Italian Chilli

This Italian chili swaps the Tex-Mex playbook for an Italian one. Ground beef and bulk sausage brown together with onions, green pepper, and four cloves of garlic, then simmer in tomato sauce with zucchini, frozen Italian green beans, and a tablespoon of Italian seasoning. The result is closer to a thick, meaty ragu than a traditional chili, and it works.

Using both ground beef and bulk sausage gives you two different fat levels and spice profiles in the same pot. The sausage brings fennel, sage, and red pepper that you’d normally have to add individually. The beef provides a clean, beefy backbone that keeps the sausage from dominating.

Three whole zucchini cut into chunks add substance and soak up the tomato sauce during the 30-minute uncovered simmer. They break down just enough to thicken the chili without turning to mush, and the Italian green beans hold their shape and add a snap that you don’t get from kidney beans.

Kitchen Tips

• Drain the browned meat well before adding the vegetables and sauce. Two pounds of meat releases a lot of grease, and leaving it in makes the chili oily.
• Break up the canned tomatoes with a spoon as you stir them in. Large chunks don’t cook down evenly in 30 minutes.
• Simmer uncovered so the sauce reduces and concentrates. Covering the pot traps steam and gives you a thin, watery chili.

Variations

• Add a can of drained cannellini beans for a heartier, more traditional Italian bean stew.
• Stir in a handful of cooked penne or rigatoni to turn this into a pasta e fagioli-style dish.
• Use hot Italian sausage instead of mild for a spicier bowl.