Beef and Bean Chili (Italian Style)
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This beef and bean chili (Italian style) is the perfect chili for a game day crowd or a hearty Italian dinner on a cold day with a thick slice of bread. This is our family’s go-to chili, and friends and family just love this Italian spin on chili every time we make it. It’s ready to eat in just 45 minutes!
Serve with a slice of schiacciata bread and chocolate chip ricotta cake for a cozy, crowd-pleasing meal!
Quick Look: Beef & Bean Chili
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Servings: 6 people
- Dietary Info: Gluten Free; can be made Dairy Free if topped with dairy free cheese
- Method: Stovetop
- Technique: Brown the ground beef, add the vegetables and seasonings, and cook. Add the tomatoes and beans and simmer. Adjust seasonings to taste and serve.
- Flavor & Texture: This beef and bean chili is packed with vegetables and meat for a thick, hearty texture, and has an incredible depth of flavor from the seasonings, Italian sofritto, and cheese garnish.
Why You’ll Love This 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 Italian twist comes from the sofritto (onion, carrot, and celery), Italian seasoning, and cheese and herb garnish.
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! Plus, it’s freezer friendly and perfect for making ahead!
Serve this with homemade sweet cornbread, Longhorn red rock grilled shrimp, chicken spiedini with lemon garlic butter, and sausage cream cheese dip for an epic game day spread.
Made With Amore,
“This chili is so amazing! My whole family including my toddler loved it. I will be making it all season long. Thank you for this delicious recipe!”
– Celia
Table of Contents
Simple Ingredients
- Ground Beef: I use ground beef with around 80-85% lean; extra lean ground beef isn’t as flavorful! You can also use ground turkey, ground chicken, ground pork, or even homemade Italian sausage for a different flavor.
- Italian Sofritto: This simple mixture of finely diced onion, celery, and carrot provides a flavorful base for this chili, adds extra veggies, and gives it a fun Italian twist.
- Crushed Tomatoes: I use a mixture of crushed tomatoes and fire-roasted crushed tomatoes for a thick texture and rich flavor.
- Garnishes: Amp up the Italian flavors by garnishing the chili with whole-milk ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, Parmigiano Reggiano, fresh basil, and fresh parsley. (Learn more about the differences between flat parsley vs. Italian parsley if you’re curious which one I prefer!)
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations & Substitutions
- Italian Herbs: Add some homemade Italian seasoning, which is easy to whip up with dried herbs from your pantry. Want to use fresh herbs? Use twice the amount of freshly chopped herbs than you would dried.
- Meat: Ground turkey, chicken, or pork all work beautifully instead of ground beef.
- Vegetables: Feel free to add more veggies to your chili recipe such as sautéed zucchini and onions or yellow corn.
- Beans: You can vary the beans by using pinto, cannellini, or black beans.
How to Make Beef & Bean Chili
Making chili requires very little effort, as everything cooks in one pot. Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for more info.
- Brown the ground beef in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat for 6-8 minutes. Break up the clumps of meat with a wooden spoon and drain off excess grease if needed.
- Add the onion, carrots, celery, and green pepper to the meat and cook until they’re beginning to soften, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add the tomato paste and seasonings and cook to brown the paste and spices, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add both kinds of crushed tomatoes, beef broth, and the bay leaves and stir well.
- Simmer uncovered until the chili is thick and flavorful, about 30-40 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking on the bottom.
- Adjust seasonings to taste, then serve with a garnish of ricotta, mozzarella, Parmigiano Reggiano, fresh basil, and parsley as desired. Enjoy this hearty Italian beef and bean chili!
Beef & Bean Chili FAQs
Building flavor with sautéed veggies and browned beef, seasoning to taste as the chili cooks, and slowly simmering the chili over low heat build a rich and balanced flavor. For a thicker texture, let it simmer without the lid on and stir occasionally to prevent sticking on the bottom.
This type of chili is called chili con carne, which is a Spanish name that literally translates to “chili with meat.”
I prefer to use light red or dark red kidney beans in my chili, but you can add almost any bean to chili. Cannellini, pinto, or black beans all make delicious options!
The longer you let the chili simmer, 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.
You can freeze this chili in an airtight container or zip-top plastic bag for up to 3 months. Simply thaw it in the fridge overnight, reheat, and enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
This Italian chili is best served with a dollop of ricotta or mascarpone cheese and a sprinkle of Parmigiano (Parmesan cheese). The cheese will melt into the soup, and create the perfect creamy topping. Serve with orange fennel salad or Mexican street corn dip on the side to make it a complete meal!
I recommend serving this with one of our favorite Italian bread recipes, like no knead Italian focaccia or Italian no knead ciabatta bread. These delicious bread are perfect for dunking in the chili and absorbing the flavorful juices without disappearing into the soup.
My Pro Tips
Expert Tips
- Don’t rush the vegetables. Softening the soffritto first creates a much more flavorful base!
- Toast the tomato paste and spices. This small step makes a noticeable difference.
- Start with 3 cups of broth. You can always add more, but starting with 4 cups could make this more like soup than thick chili.
- Make it ahead. Like most chili, this tastes even better the next day.
Other Game Day Recipes You’ll Love
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Beef and Bean Chili (Italian Style)
Ingredients
Chili Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 pounds ground beef, 80–85% lean
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 medium carrots, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1-2 tablespoons chili powder, to taste
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1-2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, to taste
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 1 15-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 2 15-ounce cans red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 4 cups beef broth, plus more as needed
- 2 bay leaves
Garnishes for Serving
- whole-milk ricotta cheese
- mozzarella cheese, freshly grated
- Parmigiano Reggiano, freshly grated
- fresh basil, chopped
- fresh Italian parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook for 6-8 minutes, breaking it into crumbles with a wooden spoon, until it's nicely browned. Drain off excess grease if needed, leaving a little in the pot for flavor.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and bell pepper directly to the beef. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Stir in the tomato paste, chili powder, smoked paprika, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly. Toasting the tomato paste and spices gives the chili a deeper flavor.
- Pour in the crushed tomatoes, fire-roasted tomatoes, kidney beans, 4 cups beef broth, and bay leaves. Stir well to combine.
- Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low. Simmer uncovered for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thick and flavorful. (Add a splash more beef broth if you prefer a thinner chili.)
- Remove the bay leaves. Taste and adjust the salt, pepper, or chili powder as needed; add some red pepper flakes for spice if desired.
- Ladle into bowls and garnish with ricotta, mozzarella, Parmigiano Reggiano, basil, and parsley as desired. Serve with my Italian no-knead bread or sweet cornbread.
Notes
- Don’t rush the vegetables. Softening the soffritto first creates a much more flavorful base!
- Toast the tomato paste and spices. This small step makes a noticeable difference.
- Start with 3 cups of broth. You can always add more, but starting with 4 cups could make this more like soup than thick chili.
- Make it ahead. Like most chili, this tastes even better the next day.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I tried this recipe last night and made it for my family. It was very easy and very flavorful. My kids and husband loved it. I’ve been looking for a recipe that used fresh ingredients and nothing packaged and this one definitely hit the spot. I will definitely be making this one again.
This makes me so happy! I love that you were looking for a chili made with simple, fresh ingredients and that the whole family loved it. Easy, flavorful, and family-approved is exactly what I want for this recipe! Thank you for making it and sharing your review.
If you loved this chili, try my Sausage Gnocchi Soup next for another cozy family dinner!
Buonissime Elena.
so easy to make and delicious I did not have mascarpone cheese so I used my homemade yogurt and it’s still delicious. Ciao Rita
Grazie, Rita! Prego! I am happy you loved this easy recipe.
This chili is so amazing! My whole family including my toddler loved it. I will be making it all season long. Thank you for this delicious recipe!
This is so funny- I actually have a pot of this recipe on my stove right now! Yes, we love to make it this time of year as well. Happy you loved it!
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!