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A bowl of red chili con carne with ground beef, beans, corn, sour cream, and sliced scallions

Budget Dinners

Weeknight Chili Con Carne with Corn & Beans

A thick, beefy red chili with two kinds of beans, sweet corn, and a properly bloomed spice base—ready in under an hour.

Developed for DishGal · Updated 2026-08-23

Prep12 min
Cook40 min
Total52 min
Cost$2.74

Directions

  1. Brown the beef

    Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high. Add ground beef and cook for 7 to 9 minutes, breaking it up, until deeply browned and 160°F. Drain excess grease if needed.

  2. Soften the vegetables

    Add onion and bell pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion turns translucent and the pepper begins to soften. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.

  3. Bloom the spices

    Add chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, tomato paste, salt, and pepper. Stir constantly for 1 minute, until the tomato paste darkens and the spices smell toasted.

  4. Simmer until thick

    Stir in crushed tomatoes, kidney beans, black beans, corn, and broth. Bring to a boil, reduce to a steady simmer, and cook uncovered for 25 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes so the bottom does not scorch.

  5. Finish bright

    Stir in lime juice. Taste and adjust salt. Ladle into bowls and top with sour cream and scallions.

Why this works

Why it worksCooking tomato paste and spices in the beef fat removes their raw edge and wakes up their flavor.
Why it worksAn uncovered simmer concentrates the tomatoes into chili rather than soup.
Why it worksLime juice added at the end balances the richness without making the chili taste citrusy.

Useful kitchen gear

Tools that make this easier.

Compare the function and specifications first; skip anything your kitchen already handles well.

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Red enameled Dutch oven on a kitchen work surface Compare on AmazonDutch ovenA wide, heavy pot for browning and steady simmering.See current options → Hand blender mixing ingredients in a kitchen Compare on AmazonImmersion blenderBlend soups in the pot with less transfer and cleanup.See current options → Digital cooking thermometer beside prepared ingredients Compare on AmazonInstant-read thermometerVerify doneness instead of guessing.See current options →

Swaps & notes

Easy swaps

  • Use all kidney beans or all black beans if that is what you have.
  • Replace frozen corn with a drained 15-ounce can of corn.
  • For more heat, add 1 minced jalapeño with the bell pepper or 1/4 teaspoon cayenne with the spices.

Cook notes

  • Chili powder means the mild American spice blend, not pure ground chile.
  • A wide pot reduces the chili faster than a narrow saucepan.
  • The chili thickens further as it rests, making leftovers especially good.

Storage

Cool promptly and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stove, stirring often, until steaming and 165°F. Freeze in meal-size containers for up to 3 months, leaving room for expansion.

Questions

Can I make this in a slow cooker?

Yes. Brown the beef and bloom the spices first, then cook everything except lime juice on low for 5 to 6 hours. Stir in lime before serving.

How do I make it less spicy?

Use a mild chili powder, skip cayenne or jalapeño, and serve with sour cream. The recipe is moderately seasoned, not aggressively hot.

Why is my chili watery?

Keep simmering uncovered over medium-low heat. A broad Dutch oven usually needs about 25 minutes, while a narrow pot may need 10 minutes longer.

Weeknight Chili Con Carne with Corn & Beans
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1. Brown the beefHeat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high. Add ground beef and cook for 7 to 9 minutes, breaking it up, until deeply browned and 160°F. Drain excess grease if needed.
2. Soften the vegetablesAdd onion and bell pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion turns translucent and the pepper begins to soften. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
3. Bloom the spicesAdd chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, tomato paste, salt, and pepper. Stir constantly for 1 minute, until the tomato paste darkens and the spices smell toasted.
4. Simmer until thickStir in crushed tomatoes, kidney beans, black beans, corn, and broth. Bring to a boil, reduce to a steady simmer, and cook uncovered for 25 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes so the bottom does not scorch.
5. Finish brightStir in lime juice. Taste and adjust salt. Ladle into bowls and top with sour cream and scallions.