Italian Chili with Sausage (Easy One Pot Recipe)

5 stars from 3 reviews

Italian Chili with Sausage (Easy One Pot Recipe)

Italian Chili is a comfort food meal with a Mediterranean feel! This beef and sausage chili recipe is simple, quick and freezer friendly!

Author: Donna Elick

Servings: 6 (2 cup servings)

Prep Time15

Cook Time1 20

Total Time1 35

Ingredients

1 pinch kosher salt
1 pound lean ground beef
1 pound ground hot Italian sausage or links with casings removed
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 medium yellow onion diced
2 red bell peppers chopped
4 cloves garlic minced
30 ounces fire roasted diced tomatoes plus their juices
30 ounces chili beans (with sauce)
30 ounces tomato sauce
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1 cup chopped flat-leaf Italian parsley

For Serving

Pecorino Romano cheese freshly grated
garlic cheese croutons

Instructions

In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, sprinkle the salt. Add the beef, sausage, and Italian seasoning. Cook until the meats are browned, 8-10 minutes. Drain any excess fat.
Add the peppers and onions and continue to cook until the onions are soft and translucent. Add the minced garlic and saute 30 seconds longer, about 10-12 minutes total.
Add the diced tomatoes, chili beans, tomato sauce, chili powder, and cumin. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
Stir the parsley into the cooked chili. Serve hot, topped with a sprinkle of parsley, freshly grated Pecorino Romano, and garlic cheese croutons.
Storage: Store in a covered container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days, or freeze (without croutons and shredded cheese) for up to 3 months.

Notes

Combine other meats as well. You could use half ground turkey and half hot Italian sausage for a leaner dish still packed with tons of flavor.

You can shorten the simmer time for the chili (20 minutes minimum), but the maximum flavor develops after simmering for an hour. Cover the pot while simmering.

Be sure to drain any fats from the meat after browning - the hot Italian sausage tends to have drippings that will float on top of your finished chili if not drained before adding all of the other ingredients.

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