This rich & flavorful Italian Style Red Wine Chili with a delicious Italian flavor twist from herbs and red wine simmers in your slow cooker all day ...





I will be busy, busy with the Baking For Kate online bake sale & auction this coming weekend, but I wanted to be sure to share this recipe for my Italian Style Red Wine Chili with you all before this coming Sunday.

And why this coming Sunday?

Because this Sunday is National Wine Day, silly... ;)





Use a red wine that you love sipping for this recipe because you will have enough leftover in the bottle to have a couple of glasses.

Or you can use that little bit of red wine that you didn't happen to finish off when you popped it open & has been just chilling in your fridge for a week or so. (Tasty recipes are a fabulous way to use wine that maybe is past it's drinking prime, but still has lots of rich flavor for cooking and baking.)

Bonus with this chili recipe? It is for the slow cooker!

As the weather continues to get warmer and the temperatures climb, I find myself pulling out my slow cooker at least 3 or more times a week just to keep my oven off. I swear within 10 minutes of turning my oven or stove on, the temperature in my kitchen has climbed at least 10 degrees!

Italian Style Red Wine Chili

by Frugal Foodie Mama Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 6-7 hours 6063327 Ingredients (6 servings) 1/2 medium onion, chopped

1 red or yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp olive oil

1 lb lean ground beef

28 oz can crushed tomatoes

1/2 cup red wine

8 oz tomato sauce

1 cup water

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 1/2 tbsp chili powder

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried basil

Salt & pepper, to taste For the ricotta-mozzarella topping

2/3 cup ricotta cheese

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella

1/2 tsp dried basil

Kosher salt, to taste Instructions Spray the inside of a 6 quart slow cooker with cooking spray.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once heated, add in the onion, bell pepper, and garlic and saute for 3-4 minutes. Add to the prepared slow cooker insert.

Add the hamburger to the same skillet, season with salt and pepper, and brown. Drain off any fat. Add the browned hamburger to the slow cooker. Now add the rest of the ingredients through the dried basil and stir well. Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours, stirring occasionally.

Once the chili has slow cooked for the 6-7 hours, taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Prepare the ricotta-mozzarella topping, by mixing together the ricotta, shredded mozzarella, and dried basil. Taste and add kosher salt to your taste.

Ladle the chili into bowls and top with a rounded tablespoon or so of the ricotta-mozzarella topping. Enjoy! Powered by Recipage





Since this is an Italian style chili, I ditched the classic sour cream topping for a creamy ricotta-mozzarella topping. As the topping melts and you stir it a bit, the mozzarella becomes ooey and gooey. Perfection, folks!





How will you be celebrating National Wine Day on Sunday? :)





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