Baked Cheesy Hot Dogs! Hot dogs, an all-time favorite among children, are elevated by adding cheese and baking them in the oven until they are crunchy and gooey. Some onions and relish are also helpful.
Oh, the lowly sausage! It is perhaps the most iconic American childhood dish, and for good reason.
Hot dogs are simple to prepare; in fact, nearly all of them are pre-cooked, so you can eat them cold straight from the package if that’s your thing. Children can eat them with their hands or by chopping them into small pieces. They are also exceptionally tasty.
What Hot Dogs to Buy?
My children will eat almost any hot dog, but if I’m making them for my meal as well, I want one of high quality. I prefer purchasing all-beef hot dogs with a natural casing so that they have a snap.
Hebrew National is my preferred brand when available, followed by Nathan’s.
Why Bake Your Hot Dogs?
Before baking the hot dogs, I recommend searing them in a skillet so that they have a bit of snap. It can take a few minutes, but it gives the dog a great texture.
The subsequent baking of the hot dogs causes the cheese to melt and the top of the bun to become crunchy. It’s a lovely and simple combination!
The hot dogs bake beautifully when topped with cheddar cheese and onion dice (I recommend a top-cut bun for easier positioning in the baking dish). Serve with a steamed vegetable and any toppings of your choosing.
I used cheddar cheese and white onions, and after a few minutes in an oven heated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, dinner was ready!
What to Serve with Your Hot Dogs?
I recommend serving these with a steamed vegetable of some sort to balance off the dish. I opted for peas because they are a surefire hit with my children (they even eat them frozen), but steamed broccoli would also be delicious! Something simply green!
Ingredients
For the hot dogs:
- 6 all-beef hot dogs
- 6 hot dogs buns, the top cut
- 3/4 to 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
- 1/2 white onion, diced
- Sweet pickle relish
- Ketchup
For the Dad Add – quick giardiniera:
- 1/2 cup diced dill pickles
- 1/2 cup diced spicy pickled cauliflower
- 1/4 cup diced banana peppers
Method
Preheat oven to 400°F
Sear the hot dogs:
In a medium skillet over medium heat, sear the hot dogs for 4 to 5 minutes, or until they are beginning to blister on both sides.
Avoid overcooking them.
Assemble the hot dogs:
Place the seared hot dogs in top-cut hot dog buns and place them in a large baking dish. Garnish with shredded cheese and white onion dice.
Bake the hot dogs:
Bake the hot dogs for approximately six minutes, or until the cheese has melted and the buns have toasted. The onions may soften slightly but may retain some crispiness, which is desirable.
Serve the hot dogs:
Remove the hot dogs from the oven and cover them with ketchup, relish, or Dad’s chili sauce. Add giardiniera. Serve hot dogs with steamed vegetables such as broccoli.
Make only as much as you intend to consume, as leftovers do not store well.