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I’ve been holding out on you guys. So, this rich, simple, easy Slow Cooker Chilli con Carne is literally the first thing I ever made – and perfected – for the slow cooker way back in 2017, and it was only going through my ‘Recipe Ideas’ note on my iPad to plan what I was going to cook for you all this autumn did I realise I’d never shared it.
It’s literally one of the easiest make-ahead suppers you can think of. Soften some onions until slightly golden (if you have a sear-and-stew model of slow cooker this truly is a one pot meal) and brown the beef. Add two tins of beans, a tin of tomatoes, some seasoning and some spices, and then just set it and leave it until dinner time!
The toppings are always what get me excited about this sort of Tex-Mex dish. Also in the slow cooker I do shredded Mexican-style beef designed to be stuffed into soft flour tortilla wraps – alongside a lot of delicious toppings – and in One Pan Pescatarian(ad) I’ve got a Slow Cooker Tortilla Soup recipe also designed for loading up. I love soured cream, cubed avocado or guacamole, lime wedges, sometimes fresh coriander, sometimes homemade Pico de Gallo Salsa. When I’m serving this to J I also add shredded cheese into the mix, and when I’m in the mood for them, crushed tortilla chips too.
I tend to batch freeze leftovers in individual portions (about three ladles full per bag) but if you have a bit extra it is also delicious (again with toppings) served over a baked potato, or twice baked with yet more cheese.
A simple Chilli con Carne (Beef Bean Chilli) recipe made in the crockpot / slow cooker, perfect for loading up with all your favourite toppings!
Ingredients
Scale
2 medium red onions
large glug light oil
sea salt
400g (14 oz) beef mince
1/2 tp ground cumin
1 tsp cocoa powder
1 1/2 tbsp Cajun spice mix
1 x 400g (14 oz) tin chopped tomatoes
1 x 400g (14 oz) tin black beans
1 x 400g (14 oz) mixed beans
Instructions
Peel and chop the onions into bite sized chunks. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium high heat, or in the slow cooker insert if you have a sear-and-stew model. Fry the onions for 5 minutes or so with a generous pinch of sea salt until the onions are soft and starting to go golden.
Add the beef mince and fry until browned, breaking up the mince with your wooden spoon or spatula a you go. If you’re using a frying pan, transfer the beef and onions to your slow cooker.
Stir in the cumin, cocoa powder, Cajun spice mix, tomatoes, and both cans of beans, drained. Set the slow cooker to cook for 6 hours on low, or 3 hours on high.
Season the Chilli to taste with more sea salt just before serving.
I'm a food writer, professional recipe developer and cookbook author living in the English Countryside. I love creating easy, accessable recipes filled with vibrant world flavours that are manageable on busy weeknights. Simple and delicious dinners, from my kitchen to yours!
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One Pan Pescatarian: 100 Delicious Dinners – Veggie, Vegan, Fish
My second cookbook contains 100 delicious dinner recipes, all of which are either vegetarian, vegan or which celebrate fish and seafood - all cooked in either one pot or one pan.*
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