Ingredients

1 small onion, roughly chopped

1 stalk celery, roughly chopped

2 cloves garlic, peeled

2 tbsp.  extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 tbsp. chili powder

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. cayenne

1/2 tsp. smoked paprika

1/2 tsp. ground coriander

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground allspice

10 oz. cremini mushrooms, minced

1 tbsp. tomato paste

3 squares (20 grams) unsweetened baking chocolate

1 can (14-oz) crushed tomatoes 

2 c. low-sodium vegetable broth

1/2 tbsp. vegan Worcestershire sauce or liquid aminos

Kosher Salt

Freshly Ground Black Pepper

8 Vegan hot dogs

8 Vegan hot dog buns, toasted

1 small white onion chopped

Vegan cheddar, shredded (optional)

Preparation

Step 1Make chili: Add onion, celery, and garlic to a food processor and puree until a paste forms. Heat olive oil in a medium heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add vegetable puree and cook for 7 minutes, until mixture is fragrant. Add spices and stir until completely incorporated and cook for 30 seconds to toastt he spices.Step 2Reduce heat to medium and add mushrooms. Cook for 10 minutes, or until moisture has totally evaporated and mushrooms brown and begin to caramelize. Add tomato paste and chocolate, stirring until chocolate has melted and mushrooms are completely coated.Step 3Pour in tomatoes, broth, and Worcestershire sauce and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook uncovered for 1 hour for a looser, Cincinnati-style chili or 1½hours for a thicker chili. Season to taste with salt and pepper.Step 4Make chili dog: Over a medium-high grill or on a grill pan, grill hot dogs until they are heated through and charred. Move to toasted buns and cover with a layer of chili and a sprinkling of raw onion and vegan cheddar (if using).

The reason? We modeled this chili off the famed Cincinnati chili that you can find all over the midwest. This chili is almost more of a sauce than it is a chunky chili (though if you want something thicker, just cook it a bit longer!) It’s perfect for slathering on a dog or any number of dishes. Heck in Cincinnati they just ladle it over spaghetti.  The best candidate to mimic tender  ground meat in a chili like this was finely minced mushrooms. You get some of the “meatiness” you’re looking for and they’re also really easy to come by.  The secret ingredient that adds richness and a depth of flavor to this chili (y’know other than the 7 spices already in there) is unsweetened baker’s chocolate. This is used in many traditional Cincinnati chili and adds a fruit forward, bitter-sweet flavor that we think takes these dogs to the next level! Tried making these yourself? Let us know how they came out in the comments below! Want more vegan recipes? Check out our new vegan dinners cookbook!