Midweek Meal: How to make deliciously cheesy chilli con carne

Is it just me, or is anyone else a bit bored of cooking these days? At the end of a hellishly long day, the last thing I want to do is spend an hour or two in the kitchen sweating over a hot stove whipping up an, albeit, deliciously home-cooked meal.

That’s where this super simple dish comes into play. This cheesy chilli con carne recipe is the perfect midweek meal to keep in your back pocket, whenever you’re just not bothered to cook. Plus, it’s perfect for batch-cooking if you want to pop a few portions in the freezer and save them for later.

This dish is really easy to put together, with rich and wholesome flavours which leave you satisfied time and time again. It really is the ultimate guilt-free comfort food. 

Here’s how to make it;

Serves: 6

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 90 minutes

Ingredients:

2 large onions

700g lean minced beef/ lean stewing beef, fat removed and cut into 1-2cm cubes

5 cloves garlic, crushed

800g canned chopped tomatoes

2 green peppers, sliced

3 green or red chillies, chopped, seeds left in if you like your chillies fiery

2 tsp ground cumin

1 400g tin of red kidney beans

1 tsp brown sugar

To serve:

125ml soured cream

2 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped

6 tbsp cheddar cheese, grated

Method:

Pour the olive oil into a saucepan and set over medium-high heat. Add the beef and fry for about 5 to 7 minutes, until brown. Stir in the onion and garlic and fry for about one minute. Mix in the tomatoes, chillies, peppers and a pinch of salt.

Put a lid on and stew for about an hour. The beef should be tender and the liquid reduced. Add a splash of water if it becomes too dry while simmering.

Pour in the cumin, kidney beans and brown sugar and stew for 10 more minutes.

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with rice, a spoonful of sour cream and grated cheddar cheese.

Tip:

If you enjoy really spicy food, serve this dish with a small bowl of hot chilli sauce.