This chili con carne recipe is an easy way to cook up a hearty family dinner that is practically effortless but completely delicious! Ground beef, kidney beans, onions, and red bell peppers, are simmered low and slow on the stovetop until tender. It's comforting and filling, and the leftovers taste even better the next day!
Easy Chili Con Carne
If you're looking to curl up with a warm bowl of chili, this hearty chili con carne will hit the spot. With ground beef, kidney beans, bell peppers, onions, and a perfectly spiced seasoning blend, this chili is great for potlucks, parties, or even a chili cook-off!
Everything is made in one pot, so prep and cleanup is a breeze. You'll be shocked that even though it only simmers for an hour, it tastes like it's been on the stove all day!
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If you're looking for ways to use up some ground beef, be sure to check out all of my incredible ground beef recipes! And for easy dinner ideas, stop by my page on ground beef casseroles!
🥘 Ingredients For Chile Con Carne
You may have most of these ingredients in your pantry at home already! Don't let the long list of ingredients deter you, many are simple herbs and spices.
- Ground Beef - 2 pounds of ground beef. I used 80/20 ground chuck.
- Olive Oil - 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil.
- Yellow Onions - 2 medium yellow onions (or white onions, chopped).
- Garlic - 2 teaspoons of minced garlic (about 2 cloves).
- Red Bell Pepper - 1 medium red bell pepper (or green, chopped).
- Salt - 1 ½ teaspoons of salt.
- Chili Powder 2 tablespoons of chili powder.
- Beef Bouillon Granules - 3 teaspoons of beef bouillon granules or 3 bouillon cubes.
- Cayenne Pepper - ⅛ teaspoon of cayenne pepper.
- Cinnamon - ¼ teaspoon of ground cinnamon.
- Cumin - 1 teaspoon of ground cumin.
- Oregano - 1 teaspoon of dried oregano.
- Canned Diced Tomatoes - 29 ounces of canned diced tomatoes (undrained, *see note).
- Water - 1 cup of water.
- Kidney Beans - 16 ounces of kidney beans (undrained).
If you like making your own seasoning blends, check out my homemade chili seasoning!
*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*
😋 Chili Toppings
There are so many delicious ways to dress up your chili! Here are a few of my favorite chili toppings:
- Shredded Cheese
- Sliced Jalapeno
- Sour Cream
- Pico de Gallo
- Diced Avocado
- Sliced Green Onions or Chives
- Crumbled Queso Fresco
🍴 Chili Serving Suggestions
Chili doesn't have to be served on its own. You can always pair it with starches for dipping, scooping, or soaking up all the incredible flavor. Here are a few of my favorite ways to serve chili!
White Rice - Serve your chili con carne in a bowl over white rice for an even more filling meal!
Buttered Noodles - Chili makes a fantastic meat sauce for pasta. You can ladle it over the top of a bed of noodles or mix it all together!
Cornbread - Cornbread and chili are a classic pairing that is always a hit.
Tortilla Chips - Serve bowls of chili with tortilla chips on the side for scooping, or serve it as an appetizer on a platter with tortilla chips!
Baked Potatoes - Upgrade your loaded baked potatoes by topping them with homemade chili!
Hot Dogs - Chili dogs anyone? This recipe is perfect for making a DIY hot dog bar!
Fritos - Pour your chili over a pile of Fritos to make a tasty Frito pie!
🔪 How To Make Chili Con Carne
This is an easy one-pot recipe that anyone can make! You are going to need measuring utensils, a Dutch oven, and a wooden spoon or spatula as well as a knife and cutting board for chopping the veggies.
One batch of this chili makes roughly 10 servings. Thank goodness it freezes well and makes even more delicious leftovers!
- Brown the beef. Place a Dutch oven on the stovetop over medium heat. Brown 2 pounds of ground beef for 5-7 minutes or until no pink remains and use a wooden spoon or spatula to crumble the beef as it cooks. Drain and set aside.
- Saute onion and garlic. Heat 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in the same pot then add 2 diced onions and saute until tender, about 2-3 minutes. Add the 2 teaspoons of minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
- Season. Stir in 1 medium red bell pepper, 2 tablespoons of chili powder, 3 teaspoons bouillon granules, ⅛ teaspoon of cayenne, ⅛ teaspoon of cinnamon, 1 teaspoon of cumin, 1 teaspoon of oregano, and 1 ½ teaspoons of salt. Stir to combine and let cook for 2 minutes longer.
- Return the browned beef to the pot along with 29 ounces of canned diced tomatoes and their juices. Stir in 1 cup of water and bring the chili to a boil. Reduce the temperature, cover, and let simmer for 1 hour.
- Add beans. Stir in 16 ounces of kidney beans (without draining them) and allow to cook until heated through. Remove from heat and serve with desired toppings.
Top your chili off with some sour cream, shredded cheese, or sliced jalapenos if desired. For more great ideas, take a look at my page on what to serve with chili. Enjoy!
💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
- If you don't have bouillon granules, you can substitute them for 1 cup of beef broth or stock.
- 29 ounces of canned diced tomatoes are the equivalent of 2 14.5-ounce cans and 16 ounces of kidney beans is 1 can.
- Like stew, chili tastes even better the next day! This is a great make-ahead recipe for serving a crowd.
🥡 Storing & Reheating
Place cooled leftover chili con carne into a shallow airtight container and refrigerate it for up to 4 days.
Reheating Chili Con Carne
Reheat individual portions in the microwave covered with a paper towel. Start with 1 minute on high, stir, then add 30-second intervals until heated to your satisfaction.
Large portions of leftover chili can be reheated on the stove top in a saucepan over medium heat until warmed through. Add a splash of water or beef broth if needed.
>>>>See all of my recipes here<<<<
❓ Recipe FAQs
Chili con carne directly translates to 'chili with meat'. So yes, chili like the most of us know and love (obviously this excludes vegetarian chili) is chili con carne.
Typically chili con carne includes red kidney beans. For an incredible 'chili con carne' without the beans, check out my Texas chili!
One of the beautiful things about homemade chili is that you can totally control the spice level. Some meat chili may be spicy, but this specific recipe is not very hot. You can always add more cayenne pepper, or add some jalapenos with the ribs and seeds intact to give it more heat.
🐄 More Ground Beef Recipes
- Ground Beef Casserole - This easy ground beef and pasta bake is perfect for weeknight family dinners!
- Ground Beef Stew - A warm and hearty ground beef stew with veggies and potatoes.
- Ground Beef Stroganoff - Creamy ground beef stroganoff with egg noodles is the ultimate comfort food!
- Stuffed Green Peppers - Roasted bell peppers filled with cheesy rice, ground beef, and beans!
- Dirty Rice - Dirty rice makes a great main course or side dish full of zesty Cajun flavor!
- Rotel Dip - A cheesy ground beef dip for chips that makes a great appetizer for any occasion!
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📖 Recipe Card
Chili Con Carne
Ingredients
- 2 lbs ground beef
- 2 tablespoon olive oil (extra virgin)
- 2 medium yellow onions (or white onions, chopped)
- 2 teaspoon minced garlic (about 2 cloves)
- 1 medium red bell pepper (or green, chopped)
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoon chili powder
- 3 tsps beef bouillon granules (or 3 bouillon cubes)
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 29 oz canned diced tomatoes (undrained, *see note)
- 1 cup water
- 16 oz kidney beans (undrained)
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
- Place a Dutch oven on the stove top over medium heat. Brown the ground beef for 5-7 minutes or until no pink remains and use a wooden spoon or spatula to crumble the beef as it cooks. Drain and set aside.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in the same pot then add the onions and saute until tender, about 2-3 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
- Stir in the bell pepper, chili powder, bouillon granules, cayenne, cinnamon, cumin, oregano, and salt. Stir to combine and let cook for 2 minutes longer.
- Return the browned beef to the pot along with the canned diced tomatoes. Stir in the water and bring the chili to a boil. Reduce the temperature, cover, and let simmer for 1 hour.
- Stir in the kidney beans (without draining them) and allow to cook until heated through. Remove from heat and serve with desired toppings.
Notes
- If you don't have bouillon granules, you can substitute them for 1 cup of beef broth or stock.
- 29 ounces of canned diced tomatoes are the equivalent of 2 14.5-ounce cans and 16 ounces of kidney beans is 1 can. If you find cans that are close in size, they'll work just fine. 🙂
- Like stew, chili tastes even better the next day! This is a great make-ahead recipe for serving a crowd.
- To store: Place cooled leftover chili con carne in a shallow airtight container and refrigerate it for up to 4 days.
- To reheat: Reheat individual portions in the microwave or large portions on the stovetop over medium heat until warmed through.
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