Rex Trulove
Cheap, easy to make, good tasting and filling is a great combination for a very nice meal. Wouldn’t you agree? That is what this hot dog casserole is. Hot dogs aren’t usually considered to be a classy food, but this meal is surprisingly tasty.
I’ll admit that one of my favorite meals when camping is hot dogs, roasted on a willow switch, with pork & beans on the side. The casserole is a much better meal, though it is based on that humble beginning.
There are no willow switches involved, but the flavor is still quite good and this meal can also be easily varied for different tastes. For instance, I use pork & beans, but for people who don’t like eating pork, vegetarian beans can be purchased that have a very similar flavor, so these could be used instead. Homemade mock pork and beans can also be used.
Hot dog casserole ingredients:
1 package hot dogs
2 cans pork & beans
1 onion, sliced into thin rings
1/2 pound cheddar cheese, grated
2 tablespoons brown sugar
Hot dog casserole instructions:
1. Slice the hot dogs in half, top to bottom and place a layer of these in a casserole dish with the inside facing upward. Place the onion rings over the top of the hot dogs in a single layer. Sprinkle this with grated cheese.
2. Repeat these steps for more layers of hot dogs, onions, and cheese, until all the hot dogs have been used.
3. Pour the pork & beans, including the juice, over the top of the hot dogs and sprinkle the brown sugar over this. Cover the casserole dish and cook in a 300 F oven for one hour.
For a more filling meal, add more cheese. Also, different kinds of cheese can be used or you can use a blend of several kinds. Cheddar, Jack, Colby, Swiss and Mozzarella all go well in this casserole and using more than one kind of cheese gives a hardier flavor.
Diced jalapenos can be added to the dish if you like spicy foods. Pepper cheese can also be used. Bell peppers, cut into rings, can also be used, for a variation.
Another interesting variation is to add 1/4 teaspoon of liquid smoke to the pork & beans prior to pouring them into the casserole dish. Turkey hot dogs can be used instead of beef, chicken, or pork hot dogs, too.
As you can see, there are many variations that are possible. This makes this a great dish for many different tastes and according to what ingredients are on hand.
This is one of the few dishes that I make that I don’t automatically add herbs and spices to. None is really needed, though you can certainly add basil, thyme, or oregano to the casserole. Normally, we make this without side dishes, like we would do in camp with roasted hot dogs. However, this dish does go well with a tossed green salad and with fresh fruit.
It is wonderful to find an easy to make, tasty and filling meal that doesn’t cost very much, wouldn’t you agree? This hot dog casserole fits that description and this is definitely a keeper. If you decide to try this, please be sure to let me know what you think.
Whats not to love. I will surely try this. I love hot dogs now and then and pork and beans are always a favorite.
I have a feeling that you are really going to enjoy this. It is quite tasty and the cheese makes it filling. This is a great main course when you’ve had a long, tiring day and don’t have the energy to make a big main dish for dinner.
I’d use the hot dogs and cheese…but not a fan of the other ingredients lol! Great recipe though.
I make a low carb chili bake (no beans) with hot dogs (well turkey franks) that’s delicious! I eat low carb hot dogs a lot with my new “diet” haha!
I’ll admit that hot dogs aren’t healthy, regardless of what they are made from. However, not all of my recipes are healthy. :)) Most are, but people should be able to eat some good tasting and easy to make food that isn’t the healthiest, at least once in a while.
Well right now, they are healthier for me than other foods (like bread, pasta, potatoes, etc). Yes processed meat is not as healthy as real meat….but for me it’s a start. I don’t eat them every day anyways….so I understand what you mean! My 4 year old would be thrilled if he could eat them every day lol
Yes I love hot dog and beans, good stuff! Not healthy but in moderation they are good.
No, hot dogs aren’t healthy but I like having them on occasion. If you like hot dogs and beans, you’d love this casserole.
I love them fried with eggs
I have a number of hot dog recipes that I enjoy. Unfortunately, we don’t often have them because of the diet my daughter is on.