Hot Dog Chili
on Jan 09, 2024, Updated Mar 04, 2024
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Ground beef, diced onion, and tomato sauce are cooked with a simple blend of spices to give you the best Hot Dog Chili! This easy-to-make dish is perfect for any cookout or get-together.
Chili dogs are such an American classic! The key to a good hot dog chili is a nice low simmer that allows the spices to cook together. This recipe uses a blend of fragrant spices and rich ingredients to create a warm, flavorful chili that goes great on hot dogs and can hold its own as a stand-alone side dish.
With this easy recipe you will have the best hot dog chili made right in your own home! French fries made in the air fryer or homemade onion rings would be a great addition to this meal. Easy corn on the cob would taste good with these chili dogs too.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Warm, earthy, and has the perfect consistency.
- Goes great on a hot dog or by itself.
- Easy to make with only a few ingredients.
- More flavorful than canned hot dog chili.
Recipe Ingredients
- Ground Beef—You can use any fat percentage, but we usually use 90/10 beef.
- White Onion—Diced. This will add a slight sweetness and texture to the chili.
- Tomato Sauce—Serves as the base to your sauce.
- Garlic Powder—Balances the sweetness of the tomato with a light savory flavor.
- Black Pepper—Amplifies the flavor of tomatoes.
- Chili Powder—Gives the chili some heat.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Hot Dog Chili
Step #1. Combine the ground beef, onion, garlic powder, black pepper, and chili powder in a large pot.
Step #2. Use a spatula or spoon to break up the ground beef and cook until the beef is no longer pink in the middle. Add the tomato sauce and give the mixture a quick stir.
Step #3. Place a lid on the pot and reduce the heat to let it simmer. Allow the chili to cook until bubbly.
Step #4. Serve over hot dogs and enjoy! The chili is also great over hotdogs with added shredded cheese and chopped white onion on top.
Recipe FAQs
One of the biggest differences between regular chili and hot dog chili is that regular chili typically includes at least one kind of bean whereas hot dog chili omits any beans. The flavor profile and texture is also slightly different. Hot dog chili has a smoother texture with a stronger tomato taste, while regular chili is chunkier with a savory or spicy flavor!
Sure thing! While we like to spoon this chili onto hot dogs as much as we can, it still tastes amazing on its own. You can also serve this chili on top of baked potatoes for some added flavor and protein.
Absolutely! You can store this hot dog chili in the freezer if you want to save it for a bit later, or as prep for a meal in the future! To freeze it, you will want to transfer the chili to a large Ziploc bag and remove as much of the air as possible. It will be good in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can reheat your frozen chili by allowing it to thaw in the fridge. Once it is completely thawed you can either microwave it or in a pot on the stove over low heat.
Expert Tips
- For a leaner option, try using ground turkey or chicken instead of beef! You will still get a good amount of protein and your sauce will have a lighter taste to it.
- Cooking the onion at the same time as the beef allows the onion to become soft and tender by the time you add the tomato sauce, preventing you from having any crunchy pieces of onion in your hot dog chili.
- If you want to change the flavor profile of your hot dog chili, try adding a few drops of tabasco sauce, a teaspoon of red pepper flakes, or a teaspoon of cayenne chili or chipotle chili powder. This will give you a spicier sauce.
- You can use a bit of olive oil to cook your beef if you are using a higher percentage of lean meat, but be careful not to use too much or you will have excess oil that does not combine with the tomato sauce well.
- If you find your sauce is too runny, you can add a little bit more tomato sauce. If it is too thick, try adding a splash of water or beef broth.
How to Make Chili Dogs and Store Leftovers
As the name suggests, hot dog chili is best served over a hot dog along with whatever other toppings you would like. Some of my favorites include shredded cheddar cheese, pickled relish, olives, and diced jalapenos! We like to serve our hot dog chili with sides like potato salad, baked beans, coleslaw, or roasted vegetables.
If you happen to have any leftover chili, you can store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. When you are reheating leftovers, microwave the chili for 45 seconds to a minute, and cover it with a paper towel to prevent splatter. Spoon it on top of a hot dog and enjoy!
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Hot Dog Chili
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1/2 medium white onion, diced
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 3/4 teaspoon chili powder
Instructions
- Combine the ground beef, onion, garlic powder, black pepper, and chili powder in a large pot over medium-high heat.
- Use a spatula or spoon to break up the ground beef and cook it for 5-7 minutes, or until the beef is no longer pink in the middle.
- Add the tomato sauce and give the mixture a quick stir. Place a lid on the pot and reduce the heat to a low simmer.
- Allow the chili to cook for an additional 20 minutes.
- Serve over hot dogs and enjoy! The chili is also great over hotdogs with added shredded cheese and chopped white onion on top.
Notes
- You can store this chili in the fridge for up to 4 days before it will go bad. store your chili in an airtight container.
- You can freeze your chili for up to 3 months. To freeze it you will want to transfer the chili to a large Ziploc bag and remove as much of the air as possible.
- When reheating refrigerated leftovers, microwave the chili for 45 seconds to a minute. Cover the chili with a paper towel to prevent splatter.
- Reheat frozen chili by allowing it to thaw in the fridge and then either microwave it or reheat all the leftovers in a pot over low heat.
- To make your chili a little spicier, add a few drops of tobacco sauce, a teaspoon of red pepper flakes, or a teaspoon of cayenne chili or chipotle chili powder.
- Cooking the onion at the same time as the beef allows the onion to become soft and tender by the time you add the tomato sauce, preventing you from having any crunchy pieces of onion in your hot dog chili.
- You can use any fat percentage beef in this recipe.
