Dutch oven chili is a warm and hearty meal for the whole family in colder days. Simple ingredients such as minced meats, beans, corn in tomato sauce will warm you up in no time. And plus this meal is done in one pot, famous iron cast Dutch oven.

What exactly is chili ?
Chili is a hearty minced meat stew with tomatoes, beans, chili peppers or seasoning and corn. It’s a flavourful dish, often accompanied by a dollop of sour cream or flat bread. If we wanted to translate literally from Spanish chile con carne, it would be “chili pepper with meat”. The main ingredient is minced meat, tomatoes and beans.
This family friendly chili recipe is for all chili minced meat stew lovers. My version of chili con carne is made out of three different kinds of minced meat, with plenty of veggies, cooked slowly in Dutch oven and served with mini flat bread or homemade bread and few sliced of avocado for creamy texture. Who doesn’t like a good tender meat stew?
Leave the chili to rest for several hours, and it will taste better
This chili will taste much better, when prepared in advance. And I use the same rule for any kind of stew. I have always noticed, that chili prepared for lunchtime, tasted much better by the supper time. So well rested chili or stew will have time to penetrate together all these amazing flavours.
Chili powder for spicy chili “yes or no”
Some of you might say to “no chili powder” because it’s too spicy for you. That doesn’t mean you cannot prepare chili for your family. There is always a way of substituting the chili powder for sweet paprika, for example. Or here in Canada, I find that chili powders aren’t that spicy, so I can use plenty in my chili. Check if your grocery store has milder versions of chili powder.
On the other hand, if you love spicy chili, you can add cayenne pepper flakes or add other spicy sauce of your liking.

How to make chili more tasty
The slower and longer you cook the chili, the better it tastes. So try your slow cooker or just cook it a little slowly on lower temperature. Enhance the flavour with beef broth, instead of water. Add colourful toppings like avocado or creamy topping such as sour cream.
One secret ingredient I have started to use only recently. For more depth and colour, add a few squares of dark chocolate. It really changes the chili con carne game.
Cook the onions longer, until golden brown. Also, when browning the meat, you can add extra cubes of bacon. This will bring your chili con carne to another level.
Usually, as a base for minced meat, I start browning cubes of bacon with onion before adding the minced meat. It makes the mince meat more flavourful.
Ingredients for chili con carne
- Olive oil
- Onion
- Garlic
- Trio meat (pork, veal, beef)
- Sweet paprika powder
- Chili powder
- Cumin powder
- Dried oregano
- Tomato paste
- Tomato puree
- Beef stock
- Frozen veggies (carrots, green peas, corn)
- Kidney beans
- Salt & pepper
- Fresh parsley or cilantro chopped
- Cocoa powder or 1/2 cup of dark melted chocolate (optional)

How to cook Dutch oven chili con carne
- Place a large Dutch oven on high heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add in chopped onions and reduce the heat to medium. Cook, stirring constantly, until the onions are soft and golden brown. It will take about 5 – 8 minutes. Add in minced garlic and cook for another minute or two.
- Prepare the trio of mince meat (pork, beef and veal) and add it to the onions. Cook and brown the meat by breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Brown the meat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the spices: the cumin, oregano, paprika, chili powder and the season with salt and pepper. Stir well with wooden spoon, so everything blends well together. Add tomato purée and beef broth. Stir well together, cover with a lid and let simmer over low heat. Stir occasionally, cook until the chili slightly thickens, about 1-1⁄2 – 2 hours.
- At the end, toss in frozen veggies. I used a mix of carrots, green peas and corn. Stir well and add drained can of kidney beans, stir once more. Let lightly simmer for another 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft.
- As a last ingredient to add is dark chocolate or cocoa powder. This is an optional step, so don’t need to use it. Let the chocolate melt on the chili and stir to combine.
- Serve with slices of avocado or dollop of sour cream. Don’t forget to decorate with chopped parsley or cilantro.
What to serve with dutch oven chili con carne
I served my chili with mini flat breads, which I purchased in my town’s bakery. But you can also serve it over hot rice, with cornbread or any other type of fresh bread.

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More hearty recipes
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DUTCH OVEN CHILI CON CARNE
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 pounds of trio meat pork, veal, beef
- 1 large yellow onion chopped
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons sweet paprika powder
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 4 cups tomato puree or coulis
- 1/2 cup beef stock or water
- 2 cups frozen veggies carrots, green peas, corn
- 1 can kidney beans drained 15 oz
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley or cilantro chopped
- 2 tablespoons 1/2 cup of dark melted chocolate or cocoa powder (optional)
Instructions
- Place a large Dutch oven on high heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add in chopped onions and reduce the heat to medium. Cook, stirring constantly, until the onions are soft and golden brown. It will take about 5 – 8 minutes. Add in minced garlic and cook for another minute or two.
- Prepare the trio of mince meat (pork, beef and veal) and add it to the onions. Cook and brown the meat by breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Brown the meat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the spices: the cumin, oregano, paprika, chili powder and the season with salt and pepper. Stir well with wooden spoon, so everything blends well together. Add tomato purée and beef broth. Stir well together, cover with a lid and let simmer over low heat. Stir occasionally, cook until the chili slightly thickens, about 1-1⁄2 – 2 hours.
- At the end, toss in frozen veggies. I used a mix of carrots, green peas and corn. Stir well and add drained can of kidney beans, stir once more. Let lightly simmer for another 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft.
- As a last ingredient to add is dark chocolate or cocoa powder. This is an optional step, so don't need to use it. Let the chocolate melt on the chili and stir to combine.
- Serve with slices of avocado or dollop of sour cream. Don't forget to decorate with chopped parsley or cilantro.
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mistimaan
So yummy
juliarecipes
Thank you 🙂
Starrcreative
Looks amazing!
juliarecipes
Thank you 🙂
Deeksha Pathak
Your photography is making the dish so inviting!!
juliarecipes
Thank you Deeksha, I love food photography 😄
Deeksha Pathak
Nice to meet you Julia 😊.
Your all recipes have very detailed instructions and of course awesome food photography .. I am definitely going to try some dishes
juliarecipes
I would be delighted, if would try some of my recipes 🙂 Thanks you for your lovely words 🙂