Rich, hearty and flavorful, this easy gluten-free chili con carne is comforting, feeds a crowd and freezes extremely well. Cook this one-pot chili either on the stovetop or in the slow cooker, and make a large batch of chili to enjoy during the colder fall and winter days! Naturally dairy-free too!
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Comforting Fall Foods
The first time we lived in the US was towards the end of 2015. During that fall, as the days gradually grew cooler, and as the leaves first turned yellow and then brown, I discovered a whole range of foods that Americans loved to eat.
It was during those months that I began cooking with pumpkin (and made pumpkin bread, pumpkin scones, creamy pumpkin soup and a whole bunch of pumpkin-flavored foods). It was also then that I discovered how delicious homemade cranberry sauce was and how easy it is to make; and when I made this delicious loaf of rosemary cornbread because I love cornbread so much.
But one of the things that I found myself most intrigued about was the American obsession with chili, especially during the colder months.
What is Chili con Carne?
Chili is essentially a spicy stew made with vegetables, chili peppers, tomatoes, beans and often times, meat. When meat is involved, it’s usually known as “chili con carne“, with “carne” being Spanish for meat.
The fun thing about chili is how incredibly versatile it is – and it appears (from my online research) that everyone has their personal chili recipe. Some eat it without beans, others without tomatoes, some without meat and others with plenty of cheese and sour cream.
It’s basically the sort of recipe that is formed from a common base of ingredients, after which you can add your free-form improvisation – just like a basic pound cake recipe which has been slightly modified to meet your preferences.
So after hearing so much about chili and reading about it on food blogs, I decided to finally get a taste of it – at the popular Washington DC landmark Ben’s Chili Bowl.
Man, it was gooooood. Naturally, I wanted to recreate this hearty meal at home, so I searched online and stumbled across The Kitchn’s basic chili recipe which I’ve adapted slightly to make gluten-free and dairy-free.
Ready to tuck into a big bowl of chili when the weather turns colder? Let’s get started!
Why This Recipe Works:
- Simple Ingredients: The ingredients required for this gluten-free chili recipe are easily accessible at the local grocery stores (nothing fancy required!).
- Easy to Make: Prepare this easy chili recipe is just a matter of sautéing the ground meat and veggies before adding in the wet ingredients and letting the chili simmer until ready.
- Totally Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free: The best part is that this chili con carne recipe is 100% gluten-free and dairy-free, which means that even those with Celiac disease or gluten or lactose intolerances can enjoy it without issues!
Ingredients You’ll Need + Notes/Substitutes:
- Oil: I used sunflower oil because I always have a bottle of it on hand, but you can also use olive oil, canola oil, avocado oil, or coconut oil if you prefer.
- Ground Beef: I’ve used ground beef (beef broth will work too) in this simple chili con carne recipe, but you can also use ground turkey, ground pork or ground chicken. If you prefer to make this completely vegetarian, go ahead and swap out the animal protein for crumbled tofu or diced mushrooms.
- Vegetables: I use diced bell peppers, diced yellow onions, and minced garlic in this recipe, but feel free to add in chopped carrots, sweet potatoes or celery too if you like.
- Seasonings: I like my chili really spicy, so I use a mix of ground chili powder, curry powder and red pepper flakes. However, if that’s too much heat for you, feel free to leave out one or two of these, and reduce the quantities depending on the amount of heat you can take. You can also add other spices such as black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper or ground cumin if you like.
- Stock: I’m using beef stock in this recipe, but go ahead and use vegetable stock or chicken stock if you prefer.
How to Make Chili (Step by Step Instructions):
1. Brown the Meat
In a large stock pot or Dutch oven, heat up a little oil and brown the ground meat until just cooked. Set aside.
2. Sauté the Veggies
In the same pot, heat up a little more oil and cook the diced bell peppers and onions, until onions are translucent (about 10 minutes). Make a small hole in the middle of the vegetables and add the minced garlic and let cook for around 30 seconds before mixing the garlic with the rest of the vegetables.
3. Add the Seasonings
Add in ground chili powder, curry powder, red pepper flakes and salt and mix well with a wooden spoon to ensure that the vegetables are all coated with the seasoning.
4. Simmer
Pour in the beef stock and let simmer over medium-low heat for 30 minutes.
Add in the browned ground meat, diced tomatoes, black beans, red kidney beans and corn kernels and stir well, letting it simmer for another 20 minutes, or until chili is no longer soupy and has a thick consistency and the beans are tender.
5. Garnish and Serve
Serve chili hot garnished with fresh green onions or cilantro and corn tortilla chips, if desired.
Expert Tips/Tricks:
- Be Patient: The thing about letting things simmer is that you have to let a fair amount of time pass in order to bring out the rich flavors of the dish.
- Low and Slow: My motto for simmering is “Low and Slow“, because cooking this gluten-free chili recipe over a long period over low heat will truly make the dish taste amazing. So be patient, let the ingredients soak in the flavors, stir occasionally, and I promise you’ll be rewarded for it!
- Top with Cheese and Bacon Bits: If you wish, go ahead and garnish with shredded dairy-free cheddar cheese and fried bacon bits for extra flavor and color.
- Serve With: This gluten-free chili con carne is amazing on its own, but you can also eat it over rice or pasta.
Recipe FAQs:
If not eating immediately, place the leftover gluten-free chili con carne in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for 5 to 7 days.
You can also reheat it in the microwave in a microwave-safe bowl.
Yes, you can certainly freeze this. Simply place the chili in freezer-safe containers or individual ziplock bags and freeze for up to 3 months. Before eating, let the chili thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then transfer it to a pot, add a little bit of water, and warm it up for a few minutes until hot. You can also reheat it in the microwave in a microwave-safe bowl.
Yes, definitely! In fact, this is a great chili recipe for the slow cooker if you own one. Simply place all the ingredients (except the spring onions and tortilla chips) in a 6-quart slow cooker and set it to low for 6 to 8 hours, or high for 3 to 4 hours.
You can serve your chili with corn tortilla chips (as shown in this recipe), as well as a side of gluten-free cornbread, jalapeño cornbread, cornbread muffins, or skillet cornbread. Go ahead and top the chili with a bit of sour cream (or cashew cream) if you like as well.
In general, chili can be made with many different ingredients (from chicken, turkey, sweet potatoes, beans, corn etc), but “chili con carne” literally means chili with meat, so it should be made with some kind of meat.
Gluten-Free Dinner Recipes to Cozy Up to:
- Easy Slow Cooker Lentil Curry (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
- Turkey Bolognese with Fusilli (Gluten-Free)
- Creamy Pumpkin Soup (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
- Garlic Eggplant Penne Pasta (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
- Hamburger Helper (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
- Mac and Cheese (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
- Easy Pumpkin Gnocchi (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
Fall Recipes You’ll Love:
P.S. If you try this recipe, I’d love for you to leave a star rating below, and/or a review in the comment section further down the page. I always appreciate your feedback. Be sure to check out my entire Recipe Index for all the recipes on the blog. You can also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram! Sign up for my Email List to get fresh recipes in your inbox each week!
PrintGluten-Free Chili Con Carne
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Rich, hearty and flavorful, this easy one-pot gluten-free chili con carne is comforting, feeds a crowd and freezes extremely well. You can cook this either on the stovetop or in the slow cooker, so make a large batch of chili con carne and freeze it for the colder fall and winter days! Naturally gluten-free and dairy-free too!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon ground chili powder
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 15 oz. can black beans
- 1 15 oz. can red kidney beans
- 1 15 oz. can sweet corn kernels
- 3 cups beef stock
- 1 28 oz. can of peeled and diced tomatoes
- Chopped spring onions, for garnishing (optional)
- Corn tortilla chips, for garnishing (optional)
Instructions
- Brown the Meat: In a large stock pot or Dutch oven, heat up a little oil and brown the ground meat until just cooked. Set aside.
- Sauté the Veggies: In the same pot, heat up a little more oil and cook the diced bell peppers and onions, until onions are translucent (about 10 minutes). Make a small hole in the middle of the vegetables and add the minced garlic and let cook for around 30 seconds before mixing the garlic with the rest of the vegetables.
- Add the Seasonings: Add in ground chili powder, curry powder, red pepper flakes and salt and mix well to ensure vegetables are all coated with the seasoning.
- Simmer: Pour in the beef stock and let simmer over medium-low heat for 30 minutes. Add in the browned ground meat, diced tomatoes, black beans, red kidney beans and corn kernels and stir well, letting it simmer for another 20 minutes, or until chili is no longer soupy and has a thick consistency.
- Garnish and Serve: Serve chili hot garnished with fresh green onions and corn tortilla chips, if desired.
Notes
Oil: I used sunflower oil because I always have a bottle of it on hand, but you can also use olive oil, canola oil, avocado oil, or coconut oil if you prefer.
Ground Beef: I’ve used ground beef in the recipe, but you can also use turkey, pork or chicken. If you prefer to make this completely vegetarian, go ahead and swap out the meat for crumbled tofu or diced mushrooms.
Vegetables: I use diced bell peppers, diced onions, and minced garlic in this recipe, but feel free to add in chopped carrots and celery too if you like.
Seasonings: I like my chili really spicy, so I use a mix of ground chili powder, curry powder and red pepper flakes. However, if that’s too much heat for you, feel free to leave out one or two of these, and reduce the quantities depending on the amount of heat you can take.
Stock: I’m using beef stock in this recipe, but go ahead and use vegetable stock or chicken stock if you prefer.
Slow Cooker: If you would like to cook this in the slow cooker, simply place all the ingredients (except the spring onions and corn tortilla chips) in a 6-quart slow cooker, mix well, and then let cook for 6 to 8 hours on low heat, or cook for 3 to 4 hours on high heat.
Storing/Freezing: If not eating immediately, place the leftover gluten-free chili con carne in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for 5 to 7 days. To freeze, place the chili in freezer-safe containers or individual ziplock bags and freeze for up to 3 months.
Reheating the Chili con Carne: If frozen, let the chili thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Once it’s completely defrosted, transfer the chili to a pot and add in a little bit of water, mixing well, and heat it on the stovetop until it’s hot. To reheat it in the microwave, place the defrosted chili in a microwave-proof bowl with a bit of water, mix well and heat it up until hot.
Adapted from: The Kitchn
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Grace Lim says
Hello Felicia,
This recipe is really new to me but it seemed quite interesting to give it a try.
May I ask how does this recipe compare to the curry we have back home in taste and flavor? Do you think it will be a hit with us in Singapore as our tropical weather is hot and wet most of the time ?
Will attempt to give it a try when we have very wet and cold weather towards the end of the year.
I love you!
Mum
Felicia Lim says
Hi mummy, it’s quite different from curry actually, it’s more of a bolognese sauce with beans that’s spicy (if you get what I mean). I think you’ll like it, you can give it a try in the Thermomix!