Budget chilli con carne
A cheap and cheerful chilli con carne recipe that's not just a student staple, it's great for families, too. This is designed to be a low cost recipe.
This chilli can be made in advance and frozen, just leave to cool completely and pop in a freezer-proof container. It will keep in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 250g/9oz beef mince
- ½ -1 tsp chilli flakes, to taste
- 400g tin chopped tomatoes
- 500ml/18fl oz stock, made from a stock cube (ideally beef, but chicken is fine)
- ½ tsp dried mixed herbs
- 2 x 400g tins red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 200g/7oz long grain rice
- 200g/7oz natural yoghurt
- salt and pepper
Method
Heat a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the olive oil and, once hot, fry the onion with a pinch of salt for 5 minutes, or until soft and translucent. Once soft, add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes.
Add the mince, along with a good pinch of salt and pepper. Mix well and cook for 5-6 minutes, or until there are no raw bits of meat. Add the chilli flakes, tomatoes, stock and dried mixed herbs. Stir to mix well and bring to a simmer.
Pour in the drained kidney beans and simmer gently for 30 minutes, or until the chilli con carne is thickened and rich. Taste and adjust the seasoning as necessary.
Meanwhile, cook the rice according to the packet instructions.
Serve the chilli con carne on top of the rice with a spoonful or two of yoghurt on top of each portion.
Recipe Tips
In November 2023 this recipe was costed at an average of £3.90 when checking prices at four UK supermarkets.
This recipe is designed to be made in conjunction with a low-cost store-cupboard, for more details click here to see how our budget recipes were costed.