Mexican Beef Mince with Black Beans, Sweetcorn, and Tomato
By Noah Bennett
Choose lean beef mince for a meaty base that stretches through black beans, sweetcorn, and tomatoes without making the sauce heavy. This Mexican beef mince is a one-pot tomato dish scented with cumin, coriander, and oregano, with tender vegetables and a thickened sauce.
The beef is supported by a brown onion, garlic, green capsicum, tomato puree, canned chopped tomatoes, black beans, and sweetcorn. Tomato puree adds extra tomato depth before the canned tomatoes and water go in, while cumin, coriander, and oregano give the mince its Mexican-inspired seasoning. The canned beans and corn help the 500g of beef feed eight people.
Start with a hot pan so the beef browns rather than stews in its juices. The onion should be soft before the garlic and capsicum are added, and the mince should be broken up as it cooks. After the tomatoes, beans, corn, and water are added, simmer until the sauce visibly thickens and the beef is brown throughout, not pink.
Serve the mince over boiled or steamed rice, spoon it into tacos, quesadillas, burritos, or baked potatoes, or stir it through cooked pasta. Leftovers can be cooled before refrigerating or freezing, making the bean-and-beef mixture useful for later meals.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Lean beef mince is stretched with black beans, sweetcorn, and tomatoes, so 500g of meat provides a substantial dinner for eight people.
- Canned chopped tomatoes and tomato puree build tomato flavor from pantry ingredients, giving the beef a seasoned sauce without requiring a long ingredient list.
- Green capsicum, onion, and garlic add vegetable bulk and savory character, while red or yellow capsicum can be used when that is what you have.
- Black beans can be swapped for kidney beans, allowing the recipe to work with either common tinned bean while keeping the beef-and-tomato base substantial.
- Frozen sweetcorn is an option in place of canned corn, making it practical to use a freezer staple alongside the canned beans and tomatoes.
- A single saucepan handles the softened vegetables, browned mince, spices, and simmered sauce, so the ingredient-rich dinner needs minimal equipment.
Ingredients
- •1 tbsp vegetable oil or olive oil
- •1 brown onion (finely chopped)
- •2 cloves garlic (crushed)
- •1 green capsicum or pepper (finely chopped)
- •500 g beef mince (1 pound)
- •420 g tinned or canned black beans (14 oz)
- •1 tsp ground cumin
- •1 tsp ground coriander
- •1 tsp dried oregano
- •1 tbsp tomato puree or paste
- •400 g tinned or canned chopped tomatoes (14 oz)
- •400 g tinned sweetcorn (14 oz)
- •350 ml water (1½ cups)
- •salt (to taste)
- •black pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- 1
In a large saucepan, fry the onion in the oil over a medium heat for 5–7 minutes until soft.
- 2
Add the crushed garlic and chopped green pepper or capsicum and cook for 2 minutes.
- 3
Add the minced beef and turn the heat up to high.
- 4
Cook for 4 minutes, stirring and breaking the beef up with a spoon.
- 5
Lower the heat to medium, add the tomato puree, ground cumin, ground coriander, and dried oregano, then stir and cook for 1 minute.
- 6
Tip in the chopped tomatoes, water, black beans, and sweetcorn, then season with salt and pepper.
- 7
Simmer for 15 minutes until the sauce has thickened and the beef is cooked through.
- 8
Serve straight away, or cool then place in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
169
Protein
17g
Fat
5g
Carbs
13g
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