Sometimes you just stumble across a great recipe alteration. One time when I was making chili I was out of tomato paste, tomato sauce and crushed tomatoes, so basically nothing to make a base out of. I thought about abandoning the chili recipe when a jar of salsa caught my attention in the pantry.
At that point I didn’t have much to lose, so I tossed it in and make the rest of the recipe as usual.
The result? It was fabulous! I love veggies, and my preference would be a hearty, chunky vegetable rich chili, however the rest of my family would object, so what I love about this option is that you still get some veggies mixed in, but with NO DICING!
It is quick and easy and adds a TON of flavor to the mix, I can hardly eat it any other way now, it just tastes too boring!
And whenever I make a chili now, I usually use ingredients from Aldi because they are inexpensive, and I LOVE their version of Rotel tomatoes. Their diced tomatoes with green chilis add a nice heat to the salsa (but only if you like it spicy!) and have WAY more flavor than the brand named counter part.
And while I usually just use whatever type of beans I have on hand, I like the color that black beans add, so I usually use at least one or two cans of them.
I also like to mix it up from time to time by adding in corn or brown beans, both add a hint of unexpected sweetness that compliments the spiciness perfectly.
And to top it off, I love sliced jalapeños, sour cream and a little shredded cheese. My husband adds 20 saltines to his and I also like to serve it with Fritos for something different.
But the best part? I always get TONS OF COMPLIMENTS on my mistake ingredient! I’ve never considered myself an exceptional cook, but people rave about my chili, so that is kind of fun :)
Here is the recipe…
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Secret Ingredient Aldi Chili Recipe:
PREP TIME:
15 minute
INGREDIENTS:
1 large jar of salsa (the secret ingredient!)
1-2 8oz. cans of diced tomatoes with green chiles
1/2 – 1 28oz. can of crushed tomatoes
1 can of chili beans (with most of the sauce drained off)
1-2 cans of black beans
1lb. of ground hamburger browned, drained
1 package chili seasoning
COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:
Mix ingredients in a large pot and simmer for 20-30 minutes before serving. Top with your favorites chili toppings: shredded cheese, sour cream, jalapeños, soda crackers, Ritz crackers, or Fritos.
Alteration: substitute chili beans for a can of baked beans or add 1-2 cans of corn (drained)
…………………………………..
…add more or less of any of these ingredients to taste! I don’t think that any of my batches of chili ever taste the same!
And if you have time, I HIGHLY recommend making your own chili seasoning, the flavor is EVEN BETTER, here is a seasoning recipe that I have used and liked: Homemade Seasoning Recipe
I’d love to know if you have any “secret” ingredients that you add to your chili? Please share below :)
Happy cooking!
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