Slow-Smoked Beef Chili with Sausage and Peppers

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-06-10 · Updated 2026-06-10

A hearty chili featuring smoked ground beef and sausage combined with vibrant peppers and bold spices, slow-cooked for deep smoky flavor. This American-inspired barbecue recipe, ready in about 200 minutes, pairs ground beef, Italian sausage, yellow onion for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 350 calories and feeds 6, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1/2 pound, casing removed Italian sausage
• 1 medium, diced yellow onion
• 1 medium, diced red bell pepper
• 1 medium, diced green bell pepper
• 14 oz can diced tomatoes
• 8 oz can tomato sauce
• 1 cup, rinsed and drained kidney beans
• 1 cup beef broth
• 2 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1 tbsp smoked paprika
• 3, minced garlic cloves
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp olive oil

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Instructions

1. Step 1: Preheat your smoker to 225°F. Toss 1 pound ground beef and 1/2 pound Italian sausage (removed from casing) onto a rimmed tray and place in the smoker. Smoke for 2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes to break up the meat, until browned and infused with smoke.
2. Step 2: While the meat smokes, heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add 1 diced yellow onion, 1 diced red bell pepper, and 1 diced green bell pepper. Sauté for 5-7 minutes until vegetables soften and onions turn translucent.
3. Step 3: Add 3 minced garlic cloves, 2 tbsp chili powder, 1 tbsp cumin, and 1 tbsp smoked paprika to the vegetables. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
4. Step 4: Remove smoked meat from the smoker and add it to the Dutch oven with the sautéed veggies and spices. Stir in 14 oz diced tomatoes, 8 oz tomato sauce, 1 cup kidney beans, and 1 cup beef broth.
5. Step 5: Season the chili with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce heat to low and cook uncovered for 1 hour, stirring occasionally until the chili thickens and flavors meld.