Warm up with a hearty bowl of Southwest-style chili. This chili con carne with beans is my take on classic Texas chili with a twist. It’s made with tender chunks of beef, rich black beans (gasp!), and a flavorful base of chiles and tomatoes. For more like this, check out the 25 best chili recipes!
Does Chili Con Carne Have Beans?
It all depends on who you ask. Traditional chili typically doesn’t include beans, while some chili con carne recipes call for kidney, pinto, or black beans. The dish—made with beef, dried chilies, and spices—originated in San Antonio, Texas, in the 1800s. However, some chili purists insist that adding beans is inauthentic and should be avoided at all costs. I disagree.
Key Ingredients
- Chilies: Toast dried Ancho and Guajillo chilies in a pan, then blend them with canned Chipotles en adobo for smoky heat.
- Chicken Broth: Use homemade or store-bought chicken broth to build flavor, or swap in chicken Better Than Bouillon mixed with water.
- Chuck Roast: Boneless chuck roast is ideal for chili con carne with beans. Chuck is naturally tough, so it benefits from being slow-cooked, making it perfect for authentic chili recipes. Look for beef with a good amount of marbling. I recommend purchasing a whole chuck roast and cutting it into bite-sized pieces yourself. Pre-cut stew meat works if you want to cut the prep time.
- Oil: Sear the beef and sauté the onions in extra-virgin olive oil.
- Onion: Yellow or white onions work best for this recipe.
- Garlic: I suggest four cloves, but let’s be real—measure with your heart.
- Ground Spices: Coat the beef with kosher salt and coarse black pepper before searing, and season the chili with cozy, warm spices like ground cumin, Mexican oregano, ground cinnamon, and ground allspice.
- Tomato Paste: Adding a spoonful of tomato paste intensifies the flavor and deepens the color.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: Balances the richness of the chili with a hint of apple cider vinegar.
- Umami: Add depth and flavor with a little fish sauce and Worcestershire sauce.
- Black Beans: Whether or not beans belong in chili (especially Texas chili) is up for debate, but in this recipe, they’re a must. I use black beans, but here are some of the best beans for chili.
Additions and Substitutions
- Experiment with mix-ins. Replace some of the chicken broth with your favorite beer or coffee to switch up the flavor.
How to Make Chili Con Carne with Beans
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C). Add the dried chilies to a Dutch oven and toast them over high heat until blistered for 1 minute.
Step 2: Transfer the chilies to a large food processor or blender with chicken broth, two canned chipotle peppers and two tablespoons of the sauce from the can. Process to combine and set it aside.
Step 3: Season the chuck with kosher salt and black pepper. Warm oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the beef in a single layer to sear. Remove and set aside. Repeat with the remaining beef until all the pieces are browned.
Step 4: Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onions to the Dutch oven and sauté until they soften and brown, for 10-15 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for one minute.
Step 5: Stir in the cumin, Mexican oregano, cinnamon, allspice, and tomato paste. Bloom for 1-2 minutes.
Step 6: Deglaze the pan with the chili and chicken broth mixture, scraping up any stuck-on bits from searing the beef. Then, stir in the apple cider vinegar, fish sauce, Worcestershire sauce, black beans, and reserved chuck roast.
Step 7: Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover with the lid ajar and cook in the oven for 2½ to 3 hours. Stir occasionally to prevent the chili from sticking to the bottom.
How to Make Instant Pot Chili Con Carne
- Add the dried chilies to an Instant Pot and toast them in saute mode until blistered for 1 minute.
- Transfer the chilies to a large food processor or blender with chicken broth, two canned chipotle peppers and two tablespoons of the sauce from the can. Process to combine and set it aside.
- Season the chuck with kosher salt and black pepper. Warm oil in the Instant Pot in saute mode. Add the beef in a single layer to sear. Remove and set aside. Repeat with the remaining beef until all the pieces are browned.
- Add the onions to the Instant Pot and sauté until they soften and brown, for 10-15 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for one minute.
- Stir in the cumin, Mexican oregano, cinnamon, allspice, and tomato paste. Bloom for 1-2 minutes.
- Deglaze the pot with the chili-chicken broth mixture, scraping up any stuck-on bits from searing the beef. Then, stir in the apple cider vinegar, fish sauce, Worcestershire sauce, black beans, and reserved chuck roast.
- Secure the lid and set the Instant Pot to manual high pressure for 40 minutes with a 10-minute natural release.
What does natural release mean?
Natural release on the Instant Pot means allowing the pressure inside the pot to gradually decrease on its own after cooking finishes, without manually opening the pressure release valve. This process takes 10–30 minutes, depending on the amount of liquid inside the pot.
As the pressure decreases, the float valve will drop, signaling that it’s safe to open the lid. Natural release is ideal for soups, stews, or liquid-heavy recipes to prevent splattering.
Expert Tips
- Uniformly cut the beef. Buying a whole chuck roast gives you more control—cut it into 1-inch, bite-sized pieces so the meat cooks evenly and at the same rate.
- Sear the beef. Brown the meat in oil to lock in the moisture and develop the chili’s flavor.
- Deglaze the pan. Use the chili-chicken broth mixture to deglaze the pan and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom before adding the remaining ingredients.
If you enjoy chili con carne with beans, try more Southwestern favorites!
Serving Suggestions
Chili con carne with beans is even better with toppings. Load your bowl with chopped onions, shredded cheese, cilantro, avocado cubes, and sliced jalapeños. Pair it with warm corn tortillas, tortilla chips, or corn chips.
Serve the Texas state dish with chunks of cornbread or cornbread casserole, or try it with rice, mashed cauliflower, and macaroni noodles.
Want to switch things up? Ladle the chili over home fries, baked potatoes, French fries, hot dogs, or roasted potatoes for a fun twist.
What To Do With Leftovers
- Refrigerate: Store the leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- Freeze: Let the dish cool and transfer the chili to a freezer-safe container or bag. Chili con carne with beans freezes for 2-3 months.
- Thaw: Defrost the leftover chili in the refrigerator overnight.
- Reheat: Warm leftovers on the stovetop or microwave, and enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best cuts of meat for chili con carne?
For a hearty chili con carne with beans, choose cuts of meat with plenty of fat and connective tissue to add flavor and richness.
Chuck Roast is a classic choice. Its marbling makes it flavorful and tender when cooked low and slow.
Beef brisket is another flavorful option that becomes tender when simmered slowly over low heat.
Ground Beef is a popular option because it’s affordable and easy to make—just be sure to use an 80/20 blend.
You can also use boneless short ribs, oxtail, sirloin strip, or pork shoulder for even more variety.
What is the difference between chili and chili con carne?
Chili is a general term for a hearty stew, typically made with meat, beans, tomatoes, and chili peppers. Chili can be vegetarian or contain different types of meat, depending on the recipe.
Chili con carne (“chili with meat” in Spanish) is a specific chili that always contains meat. It often includes beans, tomatoes, chili peppers, and a mix of spices, but the meat is the star ingredient.
Can I make chili con carne with beans vegetarian?
I know what you’re thinking: “meat” is right there in the title—stay with me! You can still enjoy the chili con carne recipe as a vegetarian or vegan dish with just a few simple swaps.
Instead of meat, try using hearty veggies like potatoes and cauliflower, or double up on beans for extra protein. Swap chicken broth for vegetable broth, and use Marmite in place of fish sauce. You can also skip the Worcestershire sauce (which contains trace amounts of anchovy).
More Chili Recipes:
Chili Con Carne with Beans
- 2 dried Ancho chilies
- 2 dried Guajillo chilies
- 1 can (15 ounce) Chipotles en adobo, (2 chilies and 2 tablespoons Chipotle sauce)
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 3-4 pounds chuck roast, cut into 1-inch pieces.
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons coarse black pepper
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons Mexican oregano
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 cans (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 yellow or red onion, finely diced
- cilantro leaves, finelychopped
- shredded cheddar cheese
- avocado, cut into cubes
- 1 serrano or jalapeño pepper, thinly sliced
- pico de gallo
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C). Add the dried chilies to a Dutch oven and toast them over high heat until blistered for 1 minute.
- Transfer the chilies to a large food processor or blender with chicken broth, two canned chipotle peppers and two tablespoons of the sauce from the can. Process to combine and set it aside.
- Season the chuck with kosher salt and black pepper. Warm oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the beef in a single layer to sear. Remove and set aside. Repeat with the remaining beef until all the pieces are browned.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onions to the Dutch oven and sauté until they soften and brown, for 10-15 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for one minute.
- Stir in the cumin, Mexican oregano, cinnamon, allspice, and tomato paste. Bloom for 1-2 minutes.
- Deglaze the pan with the chili and chicken broth mixture, scraping up any stuck-on bits from searing the beef. Then, stir in the apple cider vinegar, fish sauce, Worcestershire sauce, black beans, and reserved chuck roast.
- Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover with the lid ajar and cook in the oven for 2½ to 3 hours. Stir occasionally to prevent the chili from sticking to the bottom.
- Uniformly cut the beef. Buying a whole chuck roast gives you more control—cut it into 1-inch, bite-sized pieces so the meat cooks evenly and at the same rate.
- Sear the beef. Brown the meat in oil to lock in the moisture and develop the chili’s flavor.
- Deglaze the pan. Use the chili-chicken broth mixture to deglaze the pan and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom before adding the remaining ingredients.
Calee Cortes
Sunday 22nd of May 2022
Literally so delish. I ate this plain, with rice and with tortilla chips-so good!
Tressa Jamil
Sunday 12th of June 2022
I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed it!
Judith
Thursday 3rd of March 2022
Everything looks sooooo delicious - I can't decide what to try first! :-)
Tressa - Jamil Ghar Team
Thursday 3rd of March 2022
Wow, what a kind thing to say! When you do, be sure stop by and share your thoughts.