Barbara's Famous Chili Recipe

This award-winning chili recipe took home second place and a 2-foot trophy at a chili cook-off! A rich and savory blend of beef, sausage, and beans, simmered to perfection. Elevate your taste buds with this crowd-pleasing recipe. For an extra special treat, top with shredded cheddar cheese, diced red onion, and a dollop of sour cream.

Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 150 mins
Calories 630.3 kcal
Protein 71g
Rating 5.0 (2 Reviews)
Barbara's Famous Chili 111

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Recipe Author

Chef Forktionary, author of this recipe

Recipe adapted from Food.com. Standardized by Forktionary.

Ingredients for Barbara's Famous Chili

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 medium onions, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 green bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 1/2 lbs hot Italian sausage
  • 1 1/2 lbs stew meat, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 2 (28 ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
  • 1 (15 ounce) can whole tomatoes, undrained and crushed (or diced)
  • 1 (15 ounce) can Italian style tomatoes, undrained
  • 1/4 cup chili powder, or more to taste
  • 1 cup water, plus more if needed
  • 2 (15 ounce) cans red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 tbsp salt, or more to taste
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper, or more to taste
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, or more to taste (optional)
  • Shredded cheddar cheese (for serving)
  • Diced red onion (for serving)
  • Sour cream (for serving)

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How to Make Barbara's Famous Chili

  1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion and minced garlic; cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
  2. Add chopped green bell pepper and cook for another 3 minutes.
  3. In a large skillet, brown the Italian sausage and stew meat over medium-high heat, breaking the sausage into crumbles. Drain off any excess grease.
  4. Add the cooked sausage and meat mixture to the pot with the onions, garlic, and bell pepper. Stir to combine and simmer for 5 minutes.
  5. Stir in chili powder and crushed tomatoes. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Add water if needed to maintain desired consistency.
  6. Add drained and rinsed kidney beans and reserved kidney bean juice. Heat through for 10-15 minutes.
  7. Serve hot, topped with shredded cheddar cheese, diced red onion, and a dollop of sour cream.

Nutrition Information (Approximate per serving)

Sodium

71 g

Sugar

33g

Fat

56g

Carbs

16g