This mild chilli con carne for kids is a family-friendly meal that's full of flavour but gentle on young taste buds. Packed with hidden vegetables, protein, and just a hint of spice, it's perfect for fussy eaters and easy to batch-cook for busy weeknights.
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This hearty kid friendly chilli con carne is one of our favourite family dinners, served with rice, tortilla chips, grated cheese and sour cream.
Love chilli? Try my turkey chilli recipe or slow cooker chilli next.
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✔️ Why should you try it?
- Easy family dinner.
- Mildly spiced and perfect for kids.
- Great for batch cooking and freezing.
- Can be adapted to suit all tastes.
🥘 Ingredients
Lean minced beef (500g) - a great source of protein and the base of this family favourite.
Chorizo - adds a rich, smoky flavour that makes the chilli extra tasty.
Onion (1, finely chopped) - use a mini chopper for speed if you like.
Garlic (2 cloves, peeled and chopped) - for warmth and depth.
Red pepper - sliced into strips, or chopped smaller if preferred.
Mild chilli powder (½ tsp) - optional for little ones; adjust to taste or leave out entirely.
Spices & herbs - smoked paprika, cumin, ground coriander, and oregano for classic chilli flavour.
Tomato soup (1 can) - brings natural sweetness that kids love. Alternatively, use smooth passata with a pinch of sugar. (Keep the empty tin to measure boiling water for the sauce.)
Sweet chilli sauce - adds gentle sweetness and an extra layer of flavour.
Kidney beans (1 can) - add a second tin if your family enjoys them, or swap for baked beans if preferred.
Worcestershire sauce - a splash at the end gives a savoury kick; Marmite works well too.
Fresh coriander (optional) - for sprinkling on top before serving.
🔪 Instructions
The recipe card with ingredient quantities and detailed instructions can be found at the bottom of the post
One: Fry the chorizo in a shallow casserole or frying pan for a few minutes until it starts releasing its oil.
Two: Add the finely chopped onion and garlic and cook for a few minutes until the onion starts to soften.
Three: Add the red pepper and cook for another couple of minutes, stirring often.
Four: Stir in the chilli powder, smoked paprika, ground coriander, cumin and oregano.
Five: Add the minced beef and turn the heat up so that it browns.
Six: Pour in the tomato soup and fill the empty can with water from a recently boiled kettle. Pour this in too, along with the sweet chilli sauce and drained kidney beans. Give everything a good mix.
Seven: Add the Worcestershire sauce then simmer on a low to medium heat for 10 minutes.
Eight: Season with salt and pepper and serve!
Top Tips
- Add a square of dark chocolate to the chilli to help balance the flavours.
- Cheat with the spices and buy a packet chilli con carne spice mix.
- Grate carrot, courgette or sweet potato to sneak extra nutrition into the dish without kids noticing.
🍴 Serving suggestions
Serve this mild chilli con carne with fluffy rice, crunchy tortilla chips, a sprinkle of grated cheese, a dollop of sour cream, and a side of air fryer sweet potato fries for a real Mexican-style feast. I always pop a bottle of chilli sauce on the table too, so adults can turn up the heat to their liking.
Leftovers are just as versatile - try spooning them over jacket potatoes, or stir them through my cheesy pasta before baking to make a hearty chilli cheesy pasta.
📖 Variations
- Replace the mince with diced beef chunks and cook low and slow for a more traditional, rich chilli.
- Add tinned sweetcorn, diced courgette, or a mix of different coloured peppers. Grated carrot or sweet potato also work well to bring natural sweetness.
- If your children aren't keen on kidney beans, swap them for baked beans, butter beans or even chickpeas for a softer bite.
- For older children or adults, stir in a finely chopped red chilli with the onion, or add a little extra mild chilli powder or smoked paprika. Keep it gentle for toddlers and younger eaters.
- Use Quorn mince, lentils, or another plant-based substitute instead of beef mince for a meat-free version that's still hearty and filling.
- Try turkey mince, chicken mince, or even a mixture of pork and beef for a lighter twist.
- Instead of rice, serve the chilli with mashed potato, pasta, or spooned into wraps for a fun, hands-on dinner.
- Make a double portion and freeze half in family or single servings for quick midweek meals.
🥡 Storage
Store - Allow the chilli to cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container. It will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheat - In a saucepan on the hob until piping hot, adding a splash of water if the sauce has thickened. Alternatively, warm in the microwave in short bursts, stirring in between, until heated through. Always check it's hot all the way through before serving.
Freeze - This chilli con carne freezes brilliantly. Once cooled, portion into freezer-safe tubs or bags and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge before reheating as above. Batch-cooking and freezing makes it a handy option for busy weeknights.
❓ FAQS
Yes, chilli is a great option for cooking in the slow cooker. Liquid quantities may need to be reduced.
Sweet chilli sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and marmite all provide a tasty flavour boost to chilli con carne.
Dairy products such as yogurt and sour cream are perfect for toning down spicy hot chilli con carne. You could also serve a glass of milk alongside it, which is what I do for my kids.
😋Related recipes
More child friendly dinners to try using minced beef.
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Recipe
Mild Chilli Con Carne for Kids
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Equipment
- Chopping Board
- Knife
- Wooden Spoon
Ingredients
- 100 g Chorizo cut into 1cm discs
- 1 Onion peeled and finely chopped
- 2 Garlic Cloves peeled and finely chopped
- 1 Red Pepper cut into strips
- 500 g Minced Beef
- ½ teaspoon Chili Powder
- 2 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- 2 teaspoon Ground Cumin
- 1 teaspoon Ground Coriander
- 1 teaspoon Oregano
- 400g Tin of Cream of Tomato Soup keep the can!
- 2 tablespoon Sweet Chilli Sauce
- 400g Tin of Kidney Beans drained
- ¼ teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
- Salt, Pepper and Fresh Coriander to serve
Instructions
- Put a heavy based casserole or frying pan on a medium heat and add in the cured chorizo sausage. Fry for a couple of minutes until it starts releasing it's oils.100 g Chorizo
- Add the onion and garlic to the pan and cook for a few minutes until the onion starts to soften.1 Onion, 2 Garlic Cloves
- Add in the red pepper strips and cook for another 2 minutes.1 Red Pepper
- Stir in the chili powder, smoked paprika, ground cumin, ground coriander and oregano. Cook for 1 minute.½ teaspoon Chili Powder, 2 teaspoon Smoked Paprika, 2 teaspoon Ground Cumin, 1 teaspoon Ground Coriander, 1 teaspoon Oregano
- Put the minced beef in the pan, turn up the heat a little and break up the minced beef with a wooden spoon whilst it's cooking. It should only take a couple of minutes to brown.500 g Minced Beef
- Add the tomato soup, drained kidney beans and sweet chilli sauce and fill the empty soup tin with water from a recently boiled kettle and add this in too. Give everything a good mix.400g Tin of Cream of Tomato Soup, 400g Tin of Kidney Beans, 2 tablespoon Sweet Chilli Sauce
- Add the Worcestershire sauce and simmer on a low- medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring often.¼ teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
- Season and serve with chopped fresh coriander.Salt, Pepper and Fresh Coriander to serve
Michelle says
Can't wait to give this a try for my kids! They like flavourful, but milder food, so this fits the bill. 🙂
Alisa Infanti says
This was excellent... my family loved it!
Angela says
Chorizo is such a great ingredient. I don't know why I never thought to add it to chili! I love the addition of the sweet chili sauce. Great recipe!
Neli Howard says
Mmmmm, this is my kind of comfort food! Such a great combo and perfect for the cold spring nights we’re having!
Michelle says
Perfectly! Everything is "spicy" to my kids. Sigh. So this is a great recipe with still lots of flavor.
Chloe says
Love this! Best chilli I’ve ever had and I make it regularly. I just add in black beans, an extra pepper, extra onion and garlic, dark chocolate, cinnamon and a tin of tomatoes now.
Tamsin says
I found the addition of water far too much and probably only needed half the can. I added a beef stock cube too, to improve the flavour.
Charlotte says
Love this recipe. Use it allllll the time. The Thai sweet chilli sauce is genious. I blitz up a tin of tomatoes instead of the soup (which we don’t usually have).
My kids love it and so do we. Thank you for putting this recipe out there!!