When you’re craving comfort food, these Homemade Chili Cheese Dogs with a simple but super flavorful from-scratch chili sauce topping are a quick and easy fix that’s ready in about 30 minutes!
We all have our guilty pleasures when it comes to food. These crave-worthy chili cheese dogs are mine (okay, one of mine – yep, I have quite a few – but they’re definitely at the top of the list). Give them a try and know why for yourself!
I LOVE hot dogs, and I am not ashamed to admit it. They sometimes get a bad rap, but there are some really good ones available these days that are super delicious, so when I get a craving for these chili dogs, I go for it!
Sure, I try to eat sensibly most of the time, but I am also a believer in the everything-in-moderation school of thinking. And so while I don’t eat them too often, I will definitely indulge every now and again as a special treat. I actually think it makes them taste that much better!
If I add these Homemade Chili Cheese Dogs to my list of options when I ask David what he wants for dinner, without fail he will pick them every single time – no matter what else is on the list – and I get that look that says, “Are you really even asking me this question?”
Got it. Chili cheese dogs it is!
INGREDIENTS YOU NEED:
- Ground beef (or ground turkey)
- All-purpose flour
- Chili powder
- Onion powder
- Garlic powder
- Sugar
- Cumin
- Dried parsley
- Dried oregano
- Crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt and pepper
- Tomato sauce
- Butter
- Hot dogs
- Onion
- Mild cheddar cheese (or the cheese of your choice)
HERE’S A QUICK LOOK AT HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE CHILI CHEESE DOGS:
TIPS & TIDBITS:
- Start with a really good hot dog – one that you enjoy the flavor of. My personal favorite, if I can get them, are natural casing hot dogs. They have that special snap when you bite into them. YUM!
- Use a good, sturdy hot dog bun. If you have a flimsy bun, it’s gonna ruin the whole experience when it’s falling apart. I always use potato rolls. They hold up well and taste delicious!
- If you’ve got the grill out, you can grill the hot dogs instead of pan-frying them.
- I use mild cheddar cheese, but feel free to use whatever cheese you prefer. I’ve also used sharp cheddar, Monterey Jack, cheddar Jack, and even American in a pinch.
- A little drizzle of mustard on top is delicious too!
- If you want to melt the cheese and toast the buns a little, by all means go ahead and put your chili dogs in the oven or under the broiler for a few minutes until the cheese melts, like this…
My favorite thing to serve these with? French fries, of course! Homemade is always best, but more often than not – let’s be honest – I’m using frozen fries. Some of them are really, really good!
These chili cheese dogs are great for lunch or dinner, and they’re also awesome for feeding a crowd. Set up a chili dog bar and let everyone top their dog exactly how they like it – always a hit!
I hope you try this recipe for Homemade Chili Cheese Dogs and love it as much as I do. Thanks for visiting today!
Homemade Chili Cheese Dogs
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef or turkey
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- salt and pepper, to taste
- crushed red pepper flakes, to taste, optional (add none or as much as you like for the heat level you like)
- 2 8-ounce cans tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 8 hot dogs
- 8 hot dog buns, I use potato buns
- ½ cup chopped onions, add more or less to taste
- 1 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese, add more or less to taste
Instructions
- Brown the ground beef (or turkey) in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until no longer pink. If necessary, drain off any excess fat.
- Add the flour, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, sugar, cumin, parsley, oregano, salt and pepper to taste, and crushed red pepper flakes (if using) to taste. Cook, stirring, for one minute. Note: The flour is used to help thicken the chili sauce. Cooking it for a minute will cook out the raw flour taste.
- Add the tomato sauce; stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings, if needed. Keep warm while you cook the hot dogs.
- In a large skillet over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Add the hot dogs and cook, turning occasionally, until heated through and lightly browned.
- For each chili cheese dog: Place one hot dog on a bun. Top with ⅛ of the chili mixture. Top with 1 tablespoon of chopped onions and 2 tablespoons of shredded cheese. Enjoy!
Notes
- Be sure to use good quality hot dogs – ones you really enjoy the flavor of. My favorite are hot dogs with natural casings.
- Use good, sturdy buns so your chili dogs don’t fall apart.
- You can grill the hot dogs instead of pan-frying.
- You can use any cheese you like. If you want to melt your cheese and lightly toast your buns, place the assembled chili dogs in the oven or under the broiler for a few minutes.
- The amount of onions and cheese are just suggested amounts – feel free to adjust to your liking!
- A drizzle of mustard on top is a delicious addition!
- Estimated calories have been calculated based on using 80/20 ground beef. Estimated calories are 475 using 90/10 ground beef and 501 using 85/15 ground turkey.
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If you made this or any of my other recipes, take a photo and tag @nowcookthis on Instagram and hashtag it #nowcookthisrecipes.
Brian Nagele
Congratulations, you literally wrote one of the best posts I’ve seen in forever. If your blog isn’t already taking off, it definitely will if you keep sharing posts like this one.
Michelle
Wow, thank you so much!