Chilli con carne for kids
This delicious chilli con carne for kids will become a firm favourite with your family. It’s full of flavour without being too spicy and has lots of hidden vegetables in it.
This delicious chilli con carne for kids will become a firm favourite with our family I think. It’s full of flavour without being too spicy and has lots of vegetables in it, including some hidden ones.
I’ve always thought that everyone should have a good chilli recipe in their repertoire but up until now it wasn’t something we had. I’m always wary of making dishes with spice because I want the kids to enjoy it too. This child friendly recipe seems to fit the bill though: it’s not too spicy (if you want more of a kick add some more chilli) and it’s packed full of vegetables. Some of the kid’s favourite veggies I left in pieces for colour, but I grated the carrot and celery. I’ve never really bothered hiding veg in dishes in the past as we luckily don’t have any problems getting Hannah to eat them. Lewis is a different matter though, so I thought it was worth a try.
Difficulty: Easy
Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 6-8
How can children help make this chilli con carne for kids?
There are also lots of ways children can get involved in making the dish: from preparing the vegetables, measuring the spices or stirring the sauce. This is an all around great family dish.
Ingredients
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
2 sticks of celery, grated
1 carrot, grated
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp coriander
2 tsp cumin
½ tsp chilli powder
500g beef mince
400g tin chopped tomatoes
300ml beef stock
2 tbsp tomato puree
1 tsp sugar
240g tin of kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 pepper
100g sweetcorn (frozen or tinned)
How to make chilli con carne for kids
Prepare the vegetables
Peel and chop the onion, crush the garlic, and grate the carrot and celery. Dice the pepper into small pieces (we used half a red and half a green one for added colour) and set aside for later. My kids always want to help grate things, and this is a great opportunity to let them try.
Heat oil in a pan and cook the onion for a few minutes until it has softened. Add the garlic, carrot and celery and cook for a few more minutes.
Add the chilli spices
Measure the spices out and add to the pan. If you are making this yourself add them straight in, but if your kids are helping, get them to measure them all out in to a small dish first in case they are a bit heavy handed.
Add the meat
Put the beef mince in your pan and fry for 5 minutes, stirring until it has all browned.
Add the tomatoes, stock, puree and sugar
Pour the tomatoes, and stock into your pan and add the puree and a tsp of sugar. Give everything a good stir or if your child is a bit older and your trust them let them do it. Turn the heat down a little and simmer for around 15 minutes.
Add the remaining ingredients
Drain the kidney beans and rinse them in cold water then add them to your pan. Add the peppers and sweetcorn. Cook for around 5 minutes until the beans and veg has softened.
Serve with rice and tortilla chips.
Chilli con carne for kids
Ingredients
- 1 onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 carrot grated
- 2 sticks of celery grated
- 2 tsp paprika
- 2 tsp coriander
- 2 tsp cumin
- ½ tsp chilli powder
- 500 g beef mince
- 400 g tin chopped tomatoes
- 300 ml beef stock
- 2 tbsp tomato puree
- 1 tsp sugar
- 240 g tin of kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 1 pepper
- 100 g sweetcorn frozen or tinned
Instructions
Prepare the vegetables
- Peel and chop the onion, crush the garlic, and grate the carrot and celery. Dice the pepper into small pieces and set aside for later.
- Heat oil in a pan and cook the onion for a few minutes until it has softened. Add the garlic, carrot and celery and cook for a few more minutes.
Add the spices
- Measure the spices out and add to the pan.
Add the meat
- Add the beef mince and fry for 5 minutes, stirring until it has all browned.
Add the tomatoes, stock, puree and sugar
- Pour the tomatoes, and stock into your pan and add the puree and a tsp of sugar. Give everything a good stir or if your child is a bit older and your trust them let them do it. Turn the heat down a little and simmer for around 15 minutes.
Add the remaining ingredients
- Drain the kidney beans and rinse them in cold water then add them to your pan. Add the peppers and sweetcorn. Cook for around 5 minutes until the beans and veg has softened.
- Serve with rice and tortilla chips.
Pin chilli con carne for kids for later
Similar recipes
Pete says
Thank you for this easy to follow and tasty recipe. Just what this Dad needed! Pete
cookingwithmykids says
I’m so glad you liked it!
Talya says
Love that this is rammed full of veggies! I’m going to pin this to try one night next week thank you! And thanks for linking up to #coolmumclub too xox