Dairy-Free Chili
Dairy-free chili made with ground beef, beans, fire-roasted tomatoes, and a stack of real spices instead of a packet, simmered thick enough to hold up on its own or under a pile of toppings.
Recipe by Andrew Tibbs, the Non Dairy Dude in Dairy-Free Dinner Recipes
Published · Updated
Featured in Dairy-Free 4th of July, Dairy-Free Summer Cookout
- Total
- 1h 30m
- Servings
- 6
- Level
- easy
'But, Dude, isn't chili usually dairy-free?' You're right, it is. But so many of my comfort food favorites use chili. Like a loaded baked potato, Frito pie, or chili mac. So, I wanted to make sure I had a darn good chili recipe to build off of. This is very much a classic American chili recipe - with some personal tweaks. A little more smokiness, I nix the kidney beans (but you can absolutely still use them if you want), and I bump up the spices a little bit. I build the spice from chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, and coriander, and a spoon of cocoa powder if I'm feeling fancy.
Where dairy actually comes into chili is on top. Sour cream and shredded cheddar are the default toppings everywhere, so I keep a batch of dairy-free sour cream and dairy-free queso sauce on hand and let people go at it. Both melt and dollop close enough to the real thing that nobody at the table asks questions.
This recipe uses: Dairy-Free Queso Sauce, Dairy-Free Sour Cream
Ingredients
Chili
- 1 tbspOlive oil
- 1 largeYellow onion, diced
- 1 largeRed bell pepper, diced
- 1 mediumJalapeno, seeded and minced
- 2 tspFine salt, divided
- 1½ lbGround beef, 85% to 90% lean
- 5 clovesGarlic cloves, minced
- 3 tbspTomato paste
Spices
- 3 tbspChili powder
- 2 tspGround cumin
- 1 tspSmoked paprika
- 1 tspDried oregano
- ½ tspGround coriander
- ¼ tspCayenne pepper, optional
- 1 tspUnsweetened cocoa powder, optional
Simmer
- 28 ozCrushed tomatoes
- 15 ozFire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 1 cupLow-sodium beef broth
- 1 tbspWorcestershire sauce
Beans
- 30 ozPinto beans, two 15-oz cans, drained and rinsed (black or kidney beans work too)
Finish
- 1 tbspApple cider vinegar or lime juice
- 1 tspBrown sugar, optional
Toppings
- ½ cupDairy-free sour cream, optional for serving
- ¾ cupDairy-free queso sauce or dairy-free cheddar shreds, optional for serving
- ¼ cupScallions, sliced, optional for serving
- 2 cupsCorn chips or tortilla chips, optional for serving
Instructions
- 1
Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Break it up, then let it sit undisturbed for a few minutes at a time so it browns instead of steaming, 8 to 10 minutes total, until well browned with some crisp edges. If there is more than a tablespoon or two of fat, spoon some off.
- 2
Reduce the heat to medium and add the onion, bell pepper, jalapeno, and another 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally and scraping up the browned bits as the vegetables release their moisture, until softened.
- 3
Stir in the garlic and tomato paste. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until the tomato paste darkens slightly and starts to stick to the bottom of the pot.
- 4
Add the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, coriander, cayenne if using, cocoa powder if using, and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Cook for 30 to 60 seconds, stirring constantly, until the spices smell toasted.
- 5
Stir in the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, beef broth, and Worcestershire sauce, scraping the bottom of the pot to loosen the browned bits.
- 6
Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Simmer uncovered for 35 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chili is thick, glossy, and no longer watery.
- 7
Stir in the drained beans and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes more, until the beans are hot and the chili is thick enough to mound slightly on a spoon.
- 8
Stir in the apple cider vinegar or lime juice. Taste and adjust with more salt, cayenne, or the optional brown sugar if the tomatoes taste sharp.
- 9
Serve in bowls or use as a topping for loaded baked potatoes, Frito pie, chili mac, or chili dogs. Add dairy-free sour cream, dairy-free queso or cheddar shreds, scallions, and chips as desired.
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How we make it dairy-free
- Sour cream for serving → Swap in a dairy-free sour cream. Coconut or cashew based versions hold their tang and don't separate when they hit hot chili.
- Shredded cheddar for serving → Use a dairy-free queso sauce or dairy-free cheddar-style shreds. Queso melts into the chili a little, shreds stay put on top, both work.
None of these swaps change how the chili cooks, they only matter at the serving stage.
Tips & Variations
Brown the tomato paste: Letting the paste darken with the beef and vegetables gives the chili more depth than just dumping in tomatoes.
Keep it thick: This chili is meant to work as both a bowl of chili and a topping. Simmer uncovered until it is thick enough for potatoes, Frito pie, chili mac, or chili dogs.
Beans go in later: Adding them after the first simmer keeps them from breaking down too much while the sauce thickens.
Cocoa is optional: A small amount adds earthiness without making the chili taste like chocolate. Skip it if that is not your thing.
Worcestershire labels: Dairy is not a normal Worcestershire ingredient. The things worth checking are anchovies, which make it not vegetarian, and malt vinegar, which makes some brands not gluten-free.
Heat level: This is medium-mild if you seed the jalapeno and use the cayenne as written. Add more cayenne or hot sauce for a hotter game-day chili.
Make ahead: Chili is better the next day. Refrigerate for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat gently with a splash of broth or water if it gets too thick.
Topping strategy: Dairy-free sour cream gives cold tang, queso sauce gives reliable melt, and dairy-free shreds give the classic chili-cheese look. Use one or mix and match.
Frequently asked questions
Is chili usually dairy-free?⌄
The base almost always is. Ground beef, tomatoes, beans, broth, and spices don't involve dairy. Where it sneaks in is the toppings, since sour cream and shredded cheese are the default at most tables.
Can I use ground turkey or a plant-based crumble instead of beef?⌄
Yes. Brown it the same way, just watch the timing since turkey and plant-based crumbles cook faster than 85/90 beef and can dry out if you leave them in too long before adding the liquid.
Can I make this chili without beans?⌄
Yes. Leave out both cans and increase the ground beef to 2 pounds so it still serves about six. Start with 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt instead of 2 and adjust at the end, since beans soak up a lot of seasoning and the chili tastes saltier without them. Skip the bean simmer in step 7 and let the main simmer go about 10 minutes longer instead. For a thicker, more Texas-style pot, whisk 2 tablespoons masa harina into 1/4 cup water and stir it in for the last 5 minutes.
What's the cocoa powder for?⌄
It's optional, but a spoonful of unsweetened cocoa rounds out the bitterness from the chili powder and deepens the color. You won't taste chocolate, it just makes the chili taste like it simmered longer than it did.
Can I make this in a slow cooker instead of on the stove?⌄
Yes. Brown the beef and soften the onions and peppers in a skillet first, then transfer everything including the spices, tomatoes, and broth to the slow cooker. Add the beans in the last hour so they don't go mushy, and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.
Dairy-Free Chili · https://nondairydude.com/recipes/dairy-free-chili
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