The Best Toppings for Every Style of Chili

It’s hard to get chili wrong. It’s a flexible dish and there are many different types, from traditional red to homestyle and veggie. With some many options, it can be hard to decide what toppings will go best with your particular chili recipe. That’s why we’re here to help you choose the best toppings.

Traditional Red and Chili Verde

Traditional red chili is also called Texas red or chili con carne, and they’re all considered the original chili. It includes red chili peppers, meat, and spices with nothing extra like pasta or beans. The toppings that are traditionally used include cilantro, Cheddar cheese, jalapeños, cornbread, chopped onions, and tortilla chips.

Chili Verde is a Mexican-American stew that uses green chili peppers. The pork and spices for this dish are once again the only ingredients, and no beans or pasta are used as fillers. Some people enhance the flavor with charro beans and rice. Good toppings here are lime wedges and sour cream. However, jalapeño, radish, and green onion slices, among other ingredients, are also acceptable.

White Chili and Homestyle Chili

White chili is what is known as the creamy, nontraditional version of chili. It is made with chicken or turkey, white beans, green chili peppers, and a dairy-based broth. The toppings that are great for this chili should add to its creaminess, so avocado, lime wedges, jalapeño slices, cherry tomatoes, hot sauce, and cheese are the most preferred.

Homestyle chili is the kind that most people make, well, at home. The common ingredients are meat, vegetables, chili peppers, beans, and other ingredients that vary depending on who’s making the dish. Homestyle chilis often include tomatoes, rice, or pasta, but what makes it perfect are the toppings. The best ones should give it more richness with acidity and starchiness. These include onions, apple cider vinegar, avocado, pickled onions, sour cream, cheese, oyster crackers, tater tots, and more.

Vegetarian Options

Veggie chilis are great for people who want a meatless option, and the toppings options are rather interesting. They include roasted corn, sweet potato cubes, radish slices, garlic, avocado, hot honey drizzle, cilantro, and pumpkin seeds. People also like to use toasted quinoa, Cotija cheese, plantain chips, and Greek yogurt to give salty and savory notes.

Enthusiasts who want to use traditional recipes as well as those who prefer to put their own spin on the dish can easily take their chili to the next level with the right toppings. All chilis are born to get creative with their ingredients.