by Ciara Attwell, Updated
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A tasty and mild Chilli Con Carne recipe for kids that’s packed full of vegetables too!
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Family meal times can be a struggle, I totally get that.
Getting enough veggies into kids on a daily basis is difficult and so I’m a big fan of packing as much as possible into their normal every day meals.
This Chilli Con Carne is a classic example.
This recipe contains FOUR different veggies – the carrots and courgettes are hidden within the sauce and the red pepper and sweetcorn are left whole.
This is a great approach to fussy eating as it’s still giving some exposure to children of vegetables in their whole form.
The recipe is really simple to make.
The list of ingredients might look a bit long but don’t let that put you off! You probably have most of the spices at home in your cupboard anyway.
I’ve kept this dish really mild so it’s perfect for kids but if you prefer your chilli with a bit more of a kick then double the quantities.
Chilli Con Carne for Fussy Eaters
The first step is to lightly fry the grated carrot and courgette with onions, garlic and oil. This means they cook down into the sauce and your fussy eaters won’t even know that they are there.
The grated veggies not only help boost the nutritional value of this chilli, but they also help to bulk out the whole dish, making it go a little further and make the meal more budget-friendly.
Next, fry the spices and beef mince until browned and then simmer with a tin of chopped tomatoes and stock.
The final step is to add chopped red peppers, sweetcorn and kidney beans and cook for a few minutes.
I like to add a squeeze of lime juice at the end but this is totally optional and feel free to leave this out.
I serve my chilli with boiled rice, sour cream and a few tortilla chips on the side. The kids absolutely love this as they see having “crisps” for dinner as such a treat!
If you liked this recipe you may also enjoy my 10 Minute Smoky Bean Chilli
Product Recommendation
I’m a big fan of investing in a good shallow cast iron casserole dish. It’s brilliant for cooking big meals in bulk and can be used on the hob and in the oven too.
There are lots of expensive brands out there but in my opinion the cheaper brands work just as well.
If youtry this recipeplease do let me know what you think. Or tag me in a picture onFacebook, Twitter or Instagram.I’ve really been enjoying seeing all your creations.
Looking for ways to get your fussy eater to eat a better variety of food? TryPick Plates.These round divided plates have five compartments to be filled with a wide selection of food groups and choices of ingredients. Perfect for making food fun, interesting and appealing to picky eaters.
Chilli Con Carne for Kids
★★★★★ 4.8 from 11 reviews
- Author: Ciara Attwell
Prep Time: 4 minutes- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Total Time: 29 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Cuisine: Mexican
Prep Time:
Yield:
Category:
Cuisine:Print Recipe
Description
A tasty and mild Chilli Con Carne recipe for kids that’s packed full lots of vegetables too!
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 small white onion, finely died
- 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
- 1 medium carrot, grated
- 1 small courgette, grated
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp mild chilli powder
- 500g / 18oz beef mince
- 400g / 14oz (1 tin) chopped tomatoes
- 300ml beef stock / 1 & ¼ cups (use a gluten free stock cube if necessary)
- 240g / 8oz (1 tin) cooked kidney beans, drained
- 1 red pepper, chopped
- 100g / ½ cup corn (can be tinned or frozen)
- 1 fresh lime
To serve: boiled rice, sour cream and tortilla chips
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large dish on the hob. Add the onion and fry over a medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes until it starts to soften. Add the garlic, grated carrot and grated courgette and fry for another 2 minutes.
- Add the spices – smoked paprika, ground coriander, ground cumin and chilli powder and mix well.
- Add in the beef mince and fry for another 4 minutes or until the meat has browned.
- Pour in the tinned tomatoes and beef stock and leave to simmer for 15 minutes.
- Add in the kidney beans, red pepper and corn and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and add in some fresh lime juice to taste.
- Serve immediately with rice, sour cream and tortilla chips.
Notes
This is a great family meal to make in bulk. It can be kept in the fridge in an airtight container for 48 hours or frozen and kept in the freezer for up to 3 months.
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