DREISTERN Chili sin Carne Review: 16 Cans Later
I bought 20 cans of DREISTERN Chili sin Carne in three Amazon orders during July and August 2026, and I had eaten about 16 of them by the time of this review. I usually keep it as a fast backup meal for days when I have not shopped, but I also like having shelf-stable food in the cupboard for emergencies.
I normally heat the chili in the microwave and eat it with rice. Sometimes I eat it on its own. The biggest reason I keep buying it is simple: for a canned ready meal, I think it tastes unusually good — better than the homemade chili sin carne I make myself.
Affiliate disclosure: This review contains a paid Amazon link. If you buy through it, Jon Tests may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. I bought all 20 cans myself and received no free product, discount or compensation. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure.
DREISTERN Chili sin Carne 400 g — 4.6/5
Quick verdict: This is one of the best shelf-stable vegetarian ready meals I have found. I think it tastes excellent, it is very fast to prepare, and at the roughly €2 (about US$2.28 at the July 2026 exchange rate) price I paid it is unusually good value.
Best for: vegetarians who want a cheap, compact backup meal with a long shelf life, especially if they are happy to add rice or extra vegetables.
Skip if: you want a complete meal from one 400 g can, prefer lots of vegetables, or are specifically trying to keep salt intake low.
- Excellent flavor — I actually prefer it to my own homemade chili sin carne
- Very fast and easy to heat in the microwave
- Cheap at the roughly €2 (about US$2.28 at the July 2026 exchange rate) price I paid
- Good amount of kidney beans and soy pieces
- Works very well with rice as a full meal
- Compact and shelf-stable, so it is useful as backup pantry food
- One 400 g can is not quite filling enough for me without rice
- There are fewer vegetables than I would ideally like
- The listed salt content is high enough to be a downside for me
- I find the lid awkward and hard on my nails to open
- I still prefer the ingredient control of making chili fresh at home
How I tested it
- July 22, 2026: bought 5 cans
- August 5, 2026: bought 10 cans
- August 22, 2026: bought another 5 cans
- Total purchased: 20 cans
- Total eaten by review time: about 16 cans
- Typical frequency: roughly once a week
- Typical preparation: microwave, usually served with rice
- Acquisition: all cans bought with my own money from Amazon
- Best-before date on my current cans: July 16, 2028
This is a first-hand taste, convenience and value review. I did not perform laboratory testing. Where I discuss nutrition below, I use the product information listed for the 400 g DREISTERN Chili sin Carne rather than treating my personal experience as nutritional evidence.
The taste is the main reason I keep buying it
The biggest surprise for me is how good this tastes. I make chili sin carne myself fairly often, usually with beans, tomato sauce, rice and frozen vegetables, but without soy meat. Even though I have much more control over the ingredients in my homemade version, I still prefer the flavor of the DREISTERN chili.
It is savory, mildly spicy and a little salty. It is not especially hot, but I think it is seasoned enough that I do not feel a need to add extra chili every time.
Texture and ingredients
The sauce is medium-thick rather than watery. I get plenty of kidney beans and soy pieces, and the soy has a perfectly fine texture to me. There is some corn and other vegetable content, but in practice the beans and soy are much more noticeable than the vegetables.
If I am trying to turn it into a more complete meal, adding rice is the easiest fix. Adding extra vegetables also makes sense if I have some available.
One can is not quite enough for me on its own
If I eat the 400 g can by itself, I do not feel fully satisfied afterwards. With rice, it becomes a proper meal for me.
That is important when judging value. A €2 (about US$2.28 at the July 2026 exchange rate) can looks extremely cheap, but I normally add rice, so I think of it as the main component of a meal rather than the entire meal by itself.
Why I keep it as backup food
I originally liked the idea because the cans take up little space and can sit in the cupboard for a long time. I use them as practical backup food for days when I forget to shop or simply do not have anything else ready.
The cans I have now are marked best before July 16, 2028. That is the date on my cans, not a promise that every can currently sold will have the same shelf life.
I also like keeping some shelf-stable meals around for emergencies. For me, that is an extra benefit on top of the everyday convenience.
The lid is the most annoying part
The one physical design issue I repeatedly notice is opening the can. The pull tab can be uncomfortable on my nails, and I have sometimes ended up using a knife to help lift the lid.
Nutrition: good protein for a ready meal, but a lot of salt
The product listing for this 400 g chili gives the following values per 100 g: 83 kcal, 11 g carbohydrate, 5.7 g protein, 1 g fat, 3 g sugars and 1.1 g salt.
For the whole 400 g can, that works out to approximately 332 kcal, 44 g carbohydrate, 22.8 g protein, 4 g fat, 12 g sugars and 4.4 g salt.
The protein content is one of the reasons I chose it as a vegetarian ready meal. The salt is the main nutritional drawback for me. I also wish there were more vegetables in the can.
What is in it?
The listed ingredients include water, 25% red beans, peeled tomatoes, onions, peppers, 4% soy pieces, 2% corn, tomato paste, starch, wheat flour, salt, sugar, chili and spices. It is listed as both vegan and vegetarian.
One small correction to something I initially assumed while eating it: it does contain sugar in the ingredient list, even though I do not find the finished chili particularly sweet.
Value: €2 (about US$2.28 at the July 2026 exchange rate) per can was excellent for me
On my July 22 order, I paid about €2 (about US$2.28 at the July 2026 exchange rate) per 400 g can. At that price I think the value is excellent, especially because I actually like the taste enough to keep eating it instead of letting it sit unused in the cupboard.
If the price doubled, I would buy far fewer. At roughly the price I paid, though, I am happy to keep several cans in reserve.
How it compares with my homemade chili sin carne
| DREISTERN Chili sin Carne | My homemade chili | |
|---|---|---|
| Taste | I prefer it — richer and more savory to me | Still good, but I do not make mine quite as flavorful |
| Vegetables | Fewer than I would ideally like | I normally use more frozen vegetables |
| Protein texture | Contains soy pieces as well as beans | I normally use beans without soy meat |
| Convenience | Much easier — heat and eat | Requires cooking and cleanup |
| Ingredient control | Fixed recipe | I choose exactly what goes in |
I have also tried other vegetarian ready-meal options such as canned ravioli and a ready-made lasagna. Of the options I have found, this chili is my favorite on taste; the ravioli comes fairly close.
Why I rate DREISTERN Chili sin Carne 4.6/5
My overall rating is 4.6/5. I use the public Jon Tests rating method: category-relevant criteria total 100%, each criterion is scored from 1.0 to 5.0, and the weighted result is rounded to one decimal place.
| Criterion | Weight | Score | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taste | 35% | 5.0/5 | I genuinely prefer the flavor to my own homemade chili sin carne. |
| Convenience & storage | 25% | 4.5/5 | Fast microwave preparation, compact cans and long shelf life are excellent; the awkward lid is the main drawback. |
| Ingredients & nutrition fit | 15% | 4.0/5 | Good bean-and-soy protein for my needs, but I would like more vegetables and less salt. |
| Satiety & meal usefulness | 10% | 3.5/5 | One can alone is not quite enough for me, but with rice it works well as a full meal. |
| Value for money | 15% | 5.0/5 | At about €2 (about US$2.28 at the July 2026 exchange rate) per can on my July order, I think it is excellent value and I would buy it again. |
| Weighted rating | 4.6/5 | 4.575 before rounding. | |
Who should buy it?
- Good fit: vegetarians who want a very fast shelf-stable meal.
- Good fit: people who like bean-heavy chili and are happy to serve it with rice.
- Good fit: anyone building a small cupboard of practical backup meals they will actually eat.
- Consider something else if: you want lots of vegetables straight from the package.
- Consider something else if: you want one 400 g can to be a very filling standalone meal.
- Check the nutrition label carefully if: salt content is an important buying factor for you.
Would I buy it again?
Yes. I already have, repeatedly. After buying 20 cans and eating about 16 of them, this is no longer a first-impression recommendation.
I would keep buying it around the price I paid. It is one of the rare ready meals where the practical reasons for owning it — price, storage and speed — are matched by a flavor I genuinely look forward to.
Check the current DREISTERN Chili sin Carne price on Amazon (paid link) →
Frequently asked questions
Is DREISTERN Chili sin Carne spicy?
I find it mildly spicy rather than hot. It is seasoned enough for me, but I would not buy it specifically for strong heat.
Is one 400 g can enough for a meal?
Not quite for me on its own. With rice, one can makes a satisfying meal.
Does it contain soy?
Yes. The listed recipe includes 4% soy pieces as well as 25% red beans.
How long does it keep?
My current cans are marked best before July 16, 2028. Shelf life will depend on the batch you receive, so check the date printed on your own can.
Would I use it as emergency food?
Yes. That is one reason I buy multiple cans: it is compact, shelf-stable and something I know I will actually eat.
Sources and review method
- My own three Amazon purchases: 20 cans bought and about 16 eaten, plus the original photos shown in this review.
- The DREISTERN/Amazon product listing for the 400 g can for ingredient and nutrition details used above.
- Jon Tests — How I Test for the public rating methodology.
