Looking for an easy chili that’s packed with flavor? This Flatlander Chili is a Midwest-inspired chili that is filled with tomato flavor, beans, and both ground beef and sausage.
This Flatlander Chili is a great beef and bean chili. But if you want to change things up, try this Buffalo Chicken Chili!
This Flatlander Chili is probably the first chili recipe that I fell in love with as an adult. I have been making it for almost 18 years now, and it still remains one of our favorites.
This is a midwestern inspired chili, filled with lots of tomato flavor, ground beef and ground sausage for lots of flavor, and two kinds of beans. It’s perfect for any cold night or for when you need something comforting and filling!
Ingredients
- Olive Oil: You will need an oil to sauté the vegetables in. I used extra virgin olive oil, but if you have another oil you prefer, feel free to use that.
- Vegetables: You will need a mixture of onion, celery, and bell pepper. I used a green bell pepper, but really, any color will work.
- Meat: I love using a mixture of ground beef and ground sausage for maximum flavor. You can use all ground beef if you want. I use a sweet Italian sausage, but think it would be great with spicy sausage, as well!
- Spices: You should have all of these in your spice cabinet already. I’m using chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt, pepper, oregano, sugar, and cayenne pepper.
- Tomatoes: You will need both diced tomatoes and tomato sauce.
- Hot Sauce: You can use any hot sauce you want. I like Tabasco or Cholula. You can also leave this out if you are sensitive to heat.
- Beans: I like mixture of chili beans and kidney beans. You will not drain the chii beans, but you’ll drain and rinse the kidney beans.
How to Make Flatlander Chili
STEP 1: Heat the oil, then cook the onion, celery, and bell pepper until they start to soften.
STEP 2: Add in the ground beef and sausage and cook. You want to break it up as it cooks, cooking until the meat is browned and the vegetables are completely softened. Once browned, stir in all of the spices.
STEP 3: Add both the diced tomatoes and the tomato sauce. Add the hot sauce.
STEP 4: Stir to combine completely.
STEP 5: Last, add in both beans.
STEP 6: Stir this all together and let it come to a bubble. Let it cook for 10 to 15 minutes to let the flavors combine.
Tips and Tricks
One of my favorite things about chili is that I can load it up with toppings! Feel free to serve this will all of your favorites. We like cheese, sour cream, avocado, cilantro, and diced onion.
This is great served with this Sour Cream Cornbread.
You can serve this chili right away, but it gets better the longer it cooks. If you do let it cook for longer, turn the heat way down. If it gets too thick, you can add in some beef broth.
It also makes great leftovers. I actually like the leftovers better than when it is first made!
More Chili Recipes
Crock Pot Chili
White Turkey Chili
Butternut Squash Chili with Beef
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Flatlander Chili
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
- 1/2 cup chopped celery
- 1/3 cup chopped green bell pepper
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 pound sweet Italian sausage
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 (29-oz) can diced tomatoes undrained
- 2 (12 oz) each cans tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce or to taste
- 1 (15.5 oz) can chili beans undrained
- 1 (15.5 oz) can kidney beans drained and rinsed
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or soup pan over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and bell pepper and cook until starting to soften.1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, 1 1/2 cups chopped onion, 1/2 cup chopped celery, 1/3 cup chopped green bell pepper
- Add the ground beef and sausage. Cook, breaking it up as it cooks, until the meat is fully cooked.1 pound ground beef, 1 pound sweet Italian sausage
- Add the chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt, pepper, oregano, sugar, and cayenne pepper. Stir into the meat and cook for another minute or two.1 tablespoon chili powder, 2 teaspoons ground cumin, 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Stir in the diced tomatoes and tomato sauce, then stir in the hot sauce. Add both the chili beans and the kidney beans stir to combine.1 (29-oz) can diced tomatoes, 2 (12 oz) each cans tomato sauce, 1 tablespoon hot sauce
- Bring the chili to an easy boil and cook for 10-15 minutes, until the flavors are combined and the chili is heated through.1 (15.5 oz) can chili beans, 1 (15.5 oz) can kidney beans
Sandi Zimmermann says
I’ve made a lot of different chili recipes but I keep coming back to this one. I usually have everything I need and everyone loves it.
Emiline says
That sounds so scary! I think I would have turned around and gone home, too. That’s too bad that you didn’t get to eat this delicious looking chili with your family. Darn Utah weather.
Cakespy says
I can’t even say how much I love chili, and your recipes look awesome–very hearty.
Mary says
I happen to love chili. I make it all the time. You really only make it once a year? I’m going to have to try your recipe (the red one).
Gretchen Noelle says
These look tasty, but I would be partial to the white chicken chili. Yum!
Shandy says
I love making chili and both of yours are wonderful additions to my ever growing collections!
What a scary trip you and your husband made! Men can be very brave and confident in their driving skills but being a passenger still means not having any control and that is hard when the weather is scary =).
Kevin says
We still have lots of snow here and either one of those chilis would hit the spot for dinner. They both look really good. I recently tried a white chili for the first time and really enjoyed it.
ruthEbabes says
I just came on here to tell you about the award I have for you, but you already beat me to it! Congrats.
ruthEbabes says
I love chilli and your’s sounds great!
Jenny says
I love chili all year! I’m the crazy one making hot soups and chili’s in August when it’s 110 degrees outside. Both of these recipes look great!!
Steph says
Chili is a staple in our home, and your recipes look delicious, as always! I tried your Broccoli Cheese Soup a couple of nights ago, by the way, and it was absolutely wonderful! And you were right, it tastes exactly like Kneaders!
Meeta says
As our family live far away we do the same thing but with friends. It’s not he same but still we have a great time. I just love the sound of that white chicken chili
Ann says
Chili is good in ANY weather! Both of your recipes look wonderful!
Ben says
It sounds like a great idea to get together as a family for dinner at least once a month. I need to start doing that with my in-laws here.
Aren’t you glad spring is almost here and we won’t have to deal with sleet for a while? I don’t mind snow, actually I love it, but sleet I don’t like.
Both of those recipes sound really good. I have to try the chicken chili sometime. And chili without beans? That wouldn’t be chili, would it? :-/
glamah16 says
You know I have a unexpected day off, and have been mulling over what to make for dinner. I’m going with the green chicken chile! And I love the spice.
Ryley says
That is one thing I really need to learn how to make.. chili!
It doesn’t look too hard, but you’re right with this beautiful weather it’s a little hard to think about warm food! (I hope I didn’t jinx us! There is supposed to be a storm on the way!!!)