Pizza Chili
This Pizza Chili combines the bold, cheesy flavors of your favorite pizzeria with the cozy comfort of classic chili, featuring Italian sausage, pepperoni, rich tomato sauce, and melty mozzarella in one hearty, crowd-pleasing bowl.
Equipment
- Large Dutch Oven or Heavy-Bottom Pot Perfect for browning the meats and simmering the chili evenly without scorching.
- Wooden Spoon or Silicone Spatula Great for breaking up the sausage and beef and scraping all that flavorful goodness from the bottom.
- chef's knife For chopping onions, peppers, and any pizza-style toppings.
- cheese grater Freshly grated mozzarella and Parmesan melt smoother than pre-shredded.
Ingredients
- 1 lb lb Italian sausage
- 1 lb lb ground beef
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 28 oz crushed tomatoes
- 15 oz tomato sauce
- 15 oz fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon basil
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1 cup sliced mini pepperoni
- 1 cup mushrooms (optional)
- 1½ cups shredded mozzarella
- ½ cup grated Parmesan
Instructions
- Brown sausage and beef in a large pot. Drain excess grease.
- Add onion and bell pepper; cook until softened.
- Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant.
- Add tomatoes, broth, tomato paste, and seasonings.
- Simmer uncovered 30–40 minutes.
- Stir in pepperoni and mushrooms during the last 10 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in cheeses until melted.
- Serve with extra mozzarella and fresh basil.
Notes
-
Let it rest before serving.
After turning off the heat, let the chili sit for 10–15 minutes. It thickens up beautifully and the flavors settle into that deep, “pizzeria sauce” vibe. -
Bloom your spices.
Stir the Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes into the meat for about 30 seconds before adding the tomatoes. This wakes up the flavors in a big way. -
Control the thickness easily.
Too thick? Add a splash of warm broth. Too thin? Simmer uncovered a little longer — or stir in a tablespoon of tomato paste. -
Add a splash of balsamic vinegar at the end.
Just ½ teaspoon brightens the tomato base and makes everything taste more balanced. -
Turn leftovers into something new.
Spoon it over baked potatoes, use it as a sloppy joe filling, stuff it into bell peppers, or layer it into a baked pasta dish.