Easy BLT Hot Dog
This page contains affiliate links. For more information please read my Disclosure Policy.
For a quick and easy variation on hot dog night, try this BLT Hot Dog recipe. It’s a fun spin on the classic sandwich that the whole family will love.
Raise your hand if you grew up eating boiled hot dogs. Both my husband and I did, usually with them thrown onto wonder bread style buns with a squirt of ketchup. As adults, we’ve definitely upped our frankfurter game by creating things like this BLT hot dog.
We start with a cooking method that creates that perfect caramelized exterior and choose buns that also taste great, like my homemade hot dog buns. Then we layer good quality toppings inside and that boring boiled dog transforms into a fun, delicious, but still easy meal that’s kid and adult friendly and simple enough to whip up on weeknights, for summer bbq’s, or your next gourmet hot dog bar.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Bacon, lettuce, tomato hot dogs – almost every ingredient is listed in the name! But I always have a tip or two on choosing the best of each ingredient and making the flavor shine.
- Hot Dogs – Choosing a good quality link makes a difference. My family prefers an all beef, uncured dog. You can use turkey, polish sausages, bratwurst, or hot links for some spice.
- Hot Dog Buns – If I can make it from scratch, I do! My homemade hot dog buns are sturdy with a delicious soft interior and chewy, golden exterior, but you can choose pretzel, brioche, or whatever you prefer.
- Bacon – Go for thick cuts with a good ratio of meat to fat, then render it to a crisp. In a pinch packaged real bacon pieces can work, but freshly cooked is best for flavor and texture.
- Tomatoes – Hot dogs are largely a summer meal, when the grill is out and ready, so we always use seasonal tomatoes from a farmer’s market or our garden. I urge you to find some local ones too, the flavor is incomparable. You can use diced large tomatoes, or halved cherry sized varieties.
- Lettuce – We usually choose romaine, green leaf, or butter, but thinly sliced Napa or savoy cabbage also work.
- Mayo – Go with your favorite store bought or homemade mayo for a bit of added creaminess.
Final Tips
Making a BLT hot dog is as simple as making the classic sandwich that inspires it. Here are some tips for making each one delicious.
- Render the bacon first – This is arguably the longest step. Chop the bacon and render it in a hot pan to get it crisp. You can even do this in a cast iron pan on the grill too. Don’t forget to save the bacon drippings in a bacon fat jar! (I use it in bread like my hot dog and hamburger buns!)
- Grill or sauté the hot dogs – When the weather is good we’re all about grilling off the hot dogs for that blackened char we love. A hot pan in the kitchen works just as well, but you want dry heat cooking for best texture.
- Toast the buns – Lightly toast split hot dog buns JUST before you build your dogs. This lets the mayo warm and soak in and makes everything just tasty!
- Layer Intentionally – the lettuce is best added at the bottom so it’s contained by the bun, while thin tomato slices work best for sliding in beside the frank. The bacon can be crumbled on top, or added as a whole slice next to it.
- Make it your own – Go for sliced or mashed avocado to make it a BLTA hot dog, or swap lettuce for sprouts, herbs, or anything else that suits your fancy.
When assembled, serve them hot with a nice summery avocado, corn, and pepper salad, best ever macaroni salad, classic potato salad, or a heaping scoop of summer squash pasta salad. If you grilled your hot dogs, try some grilled summer squash instead.
BLT hot dogs will become a fun riff on the standard hot dog dinner. They’re a great addition to a weekly menu, a family summer bbq, or to a hot dog bar at a party. I hope you enjoy, and happy eating!
Easy BLT Hot Dog
Ingredients
- 4 hot dogs
- 4 hot dog buns
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup shredded lettuce
- 1 large tomato
- 1/4 cup crumbled bacon
Instructions
- Start by rendering chopped bacon in a pan until crisp. Drain off all the grease and set aside.
- Slice the tomato, then cut each slice in half.
- Grill or sauté the hot dogs until hot throughout and caramelized.
- Toast the hot dog buns then spread with 1 tablespoon of mayo each.
- Add 1 tablespoon of lettuce to each bun then lay a hot dog on top.
- Arrange two tomato slices beside each dog then top with 1 tablespoon of crumbled bacon.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information and cooking times are provided as a best estimate. Values may vary based upon ingredients and equipment.
This is such a genius idea adding bacon to hot dogs! My family loved it with the fresh tomato slices too. I’ll be making this again soon!
So glad you all loved it, It is a favorite quick meal for my kiddo and husband too!
Oh my gosh, yum! These BLT hotdogs were a huge hit for dinner tonight, my kids loved them!
I’m glad you and your kids loved them.
So good! I never thought about making a hot dog into a BLT but so delish! My kids loved this recipe!
Amanda I’m thrilled you and your kiddos loved the BLT dogs. I do enjoy sharing my recipes and hearing that others love them too!
This was SO fun and my kids loved it. What a great idea to combine two classics. It made for a fun “make your own” dinner and the kids had so much fun dressing up their dogs!
Exactly my thought, who doesn’t love a BLT and a Hot Dog. Definitely a fun weekend meal or even a quick meal for that busy weeknight.
Agreed. Why boil a hot dog when you can sauté or grill it. We enjoyed the BLT component a great deal. Well done (no pun intended)!
Thanks Jenny, grilled or sautéed hot dogs are just so much better. I’m glad you enjoyed them as BLT dogs, we love dressing up a hot dog at our house.