Chilli con carne is a delicious and filling meal to serve up to the whole family. Given it’s relatively straightforward to prepare, lots of people opt to cook chilli con carne in batches, and store the leftovers in the fridge or freezer for a later date. So, with this in mind, how do you reheat chilli con carne?
To reheat chilli con carne, you can either place it in the microwave for 3 minutes or so. Or you can reheat it in a pot on the stove or even in the oven.
How to Reheat Chilli Con Carne
Chilli con carne is one of the easiest meals to put together in the first place and it’s an excellent meal to prepare in advance as it can then be stored in the fridge or freezer.
When it comes to reheating chilli con carne, you can do so in the microwave, oven, or on the stovetop.
The microwave is the most efficient way to reheat chilli, as it reheats it in no time at all. Make sure your chilli contains sufficient moisture before reheating it so that it doesn’t dry out. Let’s take a look at each method in more detail now:
How to Reheat Chilli Con Carne in the Microwave
The best and easiest way to reheat chilli con carne is in the microwave. Here’s what you need to do:
- Prepare Chilli
Add your chilli con carne to a microwave-safe bowl or dish. Then, add a splash of water and stir your chilli well. - Cover
Using plastic wrap if you have it, tightly wrap your chilli con carne before placing it in the microwave. You can use a paper towel as an alternative. - Reheat
On full power, reheat your chilli for around three minutes. Halfway through, remove the bowl and stir your chilli well. - Check the Temperature
Using a thermometer, check the internal temperature of your chilli con carne is 75C or 165F before serving. - Serve and Enjoy
Give your chilli a final stir before serving.
How to Reheat Chilli Con Carne in the Oven
While the microwave works perfectly well, you can reheat chilli in the oven if you prefer. Here’s how to go about it:
- Preheat Oven
Switch on your oven and preheat to 300F or 150C. - Prepare Chilli
Add your chilli con carne to a suitably sized ovenproof dish. Then, add some water and stir well, before affixing the lid or covering with tin foil. - Reheat
Place the dish in the oven for 20-25 minutes. - Check the Temperature
Using a thermometer, check the internal temperature of your chilli con carne is 75C or 165F before serving. - Serve and Enjoy
Your chilli con carne will now be ready to serve up alongside tacos, rice, or your chosen accompaniment.
How to Reheat Chilli Con Carne on the Stovetop
If you don’t have access to a microwave or oven for whatever reason, you can also reheat chilli con carne on the stovetop. Here’s what to do:
- Add Chilli to a Pan
Place your chilli con carne in a pan and add some water. Stir it well and then place the pan over medium heat. - Reheat
Allow your chilli to reheat for 4-5 minutes, stirring it once in a while to ensure it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. - Check the Temperature
Using a thermometer, check the internal temperature of your chilli con carne is 75C or 165F before serving. - Serve and Enjoy
Once up to temperature, your chilli con carne is ready to enjoy!
Generally speaking, you should limit reheating meat to just once. It’s not a good idea to reheat chilli twice as bacteria may have formed between each reheat.
How to Reheat Chilli Con Carne Successfully
If you want to have complete success when reheating chilli con carne then why not check out these 3 vital tips:
- Always Add Moisture – You need to be careful that your chilli con carne doesn’t dry out when you reheat it. As such, we recommend adding water or a simple broth to the chilli before you reheat it. Once you’ve added the moisture, give your chilli a thorough stir before proceeding with the reheating.
- Check the Temperature – When you’re reheating meat, you need to make sure it’s at least 75C or 165F before you serve it.
- Freeze It – Chilli con carne is an excellent make-ahead family dish as you freeze it in batches. But if you have frozen your chilli, be sure to allow sufficient time to thaw it before you reheat it, to ensure it reheats evenly.
- Add Freshness at the End – After reheating it, don’t hold back on some fresh or punchy garnishes to hide the fact you reheated it. A sprinkle of chopped coriander, a sprinkling of feta cheese or a pinch of pink pickled onions can all work great here.
Is It Safe to Reheat Chilli Con Carne?
Yes, it’s perfectly safe to reheat chilli con carne. Just be sure to store your leftovers correctly (in the fridge or freezer), and always check the internal temperature of the dish before serving.
You should never leave any meat products out at room temperature for extended periods of time. As soon as it has cooled down, you need to get it stored in the fridge.
Reheating Chilli Con Carne FAQs
Below are a few more common questions about reheating chilli which may help you out:
If your chilli contains meat (as opposed to a meat substitute) then we would advise only reheating it once. This is because it will have been exposed to the dangerous temperature window too many times.
Yes, you can reheat chilli that has been made with kidney beans. You should warm it through slowly to avoid breaking down the kidney beans, however. If you boil the chilli then you’ll turn the kidney beans into mush in no time.
If you’re storing it in the fridge then place into an airtight container then, once cooled to room temperature, seal the container and place it into the fridge for up to 4 days.
Lewis is the founder and editor of Let’s Foodie alongside other food-related platforms including FreezeIt and SubstituteIt. He launched Let’s Foodie to provide aspiring cooks with one place to get the answers to some of the most commonly asked cooking questions.
