Vegan Hotdog Chili
If you love veggie dogs, carrot dogs, and black bean burgers but miss topping them with chili, I think you’re about to do a happy dance! This quick vegan hotdog chili made with bulgur grain is simmered with spices and onions and can be made in less than 30 minutes.
This vegetarian hotdog chili made with bulgur is hearty, flavorful, and packed with plant-based goodness. The bulgur adds a satisfying, meaty texture while keeping the dish healthy, making it a perfect topping for hotdogs or a delicious dip on its own for these vegan cheese fries.
This homemade meatless chili is a game-changer! It’s hearty, packed with flavor, and has a satisfying texture that even meat lovers will enjoy. Plus, it’s super nutritious and perfect for serving on my vegan black bean burgers, these portobello burgers, or our amazing carrot hotdogs.
Reasons you will love this chili
- Hearty and Satisfying – The bulgur in this vegan hotdog chili provides a rich, meaty texture that makes it a filling and substantial topping for hotdogs and burgers.
- Flavorful and Delicious – Infused with robust spices and seasonings, this chili adds a burst of savory flavor to your vegan hotdogs and burgers.
- Nutritious and Healthy – Packed with plant-based protein and fiber from bulgur, this chili is a nutritious choice that enhances your meal with wholesome ingredients.
- Versatile and Easy to Prepare – This chili is perfect for serving on vegan hotdogs, veggie burgers, or even as a stand-alone dish, offering a quick and delicious french fry dip.
Ingredients you will need
- Bulgur- Adds a hearty, meaty texture while being rich in protein and fiber. Its ability to absorb flavors and cook quickly makes it an ideal ingredient for creating a satisfying and nutritious chili.
- Onion- It adds depth and richness to the chili, enhancing the overall taste and complementing the other ingredients. As it cooks, onion caramelizes and sweetens, contributing to a well-rounded, delicious chili.
- Ketchup- Add a touch of sweetness and tanginess, which helps balance the flavors.
- Worcestershire sauce- Vegan Worcestershire sauce is used in vegan chili to add a complex, savory depth of flavor with its blend of tangy, umami, and slightly sweet notes.
- Seasonings- Chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, season salt, and cayenne pepper create a warm spicy flavor.
What is bulgur?
Bulgur is a whole wheat grain that is cooked exactly like rice in about 15 minutes. (Follow package directions). I use it so much that I wrote an article about how to cook bulgur and recipes to use it.
I like to make a big batch of it and store it in the freezer to use in recipes like vegan bean tacos, stews, meatless crockpot chili, and vegan meatloaf because bulgur adds a ground beef texture and soaks up the seasonings of the dish you’re preparing. It’s so nice to be able to pull it out of the freezer already cooked and jump right into cooking the main dish.
For this chili recipe, you can use already-cooked bulgur from your freezer or uncooked. Just reduce the cooking time and veggie broth if you decide to use the cooked bulgur you already have on hand.
Tips & Suggestions
- Bulgur- I make big batches of bulgur in my rice steamer and freeze it to be used in recipes like this, along with tacos, spinach veggie lasagna, and vegan chili cheese fries. The great thing about having bulgur already cooked is that it cuts a step out of food preparation and speeds up the process of sitting down to dinner.
- Gluten-free option- To make this chili gluten-free, try substituting Buckwheat Groats or cauliflower rice.
How to make vegan hotdog chili
The recipe card at the bottom of the page has the full list of ingredients with measurements and instructions.
STEP #1: For this recipe, you can either add fully cooked bulgur to the chili mixture or make it now as the first step.
Bulgur cooks just like rice on the stovetop in about 12 minutes. In your microwave, it will take about 5-7 minutes.
Normally, I have my bulgur already cooked and stored in the freezer for recipes like this, but it is super easy to add uncooked bulgur if you prefer. Skip to step #2 if your bulgur is already cooked.
STEP #2: In a saucepan, saute diced onions in approximately 3 tablespoons of the veggie broth.
As they brown and begin to caramelize, add more veggie broth 1 tablespoon at a time. Allow to caramelize well.
STEP #3: Add all other chili ingredients including the bulgur, stir well, and simmer for approximately 15 minutes.
NOTE: If you already have pre-cooked bulgur (2 cups) in the freezer that you would like to use, simply omit the veggie broth/water except for about 1/2 a cup, and cook for only 5 minutes.
STEP #4: Cover and turn the stove off. The chili is done and ready to be eaten.
Add to carrot dogs, veggie and black bean burgers, vegan chili cheese fries, or anything else you can think of.
*Originally published May 25, 2017
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can make this chili ahead of time. In fact, it often tastes even better the next day as the flavors meld together.
To make this chili gluten-free, try substituting Buckwheat Groats or cauliflower rice.
Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
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Vegan Hotdog Chili
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup onion diced
- 1 cup uncooked bulgur (or 2 cups cooked)*
- 2 cups veggie broth or water
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce without anchovies
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon season salt
- pinch cayenne pepper (optional for spice)
Instructions
- In a saucepan, saute diced onions in approximately 3 tablespoons of veggie broth or water. As they brown and begin to caramelize, add more veggie broth 1 tablespoon at a time. Allow to caramelize well.
- Add all other chili ingredients, stir well, and simmer for approximately 10-15 minutes. Cover and turn the heat down to warm or off. Chili is basically done and ready to be served.
- NOTE: If you already have pre-cooked bulgur (2 cups) in the freezer that you would like to use, simply omit the veggie broth/water except for about 1/2 a cup, and cook for only 5 minutes.
- Add to carrot dogs, veggie and black bean burgers, vegan chili cheese fries, or anything else you can think of. Black bean burger and vegan chili cheese fries recipe links below.
Video
Notes
- Bulgur- I make big batches of bulgur in my rice steamer and freeze it to be used in recipes like this, along with tacos, spinach veggie lasagna, and vegan chili cheese fries. The great thing about having bulgur already cooked is that it cuts a step out of food preparation and speeds up the process of sitting down to dinner.
- Gluten-free option- To make this chili gluten-free, try substituting Buckwheat Groats or cauliflower rice.
- Make it ahead- You can make this chili ahead of time. In fact, it often tastes even better the next day as the flavors meld together.
- Storage- Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Disclaimer
To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
Hi, could I sub the bulgar out with quinoa? Cant wait to try!
Hi Kathryn- I haven’t tried subbing out quinoa for the bulgur before. Some folks have said they’ve used buckwheat groats as a gluten-free substitution in this recipe with success. I would say the quinoa would be worth a try. It will definitely change the texture, but the flavor should be similar.
@Kathryn, I have used quinoa because that is what I had on hand and it was delicious.You should try it!
Hi…How can I make this gluten free? Thank you!
Hi Janet- I haven’t tried it, but you might substitute buckwheat groats for the bulgur and see how it comes out. Other people have used buckwheat groats as a sub in other bulgur recipes with success.
Terri, where can I find bulgar? And what section of the store is it located? Thanks. Can’t wait to try out this recipe.
Bulgur is can usually be found in the same section as rice and other grains. If your store carries Bob’s Red Mill products, they usually have a couple of different types of bulgur. At Whole Foods and Earth Fare type stores, you can even find it in the bulk section and buy it by the scoop. Hope you love the recipe!
Tried this with our first carrot dogs and it was a good addition. Thanks!
I must thank Terri for introducing me to bulgar!! It is a great ground beef substitute for those of us getting used to leaving off meats. We’ve been WFPB for 3 years, but there are still times we miss the meaty texture that this bulgar is great at mimicking!! The chili recipe is great & we highly recommend it!
Hi Terri, do you think subbing tomato sauce/puree for the ketchup would work? Thanks!
Yes, I think that substitution would work just fine for this recipe. Enjoy!
Made this on Monday and used no-salt added tomato sauce…it came out perfect! So delicious on carrot dogz. Thanks again Terri!
That’s fabulous to hear! Thanks!
I have not tried either of these and don’t even remember where I got them but in this context, might be fun to play with:
FRANKFURTERS/HOTDOGS (1)
1 tsp paprika
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp garlic powder or granules
½ tsp white pepper
½ tsp ground celery seeds
½ tsp mace (can sub nutmeg)
1/2 to 1 tbsp prepared mustard
======================================
FRANKFURTERS/HOTDOGS (2)
½ tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder or granules
¼ tsp ground coriander
¼ tsp mace (can sub nutmeg)
¼ tsp marjoram
½ tsp ground mustard seeds
½ tsp paprika
½ tsp white pepper
2 tsp sugar
Your new enhanced blog looks terrific! Keep up the great work!
Thanks so much! It’s a work in progress. 🙂