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good old chilli con carne © David Loftus
"Great kit makes cooking a pleasure."
Jamie Oliver Mixing bowl, medium (Duck Egg)
£9.00

good old chilli con carne

main courses | serves 6
What a classic this dish is. Most of my mates love the chickpeas, but butter beans or even cubed potatoes will work well in their place. Feel free to pep up this dish with more chilli depending on your taste. This will make enough for six portions, so simply freeze the extra if you’re only cooking for four – it’s so damn good the next day, even on a jacket potato!

To make your chilli
• Peel and finely chop the onions, garlic, carrots and celery – don’t worry about the technique, just chop away until fine
• Halve the red peppers, remove the stalks and seeds and roughly chop
• Place your largest casserole-type pan on a medium high heat
• Add 2 lugs of olive oil and all your chopped vegetables
• Add the chilli powder, cumin and cinnamon with a good pinch of salt and pepper
• Stir every 30 seconds for around 7 minutes until softened and lightly coloured
• Add the drained chickpeas, drained kidney beans and the tinned tomatoes
• Add the minced beef, breaking any larger chunks up with a wooden spoon
• Fill one of the empty tomato tins with water and pour this into the pan
• Pick the coriander leaves and place them in the fridge
• Finely chop the washed stalks and stir in
• Add the balsamic vinegar and season with a good pinch of salt and pepper
• Bring to the boil and turn the heat down to a simmer with a lid slightly askew for about an hour, stirring every now and again to stop it catching

To serve your chilli
• This is fantastic served with fluffy rice
• Just divide the rice and chilli into big bowls or serve in the middle of the table and let everyone help themselves
• If you don’t fancy rice it’s equally good with a nice hunk of fresh crusty bread, over a jacket potato or with couscous
• Put a small bowl of natural yoghurt, some guacamole and a few wedges of lime on the table, and sprinkle the chilli with the coriander leaves
• I love to add a nice green salad to round it off


• from Jamie's Ministry of Food
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ingredients

• 2 medium onions
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 2 medium carrots
• 2 sticks of celery
• 2 red peppers
• olive oil
• 1 heaped teaspoon chilli powder
• 1 heaped teaspoon
• ground cumin
• 1 heaped teaspoon ground cinnamon
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 x 400g tin of chickpeas
• 1 x 400g tin of red kidney beans
• 2 x 400g tins of chopped tomatoes
• 500g good-quality minced beef
• 1 small bunch of fresh coriander
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 400g basmati rice
• 1 x 500g tub of natural yoghurt
• 1 x 230g tub of guacamole
• 1 lime

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user comments

55 comments
1. poppy Sat 24 Oct 2009 @ 20:02 We adapted this recipe, trying to follow the one he made for cowboys in his recent series and was v.tasty. We used beef skirt (chunks of beef), one fresh green chilli (not the really hot ones), plus half a teaspoon of powdered chili. Used a tin of 'mixed beans' - comprising cannalleni, pinto, kidney (I'm not overly keen on kidney beans). And two green peppers instead of red (he used green in the tv programme). Not sure how much water was put in, but probably half to three quarters of that amount. It was delicious. Best chili I have made.
2. youngal Tue 13 Oct 2009 @ 18:00 I saw a Jamie programme recently with his Brazilian friend, and Jamie made chilli con carne with solid chunks of meat instead of mince! I am b------d if I can locate the recipe on any website that Jamie appears on! Can you please supply that recipe for me? Thanks a lot. Al.
3. johanna Thu 08 Oct 2009 @ 21:48 This smelled so amazing while it was cooking! I added quite a bit of chili oil and it spiced it up very nicely. I had no trouble with excess water and I loved the variety of flavors. I can't wait to see what it tastes like tomorrow after it sits over night!
4. MOFO Wed 22 Jul 2009 @ 01:24 Worst chilli ever. Far too much cinammon. Cinnamon flavoured mince.
5. Simon Lloyd Fri 17 Jul 2009 @ 09:00 Made this Chilli for the first time last night for family and friends. As it was the first attempt I followed the recipe religiously. Its so easy to make and was a very very tasty meal. I do fully agree with others though, leave or half the amount of water and it needs more chilli in there too! The Chickpeas in there were really tasty and I shall always use this recipe in the future and just adapt it to taste.
Think next time I'll leave the water, use some fresh chilli's as well. If in doubt Tesco's do some red kidney beans in chilli sauce whish are lovely to add flavour.
Easily the best and easiest Chilli recipe I've come accross. Thank you Jamie!
6. Love to cook Fri 03 Jul 2009 @ 10:42 This is a lovely dish! So easy and quick to make. I always add more chillies and spices, as I'm a chilli fiend! I'm not a huge fan of rice, so as an alternative we have mashed sweet potato. Organic mince and vegetables are the best for quality and flavour! Plus you know there arent any unwanted nasties in your meals! Thanks Jamie, keep it up :-) x
7. Angela Sellers Fri 26 Jun 2009 @ 17:28 add a couple of oxo to it ---- delicious!!
8. Kimberley Fri 26 Jun 2009 @ 04:17 What is a lug?
does it mean table spoon i have never heard of this before
9. Michelle Thu 18 Jun 2009 @ 18:43 To make it less watery i wouldnt bother with the water, ive never added it to chilli when ive been making it with a squartz packet - even though it tells you too. Just making my first chilli from scratch with this recipe (with some bits taken out!) and havent added the water. it will cook quicker aswell. i also agree theres too much cinnamon
10. Michelle Thu 18 Jun 2009 @ 18:35 To make it less watery i wouldnt bother with the water, ive never added it to chilli when ive been making it with a squartz packet - even though it tells you too. Just making my first chilli from scratch with this recipe (with some bits taken out!) and havent added the water. it will cook quicker aswell
11. martin Wed 27 May 2009 @ 15:46 make this every week but need more of a kick without blowing my head with chilly can you give me any ideas please
12. Camille Sun 24 May 2009 @ 20:05 Making this for the second time -- I think it's great. I reckon the people who've found the vegetables a weird addition aren't chopping them finely enough ... and as for it being watery, maybe try a better quality minced beef? Organic mince isn't too expensive these days, and if you can stretch to it, it makes a big difference. Also Jamie does say you might want to up the chili quantities, but for a family with very young children, we've found the quantities given in the recipe are fine. Thanks xx
13. matty Mon 18 May 2009 @ 13:04 hi jamie The best chilli con carne ever!!!! I did it last night for all the family and we all loved it, kids too! missed
14. Jimbo, China. Tue 12 May 2009 @ 14:03 Did this to your recipe as close as I could, first time Chili CC for me. Can't find cinnamon here, maybe a blessing by some comments, forgot the celery and used tinned white Canneloni beans (great put in the pan with a roast joint of pork!) instead of chick peas. Could only get a small amount of beef (it's pretty crap here, may buy a mincer) but it was a fantastic meal.
My five year old doesn't like spicy but even with one teaspoon full (well it was from Dubai) it was 'just right' hot for me. She loved it.

One thing I did do was soften the diced carrots for 5 mins in boiling water, with all the other soft texture I didn't want it to be too abstract ... still a different texture though, I liked it and so did the little one.

Thanks for this, just love the '15' show and concept. Brilliant!!!

You ever fancy coming to China or Hong Kong? I'm your man if you want to see the real side, bit of research maybe?

Cheers

Jimbo
15. Jon (australia) Sat 11 Apr 2009 @ 10:05 Hi Jamie,

Made this tonight for the first time... smelled fantastic and filled the house with a wonderful aroma but honestly found it really lacking in flavour but that could be because the rest of the family dont like anything spicy so we really cut down the chili powder. It was also really watery. Ive noticed some other comments about doubling the spices and such. Would love some feedback as to other ideas to kick up the flavour a bit.
16. Will Tue 07 Apr 2009 @ 15:23 Disappointing, lacked depth; completely gutted. Love you're programs though.
17. jenn Sat 21 Mar 2009 @ 21:05 right jamie it was totally brilliant but ilacked the hoopha: lovely my son tried your rec and did really well but the thought of inviting guess to the house for the really wondrful chilli. points out of ten 6 what was missing all the ingrediants fresh except chick peas kidney beans. Fresh corriander fresh veg . he did really well. Ta very much jamie. Thank you would like to challenge you to a lovely pudding? had a brilliant teacher being my father! have coked and baked from the age of five won comp at school and came from a familiar depressed background but a happy one
18. Gia & Lissy (Celiac) Sat 14 Mar 2009 @ 12:32 I could eat this everyday and never get sick of it!! Its so delicious and sometimes I use corn chips to stick on the top its nice and decorative and also so yummy! One day I will try it in taco shells which I'm sure will be delicious too!!! Thank you Jamie!!
19. Chris Brown Thu 12 Mar 2009 @ 11:42 Made the chilli con carne and the flavours where outstanding i have had chilli con carne from a tin but it dosn't compare.
20. Dee Mon 09 Mar 2009 @ 16:41 I'm making this for the second time today, double quantity and in the slow cooker... with regard to depth for vegetarian version, I always find this a bit of an issue with chili, I think you get 'hot' without 'savoury' very often, even with carniverous version. I made a veggie chili for friend's party a few years ago, and everyone preferred the veggie version to the meat, I can't remeber exactly, but I roasted parsnips, field mushrooms and aubergine (min fat added), and chopped them roughly and added as a substitute for meat, along with chick peas these gave it a 'meatier' texture and a some depth of flavour, I also put a small teaspoon of cocoa powder, and of course red kidney beans ...
21. Katie Draper Fri 06 Mar 2009 @ 16:24 Jamie- got this book for Christmas as my boyfriend and I have just got our own place and didn't have much clue in the kitchen! We love it! Tried so many of your recipes now and swear by them. Love the chilli, made it a few times now and been a success every time. Love the celery and carrot in too for part of 5 a day. Thanks to Jamie I CAN now cook! Thank you xxxx
22. Caldra Thu 05 Mar 2009 @ 22:42 Super Yummy ! Love Jamie's recipes ! Doubled the amount of spices though :-p And did it Sin Carne !
23. Carol (Canada) Wed 04 Mar 2009 @ 22:43 Yum-oh! A deliciously flavorful chilli con carne recipe with a twist. Wonderful on a -30 degree Celsuis night here in frosty Alberta. A definite go-to recipe from now on.
24. cheryl from hartlepool Wed 18 Feb 2009 @ 16:27 Made this for valentines day but also added 3 chilli peppers v nice. had the book ( MOF ) since xmas and my husband raves about to his friends that much 4 have gone and bought it result.
25. Lucy Blue Mon 16 Feb 2009 @ 18:40 As a veggie, I made this with Aduki beans instead of the minced beef, and it was nice, but I felt it could have done with something more - there was no depth to it. Any suggestions?
26. susan105 Sat 14 Feb 2009 @ 21:43 Surprised how delicious this was. Really yummy and healthy. Would like to try cooking with quorn.
27. Neil Kaan HIRST Sat 14 Feb 2009 @ 17:04 I made it for my girlfriend and choose this one for lack of cooking skills but I think I pulled it out with this one! Thanks for the recipe Jamie! Love from Istanbul, Turkey
28. supertatty Sat 14 Feb 2009 @ 11:04 i love chilli con carne
nice and spicy we make it!
29. steff k Fri 13 Feb 2009 @ 12:09 made recipe last nite pretty disappointed rather bland ,didn,t think the carrots or celery worked cant beleive you didnt use fresh chillies as im a big beleiver in fresh produce i was actually watching the naked chef yesterday and i might try it the way you done it back then as you use fresh chillies and you mince your own beef
30. Arlene Stein Fri 13 Feb 2009 @ 09:30 I love your recipes! However, I would appreciate it if
you could have a conversion chart for the amounts of
ingredients that are required in your recipes. It would
be very helpful. I live in the U.S. and I am not quite familiar
with the metric system. Thank you.
31. Jackie Thu 12 Feb 2009 @ 07:56 Jamie,
You once published a fantastic recipe for chilli con carne in one of the sunday free magazines. It included both beef and pork mince, 4 tins chopped tomatos and sundried tomatoes including the oil they are preserved in. Unfortunately I have misplaced the recipe and cant find it online. Are you able to help ?
Jackie

32. JayDee Wed 11 Feb 2009 @ 14:21 The best chili I ever had was using your bolognese recipe from one of the books... I just upped the fresh chilli and added some kidney beans, loads of lemon zest, it was awesome, made for a party of 20 and everyone loved it, bit surprised at this recipe, does sound as if it would be a bit bland in comparison.. and potentially watery
33. Sarah Sinclair Tue 10 Feb 2009 @ 00:25 Thanks Jamie!!! Been working my way through your book and everythings been great - except the chilli - found it very bland, although i do love spicy foods. Converted my sister and sister in law, any time i invite them round the first thing they ask is 'What r u cooking!!'
34. Hengie Mon 09 Feb 2009 @ 04:09 This is a great healthy alternative for the traditional chili con carne. I followed this recipe and found it to be wonderfully full of flavour. My family loved it, Well done Jamie. This is the first time i have made chili con carne and i must say i added sweet paprika to it and double the beef! Fantastic! Thankyou jamie love your work!!!
35. Disappointed Northerner Thu 05 Feb 2009 @ 12:29 Must say, this was the blandest, wettest chilli I've ever had the misfortune to eat. I, like SG have a spicey palette and love a good chilli. However, what chef in his right mind would not use fresh chilli. Also, the chick peas, carrots and celery were a few ingredients too far. As their origins hail from Europe or Middle East and not the South Americas, if we're being traditional. Smelt fantastic while cooking, which probably added to our disappointment.
This is the first bad result from the book so far though, let's hope it's the last.
36. Ingrid Westerhuis (South Africa) Thu 05 Feb 2009 @ 07:42 Brilliant, my family loved it. I always used to make a basic Chilli con Carne, which they also enjoyed. Yours is devine and has been shared with many friends.
Any chance you will ever do a course/school in SA hm, hm! Please let me know. My family and also my friends are big fans of you. You've put the fun in Cooking again! As I go trhough your recipes I can actually hear your "accent" in my head!
37. Claire Wed 04 Feb 2009 @ 21:33 Sorry but I was massively disappointed with this. The carrots tasted wrong and it was very watery. I was not impressed with the chickpeas. It was nice and smelt so lovely whilst cooking, it just wasn't as yummy as I thought it would be.
38. Nathalie of Gent (Belgium) Sat 31 Jan 2009 @ 12:25 Because I trust you in the kitchen....Jamie, I 'm gonna make your tastefull chili con carne.
I hope I can make it just the way you do it, But I'm hopefull.

Thanks a lot for your nice way of cooking.




39. SG Tue 20 Jan 2009 @ 12:50 Myself and my girlfriend are working our way through the MOF book and have enjoyed all the recepies we have cooked so far (bar the leek and chicken stroganoff)

I am a massive chilli fan and have to say that I was very disappointed with this. It tasted very bland. With the celery, carrots and cinamon its more of a chilli stew than a chilli con carne. The reason chilli con carne was created by the mexicans was so that the spices took away from the flavour of the (usually) gone off beef.

It may be cheating but a quicker (and cheaper receipe) is 500g minced beef, 1 packet of schwartz hot chilli con carne mix, 2 medium or 1 large onion, tin of chopped tomatos, tin of kidney beans.
40. Lily Thu 15 Jan 2009 @ 02:19 This is great! I had it with both rice and crusty bread, it was fab. Can't wait to get home and finish the leftovers.
41. mandy o Sat 10 Jan 2009 @ 14:17 well had the most tasty chilli last week in lake district...... this sounds good gonna give it a go 2 night let u know what i think........
42. nadine Fri 09 Jan 2009 @ 21:56 i cooked this chilli tonight it was great, the kids loved it too, thanks for another great recipe x
43. P Tue 06 Jan 2009 @ 09:58 Made this last night, it was super yummy!!! Had it with Nachos and sour cream instead of rice. The chilli was healthy, tasty and flavoursome. I did add a couple of chopped chillis to give it the extra kick but other than that did exactly what the receipe said! Amazing, thanks Jamie. Have popped the rest in the freezer for another night!
44. John Mon 05 Jan 2009 @ 05:55 Jacs, I think YOU got this one wrong!! I also followed Jamie's recipe last night and my wife and I both loved it!
45. jamie Sun 04 Jan 2009 @ 18:53 first thing i have to say is jacs ur either an absolute mong in the kitchen or just talking rubbish i hardly cook as ive been in the military and work in iraq i made this by following the instructions in reciepe and found it absolutly beautiful nothing wrong with it what so ever, fantastic taste and im making it again soon


jay
46. cb Mon 29 Dec 2008 @ 18:37 Loved this recipe, have made it twice and added leftover turkey the second time this dish is so fragrant while cooking i just love it!
47. Jacs Sun 21 Dec 2008 @ 11:42 What a shame this was going to be for 30 people at my local yacht club but i have done trail run and found it very runny and not much of a chilli taste or texture. As my husband said i wouldn't pay you for this. i did just as the recipe said so sorry Jamie but you got this one wrong.
48. Leticia Sun 07 Dec 2008 @ 21:34 The best chilli con carne ever!!!! I've just did it and everybody in the house is happy and satisfied! Easy, simple and full of flavour!!!
49. vikki Sat 06 Dec 2008 @ 20:30 i loved this chilli it was fab thank jamie
50. Rebecca Pawley Sat 22 Nov 2008 @ 11:56 I made this and my hubby and I both agree it's the best chilli I've ever made.

Thanks Jamie.
51. Jen Tue 18 Nov 2008 @ 08:57 I found that i needed to double the spices to get some flavor (perhaps i did something wrong?) but my family loved it! so great recipe
52. steve Fri 14 Nov 2008 @ 15:43 very nice
53. maurice (moe) Thu 13 Nov 2008 @ 14:59 hi jamie. i am 50yrs young and have given up work and my house t go and take care of mother who had a couple of strokes last april. wilst she is still pretty indipendant she is not safe to be left incharge of a cooker so i do all the cooking n stuff and enjoying it to. so i would verry greatfull for any advise on healthy cooking -recipes.she does enjoy the odd chilli n spag bog type of stuff and i do try to do a couple of good old gravy dinners a week. seen a couple of your telly programs. rotherham was outstanding. youre a real breath of fresh air. regards MOE
54. Sarah Downes Fri 07 Nov 2008 @ 14:55 Looks like a realy good resipe going to give it a go to night, see what happens ( " , )
55. chilli Sat 18 Oct 2008 @ 01:28 jamie .. calm down on the cinnamon , you want less cinnamon than cumin. p.s. . anychance you can take me on as one of your students, im the most determined, hardworking fella youll have in one of your kitchens, my only true passion where i can completely zone out is cooking, well .. im 23 it friday night and instead of going out , i made my self lasagne and slapped on a film ... appy days .. let me know how i can prove myself and end up in one of the kitchens... and yes, of corse im brown nosing , thats what its all about .. respect Jamie , my mum loves ya !

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