I first heard about this dish from my mom who found it in some Russian magazine. There are many variations of this dish, from soup-like chilli that is sold in many restaurants and coffee places like Tim Horton’s (and tastes great with fresh bun and butter on the side) to other forms. This one is dinner-appropriate, easy to make and is a good dish to serve to guests. I usually dip nachos into this kind of chilli, but it can also be places inside tacos or wraps and baked/fried.

Cooking time (together with prep time): under 30 minutes (depends if you need to defrost beef or not)

Portions: serves 4. If you need to increase portions, use more beef and add more optional ingredients (see below).

Ingredients

• 600-800 gr of ground beef
• can of beans
• 1 onion
• 1-2 spoons of minced garlic
• salsa sauce (1 bottle) – can be replaced with tomato paste (used for pasta)
• Salt, pepper
• Spices: paprika, oregano, red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, basil, dried parsley, basil, various spices used for meat
• Optional ingredients (enhances taste, but you can make it without them): red pepper, tomatoes, corn)
• Optional garnish – fresh parsley or cilantro
• Sour cream, guacamole, shredded cheese (e.g. mozzarella) – on the side
• Nachos on the side (for dipping) – optional

Instructions

1. Put 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil on a frying pan and turn it on to medium
2. Add ground beef and cover, stirring occasionally
3. Ground beef (if it was frozen) may produce some water – remove it so that it fries better (and faster)
4. Add beans, onions, garlic and spices when meat changes colour and stir everything
5. Add salsa sauce and stir some more
6. When ready (you can tell by the scent) – put on plates, add fresh parsley/cilantro, place sour cream, shredded cheese and guacamole and  nacho chips on the side. I personally like mixing everything, but it is up to you. Enjoy!