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Mexican Wedding Chili

Chili with Chorizio Meatballs, Cannelloni Beans and Spinach
Here’s a unique twist on chili, inspired by those food savvy Italians who created the Italian Wedding Soup. Our southern neighbors taught us such a love for chili. Who doesn’t love chili?
Doing things American Style, we can’t help but spread our wings and take this noble “soup” to new soaring heights. The variations are limitless. But here might be one you never heard of…Mexican Wedding Chili.
The Italians love to adorn there Wedding Soup with bite size Beef/Italian Sausage meatballs. We have switched ours out with meatballs made from that south of the border specialty, Chorizo Sausage. The Italians give their soup substance with a small, shaped pasta. We took our lead from Mexico. Bring on the beans!
There’s a nice heat to the chili, just enough to warm you from head to toe. As a further treat, we brought it all together by garnishing it with a Smoked Monchego. A little heat, a little smoke, and a lot of flavor! Enjoy!P.S. I know of a cute little store that is making some outstanding flavorful chorizo,
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword Beans, Chili, Chorizo, Meatballs
Servings 6

Ingredients

Making The Meatballs

  • 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
  • ¼ cup Onion chopped fine
  • 2 cloves Garlic minced
  • 1 pound Fresh Chorizo
  • 2 tablespoons Fresh Cilantro chopped
  • 1 Egg
  • 1/2 cup Breadcrumbs

Making The Chili

  • 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
  • 1 cup Onion chopped
  • 1 Jalapeno remove seeds and membrane, finely chop
  • 3 Garlic Cloves minced
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons Chili Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Cumin
  • 1 teaspoon Oregano
  • 1 teaspoon Sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon Celery Salt
  • 28 ounces Diced Tomatoes
  • 15 ounces Tomato Puree or Sauce
  • 2 cups Zing Zang Bloody Mary Mix
  • 15 ounces Cannelloni Beans drained and rinsed
  • 8 ounces Spinach stems removed
  • Smoked Manchego shredded
  • Cilantro for garnish

Instructions

Making The Meatballs

  • Add olive oil to a small sauté pan over medium heat. Cook chopped onions for 2 minutes or just until they start to become translucent. Add minced garlic and cook for an additional minute. Do not let the garlic get brown. Set to side and let cool.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine the Chorizo with the cilantro, egg, bread crumbs, onion and garlic.  Mix well to combine.
  • Form small meatballs, approximately ¾ inch in diameter (you want them to be bite size, about 30 meatballs).  Place on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.  Bake for 20 minutes or until they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees.  Set aside and let cool.

Making The Chili

  • Heat a soup kettle over medium heat.  Add the oil.  Add the onion and jalapeno and sauté until onions are starting to turn translucent, about 3 minutes.  Add the garlic, cooking an additional minute.
  • Reduce heat to low.  Add the spices, stirring to combine with the vegetables. 
  • Add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, Bloody Mary mix, beans plus the chorizo meatballs.  Increase heat and bring to a simmer.  Reduce heat to maintain the simmer.  Cook for at least 20 minutes. 
    The longer you cook the chili, the more the flavors will develop.  You can make it to this point a day or two ahead.
  • Add the spinach, stirring to incorporate.  Cook for 10 minutes. 
  • Garnish chili with cheese and cilantro.

Notes

If preparing the chili ahead of time.  Complete all the steps but do not add the spinach.  Reheat over medium low heat.  Once the chili is heated through, add the spinach and cook for 10 minutes.