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Gluten-free chilli con carne with rice

A naturally gluten-free chilli con carne with beef mince, kidney beans and smoky spices. Freezer-friendly, ready in about an hour, with labels to check.

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Chilli con carne is a weeknight hero, and the basic recipe is naturally gluten-free: mince, vegetables, tinned tomatoes, beans and spices. There are just two ingredients where gluten can sneak in, so it’s a great recipe for anyone newly cooking gluten-free.

Two labels to check

Coeliac UK advises checking the labels of stock cubes and seasonings, along with ready-made sauces.

  • Stock: choose a stock cube, pot or liquid stock labelled gluten-free, or with no wheat or barley in the ingredients.
  • Chilli powder and spice blends: single spices like cumin and paprika are simply ground spices, but chilli powder is often a blend. Check the label. Avoid ready-made “chilli seasoning” sachets unless they’re labelled gluten-free.

And if you buy seasoned mince or a ready-made chilli sauce instead, those need checking too. Plain beef mince is naturally gluten-free.

Our guide to UK allergen labelling explains how to read an ingredients list in seconds.

What to serve it with

  • plain rice (naturally gluten-free)
  • a jacket potato or sweet potato
  • corn tortillas or tortilla chips labelled gluten-free (some contain wheat or are made on shared lines)
  • a dollop of soured cream or grated cheese, if you don’t need it dairy-free

Variations

  • Vegetarian or vegan: swap the mince for an extra tin of beans and a tin of lentils (drained), and use vegetable stock (check the label). Simmer for 20 minutes instead of 35. Or try our vegan lentil cottage pie, which is also free from dairy, eggs, nuts and soya.
  • Hotter: add a chopped fresh chilli with the onion, or more chilli powder.
  • Richer: some people stir a small square of dark chocolate into the sauce at the end. Check the chocolate’s label, as some contain barley malt or are made alongside gluten-containing products.
  • More veg: add a grated carrot or courgette with the pepper.

Batch cooking and food safety

Chilli freezes well, so it’s worth doubling the recipe. Follow the Food Standards Agency’s cooking your food guidance: cook minced meat thoroughly until it is steaming hot with no pink meat left, put leftovers in the fridge within two hours, and eat them within 48 hours or freeze them.

For more freezer-friendly, naturally gluten-free dinners, try our sweet potato and chickpea curry or browse the 7-day gluten-free meal plan.

Gluten-free chilli con carne with rice: recipe

Prep
15 min
Cook
50 min
Total
1 hr 5 min
Serves
4

Ingredients

Items marked check label can contain gluten in some brands. Choose a version labelled gluten-free or with no gluten-containing cereal in the ingredients.

  • 1 tbsp vegetable or olive oil
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 500 g beef mince (plain, unseasoned)
  • 1–2 tsp mild chilli powder, to tastecheck label
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 2 tbsp tomato purée
  • 400 g tin chopped tomatoes
  • 250 ml beef stockcheck label
  • 400 g tin red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • Salt and black pepper
  • 300 g long-grain or basmati rice, to serve
  • To serve (optional): chopped coriander, lime wedges, sliced spring onions

Equipment

  • Large, deep frying pan or casserole with a lid
  • Saucepan for the rice

Method

  1. Heat the oil in a large, deep pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and pepper with a pinch of salt and cook for 8 minutes, stirring, until softened.
  2. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
  3. Turn up the heat, add the mince and cook for 6–8 minutes, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned all over.
  4. Stir in the chilli powder, cumin, smoked paprika and oregano and cook for 1 minute, then stir in the tomato purée.
  5. Add the chopped tomatoes and stock. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer gently for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  6. Stir in the kidney beans and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes more, until the sauce is thick and the beans are hot. Taste and season.
  7. Meanwhile, cook the rice according to the packet instructions.
  8. Check the mince is cooked through and steaming hot, with no pink meat. Serve the chilli over the rice, scattered with coriander and spring onions, with lime wedges on the side.

Storage

Cool quickly and refrigerate within two hours. Eat within two days, or freeze in portions. Defrost in the fridge and reheat until steaming hot all the way through. Cooked rice is best eaten fresh; if you keep leftovers, cool them quickly and refrigerate promptly.