Frisch’s Chili
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Frisch’s Chili recipe is going to be a family favorite! Loaded with beefy flavor – you’ll enjoy bowl after bowl – topped with cheese and diced onion. Make this Ohio specialty wherever you are!
What You Will ❤️ About Frisch’s Chili Recipe
- Frisch’s Big Boy at home! Frisch’s is the Ohio/Kentucky chain name for the Big Boy franchise. With this recipe, you’ll have the restaurant taste in your own home!
- Affordable! This is a really economical recipe because you’re stretching that ground beef with the use of beef broth and kidney beans. You’ll have a pot of chili to serve 10!
- Game Day Ready! There’s nothing a game day loves more than a big pot of chili! This recipe will have everybody full and happy!
Ingredients to make Frisch’s Big Boy Chili
When I make a copycat recipe – I research what other recipes are out there – and let me tell you – the other ones are WRONG! They are way too tomato-ey!!! Frisch’s Chili is a very beefy chili – yes there’s some tomato – but not as much as you might think! Here’s what you’ll need:
- Lean ground beef – I recommend at least an 85/15 ground beef – you could also use ground pork (very lean and flavorful)
- Yellow Onion – you don’t really see the onions in their chili so be sure you dice thee onions into really small pieces
- Beef Broth – we’re actually going to boil the beef in beef broth – double down on that beef!
- French Onion Soup – this is my trick for extra flavor in a tiny can – I just use the Campbell’s French Onion soup
- Light Red Kidney Beans – you can swap out pinto beans or dark red kidney beans – but Frisch’s uses light red
- Crushed Tomatoes – you could also use tomato puree – you just don’t want pieces of tomato in your chili to make it taste like Frisch’s
- Tomato Paste – this adds a little thickness and rich flavor
- Seasonings: Chili Powder, Worcestershire Sauce, Cumin, Salt, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder
Recipe Variations
Chili is a pretty delicious comfort food on its own – but you can make some tweaks to how you make and serve this recipe.
- Add Veggies – I like more texture and veggies than what Frisch’s has in their chili – so I would add diced green pepper and diced tomatoes.
- Coney Dogs – I love a chili dog! Grab some Nathan’s hot dogs and hot dog buns and slather them in chili, diced onion and cheddar cheese!
- Serve Over Spaghetti – Here in Cincinnati – we like our chili parlors! If you’re not familiar – Cincinnati chili (like Skyline Chili) is pretty runny and has a cinnamon flavor that is very unique. We serve it over spaghetti with a pile of cheddar cheese!
How to make Frisch’s Chili Recipe
Frisch’s Chili recipe is easy to make – grab that Dutch oven and you’ve got a true one-pot dish! Here’s how to make it:
- In a large Dutch oven, over medium high heat, add 1 tbsp olive oil and add the ground beef and onion. Saute for 2 min. Drain any excess grease – but you may not need to if you use a lean ground beef.
- Add beef broth and Mash the ground beef to a fine texture. Cover and boil over medium heat until beef is mashed tiny and cooked through – about 5 min.
- Take 1 can of UNDRAINED kidney beans and place in blender or food processor and mash beans.
- Into beef mixture, add 2 can drained beans, mashed beans, French onion soup, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste and all seasonings and bring to a simmer over med/hi heat.
- When the mixture comes to a boil, turn the heat down to low.
- Simmer with the lid off for 20 minutes.
- Remove from heat and serve with shredded cheese and crackers.
- Total cook time is about 35 minutes.
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Tips, Tricks & FAQs
How do you store and reheat leftover chili?
Store leftovers in an airtight container (I like these glass ones) in the refrigerator for up to a week. You can freeze up to three months. Reheat in the microwave for 2 minutes.
What if I can’t find 6 Chili or Ancho chili powder?
You can sub out regular chili powder – these have just a little more kick!
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What to serve with Chili
More Chili Recipes
Frisch’s Chili
Frisch's Chili recipe is going to be a family favorite! Loaded with beefy flavor – you'll enjoy bowl after bowl – topped with cheese and diced onion. Make this Ohio specialty wherever you are!
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Ingredients
- 1.5 lb lean ground beef
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 medium onion minced
- 3 cups beef broth or beef stock
- 10.5 oz French onion soup
- 3 16 oz cans light red kidney beans 2 drained & rinsed
- 15 oz crushed tomatoes
- 6 oz tomato paste
- 1 tbsp six pepper chili powder
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp ancho chili powder
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven, over medium high heat, add 1 tbsp olive oil and add the ground beef and onion. Saute for 2 min. Drain any excess grease – but you may not need to if you use a lean ground beef.1.5 lb lean ground beef, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1/2 medium onion
- Add beef broth and Mash the ground beef to a fine texture. Cover and boil over medium heat until beef is mashed tiny and cooked through – about 5 min.3 cups beef broth
- Take 1 can of UNDRAINED kidney beans and place in blender or food processor and mash beans.3 16 oz cans light red kidney beans
- Into beef mixture, add 2 can drained beans, mashed beans, French onion soup, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste and all seasonings and bring to a simmer over med/hi heat.10.5 oz French onion soup, 3 16 oz cans light red kidney beans, 15 oz crushed tomatoes, 6 oz tomato paste, 1 tbsp six pepper chili powder, 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp ancho chili powder, 1 tbsp ground cumin, 2 tsp salt, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp garlic powder
- When the mixture comes to a boil, turn the heat down to low.
- Simmer with the lid off for 20 minutes.
- Remove from heat and serve with shredded cheese and crackers.
- Total cook time is about 35 minutes.
Notes
**We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. The information in the nutrition box are calculated through a program and there is room for error. If you need an accurate count, I recommend running the ingredients through your favorite nutrition calculator.**
Nutrition
Serving: 1cupCalories: 159kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 18gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 43mgSodium: 1163mgPotassium: 762mgFiber: 2gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 656IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 49mgIron: 4mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Not a comment but a question. Do you have to use the mashed beans? My family doesn’t really like the beans in the chili and when I get get it at Frisch’s I always ask for light beans.
The mashed beans in the blender add to the thickness of the chili. I’m guessing they won’t even know there are beans in there if you just do those! It turns into a puree. So I would use the mashed and skip the rest of the beans! 😉 They’ll never know!