There’s something uniquely satisfying about pulling a bubbling, golden-topped casserole from the oven, especially when the aroma of rich, spicy chili fills the kitchen. This Chili Con Carne Casserole is the result of many years of tweaking my classic stovetop chili recipe. It takes all the deep, smoky flavours we love and transforms them into a baked dish that’s layered with texture and topped with gloriously melty cheese. Friends always ask me for this recipe after trying it at dinner parties, and I’m so happy to finally be sharing it here with you.

What sets this recipe apart is the balance of flavour. We build a base with a classic trio of spices, but the secret lies in a small amount of dark chocolate melted into the sauce, which adds an incredible depth and richness without making it sweet. It’s a trick that elevates the beef and beans into something truly special. This isn’t just a bowl of chili with cheese on top; it’s a cohesive, hearty meal baked until the edges are slightly crispy and the centre is molten hot. It works beautifully for a relaxed weekend dinner or for feeding a hungry family on a chilly evening.

Recipe Overview

This recipe transforms a traditional spicy chili into a comforting, oven-baked casserole. Expect a rich, flavourful beef and bean filling with a gentle warmth from the spices, all tucked under a crisp, cheesy topping. After testing this a few times, I found that letting the chili simmer for a full 30 minutes before baking is crucial for developing the deepest flavour.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 50 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
• Servings: 6 people
• Difficulty: Medium

Why You’ll Love This Chili Con Carne Casserole

• Genuine Flavour: The combination of smoked paprika, cumin, and a touch of dark chocolate creates a smoky, deeply savoury sauce that clings to every ingredient. It’s rich without being heavy.
• Ready in Just Over an Hour: From chopping the onions to pulling it out of the oven, the whole dish comes together in about 70 minutes, with much of that being hands-off simmering and baking time.
• Flexible Recipe: You can easily adjust the spice level by adding more or less chilli powder. Swap the kidney beans for black beans or pinto beans, or use turkey mince instead of beef if you prefer.
• Great for Casual Gatherings: This is a wonderful dish to make when you have friends over. You can assemble it ahead of time and just pop it in the oven when your guests arrive.
• Family Tested: My family adores this casserole. The kids love the cheesy topping, and my husband appreciates the hearty, spicy filling. It’s one of the few meals that everyone agrees on without any fuss!

Chili Con Carne Casserole

⏱️ 15 min prep  •  🍳 70 min cook  •  👥 4 servings

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Ingredients You’ll Need

For this recipe, we use standard pantry staples. I highly recommend using a good quality lean beef mince (around 10-15% fat) as it provides plenty of flavour without making the final dish greasy. For the tinned tomatoes, I find that brands like Mutti or Cirio offer a richer, less watery base.

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 medium onions, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 500g lean beef mince
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 2 tsp chilli powder (adjust to your taste)
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 400g tin chopped tomatoes
• 300ml beef stock
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 15g dark chocolate (70% cocoa or higher), finely chopped
• 400g tin red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 150g mature cheddar cheese, grated
• 50g tortilla chips, lightly crushed
• Sour cream and fresh coriander, to serve (optional)

Sara’s Tip: Don’t skip the dark chocolate! It might sound unusual, but it’s a classic trick in Mexican cooking that adds an amazing depth and gloss to the sauce. You won’t taste ‘chocolate’, but you will notice a richer, more complex flavour.

How to Make Chili Con Carne Casserole

The process is straightforward. We’ll first create a rich chili base on the stovetop, letting it simmer to meld the flavours, and then transfer it to a dish for baking with a cheesy, crunchy topping.

1. Sauté the Aromatics: Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-based pan or Dutch oven over a medium heat. Add the chopped onions and cook gently for 8-10 minutes, until soft and translucent. Add the crushed garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
2. Brown the Mince: Increase the heat, add the beef mince to the pan, and break it up with a wooden spoon. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it’s browned all over. For the best flavour, you want to get some good colour on the meat, a technique known as the Maillard reaction.
3. Add Spices and Flour: Sprinkle over the plain flour, chilli powder, cumin, smoked paprika, and oregano. Stir everything together and cook for 1 minute to toast the spices and cook out the raw flour taste.
4. Create the Sauce: Pour in the chopped tomatoes and beef stock, then stir in the tomato purée. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, stirring to ensure nothing is sticking to the bottom of the pan.
5. Simmer to Perfection: Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and let the chili simmer for 30 minutes. This is where the magic happens! The flavours will deepen and meld together beautifully. What works best for me is stirring it once or twice during this time to prevent any sticking.
6. Finish the Chili Base: After 30 minutes, stir in the dark chocolate until it has completely melted into the sauce. Add the drained kidney beans and season generously with salt and pepper. Give it a final stir.
7. Assemble the Casserole: Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Spoon the chili con carne mixture into a 9×13 inch (or similar size) ovenproof baking dish and spread it out evenly.
8. Add the Topping and Bake: Sprinkle the grated cheddar cheese evenly over the top of the chili. Follow this with the crushed tortilla chips. Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese is completely melted and bubbling and the topping is golden brown.

Tips From My Kitchen

• Don’t Rush the Simmer: The 30-minute simmer is essential. It allows the beef to become tender and gives the spices time to infuse the entire sauce. Cutting this short will result in a less flavourful chili.
• The Secret Step: Toasting the spices for a minute before adding the liquids is a small step that makes a big difference. It ‘wakes up’ the essential oils in the spices, making them much more aromatic and potent.
• Make-Ahead Magic: You can prepare the chili base up to 2 days in advance. Let it cool completely and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. When you’re ready to eat, just transfer it to a baking dish, add the toppings, and bake as directed.
• Storage: Leftovers will keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days. Cover the dish with foil or transfer to an airtight container. Reheat in the oven at 160°C until piping hot.

Equipment You’ll Need

You don’t need any fancy gadgets for this recipe, just some good kitchen basics.

• A large, heavy-based pan or Dutch oven
• 9×13 inch (or 2-litre) ovenproof baking dish
• A sturdy wooden spoon or spatula
• A sharp knife and cutting board
• Cheese grater

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Overcrowding the pan: When browning the mince, make sure your pan is large enough. If you overcrowd it, the meat will steam instead of brown, and you’ll miss out on a huge layer of flavour. If needed, brown the meat in two batches.
• Baking at too high a temperature: A very hot oven can cause the cheese and tortilla chips to burn before the chili inside is heated through. Stick to 180°C (160°C fan) for a perfectly melted top and a piping hot centre.
• Skipping the Rest Time: Once you pull the casserole from the oven, let it stand for 5 minutes before serving. This allows the filling to settle slightly, making it easier to serve without it being too runny.

What to Serve With Chili Con Carne Casserole

This casserole is a hearty meal in itself, but a few simple sides can complete the experience. If you like this kind of one-pan meal, you might also enjoy our Low Carb Chicken Casserole.

• A dollop of sour cream or Greek yoghurt: The cool creaminess provides a lovely contrast to the spicy, rich chili.
• Fluffy White Rice: A simple scoop of rice is great for soaking up all of that delicious sauce.
• A crisp green salad: A simple salad with a light vinaigrette dressing helps to cut through the richness of the casserole.
• Beer Pairing: A cold lager or a rich stout works wonderfully with the deep, smoky flavours of the dish.

Frequently Asked Questions

Chili Con Carne Casserole

A rich and hearty beef chili, slow-simmered with spices and a hint of dark chocolate, then baked with a crunchy, cheesy tortilla chip topping.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 25 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Calories: 570

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 medium onions finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic crushed
• 500 g lean beef mince
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 2 tsp chilli powder adjust to your taste
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 400 g tin chopped tomatoes
• 300 ml beef stock
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 15 g dark chocolate 70% cocoa or higher, finely chopped
• 400 g tin red kidney beans drained and rinsed
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 150 g mature cheddar cheese grated
• 50 g tortilla chips lightly crushed
• Sour cream and fresh coriander to serve (optional)

Method

 

1. Sauté the Aromatics: Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-based pan or Dutch oven over a medium heat. Add the chopped onions and cook gently for 8-10 minutes, until soft and translucent. Add the crushed garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
2. Brown the Mince: Increase the heat, add the beef mince to the pan, and break it up with a wooden spoon. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it's browned all over. For the best flavour, you want to get some good colour on the meat, a technique known as the Maillard reaction.
3. Add Spices and Flour: Sprinkle over the plain flour, chilli powder, cumin, smoked paprika, and oregano. Stir everything together and cook for 1 minute to toast the spices and cook out the raw flour taste.
4. Create the Sauce: Pour in the chopped tomatoes and beef stock, then stir in the tomato purée. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, stirring to ensure nothing is sticking to the bottom of the pan.
5. Simmer to Perfection: Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and let the chili simmer for 30 minutes. This is where the magic happens! The flavours will deepen and meld together beautifully. What works best for me is stirring it once or twice during this time to prevent any sticking.
6. Finish the Chili Base: After 30 minutes, stir in the dark chocolate until it has completely melted into the sauce. Add the drained kidney beans and season generously with salt and pepper. Give it a final stir.
7. Assemble the Casserole: Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Spoon the chili con carne mixture into a 9x13 inch (or similar size) ovenproof baking dish and spread it out evenly.
8. Add the Topping and Bake: Sprinkle the grated cheddar cheese evenly over the top of the chili. Follow this with the crushed tortilla chips. Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese is completely melted and bubbling and the topping is golden brown.

Notes

Serve immediately with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of fresh coriander for the best experience.

I really hope you enjoy making this Chili Con Carne Casserole. It’s a true labour of love in my kitchen and has brought so much warmth and happiness to our dinner table. If you try it, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below – I love hearing from you! Happy cooking!

– Sara Gomez