Name: Vegan Chili Dog
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 8 oz Beyond Meat patty (or cooked lentils); 1 shallot-sized onion (sliced); 2 cloves garlic (minced); 2 teaspoon ancho chile powder; ½ teaspoon cumin; ½ teaspoon paprika; 1 teaspoon oregano; ½ cup tomato sauce (or 2 tsp tomato paste); ¼ cup vegetable stock (or ¾ cup if using tomato paste); 1 tbsp chipotle in adobo; Salt and pepper to taste; 1 small potato; 1 small carrot; 1 clove garlic; ½ shallot-sized onion; 2 tbsp nutritional yeast; 2 tbsp olive brine (See notes); 1 teaspoon caper brine; ½ teaspoon liquid aminos; 4 tbsp cooking liquid; Salt and pepper to taste; Minced onion; Relish; Mustard; Mayo; 3 hot dog rolls; 3 vegan sausages or brats

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This vegan chili dog is THE summer comfort food everyone needs! Hearty chili and creamy cheese sauce smothered over a vegan hot dog and homemade bun. Delicious!

A vegan chili dog takes a regular hot dog to a whole other level! With summer rolling in, they are the most satisfying meals to serve up at cookouts, Fourth of July barbecues, gam day or sporting events.

The recipe is a vegan version of the popular Coney Island hot dog. It’s a hot dog topped with a beanless chili sauce, onion and cheese.

I’ll be using a Beyond Meat burger patty for the meatless chili sauce and the wicked good cheese sauce will be made dairy, nut and oil-free. I’ve used this sauce in Vegan Mac and Cheese and it’s pretty good!

How to make vegan chili dogs with cheese

(scroll to the end for detailed measurements in the printable recipe card)

Make the cheese sauce

1. Peel and chop the potato and carrot and add to a small pot with ¾ cup (177ml) water. Cover and bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer for 15 minutes or until the potato is cooked.

Chopped potatoes and carrots in pot with water

2. Add the potato and carrot with 4 tbsp (60ml) for the cooking liquid to a small blender. Add garlic clove, chopped onion, nutritional yeast, liquid aminos, olive and capers brine. Season with salt and pepper to taste and blend until smooth and creamy.

Ingredients for vegan cheese sauce in blender cup

Nut-free vegan cheese sauce in blender cup

If you don’t have liquid aminos, try mustard for flavor instead. If you don’t have olives or capers brine, try lemon juice or apple cider vinegar for the acidity and sharpness.

Make the hot dog chili

3. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat and add one Beyond Meat burger patty. Using a spatula or wooden spoon, mince the patty while it browns. If using cooked lentils, simply combine with the ingredients in step.

Beyond meat burger patty in skillet with spatula

4. Add the sliced onions, garlic, ancho chilli, cumin, paprika and oregano. Cook until the spices are lightly toasted and fragrant. Stir in the tomato sauce (or 2 tsp tomato paste), vegetable stock and chipotle in adobo. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Tomato sauce pouring into pan with vegan meat and onions

5. Reduce heat to low, cover pan and simmer for 5 minutes until most of the liquid is reduced. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Remove from heat.

Assemble the chili dogs

6. Heat or cook the vegan sausages according to package directions.

7. Split the hot dog rolls and then warm or toast the insides in a hot pan or oven.

My hot dog rolls are homemade using the same dough from my Vegan Pretzel Buns recipe, without dipping them in the solution. It’s an easy recipe with just a few ingredients needed.

8. Spread some of the vegan cheese sauce or mayo inside the buns, add the cooked sausages then top with chili, more cheese sauce, minced onion and relish. Serve immediately.

Vegan chili dog variations

Chicago Dog: Add yellow mustard, green sweet pickle relish, tomato slices, dill pickle spear.

Cincinnati Coney Dog: Add Cinncinnati chili (chili sauce spiced with cinnamon, allspice, clove, nutmeg, cumin, chili powder, bay leaf), mustard, chopped onions.

Detroit Coney Dog: Add chili sauce, onions, mustard.