Half-mince, half-bean family chilli

This half-mince, half-bean family chilli is the one from our costing guide, written out in full. Kidney beans and a handful of red lentils take the place of half the usual mince, so one 500 g pack covers two dinners and six people still get a full bowl.

Make it at the weekend or on any evening with an hour to spare. It reheats well, and that matters here because the second half of the mince and any leftover chilli are already planned for later in the week.

Ingredients for the family chilli

• 250 g minced beef (half a 500 g pack; the rest is for later in the week)
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 peppers, diced
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp smoked or sweet paprika
• ½ tsp chilli flakes, or to taste
• 2 tins (400 g each) chopped tomatoes
• 2 tins (400 g each) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 75 g dried red lentils, rinsed
• 300 ml water or stock
• Salt and pepper
• Rice and a spoon of sour cream or plain yoghurt, to serve

Method

1. Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium-high heat. Brown the mince for 5 to 6 minutes, breaking it up with a spoon, then lift it onto a plate and leave the fat in the pan.
2. Lower the heat, add the onion and peppers and cook for about 8 minutes until soft. Stir in the garlic, cumin, paprika and chilli flakes and cook for 1 minute more.
3. Return the mince to the pan and add the tomatoes, beans, lentils and water. Bring to a gentle simmer.
4. Partly cover and simmer for 40 minutes, stirring now and then. Add a splash of water if it thickens before the lentils are soft.
5. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve over rice with a spoon of sour cream or yoghurt.

Budget swaps

• No mince this week? Use a third tin of beans or another 75 g of lentils, plus 1 tsp of soy sauce for depth.
• Fresh peppers priced high? A bag of frozen sliced peppers works; add them at step 3.
• Sour cream can be plain yoghurt from a large tub you already have open.
• Store-label tins of beans and tomatoes suit this recipe; after a long simmer most differences are hard to taste.

Storage and leftovers

Cool the chilli within two hours, then keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze it in portions for up to 3 months. Leftovers fill baked potatoes, wraps or a quick nacho tray. Freeze the other 250 g of mince flat on the day you open the pack, or roll it into our oven meatballs for five lunch boxes. If you would rather skip meat on another night, the smoky red beans and rice uses the same spices.