This chili recipe, or chili con carne, is a basic recipe that is so easy to make.
You’ll see that you can go in many directions with this recipe, to spice it up, veggie it up, or leave as is – whatever your preference.
I often add vegetables to my chili to make it a real meal in a pot. I add celery, a few chopped carrots, and sometimes some canned corn.
Did You Know?…
This chili recipe is pretty healthy. You can replace the ground beef with ground chicken or turkey to make it even leaner. Or use extra lean ground beef.
Chilli tastes better to me with lots of garlic. The recipe calls for 2 cloves, but I usually use about 4. It really ups the nutrition factor too.
Chili is one of the classic comfort foods. It seems like the perfect easy dinner recipe on a cold winter night, but works just about any time of year.
Chili Recipe: Chili Con Carne
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 onion, small, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- salt and pepper
- 1 - 28 ounce can diced tomatoes
- 1 - 20 ounce can red kidney beans
- 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, optional but adds an extra bit of flavor
- 2 to 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
Instructions
- Sauté onions over medium heat in non-stick pan or in a touch of oil. Add ground beef and garlic and brown well. Add salt and pepper while beef is cooking.
- Drain off any excess fat after frying meat. Add canned tomatoes, kidney beans and seasonings. Mix well, cover and cook for 1 hour over medium low heat. Adjust seasonings to your taste.
Nutrition
Variations:
- Use canned mixed beans, black beans or garbanzo beans in place of the kidney beans.
- Add any or all of the following vegetables:
– 1 small or 1/2 large red or green pepper, chopped.
– 8 ounces of mushrooms, sliced.
– 1 can corn kernels or niblets.
– For the braver of heart and lovers of hot, add a few chopped hot peppers and as much hot sauce as you can take.
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These comments have been copied over from the older version of our site:
Old Fashioned Chili
by Marilyn
(Winnipeg, Canada)
Thank goodness!!! All I was looking for was a recipe for plain old fashioned Chili, and you came through!!! Thank you.
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Excellent!
by Jason
(Vancouver, Canada)
Amazing how tasty this Chili is, considering just how simple it is to make. I have made it a couple times so far….and will MANY, MANY more 😉 The only change I make is the Chili powder as I add around 5-6 spoonfulls, but that’s my preference. I added mushrooms the 2nd time I made it, and green peppers both times. Thanks 4 posting the recipe for us all!
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RICK`S TIP
by MARTHA
(WINNIPEG, CANADA)
I used this chile recipe, I w/ soaking & cooking the beans, tried Rick`s tip, tho I used 2-tbsp of vinegar in my boiling process instead of adding it to the chili itself, I rinsed it out,continued the rest of recipe, wanted to let you know, his tip worked most wonderfully, no gassy upsets at all!! Thank you Rick! Thank you COOKING NOOK TOO, GREAT SITE. Martha, (Canada)
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Neil’s chile
by Neil
(Ancaster, Ontario)
Chopped celery improves this dish. Add the celery last as you don’t want it overcooked. 1 Tbsp chile powder is not nearly enough. Keep adding tbsps until it tastes right.
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Northern Canada Chili Con Carne
by James Mc
(Mississauga ont Canada )
1 lbs – Ground beef (I use lean)
1 – full white Onion
1 – Green Pepper
1 – Red pepper
10 ounces- Kidney beans
1 Can of normal canned beans ( I use Quebuc maple baked beans)
1/3 Cup maple syrup
3 pinches of ground cayenne pepper for mild
When cooking just go with the flow Add what you like This recipe is the basic. You can add sausage or rice or barley I even add curry to spice it up a bit and 1/2 can of beer when camping ENJOY !
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Mrs. A
I thought all the ingredients were perfect except for the Chili powder, I put in about 5 Tablespoons of it.