Fast Chili Con Carne

Fast Chili Con Carne is a back up dish I use far too often. Its easy and quick to cook and tastes so good. I make this in advance and freeze for later in portions. Serve as a main dish with fluffy rice and a crusty bread. To increase the heat of the chili add more paprika. This recipe is ready within 40 minutes and will easily serve 4 people.

There are some dishes that simply belong in the midweek possibilities, and for me, Fast Chili Con Carne is one of them. It’s the sort of meal that doesn’t demand anything fancy, doesn’t mind if you’ve had a long day and can’t be bothered fussing in the kitchen, and yet somehow fills the house with the kind of aroma that makes it feel like you’ve been pottering around cooking all afternoon. And honestly, who doesn’t love a dish that gives you that “slow-cooked comfort” feeling without actually needing hours on the hob?

What I adore about this version of chili con carne is how quickly it comes together without sacrificing depth. It starts, as all good dishes do, with a proper base of onions and garlic. There’s something comforting about watching sliced onions soften in a splash of olive oil, turning translucent and sweet. Ten minutes of gentle cooking and they’re already doing half the work for you, promising flavour even before anything else hits the pan.

Once the garlic goes in, that’s when the kitchen really starts smelling like dinner. It’s a small moment, but it’s always a satisfying one—stirring those aromatics and knowing you’re building the foundation for a hearty, warming pot of food. And because this is a fast chili, those few minutes matter; you’re coaxing out as much flavour as possible before the other ingredients pile in.

Then comes the star of the show: lean beef mince. Browning mince is a strangely therapeutic task—breaking it up, stirring it around, watching it turn from raw pink to deep brown as it sizzles. This step is where the dish promises substance. And when you push the mince to one side and drain off the excess juices, it’s not just about reducing grease; it’s about concentrating flavour. What stays in the pan is exactly what you want—pure, savoury goodness ready to soak up spices.

And oh, the spices. Chili without spices isn’t chili at all, and here’s where the magic lies. A generous spoon of cumin brings in warmth and earthiness, smoked paprika adds that whisper of fire and a touch of sweetness, and then there’s the cinnamon—just a pinch, the smallest nudge of a spice that instantly deepens everything without shouting about it. It’s subtle, but it’s the sort of trick home cooks swear by. Add the onions and garlic back in, let those spices bloom for a moment, and you’re well on your way to something delicious.

Chopped tomatoes and beef stock join the party next, bringing both body and richness. As the mixture simmers away, it begins to thicken, the flavours melding into a velvety sauce that clings lovingly to every bit of beef. Twenty-five minutes isn’t long, but it’s enough to transform the pan from a collection of ingredients into a proper chili con carne—one that tastes like it came from a slow cooker even though you’ve been standing there stirring with a cup of tea.

And of course, chili isn’t chili without beans. Kidney beans bring that lovely, hearty bite, turning the dish into something truly comforting. A quick taste, a little tweak of seasoning if necessary, and suddenly you’ve got a pot of food that looks—and tastes—like a hug.

Serve it over hot, fluffy rice, scatter over some chopped coriander if you fancy it, maybe add a spoonful of sour cream or a soft tortilla for scooping. It’s the kind of meal you can put down on the table and know that everyone’s going to tuck in happily.

Fast Chili Con Carne may be simple, but that’s exactly what makes it wonderful. It’s honest. It’s flavourful. It’s quick enough for a Tuesday, cosy enough for a Sunday, and always—always—worth making.

Fast Chili Con Carne

Fast Chili Con Carne is a comforting, hearty dish that uses simple ingredients to create impressive flavour in under an hour. The combination of spices, beef, tomatoes and beans gives it a rich, warming character perfect for weeknight dinners. Served over rice, it makes a satisfying and wholesome meal the whole family can enjoy.

4.88 from 64 votes

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Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: Beef, Cheese, Chillies, Fast Chili Con Carne, Kidney Beans, Spice, Vegetables

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 People

Calories: 543kcal

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Ingredients

 

MetricImperial

• ▢ 500 g beef mince 5% fat
• ▢ 4 cloves garlic peeled/minced
• ▢ 2 large onions peel/sliced finely
• ▢ 450 g chopped tomatoes can
• ▢ 400 g red kidney beans drain/rinse well
• ▢ 200 ml beef stock
• ▢ ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
• ▢ 1 tbsp ground cumin
• ▢ 1 tsp smoked paprika add more for hotter
• ▢ 1 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

• Place a large sided frying pan over a medium high heat and add the olive oil. When hot, add the onions and cook for 10 minutes stirring frequently until translucent and softer.
  1 tbsp olive oil, 2 large onions
• Add the garlic and continue to fry for 2 minutes again stirring frequently and then empty the pan to a bowl for now.
  4 cloves garlic
• Increase the heat to high and add the beef mince, breaking up any chunks and lumps. Add salt and pepper and stir well making sure all of the mince becomes browned on all sides.
  500 g beef mince
• Once browned, more the mince to one side of the pan and gently tilt the pan in the opposite direction so the juices flow away from the meat. Either pour the juices away or mop up using kitchen paper and discard.
• Return the onions and garlic to the pan and add the cumin, cinnamon and paprika and mix well.
  ¼ tsp ground cinnamon, 1 tbsp ground cumin, 1 tsp smoked paprika
• Continue to cook for a few minutes until the spices become lovely and fragrant.
• Add the tomatoes and beef stock and a pinch of sugar. (If you have no fresh beef stock, a stock cube in 200ml of hot water will work).
  450 g chopped tomatoes, 200 ml beef stock
• Bring the ingredients to a simmer and cook for 25 minutes stirring every now and then. The sauce will thicken as it simmers which is good.
• After 25 minutes, add the kidney bean and cook for a further 5 minutes.
  400 g red kidney beans
• Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
• Serve the fast chili con carne lovely and hot on a bed of steamed/boiled rice for an amazing dish with a scatter of chopped coriander and dip.

Nutrition

Calories: 543kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 89mg | Sodium: 354mg | Potassium: 1206mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 399IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 129mg | Iron: 8mg