Description
A bold, hearty one-pot meal with smoky heat and rich flavor from ground beef, spicy Italian sausage, chipotle peppers, and warm spices. Topped with shredded cheddar for creamy balance.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 pounds ground beef (80/20 recommended)
- 1 pound hot Italian sausage (bulk, no casing)
- 5 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 (14-ounce) can kidney beans, drained (optional)
- 2 teaspoons minced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
- Olive oil, for cooking
- Shredded cheddar cheese, for topping
- Fresh cilantro or scallions, optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add beef and sausage, break apart with spoon, and cook 8–10 minutes until browned. Drain excess grease.
- Add onion and cook 4–5 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic and cook 1 minute. Mix in chili powder, cumin, and coriander, toasting spices 1 minute.
- Stir in diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato paste until combined.
- Stir in chipotle peppers, salt, and pepper. Adjust chipotle to taste for desired heat.
- Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 45–60 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add beans after 30 minutes if using. For thicker chili, uncover last 15 minutes.
- Taste and adjust seasoning. Ladle into bowls, top with shredded cheddar, and garnish with cilantro or scallions. Serve with cornbread or chips.
Notes
Toasting spices deepens flavor.
Adjust chipotle spice gradually.
Flavors improve when made ahead and reheated.
Freezes well up to 3 months.
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 60
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American, Tex-Mex
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 portion
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 9g
- Sodium: 920mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 7g
- Protein: 32g
- Cholesterol: 95mg
Keywords: chipotle beef chili, cheddar chili, spicy sausage chili, smoky beef chili, hearty game day chili, fall chili recipe