This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Best Italian-Style Chili Recipe ( Beef and Bean)! This is the perfect chili recipe for a game day crowd or a hearty Italian dinner on a cold or rainy day, it will warm you up and satisfy your cozy soup cravings.
Grab a thick slice of Italian bread and dunk it in the rich and flavorful chili. It’s a recipe you will want to make all fall and winter, guaranteed! This is our family’s go-to chili recipe. The perfect Italian Style Chili to serve for friends and family!
Best Italian-Style Chili Recipe
Hearty and Comforting Chili Soup
The BEST Italian Chili recipe. This Italian version of Chili con Carne is a recipe we make often during the fall and winter seasons. The flavors are warm, inviting, and perfect for feeding a crowd or freezing leftovers for a rainy day.
The smell of the stewed meat and veggies simmering with rich and flavorful Tuttorosso brand canned tomatoes makes everyone want to grab a bowl and sit around the table.
I sneak heaps of carrots, celery, green pepper, and onion to add that extra veggie boost everyone needs. This chili recipe is filling, satisfying, and simply scrumptious.
You will also love this White Chicken Chili Recipe!
Simple Ingredients
This Italian beef and bean chili recipe only has fresh ingredients to provide the best-tasting hearty and healthy soup.
Best Italian-Style Chili Recipe (Beef and Bean)
- Olive oil
- Lean ground beef
- Onion
- Garlic
- Celery
- Carrots
- Bell peppers
- Italian spices (or fresh herbs)
- Chili powder
- Bay Leaves
- Tuttorosso Crushed Tomato with Basil
- Kidney Beans
- Water
- Salt and Pepper, to taste
For Serving
- Parsley
- Basil
- Mascarpone cheese
- Parmigiano cheese (parmesan cheese)
See the recipe card for quantities.
How to make Italian Chili Soup
Making chili requires very little effort as everything cooks in one pot. You can use a dutch oven pot, or any other heavy-bottomed pot.
What canned tomatoes for Italian Chili Recipe
The use of quality and superior canned tomatoes is essential in this dish to add a fresh, authentic, and wholesome flavor. To create the perfect meal, you need to start with quality products. In Italian recipes, canned tomatoes are an essential ingredient.
I recommend the vine-ripened flavor of summertime tomatoes that I can count on all year round. In this recipe, I use the Tuttorosso crushed tomatoes with basil to add that vine-ripe tomato flavor that is perfectly seasoned with a hint of basil.
These tomatoes take my Italian chili recipe to the next level! Grab a supply of Tuttorosso canned tomatoes on your next grocery trip and make this chili for all the chilly months of the year.
Variations
Chili soup is easy to customize to your liking with different meats and veggies. – use any protein you like! The first time you make it try this original recipe, the next time you can try one of these variations.
- Italian Herbs: Store-bought Italian seasoning is a mix of oregano, thyme, basil, and rosemary. You can use twice the amount of fresh herbs, finely chopped, instead of the dried blend.
- Meat– ground turkey or chicken instead of ground beef will make it leaner. You can even substitute chicken sausage for Italian sausage in recipes.
- Vegetables– feel free to add more veggies to your chili recipe such as diced zucchini or yellow corn.
- Beans– you can vary the beans by using pinto, cannellini, or black beans.
What to Serve with Italian Beef and Bean Chili
This Italian Chili is best served with a dollop of mascarpone cheese, a sprinkle of Parmigiano, and a thick slice of my Softest No-Knead Bread. The mascarpone will melt into the soup and create the perfect creamy addition.
You can also add a simple green salad to make it a complete meal.
The best bread for chili
For this Italian-style chili recipe, I recommend our favorite Italian bread recipes.
- No Knead Italian Focaccia Bread
- Fast Italian No Knead Ciabatta Bread
- Easy Soft Italian No Knead Bread
These delicious and hearty loaves of bread are perfect for dunking in the beef and bean chili and absorbing the juice with disappearing into the soup.
Storing and Reheating Leftover Chili
Refrigerator. Store your chili in an airtight container in the fridge, and serve it or freeze it within 5 days.
Freezer. Freeze chili in portions in freezer bags, or airtight containers. Thaw chili in the fridge before reheating.
Reheating Italian Chili
To reheat, place the chili on the stove in a pot and cook on medium until warmed through the center. You can also heat it in the microwave in 1 minutes increments and stir it until it is hot.
Chili FAQ
The longer you let the chili simmers, the more the flavors will marry. Chili is the perfect soup recipe to make a day ahead of time. Simply make it a day in advance store it in the fridge and reheat it on the stove the next day. It gets better with a night in the fridge for the spice and herb flavors to soak into the meat and vegetables.
More delicious recipes
- Stuffed Lumaconi Pasta Recipe with Ricotta and Sausage
- Creamy Baked Ziti Recipe with Sausage
- Classic Italian Lasagna Bolognese with Bechamel Sauce
- Authentic Neapolitan Pizza Dough Recipe
Make sure to leave a ⭐️star rating on the recipe card and comment below if you make the recipe. I love to connect with you through my recipes.
I would love for you to tag me on Instagram @cucinabyelena so I can see your delicious Italian recipes. To get more ideas, follow me on Pinterest.
Print
Best Italian-Style Chili Recipe
A delicious chili everyone will love! A little Italian flare to your standard chili recipe makes this dish irresistible. Serve to friends and family, or make a big batch and freeze for a rainy day. Enjoy with my recipe for The Softest No Knead Bread.
- Total Time: 45
- Yield: 6 1x
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons, olive oil
- 1 cup onion, chopped
- 2 tablespoons garlic, minced
- 3/4 cup celery, diced
- 3/4 cup carrots, diced
- 1 cup green pepper, diced (or bell pepper variety of choice)
- 1 tablespoon dry herb Italian seasoning mix*
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 lb ground beef 80% lean
- 1 can (28 oz) Tuttorosso Crushed Tomato with Basil
- 1 can (16 oz) kidney beans, drained, rinsed
- 1 cup water
- Salt and Pepper, to taste
- 2 bay leaves
- Fresh chopped parsley (for serving)
- Fresh chopped basil (for serving)
- Mascarpone Cheese (for serving)
- Parmigiano Cheese (for serving)
Instructions
- Heat oil on medium heat in a large pot. Add: onions, garlic, celery, carrots, peppers, Italian spices, and chili powder. Stir and let cook for 5-6 minutes until veggies are soft and herbs aromatic.
- Add ground meat, breaking meat into crumbles, incorporating with vegetables, with wooden spoon for 3 minutes.
- Add Tuttorosso Crushed Tomato with Basil , kidney beans, bay leaves, and water, stir to combine. Let simmer for 30 minutes until meat and vegetables are tender.
- Taste. Add Salt and Pepper to preference. Remove bay leaves.
- Before serving, add a dollop of mascarpone and a sprinkle of Parmigiano cheese, basil, and parsley in each individual serving. Serve hot with delicious bread!
Notes
- Italian Herbs. Store-bought Italian seasoning is a mix of oregano, thyme, basil, and rosemary. You can use twice the amount of fresh herbs, finely chopped, instead of the dried blend.
-
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.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 35
- Category: Savory
- Method: Italian
- Cuisine: Italian
Made the Italian style chili recipe and it is a new favorite. Was easy to make and tastes delicious. We watched college football and enjoyed the chili with homemade bread. Husband loved it. Love adding an Italian flare to everything in my life🇮🇹
Happy you loved this cozy recipe!
Making this again for a party tonight. So good!
This chili is easy and delicious! I can’t wait for leftovers tomorrow.
Hi Jessica! Happy you loved it. Chili leftovers are my favorite. Enjoy!
This chili recipe packs all the flavors and is loved by all! A must try recipe.
I was looking for an Italian chili recipe for a special event I’ll be putting on in Philipsburg Montana, Big Sky Country at a local brewery Oct 20. I’ll be making my specialty dessert, cannoli ala Elena G, and needed something western as main offering. From all the recipes I found, I decided on yours!
I will give you an update as to the results.
BTW Elena, any suggestions from you will be greatly appreciated.
And yes, that is my first name.
I love your name ;)! You will love this Italian-Style chili recipe. It is made with wholesome natural ingredients and packs a lot of delicious flavors. In my opinion, chili always tastes best the next day. I would recommend making it a day ahead of time and storing it in the fridge until you need to reheat and serve. If you see it gets too thick you can add a little broth. Make sure to get good quality meat! I love this recipe with our easy no-knead focaccia bread but sounds like you are already making a lot! Maybe add that next time. Enjoy!
Super simple recipe and it was delicious! Served with focaccia for an easy dinner with plenty of leftovers 🙂
Happy you enjoyed it! It is my favorite chili soup for this time of year. I am making some this weekend!
Could I substitute Italian Sausage instead of ground beef? Would I still have to add chili powder?
Yes! It depends if you are using mild or hot sausage. I would taste test it and add the chili powder at the end if it still needs it. Enjoy!