Meaty Mushroom Sausage Chili

This sausage chili is loaded with chunks of Italian sausage, ground beef, and sauteed mushrooms. It’s a hearty and meaty chili recipe that is sure to please. We usually make this a beanless chili, but you can add some if your family loves beans. It’s great both ways.

“This is the best chili I’ve ever eaten” is exactly what my handsome man’s sister said (hi, Mudra!) when we served this at a family dinner—and honestly, I agree. Big chunks of Italian sausage and loads of mushrooms give this beanless chili serious depth and richness, making it incredibly satisfying without feeling heavy.

I love this sausage chili for so many reasons. The Italian sausage adds a huge flavor boost, and you can either crumble it straight into the pot or cook it separately as little sausage meatballs (my personal favorite). I usually keep it bean-free since beans don’t always agree with me, but when I’m feeding a crowd, I’ll add beans to half the pot so everyone’s happy. The mushrooms are essential here—they’re quartered and sautéed until they’re hearty and almost bean-like. And just like any good chili, this one reheats beautifully, which makes it perfect for meal prep or next-day leftovers.

Can this sausage chili be made in a slow cooker?

For the best results, follow steps 1-4 before placing this chili in your slow cooker. Because the mushrooms and sausages are cooked separately, the prep time is slightly longer than in most chili recipes. Don’t worry, the 40 minutes of prep are totally worth it.

If you want to make this chili recipe ahead of time, I recommend adding the chili to your crockpot after step 4, along with a ½ cup of water, and setting it to low heat.

What to serve with this meaty chili recipe

Chili is a one-bowl dinner that really doesn’t need anything else. If I want some extra veggies, I’ll put a handful of baby spinach leaves in the bottom of my bowl before adding the chili. It might sound strange, but I think it’s pretty tasty that way.

A simple green salad, topped with one of my favorite salad dressing recipes, is a nice side.

Favorite chili toppings

• Beans. Although not typically a topping, serving them as a topping when a few people want them is a great way to please everyone.
• Corn.
• Sour Cream.
• Cheddar Cheese.
• Tortilla Chips.
• Green Onions

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Mushroom Sausage Chili Recipe

Prep: 5 minutes mins

Cook: 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Total: 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

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This sausage chili is loaded with chunks of Italian sausage, ground beef, and sauteed mushrooms. It's a hearty and meaty chili recipe that is sure to please. We usually make this a beanless chili, but you can put some in if your family loves them. It's great both ways.

8

Ingredients

• ▢ 3 tablespoons cooking oil (divided)
• ▢ 2 lb crimini mushrooms (quartered)
• ▢ 2 lb Italian sausage (removed from casings)
• ▢ 1 large onion (minced)
• ▢ 4 cloves garlic (minced)
• ▢ 1 lb ground beef
• ▢ 2 red bell peppers (minced)
• ▢ 4 stalks celery (minced)
• ▢ 5.5 ounce can of tomato paste
• ▢ 3 tablespoons chili powder
• ▢ 2 tablespoons honey
• ▢ 2 teaspoons cumin
• ▢ 2 teaspoons salt
• ▢ 2 28-ounce crushed or diced tomatoes
• ▢ 1 15-ounce can of kidney beans (drained and rinsed – see notes)

Chili Toppings

• ▢ Cheddar cheese, sour cream, cilantro, tortilla chips, green onions, or corn

Instructions 

• Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large, cast-iron frying pan over medium-high heat. Add half of the mushrooms and cook until they brown. Remove the cooked mushrooms from the pan, then repeat with one more tablespoon of oil and the remaining mushrooms. Remove them from the pan once cooked.
  2 lb crimini mushrooms
  
• Break the sausage meat into chunks, rolling into balls if it is falling apart. Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in the pan and add the sausage pieces. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until they start to brown and are cooked enough that they hold together like mini meatballs.
  2 lb Italian sausage
  
• While the mushrooms and sausage are cooking, add a tablespoon of oil to a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until it is golden, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and ground beef to the pot and cook until the meat is no longer pink. Add the bell peppers and celery and cook for 5 minutes.
  1 large onion, 4 cloves garlic, 1 lb ground beef, 2 red bell peppers, 4 stalks celery
  
• Push the meat and veggies to the side of the pot and add the tomato paste to the middle. Let it cook for 3 minutes, or until it begins to smell sweet.
  5.5 ounce can of tomato paste
  
• Add the chili powder, honey, cumin, salt, tomatoes, beans, and cooked mushrooms and sausage to the pot, stirring to combine. Bring the pot to a simmer, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes.
  3 tablespoons chili powder, 2 tablespoons honey, 2 teaspoons cumin, 2 teaspoons salt, 2 28-ounce crushed or diced tomatoes, 1 15-ounce can of kidney beans
  
• Serve this chili with any or all of the toppings.
  Cheddar cheese, sour cream, cilantro, tortilla chips, green onions, or corn
  

Notes

If you’d prefer not to have chunks of sausage, add the sausage meat to the pot with the ground beef and crumble it as it cooks. You’ll have all the flavor this way, but without the chunks of meat.

To save on dishes, you can cook the mushrooms and sausage in the chili pot first, before cooking the onion and ground beef. It will take longer this way, but you’ll have fewer dishes to wash. 

Beans are a new ingredient in this recipe. Feel free to omit them for a beanless chili or add more if you love a bean-heavy chili. 

Nutrition

Serving: 2 cups, Calories: 604kcal (30%), Carbohydrates: 20g (7%), Protein: 33g (66%), Fat: 45g (69%), Saturated Fat: 15g (94%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g, Monounsaturated Fat: 21g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 121mg (40%), Sodium: 1677mg (73%), Potassium: 1408mg (40%), Fiber: 4g (17%), Sugar: 11g (12%), Vitamin A: 2215IU (44%), Vitamin C: 47mg (57%), Calcium: 85mg (9%), Iron: 5mg (28%)

© Author Kristen Stevens

We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.