Hot Dog Chili is the perfect way to make top dogs!
In just 15 minutes, whip up a flavorful beanless chili with ground beef, tomato sauce, and a medley of seasonings that will make the perfect topping.
Savory and satisfying, you’ll be coming back for seconds.
Ingredients for Hot Dog Chili
It’s a one-size-fits-all condiment for hot dogs, brats, and even hamburgers. You could even try it on omelets and grilled cheese sandwiches!
- Ground beef: Choose lean ground beef or substitute ground turkey or ground pork.
- Onion: Adds a touch of sweetness and texture to the chili.
- Tomato sauce & beef broth: Provides a rich tomato base for the chili.
- Mustard and Worcestershire sauce: Adds tanginess and savory flavors to the chili.
- Seasonings: A blend of spices that gives the chili a warm, savory, and slightly spicy kick.
- Brown sugar: Balances the flavors and adds a touch of sweetness.
To Make Hot Dog Chili
This homemade Hot Dog Chili Sauce is so delicious and so easy to make.
- Cook ground beef and onions (per the recipe below).
- Mix all ingredients together and simmer until it reaches desired thickness.
Spoon over hot dogs and serve with a side of french fries for a ‘ballpark’ meal everyone will love!
What to serve with chili dogs
Once you try this easy hot dog chili recipe, it’ll be a go to! Make it into a full meal deal with the favorite summer sides.
Other Delicious Chili Dog Toppings
Hot dogs are an ideal on-the-go option, ready to be customized with an array of toppings. Explore this list of my favorite combinations to enhance your hot dog experience!
- Veggies: diced or fried onions, sundried tomatoes, jalapenos, or pepperoncini.
- Cheese: shredded cheddar cheese, mozzarella, or spicy habanero!
- Sauces: pickle relish, sour cream, salsa, or hot sauce.
- Other: black olives, black beans, or bacon bits.
The difference between ground beef chili recipe and this hot dog chili recipe is the sweetness and this one skips the beans making it perfect for topping hotdogs or even burgers. You can use it a replacement for ketchup.
Absolutely! Hot dog chili is not just limited to hot dogs; get creative and try it on juicy burgers, sizzling brats, or even as a zesty sauce for omelets and grilled cheese sandwiches. The possibilities are endless!
Yes, planning ahead is a great idea. Prepare a batch of hot dog chili in advance, let it cool, and store it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Yes, you can freeze hot dog chili. To freeze, simply transfer the chili to airtight containers or freezer bags, keep in the freezer for up to four months. When you’re ready to enjoy it, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight and reheat as desired.
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Did you make this Hot Dog Chili Sauce? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!
Quick Hot Dog Chili
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef 80/20
- 1 medium sweet onion diced
- 1 can tomato sauce (8 ounces)
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- ½ tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ cup beef stock or broth
Instructions
- In a 12" skillet, brown ground beef and onions over medium-high heat until no pink remains. Drain any fat.
- Stir in tomato sauce, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, brown sugar, and beef stock or broth.
- Simmer the chili for 15 minutes or until the stock has cooked down and the chili sauce reaches the desired consistency. Season with salt to taste.
- Spoon the hot dog chili over cooked hot dogs and add toppings as desired.
Notes
- Leftover Hot Dog Chili can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
- You can adjust the spice level by adding more or less red pepper flakes to suit your taste preferences.
- For a thicker chili, simmer it for a bit longer until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Feel free to customize your hot dogs by adding your favorite toppings, such as shredded cheese, diced onions, or pickles.
- This hot dog chili also pairs well with other dishes like burgers or fries.
- Leftover chili can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Simply reheat before serving.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Sauce
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Great recipe! I did add a little more chili powder and some cumin but otherwise followed the recipe as written. I’ll never go back to the can!
So delicious my husband went crazy for this. I don’t like hot dogs so I did mine with a breakfast sausage. Soooo yummy and handy when my grandkids drop by. Thx
Good base recipe. Instead of red pepper flakes I used cayenne pepper, cumin and extra chili powder.
This recipe is a go to for me!! We absolutely love it for hot dogs! It’s so quick and simple. It really is delicious. I use fresh garlic, but other than that I make it according to the recipe and it’s perfect!! Try it!! It will be a staple in your house too!
Made this for the 2nd time and it’s now my go to for hot dogs
I love chili dogs, and this is a decent base recipe. I increased pepper flakes, and chili p. I added 1/2 teaspoon of cumin. I used only a tsp of brown sugar.
Next time I’ll omit sugar, sub Dijon mustard or powdered mustard, and use puréed tomatoes. Hotdog chili should be savory IMO.
We loved this chili. It was gone the first day.
First time making homemade chili and it’s perfect
I add cocoa which takes this to the next level!
This was as bland as it could possibly be. No stars
Sorry to hear that, Lisa! We do have this easy chli recipe you might enjoy more.
I’ve tried several hotdog chili recipes and this is, by far, the best. I used a bit more broth, but other than that, I followed the recipe. It’s quick and easy to make.
Glad you enjoyed it, Joni!
Awesome! Awesome! Awesome!
I never liked chili dogs until now. I do see how the sauce for a chili hot dog is way different than bow chili. I think that’s why I never cared for chili dogs because they always used the bowl chili. I saw this recipe and thought I would give it a try.
I followed the recipe exactly, except for the Worcester sauce. I didn’t have any!
Amazing. I made a double batch and will be freezing it to use at my next casual get together with friends.
Try making Sonoran hot dogs with it!!! Get the right recipe for Sonoran hot dogs!
Thank you!
This is a great, easy recipe. I made modifications based on preference and ingredients I didn’t have on hand:
Preference: I omitted the brown sugar; I didn’t have any on hand anyway, and reading the ingredient list beforehand, I knew that I’d end up with a sloppy joe-like chili.
Ingredient modifications: I used ground turkey. I didn’t have any broth/stock, but I did have beef bouillon cubes and added one cube plus 1/4 cup of water. I didn’t have any Worcestershire sauce, but I did have a few soy sauce packets from some leftover Chinese food. I used 1/2 of the packet. In addition to the spices listed above, I used pepper, and a couple of hard dashes of Slap Ya Mama Cajun Seasoning because I just love the stuff. Finally, I used a ketchup packet I had which didn’t over-sweeten it all, just rounded everything out.
I loved it. Recipes like this are great for tweaking and making your own.
This hot dog chili recipe is amazing! So easy to make and so delicious. I made it for Memorial Day and again this past Sunday because it was so enthusiastically received by the members of the household.
We really enjoyed this chili, perhaps some didn’t let it cook down enough and we felt it had enough flavor. We ate all the chili last night and had to make some more today so we could try it on loaded fries!
Great basic recipe. We like it hot so added Mccormick HOT chili packet along with the other spices. No brown sugar and if needed at the end 1 tsp white sugar. Also, a strong onion.
I wasn’t looking for a specific flavor profile, but I did want a chili recipe for hot dogs (no beans and the right texture) and not like chili you eat in a bowl. As someone else said this reminded me of sloppy joe’s, and I enjoyed that. I think the mildness of this recipe goes well with hot dogs (I used turkey dogs) without overpowering them the way normal chili would. I did adjust the seasoning proportions to taste and added some salt and a little cumin, but I thought this was an excellent base recipe. Thank you!
You’re welcome Judy, thank you so much for your comment!
Sorry but this is awful. Too much Worcestershire sauce and brown sugar. All it tasted was mustard and Worcestershire and sweetness.
Hot dog chili is definitely different than regular chili. Sorry to hear that you didn’t enjoy it as much as we do Susan. Thanks for trying it.