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We are BIG fans of beef chilli in our home, especially this Ninja Foodi beef chilli. It is super simple to put together, taking just a couple of minutes to prepare, and it is really fast to cook too.
On the days when I have lots of time I like to make a slow cooker beef chilli. This is a slightly different version of my chilli, and the flavours have a long time to marinade, but this one works SO well and is ideal for chilli and rice, topping nachos or even just serving over an air fryer jacket potato.
One great thing about beef chilli is that you can use the leftovers for so many different meals. You can also make dishes like a 15 minute spaghetti bolognese and then turn the leftover mince into chilli. It’s really versatile. I also use this chilli in enchiladas sometimes.
The main convenience of using the Ninja Foodi is that you can either have a super fast dinner, using the pressure cooker settings, or you can have a nice slow cooked meal, ideal if you’re wanting something hot waiting when you come in from work or a nice family walk.
Meal planning with mince is a great way to save money on groceries. Meal planning always helps me with my money saving challenges as groceries are one area you can cut back and save quite a few pounds every week!
Be sure to check out my Ninja air fryer recipes and Ninja Foodi accessories while you’re here! Also if you’re serving up a tasty dinner then this Ninja Foodi apple crumble is perfect for dessert.
Ingredients for Ninja Foodi beef chilli:
Spray oil
Salt and pepper
1 green pepper
1 white onion
1 tin of mixed beans (300g approximate net weight) – you can use kidney beans instead
300g beef mince (I use 5% lean but you can use a different % quantity you just may want to drain it first)
1 tin of chopped tomatoes or diced tomatoes
300ml beef stock
2 tablespoons of Mexican spice blend (this contains chilli powder, paprika, cumin, garlic, onion, dried peppers, oregano and salt)
Method for making beef chilli in the Ninja Foodi:
Slice the pepper. Removing any seeds and pith.
Dice your onion finely.
Drain and rinse your mixed beans thoroughly.
Set your Ninja Foodi to the brown/sauté mode.
Add a little oil and your beef mince.
Break up using a wooden spoon to avoid scratching the pot.
Season with salt and pepper.
Lightly brown the mince.
Turn off the sauté mode.
Add the pepper, onion, mixed beans, chopped tomatoes, beef stock and Mexican spice blend.
Stir well.
Close the pot, sliding to the pressure cooker setting (or adding the pressure cooker lid if you have an older model).
Set the pressure to high, for 4 minutes.
Make sure the valve is sealed.
Leave it to cook for the 4 minutes, remembering that it can take around 10 minutes for the pressure to build in the pot before the timer starts counting the 4 minutes cooking time.
Quick release the steam. I always use an oven glove and then a wooden spoon to turn the vent to ensure that I don’t get hurt by the steam, as it is VERY hot and WILL burn you if it comes into contact with your body.
Serve with rice, I love to serve with Ninja Foodi white rice. We also have lots of lovely things; such as sour cream, garlic and herb dip and tomato and chilli salsa, plus lovely toppings such as grated cheddar cheese and a little mozzarella. Yum!
What to serve with beef chilli?
We love to have it with a variety of delicious recipes including:
- Air fryer chips – great for loaded fries
- Air fryer frozen french fries
- Slow cooker jacket potatoes
- Air fryer tortilla chips
- Homemade tortilla wraps – lettuce wraps are great too and these work great for quesadillas
- Air fryer pizza
- Bacon mac and cheese pasta bake
What cuts of meat can you use for beef chilli?
Diced beef, brisket and short ribs all work very well for this dish, although they will bring the cost of the dish up quite significantly.
I love to use 5% lean beef mince as it is quite low in fat and it is widely available or a reasonable price in UK supermarkets.
Is beef chilli gluten free?
The above recipe can be made gluten free, of course you’ll want to check the ingredients in full but be mindful when making your own Mexican spice blend, or if buying one, as sometimes the thickening agents used in these can contain gluten. Also, beef stock often contains gluten, so be mindful when choosing a stock you already have on hand of the ingredients.
Can you make beef chilli without beans?
Sure! If you’re not a fan of mixed beans then you can remove those. I used to be a very fussy eater, and was NOT a fan of beans, but over time I came to realise that even baked beans are made with a bean that often features in mixed beans, and I promptly realised that I was already eating them on a regular basis.
If you’re wanting to keep it super simple you can just use a tin of baked beans instead of mixed beans. They are often much cheaper and they will still absorb all of the lovely chilli flavour.
Can you use beef chilli for tacos?
Yes! This chilli is PERFECT for tacos! If you don’t want a lot of hassle then just buy the pre-made shells. They work well and have a lovely crunch to them too.
Can you serve beef chilli to toddlers?
I would suggest making the Mexican spice mix yourself and cutting out the dried peppers and then lowering the amount of chilli powder (opt for mild) and then ensure you leave the salt out.
Toddlers shouldn’t be eating a lot of salt anyway, but also their flavour palette isn’t refined yet so a nice chilli will work for them without the spice and being more on the bland side.
Why not check out some of my other tasty recipes while you’re here?
- Ninja Foodi roast chicken
- Mince pasta bake
- Root vegetable mash
- Air fryer sausages
- Rosemary and garlic roast potatoes
- Air fryer parsnips recipe (honey glazed)
- Air fryer sweet potato fries – tasty and low calorie!
- Air fryer pasta bake
- Slow cooker cottage pie
- Millionaires Shortbread
How to make beef chilli in the instant pot:
Ninja Foodi beef chilli
A delicious simple beef chilli made in the Ninja Foodi multi cooker
Ingredients
- Spray oil
- Salt and pepper
- 1 green pepper
- 1 white onion
- 1 tin of mixed beans 300g approximate drained weight
- 300 g beef mince
- 1 tin of chopped tomatoes
- 300 ml beef stock
- 2 tablespoons of Mexican spice blend
Instructions
-
Slice the pepper. Removing any seeds and pith.
-
Dice your onion finely.
-
Drain and rinse your mixed beans thoroughly.
-
Set your Ninja Foodi to the brown/sauté mode.
-
Add a little oil and your beef mince.
-
Break up using a wooden spoon to avoid scratching the pot.
-
Season with salt and pepper.
-
Lightly brown the mince.
-
Turn off the sauté mode.
-
Add the pepper, onion, mixed beans, chopped tomatoes, beef stock and Mexican spice blend.
-
Stir well.
-
Close the pot, sliding to the pressure cooker setting (or adding the pressure cooker lid if you have an older model).
-
Set the pressure to high, for 4 minutes.
-
Make sure the valve is sealed.
-
Leave it to cook for the 4 minutes, remembering that it can take around 10 minutes for the pressure to build in the pot before the timer starts counting the 4 minutes cooking time.
-
Quick release the steam. I always use an oven glove and then a wooden spoon to turn the vent to ensure that I don’t get hurt by the steam, as it is VERY hot and WILL burn you if it comes into contact with your body.
-
Serve with rice, I love to serve with Ninja Foodi white rice. We also have lots of sauces, and lovely toppings such as grated cheddar cheese and a little mozzarella. Yum!
Note: All calorie information is for demonstration purposes only and is based on the specific uncooked ingredients that I used when creating the recipe.
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