Hot Dog Chili Recipe (for Chili Dogs)
Smooth, beanless hot dog chili made for chili dogs. Ground beef simmers with tomato sauce, ketchup, and classic spices into a rich, spoonable chili sauce, with easy options for extra thickness and spicy heat.
Servings: 16 chili dogs (generous topping)
Calories: 170kcal
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef 80/20 preferred
- 1 1/2 cups water or beef broth plus more as needed
- 1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika smoked optional
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar or 2 teaspoons white sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1-2 tablespoons fine yellow cornmeal optional, for extra thickening
Optional Chili Pepper Madness heat upgrades
- 1-2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
- 1-2 tablespoons hot sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder smoky heat
Instructions
- Add ground beef to a large pot over medium-high heat. Pour in 1 cup of the water/broth. Cook, stirring constantly and breaking the beef up into very fine crumbles with a spoon or potato masher, until no longer pink (6-8 minutes).
- Stir in tomato paste and cook 1 minute. Add tomato sauce, ketchup, Worcestershire, brown sugar, chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt, pepper, and optional heat upgrades (cayenne, hot sauce). Stir until well combined.
- Add the remaining 1/2 cup water/broth (or enough to make it loose but not soupy). Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low and simmer 25-35 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add splashes of liquid if it tightens up too much before the flavors meld.
- To thicken, sprinkle in 1 tablespoon cornmeal, stir well, simmer 5 minutes. Add another tablespoon if needed.
- Mash again at the end, or pulse with an immersion blender 2-3 quick times for extra-smooth chili sauce.
- Taste and adjust salt, sweetness, and heat. Serve hot.
Serving (Chili Dogs)
- Spoon over hot dogs in buns. Top with diced onion, shredded cheddar, and/or yellow mustard for a coney-style vibe.
Notes
Servings: Makes enough to top 16 hot dogs with a generous portion.
Optional aromatics (upgrade): For extra flavor, sauté 1 small finely minced onion (and 1 minced jalapeno, if desired) in 1 tablespoon oil for 3-4 minutes. Add 2-3 minced garlic cloves for 30 seconds. Then proceed with Step 1 (add beef with liquid and break it down fine).
Powder shortcut: Add 1-2 teaspoons onion powder and 1 teaspoon garlic powder with the spices.
Extra “cling” tip: This chili thickens as it cools. If it gets too thick, loosen with a splash of broth/water when reheating.
Coney-Style Hot Dog Chili (optional):
- Stir in 1-2 teaspoons yellow mustard with the sauces and spices (Step 2), or
- Skip adding it to the pot and simply serve with yellow mustard on the hot dog.
- Optional “Coney” toppings: finely diced white onion, yellow mustard, shredded cheddar.
Nutrition
Calories: 170kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 40mg | Sodium: 444mg | Potassium: 315mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 618IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 2mg