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Perfect for New Year’s Day (or any other cool evening), this Southern Chili recipe is a reader favorite! It’s loaded with Cajun seasoning, black eyed peas, pork sausage and ground beef for an easy dinner that’s full of flavor.
Black-eyed peas are a must on New Year’s Day, right? No matter what we had going on, where we were, or who else was around our table, my Mom always served black-eyed peas with our first dinner of the New Year…along with the other usual suspects of pork, greens and cornbread. Southern superstition tells us that these foods bring prosperity in the New Year, so who am I to argue with tradition?!
A reader named Patti sent me her Southern Chili recipe last year, and I’m finally getting around to sharing it here on the blog. I love that it combines some of our “good luck” foods (pork, black eyed peas, and cornbread) for a fun twist on the traditional New Year’s Day dinner.
How to make Patti’s Southern Chili Recipe:
This is an easy stovetop chili that doesn’t require a long cooking time or a full day of simmering in the slow cooker. Instead, you can whip it up on a busy weeknight for a cozy meal in less than an hour.
Ingredients:
- Ground beef
- Pork sausage
- Onion, bell pepper, garlic
- Tomato sauce and diced tomatoes
- Black eyed peas
- Corn
- Beef broth
- Creole seasoning
First, brown the sausage and ground beef in a pot with the veggies, garlic and Creole seasoning. Drain off the fat and stir in the rest of the ingredients.
Simmer the chili uncovered for about 30 minutes, and it’s ready to serve!
What to serve with Southern Chili:
Patti recommends serving the chili with Fritos, saltine crackers or cornbread — and I agree! Those are all great options. Add a Winter Spinach Salad on the side for a dose of lucky New Year’s greens, too.
Garnish your bowls with any of these toppings:
- Diced red onion, sliced green onion or fresh chopped chives
- Grated cheddar cheese
- Sour cream
- Diced avocado
- Fresh cilantro
Cook’s Tips and Recipe Variations:
- Substitute with ground turkey instead of the ground beef. You can also substitute chicken broth for the beef broth.
- The black eyed peas are obviously your best bet for some Southern good luck, but the chili will also be great with any other beans that you prefer. Try pinto beans, pink beans, black beans or kidney beans!
- The Creole seasoning adds great flavor without making the chili too spicy. If you want a spicier dish, serve the chili with hot sauce.
- Leftover chili will keep in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
- To freeze leftover cooked chili: Allow the chili to cool to room temperature. Package in airtight containers and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- To reheat Southern chili: Thaw frozen chili in the refrigerator overnight. Place chili in a saucepan. Cover and warm over low heat, just until heated through. If it seems too thick, thin the chili with a splash of broth or water.
More chili recipes that you might enjoy:
- Chili Con Carne (Stovetop or Slow Cooker)
- The Best Slow Cooker White Chili
- Slow Cooker Chicken Chili
- Instant Pot Turkey Chili
- Pumpkin Chili
“Good Luck” Southern Chili Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground beef (I used 93% lean)
- 1 lb. bulk pork breakfast sausage
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- ½ cup chopped green bell pepper
- ½ cup chopped red bell pepper
- 1 tablespoon finely minced fresh garlic
- 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, NOT drained
- 1 (15.8 ounce) can black eyed peas, NOT drained
- 1 (15.25 ounce) can corn kernels, drained
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can beef broth
- 1 ¼ teaspoon Creole (or Cajun) seasoning, divided
- Optional, for serving: sliced green onion, grated cheese, sour cream, chopped red onion, fresh cilantro, cornbread, Fritos, or saltine crackers
Instructions
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, brown beef and sausage over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. After about 5 minutes of browning, add onions, peppers, and garlic. Season with ¾ teaspoon of Creole seasoning. Continue cooking until the vegetables are soft (about 7 more minutes). Drain off the fat.
- Stir in remaining ingredients, including the additional ½ teaspoon Creole seasoning. Bring the chili to a boil; reduce heat to low and simmer (uncovered) for about 30 minutes. The broth will reduce and the chili will thicken as it simmers.
- Ladle chili into bowls and garnish with desired toppings.
Notes
- Substitute with ground turkey instead of the ground beef. You can also substitute chicken broth for the beef broth.
- The black eyed peas are obviously your best bet for some Southern good luck, but the chili will also be great with any other beans that you prefer. Try pinto beans, pink beans, black beans or kidney beans!
- The Creole seasoning adds great flavor without making the chili too spicy. If you want a spicier dish, serve the chili with hot sauce.
- Leftover chili will keep in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
- To freeze leftover cooked chili: Allow the chili to cool to room temperature. Package in airtight containers and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- To reheat Southern chili: Thaw frozen chili in the refrigerator overnight. Place chili in a saucepan. Cover and warm over low heat, just until heated through. If it seems too thick, thin the chili with a splash of broth or water.
