Learn how to make my favorite ground beef chili con carne on the stovetop with green chiles and cayenne pepper for just the right amount of spice. This simple, hearty stew can be made ahead of time for potlucks, social get-togethers, or easy family meal prep when you’re craving classic Tex-Mex flavor.
I’ve made a lot of chili over the years; my family loves it, and I found a long time ago that I can conveniently make really great Instant Pot chili. Sometimes we’d get bored of regular chili soup, and I’d make white chicken chili in the slow cooker instead. I think I’ve always made good chili, but my whole family agrees that I’ve finally perfected my chili soup with this chili con carne recipe.
Truth be told, I’ve never been much of a spice lover, and so I’ve always strayed away from adding too much heat to my chili; but recently I’ve discovered that you don’t really have to add too much heat to reap the flavor benefits that you get with hot peppers. Trust me as somebody that has a low tolerance to spice: using the right balance of hot peppers is the secret ingredient to making great chili. This recipe really has just enough, but not too much heat, and it’s chock full of peppery Tex-Mex flavor.
What is Chili Con Carne?
If you’re like me, you probably grew up calling it “chili”. Truth be told, the traditional name for this dish is “chili con carne,” which is Spanish for “chili with meat.” From what little bit of research I’ve done, this hearty stew has Mexican origin, most likely coming from somewhere in the Texas/Mexico border region.
It’s often debated as to whether authentic chili con carne should contain beans and tomatoes. Personally, I grew up eating both beans and tomatoes in my chili soup, and I think it would be taste too plain without them. I’ve also noticed that many people use a cubed beef cut for protein, like a chuck roast, but ground beef is cheaper for a family, and I like it better anyways.
Ingredients & Substitutions Notes
This recipe uses simple, budget-friendly ingredients. The great thing about chili con carne is that it’s not very expensive to make a big batch…
- Olive Oil – I sauté the onions and ground beef in olive oil. Any cooking oil or frying fat will work, like vegetable oil, canola oil, butter or even leftover bacon grease.
- Minced Yellow Onions – You’ll need to mince up 2 medium-size yellow onions. Yellow onions have the strongest flavor, but white onions or sweet onions make a good substitute.
- Chopped Bell Peppers – I like to add a chopped up bell pepper to my chili soup for extra flavor.
- Ground Beef – This chili con carne recipe uses ground beef for the meat. I like something like an 85/15 ground beef or a 90/10 ground beef so that it’s not too greasy. If you want to make a more authentic chili con carne, you might substitute with a tender cut of beef like chuck roast. If you’re on a budget, stew meat works just as well, but it’s not quite as tender.
- Minced Garlic – You’ll need a couple cloves of minced garlic for this recipe.
- Tomatoes – This recipe calls for a 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes, as well as a 6-ounce can of tomato paste.
- Enchilada Sauce – Enchilada sauce adds so much flavor. This ingredient has leveled up my chili game since I started using it.
- Green Chiles – I like to add a can of green chiles for extra flavor. This will add some mild spice, but nothing crazy, with tons of peppery, almost smoky flavor.
- Brown Sugar – I always add a little bit of light brown sugar for just a touch of sweetness. It helps to balance out both the acidity from the tomatoes, as well as the spice from peppers.
- Spices – For spices, you’ll need a simple mix of chili powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika, oregano, dried parsley, salt, and pepper.
- Chili Beans – For best flavor, I use a couple cans of dark red kidney beans and then a can of black beans. Just be sure to drain the liquid out of them before adding to the chili.
- Hot Sauce – Last but not least, I’ve found that a splash of Tobasco sauce really brings this chili con carne recipe home without making it too spicy! If you can’t find Tobasco sauce, any red pepper hot sauce will work.
How to Make Chili Con Carne
Before getting started, use a large knife to mince up the onions and the garlic. Then chop up the bell pepper, and drain the liquid out of your canned beans. You don’t have to rinse the beans for chili, but you can if you prefer; a strainer will help with this.
How to Make Ground Beef Chili Con Carne on the Stovetop
- In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over low to medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper, and sauté ’til softened, about 5-7 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic and ground beef, and cook ’til browned. Drain if desired.
- Stir in the water, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, enchilada sauce, green chiles, brown sugar, chili powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika, oregano, parsley, sea salt, and black pepper.
- Cover and simmer over low to medium heat for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Then Stir in the beans and Tabasco sauce, and simmer an additional 20-30 minutes.
How to Serve Beef Chili Con Carne
That’s it! If you’re making this chili con carne recipe for a church potluck or Game Day party, serve it up with a bag of tortilla chips for easy dipping. For a simple family dinner at home, we like to eat it with cornbread and Mexican corn on the cob, or maybe you want to serve it up on a bed of rice. Add your favorite toppings, like shredded cheese, chopped green onions and a dollop of sour cream.
How to Use Leftover Chili
Don’t waste your leftovers! Here are a few of my favorite ways to use up leftover chili…
- My kids love chili cheese dogs, and they’re so easy to make! Cook your hot dogs, and then heat up the leftover chili in the microwave. Assemble your chili cheese cheese dogs on a hot dog bun or slice of sandwich bread.
- These loaded chili cheese fries in a cast iron skillet make a great side dish for your chili cheese dogs.
- Expecting company? This easy chili cheese dip is a great dish to serve up to your guests.
- Leftover chili con carne makes a great addition to your baked potato bar, or even a mashed potato bar.
Expert Tips and Recipe FAQ’s
Yes, you can make it in the slow cooker. First, you’ll still want to Sauté the ground beef, onions, and bell pepper in a skillet. Then, instead of combining all of your ingredients in a stock pot on the stovetop, just throw everything into the Crock Pot. You can cook it on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 4-6 hours. Most slow cookers have a “keep warm” function, so this is a great option if you’re taking it to a potluck!
Yes, you can lower the amounts of green chiles and cayenne pepper, or you can even omit these ingredients entirely if you really just can’t stand any spice. That said, I really don’t recommend doing so because both the green chiles and the cayenne pepper add so much delicious flavor to this chili con carne recipe. I’ve always been a more spice-averse person, but this recipe really isn’t too spicy for me.
Yes, this is a great recipe to make ahead of time! You can use a bigger stock pot, and then double or even triple the batch to feed a crowd. I recommend storing leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator, where it should keep for up to 3-4 days before starting to go bad.
Yes, you can freeze chili con carne. Stored in an airtight container, it should last up to 3-4 months in the freezer. You can let it thaw out overnight in the refrigerator, or you can reheat it from frozen in a big stock pot with just a bit of water in the bottom, stirring frequently until thawed out. Bring it up to a boil, then turn it back to low, and serve!
More Topping Ideas & Recipe Variations
- If you like cilantro, fresh chopped cilantro makes a great topping for chili con carne.
- You can also add pickled jalapeños, diced red onions, pico de gallo, or fresh tomato salsa.
- Instead of tortilla chips, throw in a handful of corn chips!
- Squeeze in some fresh lime juice, and top it off with avocado slices for an extra pop of color!
- You don’t have to use ground beef. In addition to chuck roast, you might also consider sausage, bacon, spicy Mexican chorizo, ground turkey and even a game meat like venison for alternatives.
- This is a soup, so you can add all kinds of veggies. Think sweet corn, chopped up zucchini, yellow squash, and diced carrots. Be creative!
More Tex-Mex Recipes
- Ground Beef Tacos From Scratch
- Mom’s Ground Beef Enchilada Casserole
- Cheesy Mexican Meat Pie
- Mexican Corn Casserole
- Creamy Chicken Enchiladas
- CrockPot Chicken Enchilada Casserole
- Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Soup
- Easy Chicken Fajitas
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Chili Con Carne
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 medium yellow onions minced
- 1 large green bell pepper chopped
- 3 pounds ground beef
- 2 teaspoons garlic minced
- 1 cup water
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
- 6 ounces tomato paste
- 28 ounces enchilada sauce
- 4 ounces green chiles
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 32 ounces kidney beans drained
- 15 ounces black beans drained
- 1 dash Tabasco sauce
Instructions
- In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over low to medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper, and sauté 'til softened, about 5-7 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic and ground beef, and cook 'til browned. Drain if desired.
- Stir in the water, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, enchilada sauce, green chiles, brown sugar, chili powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika, oregano, parsley, sea salt, and black pepper.
- Cover and simmer over low to medium heat for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in the beans and Tabasco sauce, and simmer an additional 20-30 minutes.
- Serve with tortilla chips, cornbread, or rice. Add your favorite toppings!
This chili is Ahhhhhhhmazing!! It’s perfect for a big crowd…set up a whole chili bar, and it’ll be perfect for any game day! It freezes beautifully and is especially more delicious the second day. Bravo on this one Mel!