Some Of The Best Canned Chili Money Can Buy Contains Zero Ground Beef

There truly is a chili for just about everyone. For vegetarians, a basic bean chili may do. For those avoiding red meat — or who don't prefer tomatoes — there's a good chicken and white bean chili. If you have a gourmet taste, make it with steak. Arguably the most common chili, however, is made with ground beef plus tomatoes, onion, and spices. When Chowhound ranked nine store-bought chili brands, this was the makeup of most of them (although some did mix the beef with pork). Two options on the list were plant-based — Gardein's last-place entry and Amy's organic chili, which took third place. But just above Amy's, coming in at second place, was Trader Joe's turkey chili with beans.

Because of its lower fat content, turkey can dry out faster than ground beef, and it has a milder flavor. So some people may assume that chili made with ground turkey can't be as good as one made with ground beef, pork, or some other fattier meat. Trader Joe's turkey chili, which contains zero ground beef, would prove them wrong. We found that it had a classic chili flavor and pleasing texture, thanks to the fact that it was thickened with corn flour rather than another ingredient like cornstarch or xanthum gum, which can leave things a little gummy. The chili had a balanced flavor without being too spicy, and it costs less than $3 per can. Yes, it could have been better if it was made with pork, but it was still a near-winner.

Another thing we appreciated about Trader Joe's turkey chili was its ingredients list. Generally, a shorter ingredients list populated by recognizable components is reassuring, and the Trader Joe's chili is for the most made with items you likely have in your kitchen: ground turkey, crushed tomatoes, red beans, chili peppers, as well as some seasonings and aromatics. Trader Joe's recommends eating this chili on its own as an easy lunch, or adding sour cream, cheese, or your other favorite chili toppings as desired. Alternatively, you can use it to top of a baked potato, hot dog, or hamburger.

If you're a savvy Trader Joe's fan (or if you read the company's web page), you may know that this turkey chili wasn't available for a period of time. Whenever the company began stocking it again, customers rejoiced over on Reddit, saying they had loaded up just in case it disappeared again. Some fans did seem to find the revamped version disappointing due to an alleged change in consistency, and others said they prefer to supplement it with additional ground turkey or beans. But we found it delicious as is, especially if you're looking for an easy to heat and eat chili without red meat.

It's worth noting that Trader Joe's also stocks a no-beef vegetarian chili. While this wasn't part of our taste test, it has its fair share of proponents. In fact, one Reddit user said their favorite way to eat the vegetarian chili is to combine it with a can of the turkey one, with some additional tomatoes for freshness and extra green beans and black beans to bulk up the meal.