The perfect blend of spices, beans and extra veggies, means you can make a pound of minced beef feed 8 people! Check out the full recipe including step-by-step photos and a video below. We love this belly-warming dish of meaty, spicy chilli. It’s a regular on our dinner table.  You can pretty much guarantee there are at least a couple of portions of it in our freezer at any one time and that we’re never more than 7 days away from our next bowl. It’s a classic. Only this one is better 🙂 Today’s beef chilli recipe comes from my husband Chris! Who - although he is a really great cook (thanks Chris’s mum!) - usually sticks to BBQ feasts and cauldron size vats of Chilli.  This chilli is his baby, and it’s taken me forever to get him to write it down for me. In the 15 years, we’ve been together, I think I’ve made chilli 5 or 6 times.  It’s been made clear to me that this is not my domain, and I’m only allowed in the kitchen to swoon over the pre-dinner taste-testing or to clean up. Fair enough.  I know my place.  Note: that’s the only time you’ll hear me saying that!!! erm unless the tyre needs changing or a particularly welded jar lid needs unscrewing.  That’s it though.  We’re definitely equal in all other things!

How to Make It

Starting by cooking onions and garlic with a little oil in a large pan until softened. Add the minced beef and cook until browned - breaking up any lumps with a wooden spoon. Then pour in the red wine and simmer for a few minutes. Next, add beef stock, Worcestershire sauce and a little honey. Then chop two red bell peppers and add those in too. Add in four tins of good-quality chopped tomatoes and stir. Next is the spices. We have smoked paprika, cumin, ground coriander, chilli powder (more or less depending on how hot you like it), ground ginger, salt and pepper and mixed herbs. Chris also adds in a freshly chopped red chilli at this point too. Then add in tomato puree (paste), tomato ketchup and chipotle paste. Bring to the boil, stir, then turn down the heat and loosely cover with a lid. Simmer for about an hour, giving it a stir every 10-15 minutes. After an hour, add in some tinned mixed beans and kidney beans, stir, and cook for a further 20 minutes, uncovered (this is a good time to put your rice on to cook too). Right before serving, stir in a big handful of chopped fresh coriander (cilantro). Then serve with boiled rice. If you like you can also serve with soured cream, homemade guacamole, tortilla chips (we love the blue corn chips) and an extra sprinkling of fresh coriander and finely chopped red chillies. I know it seems like a long list of ingredients, but most of it gets thrown in together, and you probably have most of the ingredients in your cupboard already. Although we often serve it with rice, it’s also great with pasta, on tortilla chips or jacket potatoes.  I even sometimes use a portion from the freezer to make a quick, spicy lasagne. Stay updated with new recipes!Subscribe to the newsletter to hear when I post a new recipe. I’m also on YouTube (new videos every week) and Instagram (behind-the-scenes stories & beautiful food photos).

Our Quick and Easy Chicken Fajitas - always a hit with the kids tooMexican Chicken Skewers - great on the BBQCrispy Fish Tacos - a favourite of Chris and I from our trip to Morro Bay CAVegetarian Loaded Tortilla PanMexican ShakshukaOh and if you have a little extra time this Slow Cooked Pork and Beef Chilli is AMAZING!

This post was first published in October 2014. Updated January 2019 with new photos, step-by-step photos, tips and a recipe video. Updated June 2020 with extra tips and for housekeeping. Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links – which means if you buy the product I get a small commission (at no extra cost to you). If you do buy, then thank you! That’s what helps us to keep Kitchen Sanctuary running. The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors. For more information please see our Terms & Conditions.

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