French Onion Hot Dogs
Oui Oui To Wieners
These French Onion Hot Dogs take everything you love about rich, cozy French onion soup and turn it into an easy, over-the-top comfort food dinner. Sweet caramelized onions, savory broth, and melty cheese come together in toasted buns for a messy, irresistible meal.
The idea for these came to me thinking about spring, baseball season, and growing up a lifelong White Sox fan in Chicago. There is just nothing like the smell of grilled onions at old Comiskey Park, and I started wondering how I could turn that into something a little different.
At the same time, I had a can of beef consommé sitting in my pantry. If you don’t know, I collect Campbell’s soups when I travel. This is because they carry different varieties in different regions. It got me thinking about French onion soup flavors. I figured if I could keep it rich and not too liquidy so the bun wouldn’t get soggy, it could actually work…and it really did.
Beware Of The Sog
It’s important not to use too much of the beef consommé. You’re going for flavor, not soup. Let the onions simmer in it until most of the liquid has cooked off. Then you’re left with a rich, glossy mixture. Too much liquid will make the buns fall apart. That said, a SLIGHT softness to the bun is actually perfect. The slight sog is part of what makes these so good. You just don’t want them overly soggy.
The Onions Take Time
The onions are really the star here. You want to take your time and let them cook low and slow for a good hour until they’re deeply caramelized. They need to be soft and jammy. This is not a step you can rush. I beg of you be patient.
This is where all that rich, sweet, savory flavor comes from. It makes the whole recipe. It’s the same method I use for my really, really, really great onion dip. If you’ve made that, you already know how worth it this step is.
I Love Soy Sauce
The soy sauce, brown sugar, and black pepper might seem a little unexpected, but they really build the flavor in the onions. The soy sauce adds a deep, savory, almost beefy richness that enhances that French onion soup. The brown sugar helps the onions caramelize even more. it also brings out their natural sweetness. This is what gives you that classic sweet and savory balance. The black pepper adds just a little bite on the back end so it doesn’t taste flat and keeps everything from feeling too heavy.
More French-ness
Campbell’s Beef Consommé is a clear brown, concentrated beef soup that’s richer and more intensely flavored than regular beef broth. It adds that deep, savory “French onion soup” taste without a lot of extra liquid, which is exactly what you want in this recipe.
If you can’t find it, you can substitute beef broth or stock, just simmer it a little longer to reduce and concentrate the flavor. You can also add a small splash of Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce to boost that richness.
Cheese To Please
I used Havarti cheese for this because it melts beautifully and has a mild, buttery flavor that doesn’t overpower the onions. It gets soft and creamy. This will balance out the rich, sweet onions and savory broth without making the whole thing feel too heavy or sharp.
If you want to switch it up, Gruyère cheese is the most classic French onion soup choice and gives you a nuttier, slightly saltier bite. Swiss cheese is an easy, more affordable option with a similar flavor. Provolone cheese melts really well and keeps things mild and creamy, while mozzarella will give you that extra gooey, stretchy cheese.
The Preference Of Mister Tipsy
Mr. Tipsy loved these, but he prefers a softer hot dog bun. The crispiness on the edges wasn’t his favorite part. Although he still really enjoyed them. I personally loved that texture because it reminded me of the crispy, cheesy top of a bowl of French onion soup.
If you prefer a super soft bun, you can easily switch this up by adding the hot dogs and onion mixture to a casserole dish, covering everything with cheese, and baking it until melted and bubbly. Then just spoon the mixture into untoasted buns so you still get all that flavor while keeping that soft, classic hot dog texture.
French Onion Hot Dogs
These French Onion Hot Dogs are loaded with sweet, deeply caramelized onions simmered in savory beef consommé, then baked into toasted buns with melty Havarti cheese. They’re rich, cozy, and a pretty easy dinner option.
Ingredients
- 2 very large sweet onions, thin sliced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- Black pepper to taste
- 5 all beef hot dogs such as Nathan's Famous Beef Franks
- 1/2 can Campbell's Beef Consommé
- 5 sturdy brat buns
- Dijon mustard
- 10 slices Havarti cheese
- Dried parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Add the butter and sliced onions to a large skillet over medium low heat. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until the onions are deeply caramelized and very soft, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- Toward the end of cooking, add the brown sugar, soy sauce, and black pepper. Continue cooking until the onions are jammy and rich in color.
- Add the hot dogs directly into the skillet with the onions and cook until they are heated through and lightly charred on the outside. I like mine pretty well done. You can also score the hot dogs lengthwise if you like.
- Pour in the beef consommé and reduce the heat to low. Let everything simmer together for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is mostly absorbed and the onions are glossy with very little liquid remaining.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Split the buns and place them directly on the oven rack or a baking sheet. Toast for about 5 to 6 minutes until lightly crisp. You do not need to butter them or anything.
- Remove the buns from the oven and spread a small amount of Dijon mustard inside each bun. Place one slice of Havarti cheese in the bottom of each bun.
- Add a hot dog to each bun and top generously with the onion mixture. Make sure to really tuck it in there.
- Place another slice of Havarti cheese over the top of each hot dog.
- Arrange the filled buns in a baking dish and increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees. Bake for about 8 minutes until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and lightly browned. Watch closely so the cheese does not burn. You can broil briefly at the end if desired.
- Remove from the oven and sprinkle with dried parsley before serving.