Pineapple is the unexpected secret ingredient in this crockpot chili made with sweet Italian sausage. The fresh pineapple adds a subtle sweetness that is perfectly balanced with the spiciness of the Italian sausage. With its unique combination of sweet and savory flavors, this crockpot chili is a refreshing alternative to traditional chili.
This, quite frankly, is probably one of my favorite times of the year where fruit is concerned. There are bright sweet plump strawberries available, gorgeous ruby red cherries, and my absolute favorite, fresh juicy pineapple. So how perfect is it, that “Fruit Soups” was the theme chosen by Culinary Adventures with Camilla for this month’s Soup Saturday Swappers? I think she picked an absolutely marvelous month to task us with coming up with a creative soup using fruit as a key ingredient.
So what made me decide to pair pineapple with sweet Italian sausage? Well, the market I most often frequent was completely out of ground pork and I was forced to improvise. It happens. I mean, really y’all, you’d be surprised at how many times I am forced to change a recipe because I can’t find a key ingredient. My market kinda sucks like that. I shop there for the most part due to convenience, not because I actually like the place. Unfortunately, we don’t have any great markets near us. One day maybe that will change. Until that day, I’m stuck living what I’ve got.
I kind of got off-topic there, didn’t I? Sorry about that. Now, back to this chili. It may sound a bit weird, however, I’m telling you, this recipe is a real winner-winner. B.O.B. Bob and I just couldn’t stop eating it. Would I change a few things? Well sure I would. B.O.B. Bob and I both decided that we’d like it to be a little meatier, so next time I would totally add another pound of sweet Italian sausage to it. Three pounds of sausage may seem like a lot but it really cooks down with all of the other ingredients in this recipe.
To spice things up a bit, I’d also add a finely chopped jalapeño as well. As you know, I’m not a huge fan of spicy foods, however, I am learning to love the flavor that fresh jalapeños impart to a dish and I think a small amount of them in this soup would be a really really good thing. So get off of your cute lil’ patootie and whip up a batch of this chili and let me know what you think. Consider it a “Summer’s almost here!” challenge from me. And if that’s not a good enough reason to make this crockpot fruit chili, here’s an added bonus; leftover pineapple. Now, who doesn’t love that?
Ingredients:
- 2 Pounds Loose Sweet Italian Mild Sausage
- 1 Large Onion, Peeled & Diced
- 3 Carrots, Peeled & Diced
- 1/2 Fresh Pineapple, Diced
- 1 (28-oz.) Can Petite Diced Tomatoes
- 1 (10-oz.) Can Green Chile Enchilada Sauce
- 1 (12-oz.) Lager
- 2 Tablespoons Light Brown Sugar
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons Chili Powder
- 3 Teaspoons Ground Cumin
- 1 1/2 Teaspoons Kosher Salt
- 1/2 Teaspoon Finely Ground Black Pepper
- 1/4 Teaspoon Cayenne
Directions:
- Brown the sausage in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Place the browned sausage in a colander, leaving 1/2 teaspoon of oil in the skillet or Dutch oven. Rinse the sausage under running water to remove any excess fat.
- Lower the heat to medium and saute the diced onion and carrots until the onions are translucent.
- Place the drained sausage, onion, carrots, and all of the remaining ingredients into a crockpot.
- Stir well to combine and cook on low heat for 8 hours.
Suggestions:
- I know it sounds crazy to rinse the meat under running water before placing it into the chili, however, I absolutely cannot stand overly greasy chili. You can skip this step if you choose.
- Fresh pineapple is an absolute must in this recipe. Canned pineapple will simply turn into mush, whereas fresh pineapple will keep a little bit of its texture.
Improvements:
- I truly would have been happy to see more meat in this recipe; try using an extra pound of sausage in this recipe.
- Add finely chopped jalapeno to this chili for extra heat.
- Garnish this chili with fresh chopped pineapple sage, which has a lovely pineapple aroma.
- CLICK HERE to see all of our other amazing past soup, chili, stew, and chowder recipes.
Ingredients:
- 2 Pounds Loose Sweet Italian Mild Sausage
- 1 Large Onion, Peeled & Diced
- 3 Carrots, Peeled & Diced
- 1/2 Fresh Pineapple, Diced
- 1 (28-oz.) Can Petite Diced Tomatoes
- 1 (10-oz.) Can Green Chile Enchilada Sauce
- 1 (12-oz.) Lager
- 2 Tablespoons Light Brown Sugar
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons Chili Powder
- 3 Teaspoons Ground Cumin
- 1 1/2 Teaspoons Kosher Salt
- 1/2 Teaspoon Finely Ground Black Pepper
- 1/4 Teaspoon Cayenne
Directions:
- Brown the sausage in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Place the browned sausage in a colander, leaving 1/2 teaspoon of oil in the skillet or Dutch oven. Rinse the sausage under running water to remove any excess fat.
- Lower the heat to medium and saute the diced onion and carrots until the onions are translucent.
- Place the drained sausage, onion, carrots, and all of the remaining ingredients into a crockpot.
- Stir well to combine and cook on low heat for 8 hours.
PIN THIS RECIPE
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MORE GREAT CHILI RECIPES
Homemade “Better Than Canned” One-Pot Chili
Tomato-Free Ground Chicken & Red Lentil Chili
Turkey, Stout, & Sweet Potato Cincinnati Chili
Chili is a hearty, comforting, and delicious meal that can easily be adapted to suit any taste. From classic homemade chili to chili seasoned with canned pumpkin or fresh pineapple, here are “10 Must-Make Unique & Delicious Chili Recipes” to enjoy all year long. No matter which chili recipe you choose, you can serve it as is, topped with your favorite chili toppings, spooned over rice or pasta, scooped up with tortilla or corn chips, or even alongside a perfectly melty grilled cheese sandwich for a delicious and comforting meal. CLICK HERE for the recipes.
This is the perfect recipe to celebrate Crockpot Monday. You can make it a day ahead of time, or you can simply brown the sweet Italian sausage and sauté the onion and carrots the evening before. The next morning, just dump all of the ingredients into a crockpot and you’re good to go.
Soup Saturday Swappers is a group of friends who get together on the third Saturday of each month to share their favorite soup and stew recipes based on a theme chosen by one of the members. To join Soup Saturday Swappers you can send an email to wendyklik1517@gmail.com. Visit our Pinterest board to find more great soup and stew recipes.
