10 twists on chilli con carne
Make a warming chilli con carne for dinner then discover our clever twists, featuring veggie and vegan options and a speedy 20-minute version
Chilli con carne, (Spanish for ‘chilli with meat’), is one of the best dishes to make for a casual get-together. The dish's exact origins are unclear, though Texas is believed to be the birthplace, belonging to Tex-Mex cuisine rather than traditional Mexican. Combining meat with tomatoes, beans, spices and veg, chilli con carne has become a staple dinner enjoyed all over the world, celebrated for its easy-to-share nature and use of storecupboard ingredients.
If you're looking for a classic chilli recipe check out this chilli con carne, then discover our exciting twists below. Search for plenty more chilli iterations in our chilli con carne recipe collection.
1. Burnt aubergine veggie chilli
We've omitted the meat in favour of smoky, spiced aubergine in this low fat vegetarian chilli. Counting as four of your five-a-day, it's a delicious way to up your veg intake whilst feeding the whole family. Serve with brown rice and all your favourite trimmings.
Discover more ways to cook with aubergine in our aubergine recipe collection.
2. Double bean & roasted pepper chilli
Pack in the veggies while maintaining chilli con carne's signature flavours in this healthy vegan chilli. Serve with hot sauce to pep things up, along with contrasting flavours of soured cream or yogurt. Serving up to eight, it's a keeper of a recipe for feeding a crowd.
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Discover more veggie suppers with larger portions with our vegetarian batch cooking collection.
3. Quick chilli
Dinner can be on the table in just 20 minutes with this fast and filling chilli. We've made a few simple shortcuts – using shop-bought tomato and chilli sauce – so there's less time standing at the hob and more time enjoying your evening. Best served with rice or piled high onto baked potatoes, dolloped with soured cream.
See more speedy meals with our quick dinner collection and quick and healthy dinner recipes.
4. Chipotle bean chilli with baked eggs
This filling one-pot uses some of the core ingredients in chilli con carne, with delicious Mexican-inspired additions including smoky hot chipotle sauce, baked eggs and tortillas.
Save on washing up with our filling family one-pot recipes.
5. Next level chilli con carne
Enrich a classic chilli con carne with peanut butter, espresso powder and dark chocolate for a decadent boost. It may sound strange, but we promise you won't look back.
Find more reinventions on classics in our best comfort food recipe collection.
6. Turkey tortilla pie
Top your chilli con carne with tortilla wraps in this healthy turkey twist, fusing two popular Tex-Mex dishes: nachos and enchiladas. It makes a great sofa supper on cold nights.
Find more fun Friday night dinners then check out our collection of turkey pie recipes.
7. Chicken chilli con carne
Swap beef for chicken in this fun sharing dish, offering all the richness and comfort of a classic chilli con carne. Serving four to six, it makes a great sharing dish with rice or tortilla chips and topped with guacamole and soured cream.
Discover more chicken dinner recipes and freezable chicken recipes.
8. Veggie protein chilli
Make a protein-packed vegan chilli for the perfect post-workout dinner. Mixing sweet potato with mixed beans and plenty of spice, it's an easy-to-rustle-up dish which can be frozen ahead of busy nights.
Find more high-protein vegan meals, or check out our collection of healthy vegetarian dinners.
9. Mexican beef & potato pie
Mix shepherd's pie with chilli con carne and what do you get? You get this epic Mexican beef pie. A chilli con carne style filling is topped with cheesy mash and tortilla chips, then baked in the oven for 10 mins to melt the cheese. That's Friday night plans sorted!
See our collection of shepherd's pie recipes or dive into our best Mexican recipes.
10. Chilli con carne jackets
Transform your baked potato with these pimped up chilli con carne jackets, featuring a simple-to-make pork and chipotle chilli filling. Your weeknight dinner has never look so appetising.
Browse our collection baked potato recipes for more midweek inspiration.
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