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Spicy three bean vegan chili, browned frankfurters, pickles, and non-dairy cheese all on one chili dog pizza. It’s a dinner that kids and adults will love!
My love for the vegan chili dog runs deep. Spicy chili smothering a frankfurter along with crunchy pickle, diced onion, and a swirling of mustard is one of my beloved comfort foods.
It traces its roots for me to a pick-up truck in a parking lot at four years old. But in a way, it goes back further.
There was a chili place in Des Moines where my mom and grandpa used to go. Sadly, her dad passed away before I had a chance to know him. But my mom told me stories about it often when I was a kid.
With outdoor speakers for every parking space, their chili dogs were brought outside to them, while they sat in the car.
By the time I was alive, the place was rundown with an old light-up sign advertising “drive thru” as if that was a unique feature. (And at one time, it was.)
But I liked to imagine it in its heyday, like some kind of 1950’s fueled dream, when sitting in your car eating wasn’t out of necessity, but rather, it was a social affair. I imagined girls in poodle skirts and guys in letterman jackets, hanging out by their cars and listening to bee-bop music while they noshed on chili dogs.
Vegan chili dog pizza
Today I’ve taken those chili dogs of yesteryear, and served them in pizza form.
The idea was borne out of a recent trip with friends to a local pizza place. The restaurant had a Chicago dog pizza on their specials menu with toppings of mayo, mustard, relish, and a layer of potato chips. It sounded kind of interesting or kind of gross.
A friend ordered it. And sadly, it was the latter.
While he nauseously tucked in to his pizza, we all brainstormed how that idea could become a winner. It was out of that discussion that the idea for a vegan chili dog pizza was sparked.
Antithetical to the Chicago dog pizza, this vegan chili dog pizza is downright crave-worthy.
This vegan chili dog pizza is topped with the 3 bean chili I shared last week.
It is then dotted with a veggie dog that has been sliced and browned. (Field Roast frankfurters are easily my preferred veggie dog. But if you have a favorite, use that instead.)
See how to make vegan three bean chili here:
You can adorn the pizza before serving with diced onion, pickles, and swirls of yellow mustard. (Those are my go-to toppings.)
Or you can let guests top their pizzas with their favorite coney toppings like sauerkraut or non-dairy cheese. It’s your call!
The base of this pizza is a Vicolo cornmeal crust. I always have them in the freezer for pizza emergencies.
(They come two to a pack, and so you could easily double this recipe if you have a family of four.)
The cornmeal crust works so beautifully with the chili. It’s like having chili and cornbread, but in the shape of pizza.
You couldn’t ask for a better match.
One final word of advice: You may want to wait until after you’ve finished eating to put on your poodle skirt or letterman jacket. Things could get messy.
Vegan chili dog pizza
Ingredients
- 1/2 teaspoon oil
- 1 Field Roast frankfurter or veggie dog of your choice, cut in roughly 1/2 inch thick slices
- 1 Vicolo cornmeal crust or small pizza crust of your choice
- 1 cup Vegan three bean chili
- Optional toppings: about 1/4 cup each grated non-dairy cheese, diced dill pickle, diced onion, drained sauerkraut
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Bring a skillet to a medium heat with oil. Add sliced veggie dog to skillet and brown for a couple of minutes on each side.
- Top the cornmeal crust with chili. Add the sliced veggie dog to the pizza.
- Bake pizza for 15 minutes.
- Cut pizza into slices and serve with optional toppings, so that each person can prepare their slice(s) as they prefer.
Kristina says
May 2, 2016 at 10:46 amthis sounds FANTASTIC! I love these flavors, I *will* be making this soon!
Cadry says
May 2, 2016 at 11:31 amThanks, Kristina! I think you’re going to love it!
Shell says
May 2, 2016 at 11:05 amWhat a fun idea! Do you know where I could get the pizza crusts locally?
Cadry says
May 2, 2016 at 11:30 amThanks, Shell! I’m pretty sure you could find them in the freezer section of your Whole Foods. I’ve bought them at other Whole Foods locations, and they sell them at a lot of natural grocery stores.
Caitlin says
May 2, 2016 at 1:54 pmthis really looks delicious, cadry! i never had a chili dog before and i feel like i missed out now!
Cadry says
May 3, 2016 at 10:09 amWow, that surprises me, Caitlin! I haven’t tried one of those carrot dogs yet, but maybe you could give it a whirl with that, a scoop of chili, and a gluten-free bun. 🙂
Bianca says
May 2, 2016 at 2:04 pmTHIS SOUNDS AMAZING!! I, too, am a huge fan of the chili dog. And I’ve been craving them lately. But I’m also a huge fan of pizza, and I’ve been craving that too. So this would totally solve all of my food craving issues!!
Cadry says
May 4, 2016 at 7:07 amThanks, Bianca! It sounds like this pizza could pretty much solve all of your problems. 😉 I think you’ll love it!
Jackie - Vegan Yack Attack says
May 2, 2016 at 4:23 pmYou’re a damn genius, Cadry!
Cadry says
May 4, 2016 at 7:08 amAw, right back at you, Jackie! 😀
johanna @ Green Gourmet Giraffe says
May 2, 2016 at 6:40 pmI don’t think I have ever had a chilli dog in my life but I love hearing of your experiences of it and I really want a slice of that pizza – brilliant!
Cadry says
May 4, 2016 at 7:10 amThanks, Johanna! That makes sense that it’s more of an American thing. If you ever have chili left over, I recommend giving it a shot sometime!
Becky Striepe says
May 2, 2016 at 7:10 pmCadry, oh my gosh. I have got to make this! It looks super amazing!
Cadry says
May 4, 2016 at 7:10 amYes, you need to do it! Thanks for the kind words, Becky!
Susan says
May 2, 2016 at 8:22 pmFinally, a realistic serving size guide for a pizza! I have so many books that say a pizza will serve 4. In what universe? I mean, really I could have a serving size of one, just me, for a pizza. 😉
I love this idea of having a base of pizza that people can then add their favourite toppings to. It is super fun and sounds very yummy.
Cadry says
May 4, 2016 at 7:14 amThanks, Susan! Perhaps if a person always served a pizza with sides, it could stretch a little further. But when I’m eating pizza, that’s all I’m having. The corn meal crusts are on the small side, and whenever David and I have them, we always split one crust between us.
I’m always attracted to “interactive” foods too. They work especially well for parties. 🙂