Prepare to be wowed with this Mexican Chilli Beef—it will entice you to have it on repeat! Succulent beef chuck steak undergoes a slow, low cooking process in a flavourful stew comprising onions, tomatoes, broth, and soul-soothing spices, concluding with the addition of hearty beans. The beef achieves a mouthwateringly tender texture, while the sauce is warmly spiced! Enjoy this chilli beef alongside your preferred Mexican sides or a bed of rice, bringing the entire meal together.

Mexican Chilli Beef in white bowl sitting on a green plate on a grey background. lime wedges and coriander around the plate

Chilli beef (also known as Chilli Con Carne) is most commonly made with ground beef but as Rick Stein states in his book ‘Road To Mexico’:

‘The classic chilli con carne made with beans and minced beef is more of a Tex-Mex recipe. In Mexico home cooks make carne con chile for their families, using cubed beef or pork in a rich chilli sauce with or without tomatoes, and with beans and or rice on the side. ‘.

The meat is incredibly tender, reaching a butter-like melt-in-your-mouth perfection, and the depth of spice is simply mind-blowing. It offers a warm spiciness without being overly hot—just the right balance.

For that extra flavour explosion, I chose La Constena diced chipotle chilies in adobo sauce, readily available at major supermarkets like Coles and Woolies. Despite being labeled ‘hot’ on the jar, I find them to be more on the mild to medium scale, adding a massive smoky flavour bomb to the chilli beef.

close up of Mexi Chilli Beef in a bowl with fork

Piece of Mexican chilli beef on a fork close up with bowl of beef under it

Serving suggestions

This dish effortlessly transitions from a comforting family meal to the centrepiece of an intimate dinner with friends or a crowd-pleaser for larger gatherings (and, conveniently, the recipe is easily scalable). Here are some creative ideas to elevate your dining experience:

Tacos or Burritos:
- Spoon the Mexican Chilli Beef into warm tortillas for a delicious taco filling or wrap it up in burritos with your favourite toppings.
Nachos:
- Layer the chunky beef over a bed of crispy tortilla chips, and top with melted cheese, guacamole, sour cream, and salsa for irresistible nachos.
Stuffed Capsicums:
- Fill halved capsicums with the beef mixture, top with cheese, and bake until the capsicums are tender and the filling is bubbly.
Loaded Quesadillas:
- Sandwich the beef between tortillas with cheese, and add ingredients like sautéed onions, capsicums and jalapeños.
Baked Potatoes:
- Serve the Chilli Beef over baked potatoes, and garnish with your favourite toppings such as cheese, green onions, and a dollop of sour cream.
Fresh Crunchy Bread:
- Serve simply with fresh crunchy bread.
Corn Bread:
- Pair the beef with some cornbread to mop up all those delicious juices.

Mexican Chilli Beef in white bowl on a green plate. Lime wedges and coriander to the sides

Ingredients

1 tablespoon cooking oil
800g beef chuck steak, cut into 3cm cubes
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons diced chipotle in adobo sauce (I used La Costena brand)
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½-1 teaspoon Mexican chilli powder (to taste)
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 beef stock cubes
400g can diced tomatoes
400g can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

Instructions

Heat oil in a heavy based saucepan or flameproof casserole dish over medium-high heat. Season the beef all over with salt and pepper and add half to the pan. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until browned all over. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining beef. Set aside.
Add onion to pan and cook for 5 minutes. then add the garlic, chipotle and all the spices, cook, stirring for 2 minutes. Return beef to the pan along with any juices and stir to coat in the spice mix.
Crumble in the beef stock cubes and add 2 cups water along with the diced tomatoes. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 1hr. Uncover, and cook for a further 45 min or until beef is very tender and sauce has thickened slightly.
Add the kidney beans and cook for a further 10 min. Season to taste salt and pepper. Serve beef with your choice of side: rice, fresh crunchy bread, grilled corn tortillas or corn chips. Garnish with a dollop of sour cream, sliced chilli and coriander.

Notes

COOKS NOTES:
Oven Temps: Oven temperatures are for conventional, if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C.
Measurements: We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon = 5 ml, 1 tablespoon = 20 ml & 1 cup = 250 ml.
Herbs: All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed.
Vegetables: All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified.
Eggs: We use extra-large size and eggs are 55-60 g each, unless specified.
Nutritional Information Disclaimer:
The provided nutritional information is intended as a guide only and may not be exact. It does not account for additional items you may serve with the beef, such as rice, bread, sour cream, etc. Please note that nutritional values can vary based on specific brands, portion sizes, and preparation methods.
To obtain a more accurate understanding of the overall nutritional content of your meal, it is advisable to consider the nutritional information of each ingredient individually. Additionally, if precise nutritional details are crucial, consulting with a registered dietitian or utilising specific nutritional analysis tools may provide more accurate measurements tailored to your specific ingredients and serving sizes.

Hello! I'm Kate.

Mexican Chilli Beef Stew

Serving suggestions