Take your hot dog game to the next level with my Sauerkraut and Hot Dogs recipe! Perfectly grilled hot dogs are nestled in a soft bun and topped with tangy sauerkraut, savory caramelized onions, and grainy brown mustard.
If you're tired of the same old ketchup and mustard hot dog routine then you need to try these hot dogs topped with sauerkraut and caramelized onions!
Sauerkraut hot dogs are what I would call a "grown-up hot dog." Sauerkraut, caramelized onions, and grainy brown mustard are the perfect trio of toppings that will elevate your hot dog far beyond the basic version!
Sauerkraut adds the ideal amount of tangy crunch. Sweet caramelized onions balance out the vinegar tang from the sauerkraut. And grainy stoneground mustard rounds out all of the flavors perfectly!
I like to serve sauerkraut hot dogs with my Classic Potato Salad (without eggs), Marinated Vegetable Salad, and Berry Skewers.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- You can make your grown-up hot dog and your kids can still stick to the classic toppings - ketchup, yellow mustard, and some pickles on the side.
- These hot dogs can be cooked however you prefer - on the grill, in a frying pan cooked in olive oil or butter, in the air fryer, or boiled.
- This is a quick and easy recipe that is also perfect if you're on a budget!
- I prefer to use store-bought sauerkraut, but if you have your own homemade sauerkraut that you love, then you can use that too!
- Sauerkraut can be served warm or cold. Simply warm your sauerkraut in a skillet on the stove or slowly in a crock pot.
- This recipe is perfect for a backyard cookout, BBQ, Memorial Day weekend party, or 4th of July!
🥘Ingredients
- Hot dogs - I used beef hotdogs for this recipe, but you could also use pork hotdogs or turkey hotdogs.
- Sauerkraut - Sauerkraut is finely chopped, fermented raw cabbage. Sauerkraut can be purchased with no added ingredients, or you can find it in a variety of flavors. I chose a dill and garlic sauerkraut from Saverne Artisanal Kraut. You can also find sauerkraut flavored with caraway seeds, sriracha, jalapenos, beets, turmeric, and ginger. You don't have to purchase sauerkraut from the grocery store, you could make your own using a homemade sauerkraut recipe!
- Brown mustard - I really prefer grainy, brown mustard for this hot dog recipe. Woodstock Organic Stone Ground Mustard and Organicville Stone Ground Mustard are both great choices! You could swap out the brown mustard though, for a Dijon mustard, spicy brown mustard, or German mustard.
- Hot dog buns - Choose whatever hotdog buns that you prefer!
- Onions - The onions are used to make caramelized onions. Caramelized onions are cooked over medium-low heat for about 45 minutes. They take some time to cook, but they are such a delicious hot dog topping, they are worth the extra cooking time!
- Butter & salt
*See the recipe card for exact quantities.
🔪Equipment needed
- Large frying pan, outdoor grill, or stock pot - You can use any of these cooking tools to make your hot dogs. Choose whichever one you prefer!
- Large skillet with deep sides - This will be used to make your caramelized onions. The onions eventually cook down, but to start, you will need a deep frying pan or skillet.
- Cutting board & chopping knife
📋 How to make Sauerkraut and Hot Dogs
Recipe rundown
- Make the caramelized onions.
- Cook the hot dogs.
- Top each hot dog with caramelized onions, sauerkraut, and brown mustard. Enjoy!
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: Thinly slice each medium onion and place them into a hot, oiled, large skillet.
Step 2: Sauté the onions over medium-high heat for 10 minutes, stirring constantly.
Step 3: Reduce the heat to low, add the teaspoon of salt, and cook for 35-40 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. The onions will reduce and turn a deep golden brown color. When the onions have finished cooking, transfer them to a small bowl.
Some caramelized onion recipes call for balsamic vinegar or brown sugar. They aren't absolutely necessary, and your onions will still perfectly caramelize without any additions.
Step 4: While the onions are caramelizing, cook your hot dogs. I prefer to sauté hot dogs in a frying pan on the stovetop. You can also grill your hot dogs or boil them in water.
Get the rest of your ingredients out and ready - the sauerkraut, mustard, and hot dog rolls. You can lay everything out on a cookie sheet (sheet pan) lined with parchment paper as I did. This will make it easy to transfer your finished Sauerkraut and Hot Dogs Recipe to the table.
Step 5: When your onions have finished caramelizing, you can start layering your ingredients onto the hotdogs! Start with a scoop of onions.
Step 6: Add a scoop of sauerkraut on top of the onions.
Step 7: Top the sauerkraut with a layer of mustard.
That's it! Serve the hot dogs immediately and make as many hot dogs as you need using these toppings.
🌭Ingredient substitutions
- Mustard - If grainy mustard isn't for you then you can substitute with yellow mustard, Dijon mustard, or honey mustard.
- Buns - To make this recipe gluten-free, you can use gluten-free hot dog buns. Pretzel buns would also be delicious! Check the bakery section of your grocery store for pretzel hot dog buns.
- Hot dogs- The meat-based hot dogs can be replaced with a vegetarian hot dog to make this a plant-based meal. You can also swap out the beef/pork hot dogs for turkey dogs.
📖Variations
- Spicy - Use a sriracha or jalapeno-based sauerkraut to add some heat to this recipe!
- Kid-friendly - Kids may not be a fan of this recipe, but luckily you can easily adapt hot dogs for dinner night to fit anyone's preferences!
- Other topping options - Some other toppings that I think would be delicious are sweet pickle relish, Thousand Island Dressing, sour cream, melted swiss cheese, a pinch of black pepper, and sautéed bell peppers.
🍽Storage
Store leftover ingredients separately. The jars of mustard and leftover sauerkraut can last in the fridge for weeks. Store leftover caramelized onions and leftover cooked hot dogs in a sealed, air tight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
⭐Expert tips
- No matter which way you cook your hot dogs, they will cook very quickly! Keep an eye on them so that they don't burn.
- The caramelized onions can be made in advance. If you're making this recipe for a party and want to save time the day of the event, make the caramelized onions the day before.
- Sauerkraut is packed in liquid. When scooping out sauerkraut to add to the hot dogs, use a slotted spoon so that the liquid drains out while you are scooping it.
- This is a fantastic recipe to add to your next party food menu! Sauerkraut hot dogs can be served at your Memorial Day weekend BBQ, 4th of July BBQ, Labor Day weekend party or any birthday party!
Frequently asked questions
Yes, I think the flavors in tangy sauerkraut and savory hot dogs pair together very well!
Sauerkraut is a very healthy side dish! Sauerkraut is full of vitamins, minerals, and gut-healthy probiotics.
As you can see in my recipe, I think caramelized onions and brown mustard are the perfect additions to sauerkraut hot dogs!
🥗Serving suggestions
Sauerkraut and Hot Dogs is an easy recipe that can be served with a variety of different sides! I would serve sauerkraut hot dogs ( AKA weenies) with potato salad, sweet potato fries, coleslaw, grilled vegetables, baked beans, vegetable salad, soft pretzels, and macaroni salad.
📖 Recipe
Sauerkraut and Hot Dogs Recipe
The next time you serve hot dogs for dinner, get creative with them and try out this Sauerkraut and Hot Dogs Recipe! These delicious hot dogs are topped with tangy sauerkraut, sweet caramelized onions and grainy, brown mustard.
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 5 medium onions - thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 8 hot dogs
- 8 hot dog buns
- 16 ounce jar sauerkraut
- Stoneground mustard
Instructions
- Heat the butter in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sliced onions to the skillet. Sauté the onions over medium-high heat, stirring constantly for 10 minutes.
- Turn the heat down to low, add the teaspoon of kosher salt and let the onions cook for 35-40 minutes. Stir the onions every 5 minutes. They will slowly turn a deep golden brown color as they caramelize and reduce down. After 35-40 minutes, remove the onions from the heat and set aside.
- While the onions are cooking, you can cook your hot dogs. The hot dogs can be grilled, cooked in a frying pan or boiled. Follow package instructions for cooking your hot dogs.
- Once your hot dogs are cooked and your onions have caramelized, you can begin assembling your sauerkraut hot dogs.
- Place each hot dog in a bun, top the hot dogs with a layer of caramelized onions, then a layer of sauerkraut and then the stoneground mustard.
- You'll have some mustard, sauerkraut and caramelized onions leftover. Serve your sauerkraut hot dogs immediately and enjoy!
Notes
- To save time the day your serving your hot dogs, make the caramelized onions in advance. If the onions are made in advance, then this recipe can be made in under 10 minutes!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: lunch, dinner
- Method: stove top cooking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: sauerkraut and hot dogs recipe, sauerkraut hot dogs
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