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White plate of ground beef chili with kidney beans topped with sour cream and shredded cheddar, with yellow tortilla chips on the right, on a dark wooden table

Gluten-Free Chili con Carne with Dark Chocolate

This gluten free chili is a ground beef chili con carne with onions, red bell pepper, canned tomatoes, passata and kidney beans, seasoned with smoked and sweet paprika and red pepper flakes. A little finely chopped dark chocolate melts into the sauce at the end.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Tex-Mex
Calories: 509
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2.2 lb ground beef 1 kg
  • 2 large onions diced
  • 2 tbsp olive oil 30 ml
  • 1 large red bell pepper cut into small pieces or strips
  • 400 to 500 g chopped tomatoes 1 can, about 14 to 17 oz; check the label
  • 400 to 500 g passata 1 can, about 14 to 17 oz; check the label
  • 1 can red kidney beans (420 g) drained and rinsed once or twice
  • 1 gluten-free beef bouillon cube
  • 1 oz dark chocolate (85% cocoa) Lindt Excellence; 25 to 30 g, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp smoked paprika 15 ml
  • 1 tbsp sweet paprika 15 ml
  • 1 tsp red pepper flakes 5 ml; reduce for a mild version
  • salt and ground black pepper to taste
  • sour cream for serving
  • shredded cheddar cheese for serving; check the label, shredded cheese can contain anti-caking starch
  • gluten-free tortilla chips for serving; check the label

Method
 

  1. Peel and dice the onions. Heat the olive oil in a large pot or deep skillet over medium-low heat and add the onions with salt and pepper right away; seasoning them now spreads the flavor evenly and helps them soften. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until translucent.
  2. Raise the heat a little, add the ground beef and brown it thoroughly. A light crust on the meat is what you want, because that is where the roasted flavor comes from; do not let it burn.
  3. Drain the red kidney beans and rinse them once or twice under running water. Stir the chopped tomatoes, passata and kidney beans into the pot. Add the beef bouillon cube, smoked paprika, sweet paprika and red pepper flakes so the spices can work into the sauce as it comes to a simmer.
  4. Wash the red bell pepper, cut it into small pieces or strips and add it to the pot. It goes in later so that it keeps some bite and freshness.
  5. Finely chop the dark chocolate (85% cocoa): set the tip of a large chef's knife on the board and shave pieces off with the heel of the blade. Add it to the simmering sauce and stir until it has melted and the sauce looks glossy.
    Skillet of orange ground beef and tomato sauce with red pepper pieces and a pile of finely chopped dark chocolate in the center before stirring in
  6. Simmer for another 15 to 20 minutes; the total cooking time is about 45 minutes.
  7. Serve topped with sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese and gluten-free tortilla chips, with extra red pepper flakes at the table if you like.

Notes

Gluten check: use broth, canned tomatoes, passata, spices, dark chocolate, cheese and tortilla chips that are labeled gluten-free or whose labels you have read, and use clean pots and utensils to avoid cross-contact.
Mild version for children: reduce the hot spices, mainly the red pepper flakes, and add more at the table.
Season the onions with salt and pepper as soon as they hit the pan; it distributes more evenly and the onions soften faster.
Chopping the chocolate: set the tip of a large chef's knife on the board and shave off pieces with the heel of the blade.
Rinse the red kidney beans once or twice after draining to remove the starchy canning liquid.
Keep the bell pepper for the later part of cooking so it stays slightly firm.
Doneness: brown the beef thoroughly in the pan and let the chili simmer before serving.
Nutrition values are an estimate calculated from the ingredient list, not a lab analysis. They do not include the broth, spices, salt, pepper or the toppings (sour cream, cheese, tortilla chips), because amounts are not specified.
The photo of the chocolate step was taken without the kidney beans in the pan; the recipe includes them, and they are visible on the plated photo.