Vegan chili dog: When only a coney will do

At least a couple times a year, I get an intense craving for a vegan chili dog that I just can’t shake.

I don’t know if it’s the baseball weather or promise of summer cookouts to come. I just know that when that longing comes, there’s only one remedy.

There’s no restaurant in town that sells a veggie dog, let alone a vegan chili dog. So when this urge hits, it’s all on me.

Luckily, a coney is easy to make – even if you prefer to make chili from scratch like, I do.

In this post:

I turn to my favorite vegan three bean chili. It’s filled with pinto, Great Northern, and black beans, fire roasted tomatoes, onions, garlic, and spices.

After the flavors have had a chance to co-mingle and the liquid has reduced a bit, I give the quickest of blitzes with an immersion blender.

I don’t leave it in long enough that it becomes a bisque. It only stays in the soup pot for a few seconds, so that some of the beans are broken up. And it thickens the texture.

That thicker texture means that it can hold its own on a veggie dog without slipping off or instantly making a soggy bun.

(For a change of pace, lentil chili is also an excellent choice!)

As for the frankfurter, there are lots of vegan hot dogs out there.

Field Roast frankfurters are my usual choice. They have a good bite to them and smoky flavor.

They come 6 to a pack, which is more hot dogs than I need at any one time.

But what’s handy is that they freeze well. So you can just cut off a couple of the links, and let them thaw. Then when another craving strikes, cut off the amount you need from the line.

(Although, if you have a large family, this may well be a non-issue for you.)

I like to top my vegan coney with green onions, stone-ground mustard, and a single pickle plank. (Those long, thin Trader Joe’s planks are the perfect size on a hot dog bun.)

If you feel like adding a sprinkling of non-dairy cheese, that would not go amiss. Pickle salsa or pickled jalapeños would also be delicious on top!

Instead of using standard bakery hot dog buns like I usually would, this time I went with pretzel buns.

They added a subtle sweetness. And their denser size meant that they could stand up to the chili without disintegrating.

With savory chili, a smoky frankfurter, a hit of vinegar from the pickle & mustard, and finally a gentle squish of the buns, this is a full meal that you can hold in one hand.

It also pairs well with any of the following side dishes:

• Coleslaw
• Baked french fries
• Fried pickles
• Jalapeño poppers
• Potato salad
• Onion rings in air fryer

If you have any left, here are other ways to use leftover chili:

• Chili dog pizza
• Chili cheese tater tots
• Chili cheese dip

Remember, chili freezes well too!

Just pop cold chili into a freezer-proof container. Then freeze until ready to use.

Thaw in the refrigerator or using the defrost function on the microwave. Reheat in the microwave or in a pot on the stove.