Some meals just get you through the week.
For me, this Chilli Con Carne is one of them.
When the days grow shorter and the air takes on that crisp, comforting chill, there’s nothing quite like a steaming bowl of homemade chilli con carne to warm your soul.
For me, this dish is more than just dinner it’s a tradition, a conversation-starter, and a secret weapon for cozy, fuss-free meals.
It’s warming, filling, and full of flavour and it’s earned its spot in my top 10 freezer staples. Whether it’s a last-minute dinner or something I’ve prepped during nap time, this is the kind of recipe that saves the day without sacrificing flavour.
Plus, it’s so versatile you can serve it with rice, rice and chips, on a jacket potato, in wraps, or even over nachos. And the best bit? You can double (or triple) the batch and freeze the leftovers for another day.
✅ Why Mums Love This Recipe
✔️ Freezer-friendly
It freezes beautifully in portioned containers, ready to defrost for a stress-free dinner.
✔️ Batch-cook approved
Make a big pot once, and you’ve got multiple meals sorted for the week or month ahead.
✔️ Crowd-pleaser
The whole family loves it—especially when they can choose their toppings.
✔️ Customisable heat
You control the spice level, making it suitable for everyone from toddlers to grown-ups.
✔️ Toddler-friendly prep
Let them help add ingredients to the pot or sprinkle cheese on top when serving. Involving them is messy but fun and they’re more likely to eat it if they helped make it!
🍽 How I Batch Cook It
When I make chilli, I always go big (up to 3 months’ worth in one go). Here’s how I keep it batch-friendly:
- Portion into containers
- Cool completely before freezing
- Label and freeze for up to 3 months
- Defrost in the fridge overnight
🥄 How I Serve It
This chilli is a proper multi-tasker. Here’s how we love it:
- With fluffy white rice
- With fluffy white rice and homemade chips
- On a baked potato with a dollop of sour cream
- Scooped into wraps with salad and cheese
- Piled over nachos for a treat night
- On its own with a side of crusty bread
Topping ideas: grated cheese, avocado, plain yoghurt, chopped coriander—or let the kids build their own bowl!
👶 Toddler Involvement
This is a great recipe for getting little ones involved in the kitchen.
My toddler loves:
- Helping pour tinned tomatoes into the pot
- Stirring ingredients with a wooden spoon (in a “pretend” pot just for them)
- Sprinkling cheese or spooning yoghurt on their own bowl at the table
It’s not about perfect technique it’s about creating moments and making mealtimes feel like a team effort.
🛠️ Make It Yours
One of the best things about chilli is its versatility.
Want to add extra veg? Go for it – diced carrots, courgettes, or even sweetcorn work beautifully.
Feeding a crowd? Double the batch and let everyone dive in with bowls and toppings.
Chilli Con Carne
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 large onion
- 1 red pepper
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 heaped tsp hot chilli powder or 1 level tbsp if you only have mild
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 500 g lean minced beef
- 1 beef stock cube
- 400 g can chopped tomatoes
- ½ tsp dried marjoram
- 1 tsp sugar or add a thumbnail-sized piece of dark chocolate along with the beans instead, see tip
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 410 g can red kidney beans
- plain boiled long grain rice to serve
- soured cream to serve
Instructions
Innstructions
- Prepare your vegetables. Chop 1 large onion into small dice, about 5mm square. The easiest way to do this is to cut the onion in half from root to tip, peel it and slice each half into thick matchsticks lengthways, not quite cutting all the way to the root end so they are still held together. Slice across the matchsticks into neat dice.
- Cut 1 red pepper in half lengthways, remove stalk and wash the seeds away, then chop. Peel and finely chop 2 garlic cloves.
- Start cooking. Put your pan on the hob over a medium heat. Add 1 tbsp oil and leave it for 1-2 minutes until hot (a little longer for an electric hob).
- Add the onion and cook, stirring fairly frequently, for about 5 minutes, or until the onion is soft, squidgy and slightly translucent.
- Tip in the garlic, red pepper, 1 heaped tsp hot chilli powder or 1 level tbsp mild chilli powder, 1 tsp paprika and 1 tsp ground cumin.
- Give it a good stir, then leave it to cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Brown 500g lean minced beef. Turn the heat up a bit, add the meat to the pan and break it up with your spoon or spatula. The mix should sizzle a bit when you add the mince.
- Keep stirring and prodding for at least 5 minutes, until all the mince is in uniform, mince-sized lumps and there are no more pink bits. Make sure you keep the heat hot enough for the meat to fry and become brown, rather than just stew.
- Make the sauce. Crumble 1 beef stock cube into 300ml hot water. Pour this into the pan with the mince mixture.
- Add a 400g can of chopped tomatoes. Tip in ½ tsp dried marjoram, 1 tsp sugar and add a good shake of salt and pepper. Squirt in about 2 tbsp tomato purée and stir the sauce well.
- Simmer it gently. Bring the whole thing to the boil, give it a good stir and put a lid on the pan. Turn down the heat until it is gently bubbling and leave it for 20 minutes.
- Check on the pan occasionally to stir it and make sure the sauce doesn’t catch on the bottom of the pan or isn’t drying out. If it is, add a couple of tablespoons of water and make sure that the heat really is low enough. After simmering gently, the saucy mince mixture should look thick, moist and juicy.
- Drain and rinse a 410g can of red kidney beans in a sieve and stir them into the chilli pot. Bring to the boil again, and gently bubble without the lid for another 10 minutes, adding a little more water if it looks too dry.
- Taste a bit of the chilli and season. It will probably take a lot more seasoning than you think.
- Now replace the lid, turn off the heat and leave your chilli to stand for 10 minutes before serving. This is really important as it allows the flavours to mingle.
- Serve with soured cream and plain boiled long grain rice.
Notes
- Serve it on a bed of plain, boiled rice, with a spoonful of soured cream on top.
- Wrap it up in a tortilla with shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes and guacamole for a great burrito.
- Nachos add some crunchy texture and act as a good dipping material.
- If your chilli is extra spicy, then a bowl of coleslaw brings a cooling element.
- Add a fresh salad for a light side – try our colourful Mexican corn salad or avocado and black bean salad.
- For those with a big appetite, then potato wedges or loaded potato skins are good options for padding out the meal.
- Tip to increase the flavour – Rather than add the teaspoon of sugar, you can stir in a small piece of chocolate (about the size of your thumbnail) when you add the beans. Any plain dark chocolate will do. Be careful not to add too much – you don’t want to be able to identify the flavour of the chocolate.
Nutrition
💡 Mum Hack
Batch cook this on a slower day and freeze in portions. On those wild weekday nights when dinner feels impossible, you can defrost, reheat, and serve – no stress required.
Dinner sorted = mental load lifted 💛
This chilli con carne recipe isn’t just about feeding your family it’s about bringing everyone together, one comforting spoonful at a time.
🧡 Final Thoughts
Whether it’s a midweek lifesaver or the star of your next casual dinner party, this recipe is a true kitchen hero.
Give it a try and let me know how it turned out I’d love to hear your twist on this classic!
You’ve got this, mama.
And dinner? Sorted.
