This microwave chili con carne is an easy and delicious meal made with minced beef, kidney beans, and butternut squash. Everything cooks quickly in the microwave, making it perfect for a busy day. Serve it with fluffy rice and fresh salsa for a tasty and satisfying dinner!
Jump to RecipeIngredients Needed:
- 250g minced beef
- 1 heaped teaspoon ground cumin
- olive oil
- 1 beef stock cube
- 1 onion
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 2 sticks of celery
- 1-2 mixed chillies
- 400g butternut squash
- red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons tomato purée
- 1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
- 1 x 400g tin of kidney beans
- 1 mug of long-grain rice (300g)
How To Make Microwave Chili Con Carne Recipe?
- Cook the beef: Put the minced beef, cumin, olive oil, salt, and black pepper in a microwave-safe dish. Crumble in the stock cube, mix well with your hands, and microwave on high (800W) for 10 minutes, stirring halfway through.
- Prepare the vegetables: Finely chop the onion, garlic, celery, and chilies. Take a small handful of chopped vegetables and place them in a bowl for salsa. Thinly slice a small piece of squash, add it to the bowl, mix with red wine vinegar and a pinch of salt, and set aside.
- Cook the chili: When the beef is done, stir in the remaining chopped vegetables. Place the butternut squash pieces on top, lightly score the skin, and microwave on high (800W) for 15 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes and beans: Stir in the tomato purée, chopped tomatoes, and most of the kidney beans (keep a small handful aside). Gently mash some beans into the sauce with a potato masher. Microwave on medium-high (600-700W) for 20 minutes, until the squash is soft. Mash the squash if desired, then season to taste and cover to keep warm.
- Cook the rice: Place the rice, 2 mugs of water (600ml), and a pinch of salt in a 2-litre microwave-safe bowl. Cover with a lid or plate. Sprinkle the reserved kidney beans on top and microwave on high (800W) for 10-14 minutes, removing the beans halfway through.
- Serve: Fluff up the rice, spoon over the chili, and top with the salsa and reserved beans. Enjoy!
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Recipe Tips:
- Brown the Beef Well: Make sure to break up the beef and stir it halfway through cooking. This helps it cook evenly and gives the chili a rich flavor.
- Chop the Vegetables Finely: Smaller pieces cook faster in the microwave and blend better into the sauce, making the chili smoother and more flavorful.
- Don’t Skip Mashing the Beans: Gently mashing some of the beans makes the sauce thicker and creamier, giving the chili the perfect texture.
- Score the Butternut Squash: Lightly scoring the skin helps the squash cook faster and absorb more flavor from the chili.
- Let the Chili Rest Before Serving: After microwaving, let the chili sit covered for 5 minutes. This allows the flavors to blend and makes the dish taste even better.
How To Store & Reheat Leftovers?
- Refrigerate: Let the chili cool down first. Then, put it in an airtight container and keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: After cooling, store the chili in a freezer-safe container or bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Reheat: Pour the chili into a pot over medium heat. Stir occasionally and cook for 5-7 minutes until hot. Add a little water if needed to loosen the sauce.
Nutrition Facts:
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Total Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Cholesterol: 40mg
- Sodium: 500mg
- Potassium: 900mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 55g
- Dietary Fiber: 10g
- Sugars: 8g
- Protein: 30g
Jamie Oliver Microwave Chili Con Carne Recipe
Course: DinnerCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Easy4
servings10
minutes45
minutes450
kcalThis microwave chili con carne is an easy and delicious meal made with minced beef, kidney beans, and butternut squash. Everything cooks quickly in the microwave, making it perfect for a busy day. Serve it with fluffy rice and fresh salsa for a tasty and satisfying dinner!
Ingredients
250g minced beef
1 heaped teaspoon ground cumin
olive oil
1 beef stock cube
1 onion
2 cloves of garlic
2 sticks of celery
1-2 mixed chillies
400g butternut squash
red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons tomato purée
1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
1 x 400g tin of kidney beans
1 mug of long-grain rice (300g)
Directions
- Cook the beef: Put the minced beef, cumin, olive oil, salt, and black pepper in a microwave-safe dish. Crumble in the stock cube, mix well with your hands, and microwave on high (800W) for 10 minutes, stirring halfway through.
- Prepare the vegetables: Finely chop the onion, garlic, celery, and chilies. Take a small handful of chopped vegetables and place them in a bowl for salsa. Thinly slice a small piece of squash, add it to the bowl, mix with red wine vinegar and a pinch of salt, and set aside.
- Cook the chili: When the beef is done, stir in the remaining chopped vegetables. Place the butternut squash pieces on top, lightly score the skin, and microwave on high (800W) for 15 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes and beans: Stir in the tomato purée, chopped tomatoes, and most of the kidney beans (keep a small handful aside). Gently mash some beans into the sauce with a potato masher. Microwave on medium-high (600-700W) for 20 minutes, until the squash is soft. Mash the squash if desired, then season to taste and cover to keep warm.
- Cook the rice: Place the rice, 2 mugs of water (600ml), and a pinch of salt in a 2-litre microwave-safe bowl. Cover with a lid or plate. Sprinkle the reserved kidney beans on top and microwave on high (800W) for 10-14 minutes, removing the beans halfway through.
- Serve: Fluff up the rice, spoon over the chili, and top with the salsa and reserved beans. Enjoy!
Notes
- Brown the Beef Well: Make sure to break up the beef and stir it halfway through cooking. This helps it cook evenly and gives the chili a rich flavor.
- Chop the Vegetables Finely: Smaller pieces cook faster in the microwave and blend better into the sauce, making the chili smoother and more flavorful.
- Don’t Skip Mashing the Beans: Gently mashing some of the beans makes the sauce thicker and creamier, giving the chili the perfect texture.
- Score the Butternut Squash: Lightly scoring the skin helps the squash cook faster and absorb more flavor from the chili.
- Let the Chili Rest Before Serving: After microwaving, let the chili sit covered for 5 minutes. This allows the flavors to blend and makes the dish taste even better.