Chefs share 9 of their favorite ways to upgrade canned chili (2024)

FAQs

Chefs share 9 of their favorite ways to upgrade canned chili? ›

You can upgrade your chili using ingredients you likely already have on your spice rack, such as chili powder, ground cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper. Be sure to use a light hand while adding seasonings, as you want to avoid adding too much of one and ruining your pot of chili.

You can upgrade your chili using ingredients you likely already have on your spice rack, such as chili powder, ground cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper. Be sure to use a light hand while adding seasonings, as you want to avoid adding too much of one and ruining your pot of chili.

Cocoa powder, bacon, cinnamon, ground coffee and tomato paste will all add a rich sweet & salty flavors that are sure to surprise and delight. Warming spice blends, like Garam Masala, Ras el Hanout or Baharat are another simple and delicious way to add layered flavors to this simple one-pot meal.

Since the canned meal often doesn't include a variety of textures, Dunleavy recommended adding freshly chopped ingredients for a tasty contrast. "Adding fresh ingredients — like diced onions, cilantro, and jalapenos — will take any canned chili to another level," Dunleavy said.

If you have smoked meat/bacon, add it a few minutes before the beans. After adding the beans, flavor it with powdered black pepper and caraway. Add some chili powder or chipotle flakes if you want it more hot. Cook for a few minutes, and eat it with bread.

A quick and easy way to elevate canned chili is to give it a major flavor boost by adding your own protein. Give it a satisfying kick with some chorizo or bring a rich, smokiness with brisket or bacon. If your canned chili is too watery, round it out with an extra helping of ground beef, turkey, or pork.

During the canning process, legumes from beans to chickpeas leach out some of their starch and proteins into the liquid, which is sometimes called aquafaba. If you do any vegan cooking, you'll know that aquafaba can be a replacement for egg whites, since it can be whipped into a stable foam for meringues and the like.

Do You Need To Rinse Canned Beans? According to The Bean Institute, you can reduce up to 41 percent of the sodium in canned beans by rinsing them. "It's fine to add the bean liquid to many recipes, but if you want to reduce the amount of sodium, it's best to drain and rinse canned beans," the website states.

If you want more of a smoky flavor, add cumin, Spanish paprika, ancho chili powder, or a combination. If you are looking for more heat, add cayenne, crushed red pepper, or Hungarian paprika. If it's too spicy add a little brown sugar and some sweet paprika.

What is the most important spice in chili? ›

The best kind of broth can vary: For a traditional chili recipe, beef broth is best, but white chili is better with chicken broth. And of course, if you're making a vegetarian chili, stick with vegetable broth instead. If you don't have any broth on hand, you could also add beer or wine to the pot.

Add a few whole, peeled Russet potatoes to the pot.

Chili-soaked potatoes make for killer lazy mashed potatoes when smashed with some butter and cream.

Though it may be an unusual choice, coffee adds an earthy richness to the existing flavors and plays well with spices like cumin and cayenne pepper. Plus, it's a flexible ingredient – while we typically reach for instant espresso powder, you can also add in brewed coffee, making this dish the perfect use for leftovers.

“If there's one thing you have to do with any canned chili, it would be adding fresh chopped onions, tomatoes, cilantro, and jalapeños. Maybe even some pickled jalapeños. And be sure to dice it all up finely.” As for presentation? “Serve the chili out of a nice pot next to all the fresh toppings on display.

Chili may be topped with shredded cheese, sour cream or sliced green onions. Add a can of beans if desired or make with ground turkey in place of the ground beef.

When your chili is too thick, it's easy to thin it out a bit. Just add some liquid. You can add beef, chicken, or veggie broth, or you can add a can of tomato sauce. You could add water, too, but it will dilute the flavor of the chili.

To do it, scoop a few generous spoonfuls of sour cream into a heat-safe bowl and slowly add in spoonfuls of your hot chili broth, stirring to combine. This will gradually bring the sour cream up to temperature. From there, you can transfer the warmed-up sour cream into your pot of chili, curdle-free.