17 Hot Dog Toppings You Haven’t Tried Yet

The best hot dog toppings aren't necessarily mustard or (cringe) ketchup. Upgrade your barbecue game with these innovative ideas.

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Regional style hot dogsTaste of Home

Forget about the red and yellow zigzags on yesterday’s franks. Gourmet hot dogs are in! Weird, wild and wonderful, these simple hot dog toppings kick the cookout staple into high gear. Have some fun with these creative topping ideas.

Mexican Street Corn Bake

This recipe is for anyone who loves Mexican street corn. It takes the iconic corn on the cob dish and transforms it into a casserole that can be spooned onto hot dogs. Finish it off with a drizzle of Sriracha (if you like it spicy), and your guests will be wowed at the combination.

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1/17
2/17

Southern Vinegar Slaw

Total Time 20 min
Servings 16 servings
From the Recipe Creator: Many of the options on this list will make your hot dog richer and heavier. Look to tangy slaw if you’re ready to lighten things up a bit. It’s a perfect combination of sweet, salty and acidic flavors all wrapped up in a crunchy package.
Nutrition Facts: 1 cup: 167 calories, 11g fat (1g saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 164mg sodium, 18g carbohydrate (14g sugars, 2g fiber), 1g protein.
3/17

Bandito Chili Dogs

Total Time 4 hours 15 min
Servings 10 servings
From the Recipe Creator: Instead of using chili and cheese as toppings for hot dogs, this recipe cooks everything together in a slow cooker. The flavors melt together, creating a next-level creation that absolutely wows the taste buds. We love making this one for a Memorial Day cookout because they’re made ahead of time, so you can spend more time with your guests than cooking in the kitchen.
Nutrition Facts: 1 chili dog: 450 calories, 23g fat (10g saturated fat), 53mg cholesterol, 1442mg sodium, 43g carbohydrate (6g sugars, 3g fiber), 19g protein.
4/17

Tomatillo Relish

Total Time 1 hour 5 min
Servings 4 pints
From the Recipe Creator: This relish isn’t your everyday sweetened pickle relish. The tomatillos bring a tangy flavor that pairs perfectly with spicy peppers, bright herbs and salty olives. Finish it off with a little lemon juice, and this relish is absolutely perfect for hot dogs. Bonus: This relish doubles as a burger topping.
Nutrition Facts: 2 tablespoons: 24 calories, 2g fat (0 saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 157mg sodium, 2g carbohydrate (1g sugars, 0 fiber), 0 protein.
5/17

Frito Pie

Total Time 30 min
Servings 6 servings
From the Recipe Creator: If you’ve ever spent any time in the Southwest, you know all about Frito pie. It’s not actually pie at all—it’s a bag of crunchy Fritos that have been topped with a bowl of chili and shredded cheese. Add an extra layer of goodness by using it as a hot dog topping, adding a little sour cream as needed to tame the heat from a spicy chili recipe.
Nutrition Facts: 1 serving: 718 calories, 40g fat (14g saturated fat), 84mg cholesterol, 1719mg sodium, 53g carbohydrate (6g sugars, 8g fiber), 33g protein.
6/17

Bacon-Wrapped Hot Dogs

Total Time 35 min
Servings 8 servings
From the Recipe Creator: A bacon-wrapped hot dog is a thing of beauty in itself, but it tastes even better when you go one step further and add the fermented flavor of sauerkraut to the mix. This combination is especially good if you use cheese-filled hot dogs, really making it a fully-loaded frank.
Nutrition Facts: 1 stuffed hot dog: 363 calories, 21g fat (9g saturated fat), 47mg cholesterol, 1130mg sodium, 26g carbohydrate (4g sugars, 2g fiber), 16g protein.
7/17

Hawaiian Beef Sliders

Total Time 40 min
Servings 1-1/2 dozen
From the Recipe Creator: If you can make Hawaiian beef sliders, there’s no reason you can’t use the same treatment for hot dogs! The combination of sweet pineapple, homemade teriyaki sauce and savory hot dogs makes this a perfect summer treat.
Nutrition Facts: 3 sliders: 350 calories, 12g fat (4g saturated fat), 74mg cholesterol, 444mg sodium, 34g carbohydrate (13g sugars, 4g fiber), 27g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 3 lean meat, 2 starch, 1/2 fat.
8/17

Mini Mac & Cheese Dogs

Total Time 40 min
Servings 2 dozen
From the Recipe Creator: Ready to create a mashup of two comfort food classics? Whip up your favorite batch of mac and cheese and ladle it into your hot dog bun. To really take this dish to the next level, sprinkle some panko bread crumbs on top to create a crispy topping that mimics an oven-baked dish.
Nutrition Facts: 1 appetizer: 198 calories, 12g fat (5g saturated fat), 25mg cholesterol, 446mg sodium, 18g carbohydrate (2g sugars, 1g fiber), 6g protein.
9/17

Caramelized Onion Dip

Total Time 50 min
Servings 2 cups
From the Recipe Creator: This is our little play on a Seattle dog, or a hot dog topped with cream cheese and caramelized onions. This dip brings all those sweet-and-tangy vibes to your hot dog, and any leftovers can be served on the side with chips. To make it a true Seattle dog, garnish each bun with thinly sliced jalapeno peppers.
Nutrition Facts: 1/4 cup (calculated without chips and vegetables): 117 calories, 9g fat (4g saturated fat), 21mg cholesterol, 170mg sodium, 6g carbohydrate (4g sugars, 1g fiber), 2g protein.
10/17

South Liberty Hall Relish

Total Time 10 min
Servings 2 cups
From the Recipe Creator: This relish couldn’t be any easier to make, but it tastes so much better than store-bought options. It’s a simple mix of pickles, onions, sugar and yellow mustard pureed together in a food processor. The flavors are increcible at elevating the humble hot dog.
Nutrition Facts: 2 tablespoons: 16 calories, 0 fat (0 saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 415mg sodium, 3g carbohydrate (2g sugars, 1g fiber), 1g protein.
11/17

Mexican Hot Dogs

Total Time 20 min
Servings 6 servings
From the Recipe Creator: If you’ve never added avocado to your hot dog, you might want to start. It’s simultaneously rich and cooling, and it’s absolutely perfect for giving a South-of-the-Border twist to a regular old hot dog.
Nutrition Facts: 1 serving: 310 calories, 19g fat (7g saturated fat), 29mg cholesterol, 844mg sodium, 25g carbohydrate (4g sugars, 2g fiber), 11g protein.
12/17

Old-Fashioned Coney Hot Dog Sauce

Total Time 40 min
Servings 2 cups
From the Recipe Creator: Although Coney hot dogs invoke images of New York’s Coney Island, the dish referred to here is a Midwestern invention. These hot dogs are smothered in a tomato-based chili sauce made with ground meat, beef stock and plenty of spices. Drizzle this one with mustard, serve it with some chopped onions, and you have yourself a real winner.
Nutrition Facts: 1/4 cup: 103 calories, 5g fat (2g saturated fat), 35mg cholesterol, 355mg sodium, 2g carbohydrate (1g sugars, 1g fiber), 12g protein.
13/17

Pesto

Total Time 30 min
Servings 5 cups
From the Recipe Creator: There’s just something about the richness and herbaceous profile of pesto that makes it work on almost anything. When you need to use up a jar of pesto, mix the green sauce with a little mayonnaise or aioli and add it to a hot dog garnished with Parmesan cheese and fresh chopped tomatoes.
Nutrition Facts: 1/4 cup: 111 calories, 5g fat (2g saturated fat), 28mg cholesterol, 298mg sodium, 7g carbohydrate (4g sugars, 1g fiber), 9g protein.
14/17

Zucchini Pico de Gallo Salsa

Total Time 20 min
Servings 4-1/2 cups
From the Recipe Creator: This recipe is ideal for those middle-of-the-summer barbecues, especially when they’re fittingly timed with the overflow of zucchinis in your garden. This salsa brings lively flavors to the hot dog while the chopped summer squash adds a soft, chewy texture. If you’re not a fan of heat, leave out the diced jalapeno.
Nutrition Facts: 1/4 cup: 10 calories, 0 fat (0 saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 68mg sodium, 2g carbohydrate (1g sugars, 1g fiber), 0 protein. Diabetic Exchanges: free food.
15/17

Easy Pimiento Cheese

Total Time 15 min
Servings 16 servings
From the Recipe Creator: Celebrate your inner Southerner and whip up a batch of pimiento cheese for your next cookout. The grated cheese will start to melt as soon as it hits the warm hot dog bun, making the dip extra creamy. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to add some pickled jalapenos to this combination to take things up a notch.
Nutrition Facts: 1/4 cup: 238 calories, 23g fat (7g saturated fat), 29mg cholesterol, 286mg sodium, 2g carbohydrate (1g sugars, 0 fiber), 7g protein.
16/17

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Total Time 30 min
Servings about 2 cups
From the Recipe Creator: This is one of our favorite potluck recipes, and it works surprisingly well as a hot dog topping. It’s gooey, cheesy and rich, and the spicy buffalo sauce cuts right through the high-fat frank. Of course, you can always double down and make this extra decadent by sprinkling on some blue cheese crumbles just before serving.
Nutrition Facts: 2 tablespoons: 152 calories, 13g fat (7g saturated fat), 36mg cholesterol, 409mg sodium, 2g carbohydrate (1g sugars, 0 fiber), 7g protein.
17/17

Crispy Fried Onion Rings

Total Time 25 min
Servings 12 servings
From the Recipe Creator: This addition not only adds a ton of flavor to your hot dog, but it also infuses every bite with a delightful crunchy texture. The onion rings are a great addition on their own, or they can be drizzled with mustard to add some tang. We think the onion ring hot dog gets even better if you top it all with your favorite barbecue sauce.
Nutrition Facts: 1/2 cup: 71 calories, 5g fat (0 saturated fat), 16mg cholesterol, 153mg sodium, 5g carbohydrate (1g sugars, 0 fiber), 1g protein.