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Tex-Mex · American

Chili con carne

Non-vegetarian

Ground beef simmered with onions, chilli powder, cumin and tomatoes into a thick, warmly spiced stew, finished here with kidney beans.

Chili con carne is a Tex-Mex stew from United States, ready in about 1 hour 30 minutes and made with ground beef and chili powder (blend). It serves 4 and is rated easy to cook.

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Close-up of a flavorful homemade chili dish garnished with fresh parsley, perfect for a cozy meal.
Photo: Zak Chapman / Pexels · Pexels License
Prep
15 min
Cook
1 h 15 min
Total
1 h 30 min
Serves
4
Level
Easy
Calories
434

Ingredients

4 servings

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Heat the oil in a heavy pot over medium heat and cook the onion (opens in a new tab) until soft. Add the garlic (opens in a new tab) and jalapeño (opens in a new tab) for a minute.

    Onions frying golden in a pan
    How it looks · Photo: Magda Ehlers on Pexels

  2. Step 2

    Turn the heat up, add the beef and cook, breaking it up, until no pink remains and it starts to brown.

    • 8 min
    • medium-high heat

    Food safety: Ground beef should be cooked through (71 °C).

  3. Step 3

    Stir in the chilli powder, cumin (opens in a new tab), oregano (opens in a new tab) and tomato paste (opens in a new tab) and fry for 1–2 minutes until fragrant.

    • 2 min
    • medium heat

  4. Step 4

    Add the tomatoes, stock and salt. Bring to a simmer, partly cover and cook gently, stirring now and then, until thick and rich.

    • 45 min
    • low heat

  5. Step 5

    Add the beans and simmer uncovered for a final 10–15 minutes. Taste for salt and heat. Serve topped with sour cream (opens in a new tab) and cheese.

    • 13 min
    • low heat

About this dish

Origin
Texas, United States · Commonly attributedWidely credited to Texas; many Texans insist true chili contains no beans or tomatoes.Also popular in Canada, United KingdomMore food from United States
Dish
Lunch · Dinner · Stews & braises · Main courses
Cooking method
Simmered, Sautéed
Taste
spicy (chilli heat), savoury, smoky, earthy
Diet
No gluten ingredients · No nut ingredients · Low-carb · High-protein
All labelsNon-vegetarian · No gluten ingredients · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Low-carb · High-protein · Carb-conscious · Calorie-conscious
Without the optional extras: Dairy-freeWith the listed swaps: Beef-freeWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
One-pot · Freezer-friendly · Make-ahead · Batch cooking · Uses leftovers
Cook more with
Ground beef · Chili powder (blend) · Onion · Garlic · Jalapeño · Cumin
Techniques
Sautéing · Simmering

Allergens

  • Contains, can be adapted: Milkfrom sour cream, cheddar
  • May contain: Mustardfrom chili powder (blend)
  • May contain: Celeryfrom chili powder (blend), beef stock

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

434 kcal per serving

Calculated

1 serving ≈ 400 g · recipe makes 4

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 29%
  • Carbohydrate 22%
  • Fat 49%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy434 kcal109 kcal
Protein31.6 g7.9 g
Carbohydrate24.7 g6.2 g
Net carbohydrate17.2 g4.3 g
Sugars7.8 g1.9 g
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre7.5 g1.9 g
Fat23.9 g6 g
Saturated fat7.7 g1.9 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol85 mg21 mg
Sodium1433 mg359 mg
Salt equivalent3.6 g0.9 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
1069 mg
Calcium
131 mg
Iron
6 mg
Magnesium
72 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
—
Vitamin C
22 mg
Vitamin D
0.1 µg
Vitamin B12
2.7 µg
Folate (DFE)
42 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: sour cream, cheddar.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Chili tastes even better the next day once the spices have settled.

Common mistakes

  • Adding the beans too early makes them break down to mush.

Serve with

  • Serve with rice, tortilla chips or a wedge of cornbread.

Food safety

  • Cool the chili in shallow containers and refrigerate within 2 hours; reheat until bubbling.

Storage

  • Refrigerate up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months.

Reheating

  • Reheat gently with a splash of water until piping hot.

Variations

  • Texas red (United States): Cubed chuck, dried chilli paste and no beans or tomatoes.
  • Cincinnati chili (United States): A thinner, cinnamon-spiced meat sauce served over spaghetti.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Used in steps 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Masalas in this recipe

Make the masala first, then come back to finish the dish.

Reviews & corrections

Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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