Hawaii is famed for its breathtaking landscapes, vibrant culture, and flavorful cuisine; one dish that stands out is Zippy’s Chili. Since opening their flagship location in 1966, Zippy’s has become an institution in Hawaii; their comforting chili remains one of their signature offerings. If you have found yourself craving this flavorful comfort food but can’t make the trip, here is your solution – with this copycat recipe you can recreate the taste of Zippy’s right from your kitchen and experience Hawaii no matter where it may be!
Zippy’s Chili is an iconic local establishment, founded by brothers Francis and Charles Higa in Honolulu and quickly becoming a local favorite. Renowned for their diverse menu offering both American classics as well as Hawaiian staples, Zippy’s has something to please every diner; but their chili stands out as their signature dish; many customers rely on its comforting comfort food whether its served over rice, spaghetti or as topping on one of Zippy’s famous chili dogs! Part of its success stems from its unique blend of traditional chili ingredients mixed together with some uniquely Hawaiian touches – something traditional chili ingredients simply can’t do.
Replicating Zippy’s Chili Requires Understanding Its Special Components
To recreate Zippy’s Chili, it is crucial to understand which ingredients give it its distinctive taste. While its exact recipe remains closely guarded, we can approximate these flavors using:
Ground Beef: A traditional ingredient found in most chili, providing rich and hearty flavors.
Portuguese Sausage: Add an exotic touch with Portuguese sausage as a unique component, adding subtle smokey and spicy notes for depth and complexity in this classic Hawaiian dish.
Kidney Beans: As one of the classic chili ingredients, kidney beans add texture and protein to any chili dish.
Tomato Sauce/Paste: Tomato-based products provide the chili with its vibrant red hue and tangy tangerine taste.
Onions/Garlic: These essential aromatics add sweetness and depth to any chili recipe.
Spice Blend: Zippy’s Chili is famous for its perfectly balanced heat, thanks to a combination of chili powder, cumin and cayenne pepper – plus some sugar for sweetness! A dash of sugar is added as well to help counteract acidity from tomatoes.
Shoyu (Soy Sauce): Zippy’s Chili is distinguished from other chili recipes by using Shoyu as one of its key components, adding a delicious umami flavour that complements all other ingredients perfectly.
Secret Ingredient: While no specific answer has yet been provided as to what makes Zippy’s sauce authentically tasty, many believe a touch of Worcestershire sauce or cocoa powder might hold the key to creating its distinctive taste.
Step-by-Step Guide to Copycat Zippy’s Chili
Now that we know our ingredients are ready, let’s move onto the cooking process. This recipe serves 6-8 people making it ideal for family meals or for leftovers which taste even better the second day!
Ingredients for this Recipe: Lb of Ground Beef and 1/2 Lb Portuguese Sausage are both required; 1 Large Onion must also be finely chopped as well as 4 Cloves of Minced Garlic are optional ingredients for this Recipe.
Assemble: 2 cans (15-oz each) kidney beans, drained and rinsed, 1 15-ounce can of tomato sauce and one 6-ounce can of tomato paste, combined with one cup of water, plus 2 teaspoons each of chili powder and cumin for flavor, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (adjust for taste) as well as sugar for sweetness (add as desired), 2 teaspoons each shoyu sauce for soy sauce flavoring, as well as salt and pepper according to taste.
Optional Ingredients for Extra Flavor
Instructions: For Browned Ground Beef: In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-low heat, brown the ground beef by breaking up into smaller pieces as it cooks.
Once the beef has been browned, add in Portuguese sausage and continue cooking until it becomes slightly crisp and has released its oils. Remove any excess fat from the pot before sauteing aromatics such as chopped onions until translucent – around five minutes.
Add minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant. Now add your Tomato Base by stirring together tomato sauce, tomato paste and water into a well-mixed mixture before seasoning your Chili with any additional spices as desired. Add chili powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, and sugar and stir until all of the spices have been evenly distributed. Pour in the shoyu and continue stirring. If adding Worcestershire sauce or cocoa powder as additional layers of flavoring then do it now.
Simmer Chili: Bring the mixture to a gentle boil before reducing to low. Simmer the chili uncovered for at least 45 minutes while occasionally stirring it to ensure even cooking.
Longer simmer times help the flavors blend more thoroughly; feel free to give the chili an hour-long simmer if possible!
Add Beans: About 15 minutes before the chili is complete, stir in the drained kidney beans until they have warmed through and taken on some of its flavor. Continue simmering until all beans have absorbed a significant portion of its heat and flavor from your chili recipe.
Adjust Seasonings: W hen tasting your chili, adjust its seasoning as necessary by adding salt, pepper or more shoyu as per your personal preferences. For a spicy kicker you may add more cayenne pepper or even hot sauce if desired.
Serve and Enjoy: Savour your copycat Zippy’s Chili hot, over steamed white rice or spaghetti, with cornbread for an authentic Hawaiian experience. Or for something different try topping your dog like they do at Zippy’s. * Additional Serving Variations and Suggestions (options available from website).
Zippy’s Chili is versatile, offering numerous ways to enjoy it.
Here are a few suggestions:
Chili Moco: For an entertaining Hawaiian dish with an extra kick, this twist on loco moco is sure to please – simply top a bowl of white rice with a hamburger patty, fried egg and plenty of chili for an irresistibly flavorful bite! For something different and equally filling try pouring chili over crispy fries before topping with cheese for a hearty snack or meal option!
Chili Nachos: Layer tortilla chips with chili, cheese, sour cream and jalapenos to create an appetizing snack. For an equally pleasing dish try rolling up some chili into a warm tortilla with rice beans and cheese for a satisfying burrito experience!
Vegetarian Option: Switch out the ground beef and Portuguese sausage for plant-based alternatives or increase bean and veggie servings such as bell peppers and zucchini for a vegetarian dish.
Experience Zippy’s Chili at Home
While nothing beats experiencing Zippy’s Chili in Hawaii directly, this copycat recipe brings all its distinct flavors back home with every bite – from the spicy Portuguese sausage and umami-rich shoyu sauce. Perfect whether you are craving an island taste or nostalgically remembering past visits, this chili will bring back memories from sunny shores with each tasteful bite!
One of the great joys of cooking is recreating beloved recipes from other parts of the world. This copycat Zippy’s Chili recipe not only brings Hawaii into your own kitchen, but it’s also an opportunity to share part of Hawaiian culture with loved ones. When craving comforting and flavorful cuisine, give this copycat Zippy’s Chili recipe a try and you may soon discover that it becomes part of your household like it has in Hawaii!
Enjoy your culinary adventure to Hawaii, and may you find joy! Aloha!
