Description
Chili con carne, a hearty and flavorful dish, combines ground beef with a rich tomato sauce, beans, and classic chili spices. This recipe guides you through making a delicious homemade chili, perfect for a satisfying meal. You can easily adapt this classic chili con carne to your taste preferences.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pound ground beef (80/20 lean)
- 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15 ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (4 ounce) can diced green chilies
- 1 cup beef broth
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, for spicy chili)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Optional toppings: shredded cheese, sour cream, chopped fresh cilantro, jalapeños
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook until softened, about 5-7 minutes.
- Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
- Add the ground beef to the pot. Break it up with a spoon and cook until browned, about 8-10 minutes. Drain any excess fat.
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes, kidney beans, pinto beans, diced green chilies, and beef broth.
- Add the chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper (if using). Stir well to combine all ingredients for this beef chili recipe.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and let it cook for at least 1 hour, or up to 3 hours, stirring occasionally. This allows the flavors of the traditional chili con carne to meld.
- Season the chili con carne with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Serve hot with your favorite toppings. This easy chili con carne recipe is perfect for a family dinner.
Notes
- For a thicker chili, simmer uncovered for the last 30 minutes.
- You can adjust the level of spice by adding more or less cayenne pepper. This makes for a truly spicy chili with meat.
- Leftover chili con carne can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
- Consider making this slow cooker chili con carne by browning the beef and onions, then combining all ingredients in a slow cooker and cooking on low for 6-8 hours.
- This homemade chili con carne is even better the next day as the flavors deepen.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Category: Main Courses
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 850mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 12g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 70mg
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