Equipment
Ingredients
Aromatics & Vegetables
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 carrot, finely diced
- 1 celery stalk, finely diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
Meat & Spices
- 500 g extra lean beef mince, 5% fat or less
- 10 g ground cumin
- 10 g smoked paprika
- 2 g dried oregano
- 5 g chilli powder
Liquids & Pantry
- 30 g tomato paste
- 400 g chopped tomatoes
- 250 ml beef stock
- 400 g black beans, drained and rinsed
- 10 g dark chocolate, 85% cocoa or higher
- 15 ml olive oil
Cauliflower Rice
- 1 cauliflower head, florets separated
- 10 ml olive oil
- 1 lime, juiced
- 15 g fresh cilantro, chopped
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 766 kcal
- Protein
- 60 g
- Carbohydrates
- 92 g
- Fat
- 22 g
- Fiber
- 25 g
- Sugar
- 16 g
- Sodium
- 783 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 10 g
- Trans Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 5 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 0 mg
- Potassium
- 3664 mg
- Calcium
- 292 mg
- Iron
- 15.3 mg
- Magnesium
- 255 mg
- Phosphorus
- 712 mg
- Zinc
- 10.8 mg
- Vitamin A
- 395 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 138 mg
- Vitamin E
- 3.3 mg
- Vitamin K
- 47 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.9 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.0 mcg
- Thiamin
- 1.06 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.40 mg
- Niacin
- 3.9 mg
- Folate
- 563 mcg
- Water
- 256 g
- Caffeine
- 2 mg
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Prepare the cauliflower by pulsing the florets in a food processor until they resemble rice grains. Alternatively, grate using the coarse side of a box grater. Set aside.
Heat 15ml olive oil in the Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the beef mince and cook until browned, breaking it up with a spoon. Drain excess fat if necessary.
Add the diced onion, red pepper, carrot, and celery to the pot. Sauté for 5-7 minutes until the vegetables soften.
Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, and chilli powder. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant to bloom the spices.
Pour in the chopped tomatoes, beef stock, and drained black beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer gently for 40 minutes.
Remove the lid from the chilli. Stir in the piece of dark chocolate until melted. Simmer uncovered for 5-10 minutes to thicken the sauce to your liking. Season with salt and pepper.
While the chilli thickens, heat 10ml olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cauliflower rice and a pinch of salt. Sauté quickly for 3-5 minutes until tender-crisp.
Remove cauliflower from heat. Stir in the lime juice and chopped cilantro immediately. Serve the chilli over a bed of the cauliflower rice.
Chef's Notes
- Adding a small piece of dark chocolate (85%+) deepens the flavor and mimics the complexity of a mole without adding perceptible sweetness.
- Finely dicing the carrots and celery allows them to melt into the background sauce, adding nutritional bulk without altering the classic chilli texture.
- For the best cauliflower rice texture, ensure the cauliflower is completely dry after washing before you process it.
- If you prefer a hotter chilli, add fresh chopped jalapeños with the onions or increase the chilli powder.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store chilli and cauliflower rice in separate airtight containers to prevent sogginess.
Freezer: 3 months — Chilli freezes perfectly. Cauliflower rice is best made fresh but can be frozen.
Reheating: Reheat chilli in a saucepan over medium heat. Microwave cauliflower rice for 60-90 seconds.
Troubleshooting
Cauliflower rice is soggy or mushy
Cause: Overcrowding the pan or cooking too long, causing it to steam instead of fry
Fix: Spread onto a baking sheet and roast at 200°C/400°F for 5-10 mins to drive off moisture
Prevention: Cook in two batches if using a small pan; keep heat high and cook briefly
Cultural Context
While chilli con carne has roots in the American Southwest and Northern Mexico, this variation adapts the dish for modern health-conscious diets. By swapping white rice for cauliflower and increasing the vegetable-to-meat ratio, it retains the communal, warming spirit of the original Tex-Mex staple while significantly lowering the glycemic load.
