9 Hot Dog Recipes for Game Day

Sonoran Hot Dog — The Spruce / Cara Cormack

You can treat a hot dog like an afterthought and it's still pretty great: plain bun, boiled dog, ketchup, mustard, and onion. It's basic but does the job. But the hot dog is also an endlessly riffable food, made for topping, tweaking, and garnishing. Whether you're in search of something messy like a chili-topped coney or something with taco truck vibes like a Sonoran dog, we've got ten options for you to choose from. Any and all will be right at home at your next football party.

01 of 09

Seattle Hot Dogs

The Spruce / Ali Redmond

Maybe you don't think of the rainy city when you think of a good hot dog, but these cream cheese-slathered, grilled onion-topped dogs are staples of Seattle's sports scene and late-night bar food culture. A true Seattle dog has to have the cream cheese, but other characteristics include a split and grilled frankfurter or Polish sausage, sliced jalapeños, sauerkraut or grilled cabbage, mustard, and sriracha (ketchup need not apply).

Get the Recipe
02 of 09

Chicago Hot Dogs

The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

Chicago dogs are an everything-but-the-kitchen-sink situation, loaded up with dill pickle spears, sport peppers, chopped onions, tomato wedges, electric green sweet pickle relish, yellow mustard, and celery salt all on a poppy seed bun. If you've never tried this kind of hot dog before, put it in the "just trust us" category. All the flavors really do make sense together, with sweet, salty, and tangy all playing off each other for the perfect bite.

Get the Recipe
03 of 09

Hamburger Hot Dogs

The Spruce/Diana Chistruga

This fun take on the hot dog pairs the flavors of a classic hamburger with the hot dog format. Ground beef is seasoned, shaped into oblongs, and broiled or grilled to perfection with American cheese. Top them with all your favorite burger toppings. Ketchup and mustard are must-haves, but son't forget about relish, sliced dill pickles, burger sauce, and shredded iceberg lettuce.

Get the Recipe
04 of 09

Italian Hot Dogs

The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

The Italian hot dog is a New Jersey creation piled high with fried potatoes, peppers, and onions and a hot dog all on an Italian roll or a local specialty called "pizza bread," a round loaf made with pizza dough. This is very much a cult New Jersey favorite, so odds are good you won't find it outside the Garden State. All the more reason to make it yourself!

Get the Recipe

Continue to 5 of 9 below
05 of 09

New York Hot Dogs

The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

Flavorful stewed onions are the hallmark of many great New York-style hot dogs, and our recipe achieves that iconic flavor with honey, spices, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce. You could serve the hot dogs topped only with these onions and die happy, but we also recommend a slathering of spicy brown mustard and a little sauerkraut for crunch.

Get the Recipe
06 of 09

Classic Coney Island Hot Dogs

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

What makes a hot dog a coney? It's all in the sauce, a thin, chili-like ground beef sauce seasoned with onions, warm spices like cumin and chili powder, and tomato paste or ketchup. For make-ahead purposes, prepare the coney sauce ahead of time and keep it warm in a slow cooker. Don't forget the mustard and onions!

Get the Recipe
07 of 09

Sonoran Hot Dogs

The Spruce / Cara Cormack

Originally from the capital of the Mexican state of Sonora, Hermosillo, these more-is-more hot dogs are extremely popular in southern Arizona as well, especially Tucson and Phoenix. Featuring a bacon-wrapped dog, beans, avocado, tomato, onion, and a variety of sauces from mayonnaise to jalapeño salsa all cradled in a soft bolillo roll, Sonoran dogs are just one beautiful example of what can happen when food cultures collide.

Get the Recipe
08 of 09

Puka Dogs

The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

The puka dog is a Hawaiian concoction made with sweet Hawaiian rolls stuffed with grilled Polish sausages, pineapple relish, and mango mustard. Rather than splitting the hot dog bun down the middle, you poke a hole through the center and slide the fillings inside, forbidden glizzy-style.

Get the Recipe

Continue to 9 of 9 below
09 of 09

Chili Cheese Dogs

Kristina Vanni

Though they may look very similar, a chili cheese dog is not the same as a coney. These chili cheese dogs are topped with a thicker chili flavored predominantly with chili powder, and melted cheese, though you can substitute cheese sauce, such as nacho cheese. Some folks make their chili with beans, and some make it without. Choose your own adventure!

Get the Recipe