This Canned Italian Soup Doubles As A Hearty Base For Chili

Short on time or energy, many of us default to canned chili or canned tomatoes to cook up a quick pot of chili and call it a day. Rarely do we ever consider reaching out to Italian cuisine for inspiration to improve upon this Tex-Mex classic, but it's high time that changes. Canned minestrone soup is the unexpected upgrade your chili needs, and possibly the best one, too.

An Italian minestrone soup is the epitome of comfort. How can it not be when you've got a whole rainbow of vegetables and beans simmering in a brothy tomato base? Already, it's got some of the most important components of a good chili: Tangy-rich tomatoes as a flavor backbone and copious vegetables to bring about earthy nuances, not to mention beans that supply nutty, starchy bites. Woven into this hearty depth are Italian herbs and spices, layering your chili with an aromatic complexity that embodies the very best of Italian cuisine. It might even surprise you just how well basil, oregano, and garlic pair with chili powder, ground cumin, cayenne pepper, and smoked paprika.

Just one pop of the can and you can bring all of that magic to your homemade chili. Depending on how much chili you're making, you may need more than one can of your favorite brand, condensed or otherwise. Pour the canned soup into the pot after you have browned the meat and sweated the aromatics, alongside other ingredients like canned tomatoes, vinegar, and hot sauce. Simmer everything for at least 15 minutes, and you've got a whole hearty pot of minestrone chili to warm up those cold winter nights.

Surprisingly, there's still room for more in your bowl of minestrone chili. Since minestrone soup often comes with pasta, you can also add some to its chili spin-off whenever you want to bulk it up. Maybe even use tortellini or ravioli for cheesy flavors to pop up in between all that smoky, savory richness. For lower-carb options, or if you simply want to add more veggies to the pot, try zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash. Croutons, or maybe even Parmesan croutons, will also fill out the dish beautifully — the same way they often do with minestrone soup.

Leaning further into an Italian-style chili, swap out regular ground beef with Italian sausages. Go for 'nduja if you want to intensify an undercurrent of spiciness, but for some smoky goodness, nothing beats some good ol' favorites like mortadella and salami. Another ingredient tweak worth trying would be the canned tomatoes, which can be swapped out for a jar of marinara sauce, or merely puree some sun-dried tomatoes for an undertone that's extra rich. And since this is an Italian-inspired dish we're talking about, shredded Parmesan cheese scattered over the top is never redundant.

On the side, you can now consider more than just cornbread and mashed potatoes. In fact, a common minestrone companion is bread of any and all varieties. Italian staples, such as focaccia and ciabatta, will give you a main course that truly sticks to your ribs. Of course, you also can't go wrong with garlic bread and its enticing aroma, or a cheesy panini to dip into the chili and add a melty tang to each bite.