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Italian Chili
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Italian Chili

A chili recipe that uses Italian ingredients and flavors, and is topped with grilled polenta
Prep Time45 minutes
Cook Time4 hours
resting time1 day
Total Time1 day 4 hours 45 minutes
Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: American, Italian, Tex-Mex
Keyword: Mash-Up, Soup, Spicy
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 933kcal

Ingredients

Polenta

  • 3 cup water
  • 1 cup fine cornmeal
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Chili

  • 1 pound sirloin cut into small cubes
  • 1 pound hot Italian sausage
  • 4 ounces pepperoni diced
  • 4 ounces salami diced
  • 1 green bell pepper diced
  • 2 jalapenos diced
  • 1 large carrot diced
  • 1 onion diced
  • 8 cloves garlic
  • 6 ounces tomato paste
  • 28 ounces canned diced tomato
  • 4 cups chicken stock
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 28 ounces cannellini beans strained and rinsed

Serve

  • 1 pound ditalini cooked to package instructions
  • chopped scallion
  • sour cream

Instructions

Start the polenta the day before

  • Make the polenta first because it needs to rest overnight. Bring the water to a simmer and whisk in the cornmeal. Add the salt. Stir and cook for about 25 minutes until smooth. Stir in the butter and cheese. Pour into a pan lined with parchment and cover with another pan to flatten. Store in the fridge to firm.

Start the chili

  • Preheat a large sauce pot to high, or a slow cooker to sear mode. Add in some olive oil and the steak. Season with a pinch of salt but be conservative with it. Sear the steak on all sides.
  • Add in the sausage, pepperoni, and salami. Cook and combine to saute and slightly brown.
  • Add in the peppers, carrot, and onion. Cook 5 minutes, stirring often. Add in the garlic and tomato paste and cook 10 minutes, stirring often.
  • Add in all the remaining chili ingredients except for the beans. Season with another pinch of salt but again, be cautious because the pepperoni and salami and sausage are all salty.
  • Bring to a simmer and cover. Cook on low for about 3 hours until the sirloin is tender and falling apart.
  • Add the beans into the chili and cook another 20 minutes.

Cook the polenta and serve

  • Slice the polenta into squares. Brush with oil. Sear on a grill or in a pan until golden brown. Make sure you use a hot pan and lots of oil, and don't touch them for a while, or they will stick to the pan.
  • Add some ditalini to a bowl and top with the chili. Add a few polenta cubes, then top with the scallions and sour cream. Serve

Nutrition

Calories: 933kcal | Carbohydrates: 96g | Protein: 47g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 121mg | Sodium: 2057mg | Potassium: 1303mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 2960IU | Vitamin C: 34mg | Calcium: 184mg | Iron: 8mg