Chili (Italian Sausage and Bell Peppers with Chipotle Chiles)

This sausage chili recipe turned out with great results. I had added pork to ground beef chili before but never tried it with only Italian sausage. I added even more Italian flavours with cannellini beans and a hint of oregano.

1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1¼ lbs hot Italian sausage, casings removed
1¼ lbs mild Italian sausage, casings removed
1 onion, chopped
sea salt
2 Tbsp. ancho chile powder
1 tsp. ground paprika
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. black pepper, freshly ground
½ tsp. chipotle chile powder
½ tsp. dried oregano
2½ cups water, or as needed
1 cup tomato purée
2 (15 oz) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced

Garnish:
sour cream
chopped avocado
chopped red onion
freshly chopped basil

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Cook and stir hot and mild Italian sausage, onion and a pinch of salt in hot oil until sausage is browned and crumbly and most of the liquid is evaporated, about 10 minutes.

Stir in ancho chili powder, paprika, cumin, black pepper, chipotle chili powder and oregano; sauté until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Pour in water and tomato purée; bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook at a steady simmer until sausage is tender, about 45 minutes. Add more water as needed and skim any fat that floats to the top.

Stir in beans and bell peppers. Simmer until vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes. Season with salt. Garnish, as desired.

Makes 6 servings.

Nutritional Information:
Per serving: Calories: 599 | Fat: 38g | Carbs: 31g | Protein: 32g