Basic Chili Con Carne With Beef and Beans

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 01/23/23
Prep: 25 mins
Cook: 105 mins
Soak, Cook Beans: 9 hrs
Total: 11 hrs 10 mins
Servings: 6 servings

This ground beef chili is made with canned or cooked dry beans. The beef mixture is slowly simmered and then the cooked or canned beans are added to the mixture. Finely chopped jalapeño peppers are added for more heat, but they are optional. 

Serve this great tasting beef and bean chili with freshly baked cornbread and a salad.

Basic chili con carne with beans and beef recipe

The Spruce / Zorica Lakonic
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Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups dried red beans, or 2 (15-ounce) cans red kidney beans or small red beans, drained

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

  • 1 to 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef

  • 1 large onion, sliced

  • 1 green bell pepper, chopped

  • 1 (14.5-ounce) can tomatoes

  • 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce

  • 1 (4.5-ounce) can green chile peppers

  • 2 teaspoons jalapeño pepper, finely chopped, optional

  • 1 tablespoon chili powder

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

  • Dash cayenne pepper, or to taste

  • Dash ground cloves

  • 1 small bay leaf

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for chili con carne
    The Spruce / Zorica Lakonic

  2. Prepare beans (unless using canned.) Rinse dry beans, cover with cold water to a depth of about 3 inches above beans; let soak overnight or follow soaking directions on package.

    Prepare beans
    The Spruce / Zorica Lakonic 

  3. Drain beans and transfer to a large saucepan; cover with fresh water.

    Beans and water
    The Spruce / Zorica Lakonic

  4. Cover pan and simmer for about 1 hour or until beans are tender. Drain and place to the side.

    Rinse beans
    The Spruce / Zorica Lakonic

  5. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet, then brown ground beef, onion, and bell pepper together until ground beef is no longer pink.

    Heat vegetable oil
    The Spruce / Zorica Lakonic

  6. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, chile and jalapeño peppers, seasonings, and bay leaf and stir.

    Add tomatoes
    The Spruce / Zorica Lakonic

  7. Cover and simmer for 1 hour and 30 minutes, adding a little water if needed to thin out. Check and stir frequently.

    Cover and simmer
    The Spruce / Zorica Lakonic

  8. Add cooked or canned beans and heat through.

    Add canned beans
    The Spruce / Zorica Lakonic

  9. Serve in individual bowls with your choice of toppings and enjoy.

    Serve in individual bowls
    The Spruce / Zorica Lakonic

Tip

  • If using canned beans, drain them in a colander and rinse with cool water and continue with the remaining instructions as stated above.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
408 Calories
19g Fat
21g Carbs
38g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 408
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 19g 25%
Saturated Fat 6g 32%
Cholesterol 106mg 35%
Sodium 845mg 37%
Total Carbohydrate 21g 8%
Dietary Fiber 5g 18%
Total Sugars 6g
Protein 38g
Vitamin C 81mg 406%
Calcium 77mg 6%
Iron 6mg 31%
Potassium 1049mg 22%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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