Tommy’s Chili Burger (Copycat)

4
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Chili Prep Time 35 minutes
Total Time 1 hour

Tommy’s Original Chili Burger (Copycat) is a well-loved Californian chili burger recreated to get an authentic taste! Try this today!

Copycat Recipes on burger chain favorites like Tommy’s Original Chili and Big Mac Sloppy Joes are always a big hit on this site! It’s easy to get hooked on recreating classic fast food right in your own kitchen!

To make the famous Chili Burger, you first have to make my copycat chili recipe for Tommy’s Chili. I included the recipe in this post. While you can make the meaty chili at the same time as this recipe (it’s super quick), you should definitely try making it a day or two ahead of time. Tommy’s Original Chili tastes the most authentic when it’s been cooled down and then reheated.

Sabrina’s Tommy’s Chili Burger (Copycat) Recipe

If you’ve ever had the pleasure of sinking your teeth (and tastebuds) into a Tommy’s Original Chili Burger, you are probably coming into this recipe with high expectations! And you should be, Tommy’s Chili Burgers are in a class of their own and they hold their recipes close to their chest. While it’s hard to beat this classic, there are some more variations later in the post!

My Tommy’s Original Chili Burger copycat won’t disappoint. Down to the cheese and pickles, the research and testing for this recipe was lovingly conducted to get it exactly right. Not that it’s a bad thing, but a lot of that research was getting to eat many, many Tommy’s Chili Burgers and Tommy’s Chili Fries (and chili cheese dogs).

Tommy's Original Chili Burger Copycat ingredients on a wooden board

Ingredients

  • 1 pound Ground Beef Chuck: I’m using the more flavorful ground beef chuck. It’s got a bit more fat content but that gives it a juicier and richer flavor. You can use whatever ground beef you have though if needed.
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt: You can use pink salt, or sea salt, or regular table salt.
  • 1 teaspoon Coarse Ground Black Pepper: This adds a subtle flavor to the patties.
  • 2 cups Tommy’s Chili: When it comes to the Chili, the secret ingredient is using masa harina and finely grated carrots in the beef mixture. This gives the chili the thickness and slight sweetness that they are famous for. Go check out the Tommy’s Chili recipe for more insider tips and nostalgia about the Southern California classic Tommy’s Original! Sure, you could use canned chili, but homemade is better!
  • 4 slices Extra Sharp American Cheese: Some people think the cheese they use is Velvetta, but they actually use Extra Sharp American Cheese slices that are 100% real cheese.
  • ½ cup Large Dill Pickle Slices: You must use dill pickles and the thicker, sturdier slices are the best.
  • ½ cup White Onions: Diced white onions, not yellow or red onions but white (not sweet) onions.
  • 4 slices Beefsteak Tomato: The beefsteak tomatoes are sliced nice and thick to hold up against the steaming hot chili. If beefsteak tomatoes are not available, you can use other tomatoes like Roma or vine-ripened tomatoes.
  • 1 teaspoon Yellow Mustard: For the mustard you want to use yellow mustard, and none tastes quite like French’s yellow mustard.
  • 4 White Hamburger Buns: You can use whole wheat or brioche buns, or whatever buns you have available.

How to Make

Time needed: 1 hour.

  1. Prepare Beef Patties

    Make the patties putting an indent into the center so they keep their form while cooking. Store them in the refrigerator while you make or reheat the chili.Tommy's Original Chili Burger Copycat four raw burger patties on plate

  2. Make Tommy’s Chili

    Following the recipe for Tommy’s Chili, place it into the refrigerator while you cook the patties. You’ll reheat it just before serving. Tommy's Chili Copycat resized photo of pot of cooked chili topped with shredded cheddar cheese.

  3. Grill Beef Patties

    Heat up the grill and cook the patties 3-5 minutes on each side, depending on your preference. You can use the outdoor grill, or on a stovetop skillet on medium heat. Tommy's Original Chili Burger Copycat four burger patties cooking in grill pan

  4. Assemble Burgers

    When everything is ready, assemble the burgers with the bottom bun first, then follow with the patty, ½ cup of Tommy’s Chili, then cheese, onions, pickles, and tomato. Top it off with yellow mustard.Tommy's Original Chili Burger Copycat four burgers topped with tomato slices and mustard.

  5. Serve

    Top with the top bun and serve these tasty burgers with french fries or other favorite burger sides. Go all out and make some homemade chili cheese fries if you have extra chili!Tommy's Original Chili Burger Copycat assembled burgers.

Recipe Card

Tommy’s Original Chili Burger (Copycat)

Tommy's Original Chili Burger (Copycat) is a well-loved Californian chili burger recreated to get an authentic taste! Try this today!
Yield 4
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Dinner
Cuisine American
Author Sabrina Snyder

Ingredients
 

  • 1 pound ground beef chuck
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon course ground black pepper
  • 2 cups Tommy's Chili , see recipe to prepare
  • 4 slices extra sharp American cheese , doubled slices or thick slices
  • 1/2 cup large dill pickle slices
  • 1/2 cup white onions , diced
  • 4 slices beefsteak tomato
  • 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
  • 4 white hamburger buns

Instructions

  • Form the ground beef into four patties, press your thumb into the center of the patty to make an indent (this prevents the patty from becoming misshapen).
  • Season patties with salt and pepper, set aside in refrigerator.
  • Prepare Tommy's Chili, let sit off heat and cool down while grilling burger patties (Reheating makes it more authentic and thick).
  • On high heat cook the beef patties for 3 minutes on each side.
  • Reheat Tommy's Chili and assemble burgers according to note below.

Notes

How to Assemble a Tommy’s Chili Burger
Bottom Bun
Hamburger Patty
½ Cup Tommy’s Chili
Slice Extra Sharp American Cheese (if using)
Diced White Onions
Slices of Dill Pickles
Large Slice Beefsteak Tomato
Yellow Mustard
Top Bun

Nutrition

Calories: 640kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 40g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 127mg | Sodium: 1873mg | Potassium: 669mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 244IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 355mg | Iron: 6mg

How to Make Tommy’s Chili

Ingredients 

  • 1 pound ground beef, (85/15)
  • 1 large carrot
  • 3 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 2 tablespoons masa harina  (masa harina means corn flour in Spanish)
  • 2 cups beef broth (or you can use 2 cups water or a combination of water and broth instead)
  • 1 tablespoon white vinegar
  • 1/4 cup flour

Instructions

  • Add your carrots to a food processor until they’re very finely chopped and the food processor stops making them smaller. Use a spatula to clean the food processor and get all the carrots.
  • Add the ground beef and carrots to a large Dutch oven on medium-high heat and cook until the beef is no longer pink, breaking it apart as you go, about 5-6 minutes. You’ll want to make sure to have brown meat for safety.
  • Lower the heat to medium and add in the chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and masa harina, stirring well to combine.
  • In a small cup whisk together the beef broth, vinegar, and flour until the flour is completely absorbed, then add the brown roux into the pot.
  • Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for an additional 30 minutes to thicken.

Can This Be Made Ahead?

These are actually best served fresh. You can make the individual ingredients the day before and reheat the chili, but the burgers will be best served fresh.

Nutritional Facts

Nutrition Facts
Tommy's Original Chili Burger (Copycat)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 640 Calories from Fat 360
% Daily Value*
Fat 40g62%
Saturated Fat 16g100%
Trans Fat 2g
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
Monounsaturated Fat 15g
Cholesterol 127mg42%
Sodium 1873mg81%
Potassium 669mg19%
Carbohydrates 32g11%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 6g7%
Protein 37g74%
Vitamin A 244IU5%
Vitamin C 5mg6%
Calcium 355mg36%
Iron 6mg33%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

How to Serve Tommy Burgers

Serve your Tommy’s Chili Burger with French Fries (also topped with chili) for an authentic meal, or other burger sides like Onion Rings, Coleslaw, or Loaded Garlic Fries. Turn these into Tommy’s Chili Sliders by splitting each patty into thirds before cooking and then serving on Hawaiian rolls.

How to Store

  • Store: Serve your Tommy’s Chili Burger hot and keep it at room temperature for no more than 2 hours. Store leftover chili for up to 3 days. You can store the burger patties and the chili together or separately in an airtight container.
  • Reheating Tips: This is best served fresh however, you can store the ingredients separately for up to 2 days in the fridge and reheat the burger in the microwave or the toaster oven.
  • Freeze: Cooked hamburger patties and Tommy’s Chili can be frozen for up to 3 months in a sealed container. Fully cool before storing. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.

Frequent Questions

Does Tommy’s Chili have beans?

Neither the original Tommy’s Chili recipe nor my copycat recipe contains beans.

What is Original Tommy’s?

In the 1940s, a man by the name of Tommy started a little chili burger stand in Los Angeles. It became a hit and has expanded to dozens of locations in California and Nevada. I’m excited for you to try my homemade version of Tommy’s classic LA burger.

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Variations

  • Sloppy Joes: Instead of making hamburger patties, brown your ground beef in a skillet with salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. Mix in half the Tommy’s Chili and then spoon onto bottom buns. Cover with more chili, burger toppings, and the top bun.
  • Meat: Use ground turkey or ground chicken instead of ground beef for your hamburger patties. For juicier patties, mix a tablespoon of oil into leaner ground meat.
  • Bacon: Tommy’s Original doesn’t serve a Bacon Chili Burger, but that doesn’t mean you can’t cook up a few slices to top each Chili Burger at home.
  • Caliente Burger: To recreate Tommy’s Caliente Burger, top each patty with Pepper jack cheese before adding the chili. Then top chili with Cascabella peppers, also known as Hot Chili Peppers you can find in the pickled food section.

More Delicious Burger Recipes

Tommy's Original Chili Burgers collage of assembled burger cut in half to see the inside cross section and assembled burger uncut. Recipe name in blue banner across center.

About the Author: Sabrina Snyder

Sabrina is a professionally trained Private Chef of over 10 years with ServSafe Manager certification in food safety. She creates all the recipes here on Dinner, then Dessert, fueled in no small part by her love for bacon.

Sabrina Snyder is a professionally trained personal and private chef of over 10 years who is the creator and developer of all the recipes on Dinner, then Dessert.

She is also the author of the cookbook Dinner, then Dessert – Satisfying Meals Using Only 3, 5 or 7 Ingredients, published by Harper Collins.

She started Dinner, then Dessert as a business in her office as a lunch service for her coworkers who admired her lunches before going to culinary school and becoming a full time personal chef and private chef.

As a personal chef Sabrina would cook for families one day a week and cook their entire week of dinners. All grocery shopping, cooking and cleaning was done along with instructions on reheating. As a private chef she cooked for private parties and cooked in family homes in the evenings for families on a nightly basis after working as a personal chef during the day.

Sabrina has been certified as a ServSafe Manager since 2007 and was a longstanding member of the USPCA Personal Chef Association including being on the board of the Washington DC Chapter of Chefs in the US Personal Chef Association when they won Chapter of the year.

As a member of the community of food website creators Sabrina Snyder has spoken at many conferences regarding her experiences as a food writer including the Indulge Food Conference, Everything Food Conference, Haven Food Conference and IACP Annual Food Professionals Conference.

Sabrina lives with her family in sunny California.

Dinner, then Dessert, Inc. owns the copyright on all images and text and does not allow for its original recipes and pictures to be reproduced anywhere other than at this site unless authorization is given. Read my disclosure and copyright policy. This post may contain affiliate links.

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