Italian Chili ~ Vegan Recipe with VIDEO ~ This Wife Cooks (2025)

Italian Chili ~

Chili and pasta together in one delicious dinner!

This is the kind of meal I want to cozy up with and eat on cool and rainy days. It’s hearty and comforting and fills my kitchen with the exhilarating aroma of garlic and Italian seasonings. No side dish needed; this is a meal unto itself.

You’re going to love this Italian-style chili!

Ingredients, Tips, & Substitutions

• olive oil
• yellow onion
• celery –Adds a nice touch, in my opinion, but could be omitted if you’re not a fan.
• garlic –I’m pretty sure it’s against some law to include ‘Italian’ in the name of a recipe and not include garlic.
• ground black pepper
• vegetable broth –Vegan beef-style broth will also work. Better Than Bouillon’s diced tomatoes
• tomato paste
• dried thyme
• dried basil
• dried oregano
• dried parsley –This is a rare occasion where I’m recommending dried vs. fresh parsley. The reason is simply due to the extended period of time it spends simmering in the chili.
• vegan ground beef –My current favorites for this recipe are Impossible and Beyond Meat brands.
• cannellini beans –Or other white beans such as Great Northern or navy beans.
• ditalini pasta – Any small pasta shape, really.

How To Make Italian Chili

Cook the aromatics. Into a large soup pot over medium-high heat, add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the onion and celery. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently until softened. Add the garlic and black pepper, then continue cooking for an additional 1 minute.

Add liquid, tomatoes, and Italian seasonings. Add the vegetable broth, diced tomatoes, and tomato paste. Season with thyme, basil, oregano, and parsley.

Cover and simmer. Bring just to a boil then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for 1 hour.

Cook the vegan ground beef and pasta. While the chili is simmering, cook the vegan ground beef according to package directions and set aside. Also, cook the pasta according to package directions and set it aside.

Add remaining ingredients and serve. When the 1 hour simmer time is up, stir in the cooked vegan ground beef, cannellini beans, and ditalini pasta. Continue simmering for 10 minutes to heat through then serve.

Enjoy!

Want More Easy Chili Recipes? Try these!