11 Creative Ways to Enjoy Leftover Chili
9/28/23, Editorial
There’s nothing quite like a hearty pot of chili simmering away in the kitchen. But once mealtime is over, what do you do with all those delicious leftovers? Get creative with these fun ideas to give your chili a delicious second life!
From Shepherd’s Pie to Chili Mac, our chefs share their favorite tips for using up leftover chili. With a batch prepped and ready to go thanks to Foodom, you can reinvent chili night all week long.
Keep reading for 11 ways to chili out with your leftovers, with around the globe ideas.
Shepherd’s Pie
Warm the chili in a baking dish — stir in frozen peas for an extra hit of veggies if you’d like — and top with mashed potatoes. Bake till brown and bubbly, and dig in.
Chili Shakshuka
The Middle Eastern shakshuka has only a few must-have ingredients: tomatoes, bell peppers, chiles, onions and eggs. Poach eggs in leftover chili and you’re there. Serve with crusty bread for dipping.
Empanadas
Fold prepared dough circles (empanada wrappers or pie dough work great) around leftover chili, crimp to seal and bake till golden. Serve with sour cream for dipping.
Stuffed Bell Peppers
Add cooked rice or quinoa or cauliflower rice to the chili and spoon into hollowed-out peppers with a flurry of freshly grated Parmesan, then bake until the peppers are soft and the filling is heated through.
Taco Salad
A Tex-Mex spin, instead of going through the trouble of cooking ground beef, just use chili to make your taco salad! To make, just put together your favorite greens, cheddar cheese, bell peppers, corn, crushed tortilla chips, and pour over a ladle of chili! Top that bad boy with sour cream and guacamole and there you have it: the perfect taco salad.
Chili Dogs
It’s easy, delicious, and a fun way to eat chili. Just pour some chili over your favorite hotdog or sausage and top with cheese and you’re all set! It’s a classic.
Chili Mac
The only thing better than mac and cheese is chili mac and cheese. Stir leftover chili into your favorite mac-and-cheese recipe and serve as is, or use to top hot dogs for a tailgate-style feast.
Tamale Pie
Pour chili into a baking dish, top with dollops of your favorite cornbread batter, and bake until golden and bubbling. Spike the batter with cheese and fresh corn to really go all out.
Enchiladas
Gently fry corn tortillas and roll them around shredded cheese and chili before tucking into a pan, topping with cheese and if you like, more chili and bake.
Loaded Baked Potato
Chili and potatoes taste great together, so why not stuff that leftover chili into a baked spud? Whether it’s baked potatoes, sweet potatoes, spaghetti squash, butternut squash or zucchini boats, topping it with chili will surely make it even tastier. Sprinkle cheese, onions and any other topics you like.
Chili Lasagna
You can use chili with almost anything that calls for meat sauce, and lasagna is one of them. So, why not use chili as the meat base to make a Tex-Mex inspired lasagna? Interesting flavors that your family will surely enjoy!
Customize your chili
No matter how you use it up, Foodom can customize your chili to meet your dietary needs. The chef on the Foodom platform make vegetarian, vegan, diabetes-friendly, gluten-free and more! Check the menu for a large variety of chilis and other meals.
Take chili night off your to-do list and let the chefs on the Foodom platform handle the cooking. With meals prepped and your fridge stocked for the week ahead, get ready to get creative with the flavors. Reserve your personal chef today and chili on!
