I know everyone can cook a chilli! But my version of this all-time classic is super easy, tasty and packed with a whole load of veggies. It’s even better when you just basically throw everything into a pot and leave to cook! You can leave it in a slow cooker all day or simmer on a low heat for an hour or two whilst you get on with other things.

My secret to a good chilli is to not fry off the beef first and to just add it to the sauce to cook through; it breaks up nicely which gives you get a great texture with a fresh flavour. Secondly, I also add a tbsp of barbecue sauce or a smokey chipotle sauce (a little cheat!) but this gives a great smokey taste and a depth of flavour.

This recipe serves 2 very well (with some tasty leftovers for lunch the next day) or 4 comfortably with a load of sides (obviously you can double the beef, double the spices and use two cans of tomatoes to make it for more people!)

Recipe (Serves 2-4)

250g beef mince

1 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, peeled and chopped

1 small red pepper, chopped

1 small green pepper, chopped

1 stick of celery, chopped

1 small carrot, chopped

2 fat cloves of garlic, minced

1 red chilli, finely chopped (I leave the seeds in)

1/2 tsp each of cumin, paprika, cayenne pepper, oregano and coriander 

1 tbsp tomato puree

1 can of chopped tomatoes

1 tbsp of barbecue sauce or smokey chipotle sauce

1 210g can of red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

Salt and pepper

Heat the olive oil in a large pot and add all the veggies, garlic and chilli. Cook for 10 minutes until softened. Add all the spices and cook for a further 2 minutes. Add the tomato puree, stir well and then add the chopped tomatoes. Fill the can half with water, swirl around to get all the tomato juice out and add to the pan. Add the BBQ sauce and the minced beef, stir well until separated and bring to a simmer. Leave to cook for 1 – 2 hours, the longer the better. At the end, add the kidney beans and cook for a last 5 minutes.

Check for seasoning and if it tastes awesome, serve with guacamole and salsa and a squeeze of fresh lime with rice/wedges/tortillas. Tasty and simple, nothing better!