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The 7 Best Canned Chili for Hot Dogs

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Adding chili to hot dogs is one of the simplest ways to spruce up a hot dog and make it even tastier.

Sometimes, you just need to be able to change it up a little bit. A little canned chili will go a long way to a delicious chili dog. Just add a bit of cheese and maybe a few onions and you have yourself a completely different type of meal! 

What makes for the best chili for hot dogs? The best canned chili for hot dogs is thick in texture but not so chunky that it’s hard to eat the chili and hot dog at the same time. It should taste as if it’s fresh and homemade and not like it’s been preserved.

In this guide, we will share with you the 7 best canned chili for hot dogs. There are some really great options out there and then some not so great options as well.

We’re here to show you which canned options are really the best to use with your hot dogs, so keep reading to optimize your chili dog experience!

How to Choose Canned Chili for Hot Dogs

There are a few things you may want to be aware of before you head out to pick out your canned chili.

All of these canned chilis are made differently, so you just want to make sure you know the details and maybe even what to look for so that you can be happy with the end result.

We’ve put together a bit of a buyer’s guide just for this purpose. Don’t forget to keep your own preferences in mind as well as these tips and helpful hints. 

Ingredients

The ingredients are probably the most important thing to pay attention to. You want to recognize the quality of the ingredients as well as the flavor of the ingredients.

If you are partial to any specific type of meat, be sure to look for those details. Something you might want to be familiar with is that a lot of canned chilies sometimes have pork. 

If this could potentially be a problem for you, then be sure to look for beef specifically. Additionally, you can find canned chili that has no beans or reduced-sodium or even spicy chili if that is your preference. 

We always recommend looking over the ingredient list and understanding just what is in that can.

Try to avoid unnecessary ingredients if at all possible. You want to know that you are getting quality ingredients and are not consuming anything you don’t want to put in your body.

Look for high-quality ingredients, as this will directly impact the flavor. 

Spice Level

What you will find is that every chili has a different spice level. Typically, the can will be labeled if the chili is specifically made to be spicy, but you can also review the ingredients to determine if there might be something that will make it spicy. 

If you like spicy, go for spicy, but if you are more sensitive to spice, be sure to pay attention to these details so you know that you aren’t getting a chili that will be too spicy for your tastes. 

Sometimes, you can add some additional ingredients to either increase or decrease the spice level if you need to. In fact, we have an entire article dedicated to helping you tone down your spicy chili.

Mess

Similar to sloppy joes, chili dogs are just as messy as they are delicious. You may want to consider the texture and consistency of the chili and how it will sit on the hot dog.

If it’s too runny, you’ll be dripping chili all over the place. But if it’s too chunky, you may not be able to fit the hot dog and the chili in your mouth all in one bite and risk getting even more chili on your face.

How Do You Doctor Up Canned Chili for Hot Dogs?

Let’s be honest. Some of us may never be fully satisfied with canned chili because it really just doesn’t taste the same as homemade chili. While some options are better than others, there are those of us that still notice a difference. 

The good news is that you don’t have to suffer. You can doctor up canned chili a little bit to improve the flavors and maybe get it closer to what you want it to be in the end. 

You can always add additional spices and ingredients to chili to improve the flavor.

You might consider some or all of these ingredients:

  • Jalapenos 
  • Cilantro
  • Diced tomatoes
  • Fresh onions
  • Garlic
  • Cumin
  • Paprika
  • Red pepper flakes for spice
  • Extra chili powder for spice
  • Sour cream
  • Cheddar cheese

Any of these things will go a long way to spruce up a can of chili and make it more similar to homemade chili if that’s what you’re after.

The 7 Best Canned Chili for Hot Dogs

Now that you kind of know what you can look for to find a good canned chili, it’s time to see what our top picks are.

canned chili

We carefully searched the market for the best flavors and the best ingredients to provide you with 7 great options to choose from. 

RankProductKey Features
1. Hormel Chili With No BeansNo beans, no artificial ingredients
2.Chilli Man Canned Chili With BeansChunky chili, extra spice
3.Armour Hot Dog Chili Sauce12 pack, easy use
4.Stagg Silverado Beef Chili With BeansNo artificial ingredients, 12 pack
5.Castleberry’s Hot Dog Chili SauceLess chunky, 3 pack, low calorie
6.Campbell's Chunky Chili12 pack, classic flavor
7.
Amy's Organic Chili
Vegan

Below, you will find our top picks for the 7 best canned chili for hot dogs, complete with detailed reviews and information you should know! 

1. Hormel Chili With No Beans

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Hormel Chili With No Beans

First up, we have a delicious and flavorful chili from Hormel.

This particular option doesn’t have beans, which means you get more beef and other ingredients.

They have some great options with beans as well if you do prefer to have beans in your chili. 

This canned chili has no artificial ingredients, which is a quality that we really like to see in canned items.

This brand of chili is one of the most popular brands out there. You really can’t go wrong with their chili.

This classic beef chili was made with a slow simmer and savory blend of spices to bring out the very best flavors and tastes. Each serving contains 14g of protein!

Pros:

  • Filled with 14g of protein
  • The perfect blend of flavor and spice
  • No artificial ingredients added
  • This option has no beans

Cons:

  • You may need to add some additional seasoning for flavor
  • The amount of salt can be heavy compared to other spices

2. Chilli Man Canned Chili With Beans

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Chilli Man Canned Chili With Beans

While our first pick had no beans, this Chili Man chili is a chunky beef chili with beans.

Much like the last blend, it has no artificial ingredients added to it. 

This comes in a pack of 12, but you can also choose a smaller set if that is too many cans for you.

Chili Man’s home-style flavors and quality of ingredients are certainly something to be proud of. 

This chili option has a hearty amount of protein, with 18g of protein in every serving.

It’s easy to make and it has both robust and savory flavors with just a hint of spice. All of the ingredients look pretty good and we love that there are some ingredients that indicate a hint of spicy flavor for the chili mix. 

Pros:

  • High protein, 18g
  • Perfect blend of flavor and spice
  • Chunky chili with beans in it
  • No artificial ingredients
  • Includes some extra spice 

Cons:

  • High in sodium

3. Armour Hot Dog Chili Sauce

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Armour Hot Dog Chili Sauce

This highly-rated hot dog chili sauce is perfect for your hot dogs.

The brand also has traditional chili with or without beans as well. This particular package comes with 12 cans. 

This canned chili is quick and easy to work with. It’s easy and the food ingredient list is reliable as well.

It offers good flavor in a sauce form so it can easily top hot dogs without being too chunky or too runny. It’s perfect for a topping! 

This hot dog chili sauce takes the most common chili recipe and turns it into a canned good that retains its classic taste.

You can microwave this hot dog chili sauce or even heat it up in the microwave if you prefer. It’s also easy to add your own touches without absolutely ruining the flavor or texture. 

Pros:

  • Chili sauce made just for hot dogs
  • Reasonable ingredients
  • Comes in a pack of 12
  • Flavorful and classic
  • Easy to heat up and use

Cons:

  • The meat may be a bit spongy in texture
  • Could use just a bit more spice for flavor

4. Stagg Silverado Beef Chili With Beans

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Stagg Silverado Beef Chili With Beans

Next up, we have another top choice among chili lovers. This Stagg chili has been around since 1956.

This has one of the shortest ingredient lists of the options on the market and is made with 100% natural ingredients.

There is nothing artificial and even its real ingredients are minimally processed. This particular chili option comes in a pack of 12 cans.

These are really awesome because they are pull-top cans, so they are easy to open and you don’t have to lug a can opener around if you need to open them on the go. 

This one is flavored and labeled as two-bean beef tomato chili. It does have beans and it’s a good thickness and consistency for hot dog chili use.

It contains 16 g of protein per serving.

Pros:

  • No artificial ingredients
  • High protein, 16g
  • Everything is natural and minimally processed
  • Hearty source of protein
  • Pull-top tabs for easy opening
  • Comes in a pack of 12

Cons:

  • There is a hint of sweetness to the flavor of this chili that can be good or bad depending on your preferences.

5. Castleberry’s Hot Dog Chili Sauce

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Castleberry’s Hot Dog Chili Sauce

Next up, we have another hot dog chili sauce that you really can’t go wrong with.

We like the hot dog chili sauce because it’s chili but it’s made so that it isn’t excessively chunky.

It easily spreads and covers your hot dogs, making it easier to eat and enjoy. 

This is another chili sauce with a classic flavor. It comes in a pack of 3 so you don’t have to receive a dozen cans.

The only thing about chili sauce is the protein content is significantly reduced to only about 1g per serving.

However, everything else looks great with few calories and not a lot of fat or even sodium to be worried about. The ingredients list is reasonable, although not all natural like some options. 

Pros:

  • Perfect for hot dogs with fewer chunks
  • Classic flavor
  • Comes in a pack of 3 
  • Low calorie chili sauce

Cons:

  • Low protein
  • Ingredients have been adjusted from the original blend for this sauce

6. Campbell’s Chunky Chili

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Campbell's Chunky Chili

This next option has a classic chili flavor and is again specifically made to be a hot dog chili sauce.

This is a bulk pack so you get 12 cans for a very reasonable price.

Every can is ready to eat and the sauce is a meat sauce so it tastes more like real chili straight out of the can. 

The ingredients in this are much more desirable than some of the chili sauces out there. It’s great to be used for hot dogs and other toppings as well.

This is made with fresh ingredients, including freshly cooked meat. The chili itself is made to be a mild flavor but flavorful all the same. 

This hot dog chili sauce is very easy to use and it tastes great. It’s a simple product but one that you can rely on to be consistent.

Pros:

  • Bulk package of 12 cans
  • Simple, classic flavor
  • Perfect for hot dogs and toppings
  • Classic and reliable canned chili

Cons:

  • These cans are large and you may have to store leftovers
  • This product is definitely on the salty side, which you may not be happy about

7. Amy’s Organic Chili

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Amy's Organic Chili

Finally, we leave you with one more great option for your hot dog chili sauce.

This is an organic chili that’s also vegan!

This is another bulk option, with a total of 12 cans. It’s a low-calorie topping and it has absolutely no sugars in it either. 

This is a great and simple option with a reliable and mild chili flavor. It’s perfect for topping your hot dogs. 

Pros:

  • Pack of 3 cans
  • Good flavor
  • Low calories chili sauce
  • Perfect for topping hot dogs

Cons:

  • May need some additional seasoning for flavor or spice

Up Next: Is Chili a Soup? – The Ultimate Guide to Chili

2 Comments

  1. Thanks for all your research on the hotdog chili options. Can’t tell you how much time I spend in the grocery store reading labels. You make shopping easier and quicker by giving me the info before I go. Thanks again.

  2. Tonight I needed info on hotdog chili but now that I have found your site I will be back again for information on other foods. Thanks again.

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