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Celebrate National Hot Dog Day With Avocado and 4 More Unexpected Wiener Toppings

Kara Jillian Brown

July 17, 2019

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Photo: Getty Images/ Evi Oravecz / Green Evi /Picture Press

Okay, so, I love hot dogs. They're legit my favorite summer food. If you invite me to a backyard party in this ungodly heat and there are no hot dogs, I'm leaving. They're irrefutably the best part of going to a baseball game, and they're the only reason I know how to broil (yes, I know, not difficult, but still a meaningful lesson).

Today is National Hot Dog Day, and the perfect opportunity to invite you into my hot dog dreamland, giving you topping ideas that'll blow your mind faster than you can say Oscar Mayer. You're welcome.

5 unexpected hot dog recipes for hot summer days (and every day)

Hawaiian Dog

Picture this: you're on your deck, the grill is fired up, and as you roast your dogs, you also throw on some pineapple. Dice the pineapple, add some caramelized onions and you've got a savory-sweet weenie.

Avo-wow-do Dog

In case you haven't noticed, avocados are kind of a big deal here at Well+Good. Given that hot dogs are kind of the OG alt-meat (can you really call that meat?), pairing them with the Omega-3 it-girl is like, almost on brand. Mashed, sliced—doesn't matter. Do your avo your way, and maybe take it to the next level by adding salsa and sautéed corn, onion and black beans.

Cuban Dog

This is all the goodness of the Cuban sandwich, but on a hot dog. Melt some Swiss cheese over your dog, slide dill pickle slices right between the dog and the bun, and top with mustard.

Daddy Dog

Hear me out—the best burger is a bacon cheeseburger topped with caramelized onion and mushrooms. So why not take that daddy of a combo and put it on a hot dog? Pro tip: wrap that dog in turkey bacon before you grill.

Breakfast Dog

So I'm not saying you should eat hot dogs for breakfast, but if you do, I'm not mad at it. Like the daddy dog, wrap your wiener in bacon and grill. Top with a fried egg and hot sauce. Step it up by serving with home fries instead of french fries.

Grill forth and prosper.

And here's how to make carrot hot dogs (aka "not dogs"):

While we're on the subject of grilling, this healthy barbecue sauce recipe will change your life, and you can make your BBQs more sustainable with Target's new line of biodegradable tableware.