Filled with meat, seasonings, veggies and more, this Chili Con Carne Recipe is super easy, tasty and the perfect filling dinnertime recipe.
If you are a chili lover, then you will fall in love with this more amped up Chili Con Carne Recipe.
This recipe is so filled with flavor, but it works so well together and everything blends together so nicely that you will want to keep coming back for more.
You can top this with all your favorite toppings just like you would with regular chili and more if you’d like.
This is an easy one pot recipe that simmers low and slow to make all the flavor marry together so well.
This makes a nice large batch that will serve a decent sized family for dinner, but you can always double it to have more or freeze for later.
If you are a lover of all things meaty and flavorful, then this Chili Con Carne Recipe has to be on your must make menu.
Some of my favorite filling beef recipes that we have on our site include: Loaded Potato Meatloaf Casserole, Creamy Ground Beef Pasta and Ground Beef Enchiladas.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
- Simmered low and slow the flavors come together so well.
- Top with any of your favorite regular chili toppings plus more.
- This is a one pot meal, so easier cleanup!
INGREDIENTS NEEDED (FULL RECIPE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST):
Lean ground beef
Yellow onions
Green bell pepper
Salt
Pepper
Garlic
Chili powder
Ground cumin
Smoked paprika
Oregano
Cayenne pepper
Cinnamon
Tomato paste
Better than bouillon concentrate (or 3 bouillon cubes)
Crushed tomatoes
Water
Kidney beans
HOW TO MAKE A CHILI CON CARNE RECIPE, STEP BY STEP:
- Over medium heat in a large pot, add the beef, onions, bell pepper, salt and pepper.
- Stir, breaking up the beef as you cook until the meat is cooked through.
- Add the garlic and stir another minute. Drain about half of the liquid in the pot.
- Add the rest of the seasonings (chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, cayenne pepper, and cinnamon) and stir to evenly coat the meat. Cook an additional minute.
- Add the tomato paste and bouillon and stir.
- Pour in the tomatoes, water and kidney beans and stir. Bring to a simmer and reduce the heat to low. Simmer, stirring occasionally for at least 1 hour or up to 3 for maximum flavor.
- Serve with optional toppings.
HOW LONG SHOULD I SIMMER THIS?
This recipe relies on simmering for the flavors. You will want to at the least simmer for 1 hour, but 3 hours is better.
It is easy depending on the time you have, 1 hour will still be good but the longer you simmer it the more flavor it will have.
CAN I MAKE THIS SPICY?
While this has just a little spice to it on its own, you can make it spicier if you like a more spicy Chili Con Carne.
Instead of 1/8th teaspoon of cayenne pepper you can add 1/4 or more and then swap out the green bell pepper for jalapenos.
WHAT SHOULD I TOP THIS CHILI CON CARNE RECIPE WITH?
This is the fun part, you can top it with any of your favorite “chili” toppings and more. Some of our favorites include:
- Sliced green onions
- Sour cream
- Jalapeno slices
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Corn chips or Fritos
Whatever you have on hand and love to top this with, go ahead and use it!
DOES THE TYPE OF GROUND BEEF MATTER?
Yes, we want to use lean ground beef for this but do not use extra lean, so we prefer to use about 80/20.
You want a little fat for flavor. If you use extra lean ground beef, add a tablespoon of olive oil when you’re cooking the beef and veggies.
HOW TO STORE:
This can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator where it will keep for up to 5 days.
You can also freeze this recipe, place in a freezer container and it will keep for up to 2 months.
To defrost, remove from the freezer into the refrigerator until thawed. Reheat in a pot on the stove or in the microwave until heated through.
TIPS AND TRICKS:
- This can be frozen, see above on how to do that.
- Top with any of your favorite toppings, some ideas are listed above.
- You can make this spicier by adding more cayenne pepper and swapping the green bell pepper out with jalapeno.
- You will want to simmer this as long as you can, 1 hour minimum but 3 hours is best.
- Use lean ground beef about 80/20 as you will still want some fat in the recipe.
- This can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator then reheated on the stove.
Love a good filling, hearty and meaty recipe? This Chili Con Carne needs to be on your menu ASAP!
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Chili Con Carne Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 pounds lean ground beef
- 2 medium yellow onions diced
- 1 green bell pepper chopped
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 Tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 Tablespoon better than bouillon concentrate or 3 bouillon cubes
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes undrained
- 1 cup water
- 16 ounces kidney beans rinsed and drained
Optional toppings:
- Sliced green onions
- Sour cream
- Jalapeno slices
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Corn chips or Fritos
Instructions
- Over medium heat in a large pot, add the beef, onions, bell pepper, salt and pepper.
- Stir, breaking up the beef as you cook until the meat is cooked through.
- Add the garlic and stir another minute. Drain about half of the liquid in the pot.
- Add the rest of the seasonings (chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, cayenne pepper, and cinnamon) and stir to evenly coat the meat. Cook an additional minute.
- Add the tomato paste and bouillon and stir.
- Pour in the tomatoes, water and kidney beans and stir. Bring to a simmer and reduce the heat to low. Simmer, stirring occasionally for at least 1 hour or up to 3 for maximum flavor.
- Serve with optional toppings.
Notes
- Toppings are not calculated in the nutritional value.
- This can be frozen, see above on how to do that.
- Top with any of your favorite toppings, some ideas are listed above.
- You can make this spicier by adding more cayenne pepper and swapping the green bell pepper out with jalapeno.
- You will want to simmer this as long as you can, 1 hour minimum but 3 hours is best.
- Use lean ground beef about 80/20 as you will still want some fat in the recipe.
- This can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator then reheated on the stove.
Nutrition
Tornadough Alli is not a nutritionist or dietitian, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and nutritional value is important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and values can vary depending on which brands were used.
Brianna
So Yummy! I can’t wait to make this again!