Chilli Con Carne Recipe

Prepare vegetables

Peel and finely dice the onion. Core, remove seeds and dice the red and green bell peppers into roughly 1 cm pieces. Peel and mince the garlic cloves.

Sweat aromatics

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large heavy-based saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced onion and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent (4–6 minutes). Add the diced peppers and continue cooking until softened (4–5 minutes). Add the minced garlic and cook for 30–60 seconds until fragrant.

Cook bacon (if using)

If using bacon, push the vegetables to the side of the pan, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and the diced bacon. Cook over medium heat until the bacon renders fat and is lightly crisp (3–4 minutes). Mix with the vegetables.

Brown the beef

Increase heat to medium-high. Add the ground beef in batches, breaking it up with a spoon, and brown until no longer pink and some caramelization forms (6–8 minutes). Season with 1 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper as it cooks. Drain excess fat if the pan becomes very greasy, leaving a small amount for flavour.

Toast spices

Reduce heat to medium. Sprinkle the chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, ground coriander, dried oregano, and dried chili flakes over the browned beef and vegetables. Stir and cook for 1–2 minutes to toast the spices and bloom their flavour.

Add tomato paste and sugar

Stir in the tomato paste and sugar and cook for 1 minute more, stirring constantly, to caramelize the paste slightly. This deepens the tomato flavour.

Deglaze

If using, pour in the red wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Let it bubble and reduce by about half (2–3 minutes). If not using wine, add a splash of beef stock instead and scrape the pan.

Add tomatoes, stock and beans

Add the diced tomatoes (with their juices if using canned), beef stock (or water), and the drained kidney beans. Stir to combine, bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low so the mixture maintains a gentle simmer.

Simmer

Partially cover and simmer gently for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. For deeper flavour, simmer 60–90 minutes—adding more stock or water if it reduces too far—until the sauce is thick and flavours have melded.

Adjust seasoning

Taste and season with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and additional black pepper or chilli flakes as needed. If the sauce tastes too acidic, stir in a little more sugar, 1/2 teaspoon at a time, until balanced.

Rest and garnish

Turn off the heat and let the chilli rest for 5 minutes. Serve topped with a dollop of sour cream or yoghurt, a sprinkle of grated cheddar and chopped fresh coriander. Offer lime wedges to squeeze over individual portions.

Serving suggestions

Serve over steamed rice, with crusty bread, in baked potatoes, or alongside tortilla chips. Leftovers keep well in the fridge for 3–4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.