Meatlovers Supreme Pizza Chili Recipe

A hearty bowl of chili is arguably the best way to satiate your hunger, and the classic dish makes an excellent base for experimentation. You can go the ground meat route with beef, turkey, or bison, or load it up with colorful beans to make a vegetarian rendition. If your motto is "more is more," then follow Mashed recipe developer Patterson Watkins' take with this meatlovers supreme pizza chili. "I am a 'give me all the toppings' kinda gal when it comes to pizza," and this recipe is "fully loaded," she raves.

Watkins goes on about this recipe, "I wanted to make sure it was brimming with those classic meatlover-y ingredients: pepperoni, sausage, bacon, onions, peppers." As for how she created a harmony between chili and pizza, she "melded flavors like cumin, Italian seasonings, chili powder, and pizza sauce to make something enjoyable, hearty, and balanced." 

The result is every bit as delicious as you'd imagine, and the perfect all-in-one meal in a bowl. Of course, a tasty starch to ensure you don't leave anything behind is a must. "I squealed with glee when I thought of the idea of serving this chili with flatbread or pizza crust on the side for dipping," Watkins shares, adding, "Garlic bread or toaster-oven cheesy bread will work super well too!" Other fun ideas include cheesy or garlicky rice, cornbread, or greens for a soup and salad combo.

For this meatlovers supreme pizza chili recipe, get olive oil, bacon slices, spicy Italian sausage, and diced pepperoni. Next, you'll need garlic cloves, onion, and green bell pepper. To season, grab ground cumin, chili powder, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper flakes. Canned fire-roasted diced tomatoes, a jar of pizza sauce, beef broth, and a can of kidney beans form the body of the chili. To finish, you'll need salt, black pepper, scallions, shredded mozzarella cheese, sour cream, and toasted flatbread or pizza crust for dipping.

Add oil to a large pot over medium-high heat.

Once hot, add bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 5 minutes.

Remove bacon using a slotted spoon and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.

Add sausage to the pot and cook, breaking up any larger clusters with a spoon, until browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, remove the sausage and set aside on the plate with the bacon.

Add pepperoni, garlic, onion, and bell pepper to the pot and stir to combine.

Stir in the cumin, chili powder, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper flakes. Saute the mixture for 3 minutes.

Add diced tomatoes, pizza sauce, and beef broth, stir to combine, and bring to a simmer.

Once simmering, reduce heat to medium-low and stir in the beans, bacon, and sausage.

Cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Divide chili among bowls and top with scallions, mozzarella, and sour cream. Serve with toasted flatbread or pizza crust on the side for dipping and dunking.

If you've ever ended up with leftover chili, then you'll agree with Watkins' statement that "the best thing about chili is the leftovers!" Musing about the process, she remarks, "Something magical occurs overnight...flavors deepen, the ingredients do some serious commingling, and the next day's bowl is, somehow, tastier than the day before." 

To store your leftover chili optimally, Watkins instructs, "Make sure to cool the chili to room temperature and transfer to a sealable container. Chili will usually keep, refrigerated, for around 3 days." Once you're ready to warm up another portion, she recommends either the microwave or stovetop and advises, "If you're using the microwave, I like placing a folded piece of paper towel over the bowl to reduce any splattering."

Meanwhile, if you're looking to store your chili for a longer period, freezing is the way to go. It will keep for a few months in an airtight container; just thaw and reheat it according to your preferred method. 

This flavor-packed chili is ready in just under an hour, making it a solid option as long as you're not in a rush. Not to mention, the ingredients simmer for over half of that time, requiring very little active effort on your behalf. However, if you'd rather not have to check on the contents throughout the cooking time, Watkins has an alternative solution: "This recipe is super slow cooker-friendly!" she notes.  

To adapt this recipe for your trusty crockpot, she instructs, "Take your chili to that saucy stage (step 8), add all of the remaining ingredients, stir it up, and program to slow cook on low for 4 or more hours." As she points out, "There's nothing like coming home after a full day at work to some chili ready to go. Your homestead will definitely smell like meatlovers pizza chili for a day or two — but is that really a problem?"