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Chili con Carne served with fresh tortilla
Hearty and delicious Tex-Mex chili with beans

Classic Chili con Carne

Author: Flavelo
Recipes Main Courses Quick Meals
Chili con Carne actually conquered the world from Texas, not Mexico. It's a true 'one-pot' meal that gets better every time you reheat it. The secret to deep flavor is the bold use of spices (cumin, smoked paprika) and chocolate (!). Yes, a square of dark chocolate at the end adds a depth to the tomato sauce that guests won't be able to identify, but they'll ask for seconds.
🕒 Prep Time 15 mins
🍳 Cook Time 45 mins
⌛ Total Time 1 hr
🍽️ Servings 4 servings
🔥 Calories 520 kcal
🌍 Cuisine Tex-Mex

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

  • Large Dutch oven or pot
  • Wooden spoon
  • Can opener

Instructions

1 ✓

Dice the onions and peppers. Heat the oil and sauté the onions until translucent.

Tip: Onion forms the flavor base of the dish.
2 ✓

Add the ground beef. Now, the most important part: cook over high heat until browned well. Don't just steam it, sear it!

Tip: Grey, boiled meat is flavorless. The brown color indicates the Maillard reaction, which creates flavor.
3 ✓

Once the meat is browned, add the crushed garlic, cumin, paprika, and chopped chili. Stir for 1 minute.

Tip: Sautéing spices in fat 'blooms' them, making their aroma more intense.
4 ✓

Pour in the canned tomatoes and diced bell pepper. If it's too thick, add half a cup of water. Season with salt.

Tip: Fresh bell pepper adds a nice crunch to the stew.
5 ✓

Cover and simmer on low heat for 30-40 minutes. The flavors need to meld.

Tip: This isn't a race. The tomato acids need to cook down and sweeten.
6 ✓

Finally, add the drained beans and (if you're brave) the square of dark chocolate. Simmer for another 5 minutes until the beans are heated through.

Tip: Canned beans are already soft; if added too early, they will turn to mush.
7 ✓

Serve with sour cream, shredded cheese, tortillas, or rice. Even better the next day!

Tip: Resting improves it as the flavors round out.

Recipe FAQ

How do I make it less spicy?
Remove the ribs and seeds from the chili pepper; that's where most of the capsaicin (heat) is. Or serve with plenty of sour cream; dairy fat neutralizes the heat.
Why add sugar or chocolate?
Tomatoes are acidic. A little sweetness (brown sugar or dark chocolate) balances the acidity and rounds out the flavor profile.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb Ground Beef (80/20 blend)
  • 1 can Kidney Beans (15 oz can)
  • 1 can Diced Tomatoes (15 oz can)
  • 2 medium Yellow Onions
  • 3 cloves Garlic
  • 1 whole Red Bell Pepper
  • 1 whole Chili Pepper (Jalapeño or similar, to taste)
  • 2 tbsp Vegetable Oil
  • 1 tsp Ground Cumin (essential!)
  • 1 tsp Paprika (Smoked is great)
  • 1 square Dark Chocolate (min. 70%, optional)
  • 1 tsp Salt