Healthy Italian-Style Chili

Next time you make chili try this healthy Italian-style chili that is filled with veggies, protein, plenty of flavor, and all the warm cozy feels.

When it gets cold you know I am making chili about once a week so I like to switch it up with different flavors and sometimes add in veggies to make it more nourishing. I never saw chili on the menu while visiting Italy, so I do realize chili is not Italian food, but the flavors and spices give it an Italian-style flair. This Italian-style chili is warm and cozy and a healthy twist on the classic. Healthy Italian-style chili can easily be made in a crockpot, on the stove, or in the Instant Pot. Italian-style chili is sweet, and savory, and will warm you up from the inside out. It is packed with veggies, protein, and is naturally gluten and dairy-free.

• Italian-style chili is healthy comfort food
• A freezer-friendly recipe and makes for great leftover or meal prep
• All the warm cozy flavor of chili but with added veggies and nutrients
• A high-protein meal
• Easy healthy dinner or lunch
• Dairy-free, gluten-free, and filled with veggies

• Sweet onion: sweet or yellow onion will work best in this recipe
• Garlic: fresh or minced garlic
• Ground meat: ground beef or ground bison taste great in this recipe
• Celery: can’t taste the celery but adds extra nutrients
• Bell peppers: use either red, yellow, or orange for extra veggies and vitamins
• Sweet potato: adds a sweetness to this recipe
• White beans: either great northern beans or cannellini beans work great
• Diced tomatoes: for this recipe use diced Italian-style tomatoes
• Broth: if you need to thin the chili you can use chicken broth, veggie broth, or add extra protein by using bone broth
• Spices: we use oregano, basil, cayenne pepper, coconut sugar, salt, and pepper in this recipe

• This recipe can easily be made in the Crockpot, on the stove, or in the Instant Pot.
• This chili is easily customizable to the veggies and meat you have on hand
• Add more or less spice to your preference
• Serve with toast, cheese, crackers, or chips

• Turkey & Pumpkin Chili
• Healthy Turkey & Veggie Chili
• Healthy Chicken Taco Soup

Healthy Italian-Style Chili

Need some healthy comfort food to cozy up with? Try this Healthy Italian-Style Chili for a twist on the classic.

5 from 4 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Course Main Course, Soup

Ingredients

  

• 1 small sweet onion chopped
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1/2 bundle celery chopped
• 1 bell pepper chopped
• 1 lb ground beef or bison
• 2 sweet potatoes peeled and chopped
• 1/2 16 oz bag frozen green beans
• 1 can great northern beans drained and rinsed
• 2 cans diced, Italian-style tomatoes
• 1 tbsp oregano
• 1 tbsp basil
• 1/2 tsp red cayenne pepper (to spice preference)
• 1 tbsp coconut sugar
• 1/2-1 cup broth or bone broth if needed to thin
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

 

Stovetop

• Add oil to a large pot over medium-high heat. Sauté chopped onions, garlic, peppers and celery. Add in ground meat and cook until no longer pink
• Add in sweet potatoes, drained and rinsed beans, both cans of tomatoes, and spices. Stir. Turn heat down to low, cover, and let simmer for about 20-30.
• Then, add 1/2 bag of frozen green beans and simmer for about 10 more minutes or as long as you like to let flavors meld (but make sure sweet potatoes do not get too mushy)

Crockpot

• Add oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté chopped onions, garlic, and celery. Add in ground meat and cook until no longer pink and make sure to break up the meat as you cook
• Add in tomatoes, drained and rinsed beans, sweet potatoes, spices, and stir to combine
• Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4 hours.
• Add in green beans for the last 30 or 40 minutes.

Instant Pot

• Add oil to instant-pot and use sauté feature for onions, peppers, celery, and garlic.
• Add in ground meat and cook until no longer pink. 
• Add in spices, sweet potatoes, beans, tomatoes, broth, spices, and stir everything together. 
• Cook on high for 4 minutes.
• Quick-release then mix in the frozen green beans and stir. 
• Close and cook on high for 1 minute.
• Quick-release and serve.

Notes

Did you make this recipe? Leave a review below and don’t forget to tag @lauralivewell

Keyword avocado, beef, carrot, chili, crock pot, easy dinner, instant pot, italian-style, soup, sweet potato, tomato, turkey

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!