Easy Chilli Con Carne With Sardines

I got into my car this morning and temperature reading was -6⁰C! That is very cold for where I live; and typically, in this weather, I crave comforting meals.  As you know, I am trying to get away from eating meat; so, this easy chilli con carne with sardines does the job perfectly. The strong sardine taste got lost, and complemented the beans and spices in the chilli nicely; making it even more of a “hug in a bowl”.

Origin Of Chilli Con Carne

Chilli con carne means “chilli pepper with meat” in Spanish. Despite this Spanish name, most people believe that it has origins in Texas in the US, and not Mexico, like you would think. American frontier settlers first cooked the dish by pounding dry beef with dried chilli peppers and salt. This dish was then made popular by the “chilli queens” who sold it in market stalls as a street food in the 1800s.

Somewhere along the line, beans and tomatoes were added to the recipe; and nowadays, the chilli con carne recipe is not complete without beans, tomatoes, and cumin. Apart from those three, the recipe depends on where you are and who is cooking.

Is Chilli Con Carne Healthy

It has often been said that chilli con carne is fattening. That is not true, as the chilli components are healthy whole foods. Beans, which is one of the main components is a good source of fibres and nutrients.

What you eat your chilli with however makes a difference. So if you load up on unhealthy and fatty accompaniments, then it could be become unhealthy for you. You can adapt the dish to make it healthier by using leaner mince, reducing the oil used in cooking; avoiding stocks and stock cubes high in salt and monosodium glutamate etc. If you are using canned beans like me, drain the liquid and rinse the bean to wash away any additives.

I have adapted this recipe by adding sardines, which are oily dishes; and very nutritious. The are a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, Vit D, Vit B12 and selenium.

So, the answer to the question is yes, but it depends on what you add into the dish, and what you serve it with.

Easy Chilli Con Carne With Sardines Recipe

I used canned kidney and borlotti beans for this recipe, but you can use any type of beans you have. You can also cook your beans from the scratch if you prefer.

This recipe is suitable for freezing when it is stored in an air-tight container; which makes it great for batch cooking.

Chilli Con Carne With Sardines

Abi Olayiwola

Easy, but delicious chilli con carne with sardines.

4.54 from 15 votes

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Mexican

Servings 3

Calories 216 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 Onion chopped
• 3 Garlic chopped
• 1 Chilli pepper chopped
• ½ teaspoon Smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon Allspice
• 1 teaspoon Oregano
• ½ teaspoon Cumin
• ½ teaspoon Chilli flakes
• 1 can Kidney beans drained and rinsed
• 1 can Borolotti beans drained and rinsed
• 1 can Sardine
• 1 can Chopped tomatoes in juice
• 1 cup Water
• Salt to taste

Instructions

 

• Heat the oil in a pan under medium heat.
• Cook the onions until soft and translucent.
• Add the garlic and the chopped chilli. Stir continuously for about 30 secs.
• Pour in the smoked paprika, allspice, oregano, cumin and chilli flakes. Continue to stir for another 30 secs.
• Add the beans and stir for the spices to coat.
• Pour in the sardines, and the chopped tomatoes.
• Add a cup of water and some salt to taste.
• Cover the pan and allow to cook for 15 mins.
• Remove from heat and serve.

Notes

I used canned beans for convenience, but you can cook the beans from the scratch if you prefer.

Nutrition

Calories: 216kcal

Keyword chilli con carne, chilli with sardine, easy chilli recipe

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