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Meatball chilli con carne recipe

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Shake up your standard chilli con carne with the addition of tender meatballs – a simple change that makes all the difference in flavour. Searing the meatballs first and then finishing off cooking in the chilli sauce helps retain their juicy texture. Serve with yogurt, some crumbled salad cheese and chopped fresh coriander to bring this dish to the next level. See method

Serves 4
10 mins to prepare and 35 mins to cook
857 calories / serving
Freezable

Ingredients

500g 20% fat beef mince
2 garlic cloves, crushed
4 tsp ground cumin
10g fresh coriander, leaves and stalks separated, stalks finely chopped
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 onions, finely chopped
2 mixed-colour peppers, sliced
1-2 chillies (to taste), finely chopped (deseeded if you like)
400g tin kidney beans, drained
400g tin chopped tomatoes
1 beef stock cube, made up to 300ml
300g long-grain rice
4 tbsp fat-free Greek-style yogurt
50g reduced-fat salad cheese, crumbled, to serve

If you don't have mince, cut open some sausages instead

Each serving contains

Energy
3595kj
857kcal 43%
Fat
36g 52%
Saturates
15g 74%
Sugars
18g 19%
Salt
2.1g 35%

of the reference intake
Carbohydrate 91.5g Protein 40.4g Fibre 10.8g

Method

Put the mince in a mixing bowl with half the garlic, 2 tsp cumin and the coriander stalks; season well. Mix with clean hands, then divide into 16 meatballs.
Heat the oil in a deep frying pan over a medium-high heat. Fry the meatballs for 6-8 mins, turning, until browned all over. Set aside on a plate.
Add the onions and peppers to the pan and fry for 6-8 mins until soft. Add the remaining garlic, 2 tsp cumin and the chilli. Fry for 1 min, then stir in the beans, tomatoes and stock. Simmer over a medium heat for 15-20 mins until thickened slightly. Stir in the meatballs, submerging them in the sauce. Simmer for 10 mins or until the meatballs are cooked through (cut 1 in half to check).
Meanwhile, cook the rice to pack instructions. Drain and set aside.
Divide the rice between 4 shallow bowls and spoon over the meatball chilli. Top with 1 tbsp yogurt, a crumbling of salad cheese and the coriander leaves to serve

Freezing and defrosting guidelines

Freeze chilli only. In order to enjoy optimum flavour and quality, frozen items are best used within 3 months of their freezing date. For more tips on freezing and defrosting food, read our article Love Your Freezer.

See more Beef recipes

For top tips on protecting you and your family when preparing raw meat and poultry, visit Food Safety in the Home.