the whole point. All credit to Cooking With Aunt Jay: watch the original on YouTube.
The recipe
Ingredients
Steps
- 1
Finely chop one medium sized onion.
- 2
Roughly chop four cloves of garlic.
- 3
Deseed and dice one large red pepper.
- 4
In a heavy base pan, warm three tablespoons of oil.
- 5
Once the oil is hot, fry the onions until they're soft and light in color.
- 6
Add the chopped garlic and diced red pepper, and cook under medium heat for a couple of minutes.
- 7
Add one teaspoon of ground cinnamon, one teaspoon of smoked paprika, one teaspoon of chili powder, and one teaspoon of ground cumin. Stir and allow the spices to infuse for a couple of minutes.
- 8
Increase the heat to high and add 500 grams of lean minced beef. Break it up and cook until browned without forming liquid.
- 9
Once browned, stir in two generous tablespoons of tomato paste and mix well.
- 10
Add a 400 gram tin of chopped tomatoes.
- 11
Add one beef stock cube and 300 milliliters of boiling water. Turn the heat up until it boils, then reduce to medium and cover, cooking for 20 minutes.
- 12
After 20 minutes, rinse a tin of pre-cooked kidney beans and stir them in.
- 13
Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning with chili, salt, pepper, or other spices as needed. Add a couple of squares of dark chocolate and cook with the lid on for a further 10 minutes.
- 14
Check the chili again for seasoning before taking it off the heat.
Heads up — we had to guess a little:
- The quantity for '2 generous tablespoons of tomato paste' was inferred as '2' without a specific measurement in the transcript.
Credit where it’s due: this recipe was transcribed from Cooking With Aunt Jay’s original video on YouTube. Follow them there — it’s their dish.
Are you Cooking With Aunt Jay? Claim this page or ask us to take it down. Your call, always.
