A quick beef chilli with chipotle in adobo, black beans and canned tomatoes — ready in 30 minutes with deep, smoky flavour. Serve over rice, in tacos, or freeze for later.
Beef Chilli
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Category
Dinner
Servings
4
Prep time
5 minutes
Cook time
25 minutes
Beef chilli is a great dish to throw together during the week, and this version has big flavours which I think take it to the next level. So if you're looking for a simple dish that still has good depth, make this recipe.
It a mix if beef mince, black beans, chipotle in adobo and canned tomatoes, it comes together in under 30 minutes and tastes like something that has been on the stove a lot longer. Chipotle in adobo is the key ingredient here. The smoky, spiced heat from those dried chipotles soaked in sauce does most of the flavour work, which is why you don’t need a long braise to get real depth.
I serve mine over steamed rice with spring onion and a squeeze of lime, but it works just as well in tacos, over nachos, with cornbread, or spooned into baked sweet potatoes. It also freezes brilliantly, so double the batch when you’re at it. The flavour only gets better the next day.
Ingredient Notes
Chipotle in adobo: These are smoked dried jalapeños packed in a spiced tomato sauce. The full 230g jar goes in, which gives a smoky, genuinely spicy result. If you’re cooking for people sensitive to heat, start with half the jar and taste before adding more. Find them in the Mexican or international aisle at most supermarkets. If unavailable, 2 teaspoons smoked paprika and 1 teaspoon chipotle powder stirred in with the tomatoes is a reasonable substitute, though it won’t have quite the same depth.
Beef mince: Use regular beef mince rather than extra lean. The fat in a standard 80/20 mince contributes flavour and helps build fond on the base of the pan when you first brown it, which is where a lot of the depth in this dish comes from. Lean mince can be used, but the finished chilli won’t be quite as rich.
Soy sauce: This isn’t a traditional chilli ingredient, but it adds a concentrated hit of salt and umami that rounds out the flavour without contributing any identifiable soy taste. It disappears completely into the dish. Don’t skip it.
Equipment
- Heavy-based frying pan or Dutch oven
- Wooden spoon
- Chef’s knife and chopping board
- Kitchen scales
- Can opener
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 500g beef mince
-
sea salt, to season
- 1 white onion, diced
- 1 red capsicum (bell pepper), diced
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 230g jar Chipotle in adobo
- 400g can chopped tomatoes
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 400g can black beans, rinsed and drained
-
1 cup (250ml) water
- sliced spring onion, to garnish
-
steamed rice and lime wedges, to serve
Directions
Heat oil in a heavy based frying pan on medium-high heat.
- Add mince, give a quick stir to spread around the pan, season with salt and then leave to brown for about 5 minutes.
- Break up the beef with a wooden spoon, scraping all the fond from the base of the pan.
- Add the onions, capsicum and garlic, cook for 2 minutes, stirring, until softened.
- Stir in chipotle in adobo, tomatoes, soy and paprika. Add black beans and water, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes, until sauce reduces.
- Serve chilli on steamed rice, garnished with spring onion and lime wedges.
Recipe video
Recipe notes
Chef Tips
Brown the mince before breaking it up
When the mince goes into the pan, spread it out and leave it alone for 3 to 4 minutes without stirring. You want a deep brown crust to form on the underside. That crust is fond, and it’s where most of the flavour in a quick-cooked mince dish comes from. Once it’s well coloured, break it up and scrape all that browned residue back into the mince. I
Storage
Cool completely before storing. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The flavour develops further overnight, so leftovers are often better than the first serving. Freeze in portions for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat on the stovetop over medium heat with a splash of water to loosen the sauce.
FAQs
Can I use a different protein? Yes. Ground pork, ground turkey or ground chicken all work well in place of beef mince. For a chunkier result, use diced chuck beef and increase the cook time to 45 to 60 minutes so it can braise until tender. You can also use a mix of beef and pork mince for a slightly richer result. The technique stays the same regardless: brown first, then build the sauce.
Do I need the full jar of chipotle in adobo? Not necessarily. The full jar gives a smoky and fairly hot chilli. If you’re cooking for people sensitive to heat, use half and taste before adding more. For a milder version, use just the adobo sauce from the jar and leave the chipotle peppers out entirely. You’ll get the smokiness with noticeably less heat.
