Creative Hot Dog Toppings

Updated May 23, 2012
Credit: Lee Harrelson; Styling: Jan Gautro, Laura Zapalowski

Branch out with your hot dog toppings this season and offer  homemade mustard, flavored mayonnaise, gourmet ketchups, slaws, sauerkraut, and an assortment of relishes.

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Zucchini and Bell Pepper Relish

Credit: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Lindsey Lower

Zucchini and Bell Pepper Relish RecipeChill this relish of zucchini, sweet onion, and bell peppers for up to 1 month.

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Tangy-Sweet Barbecue Sauce

Tangy-Sweet Barbecue Sauce Recipe

For any easy way to entertain, grill hot dogs and offer an assortment of toppings including this sweet homemade barbecue sauce.

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Ballpark Beer Mustard

Credit: Annabelle Breakey; Styling: Karen Shinto

Ballpark Beer Mustard Recipe

How cool is this—to make your own mustard? It’s really easy to make, and it's spicy hot with a pleasantly beery afterglow and a lemony tang.

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Minted Onion Relish

Minted Onion Relish Recipe

Not only is this easy mint and onion relish great on a hot dog, you can also use it as a topping for hamburgers, grilled chicken or pork.

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Piquillo Ketchup

Credit: Annabelle Breakey

Piquillo Ketchup Recipe

Make a gourmet-style ketchup by adding a jar of roasted piquillo peppers, almond oil and kosher salt to bottled ketchup. Piquillos are small, mildly spicy red Spanish peppers that you can find in the condiment section of the supermarket.

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Slow Sauerkraut

Credit: Sunset

Slow Sauerkraut Recipe

Yes, you can make your own sauerkraut with fresh cabbage. It’s super-easy in a slow cooker.

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Quick Sauekraut

Credit: Andrea Gómez Romero

Quick Sauekraut Recipe

If you don’t have time to make kraut in the slow cooker as the previous recipe directed, you can make it quickly in the microwave. It’s a great topping for both hot dogs and Reuben sandwiches.

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Curried Apricot-and-Tomato Ketchup

Credit: © Tina Rupp

Curried Apricot-and-Tomato Ketchup Recipe

Go golden with ketchup and make your own by cooking fresh chopped tomato and adding dried apricots, curry powder, ginger and garlic. The balance of spicy sweetness is perfect for hot dogs and burgers.

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Tomato-Corn Relish

Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Annette Joseph

Tomato-Corn Relish Recipe

Top a hot dog with this zesty fresh corn relish, or use it as a topping for Southern-style hush puppies or black-eyed peas.

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Watermelon Rind Relish

Credit: Jan Smith

Watermelon Rind Relish Recipe

Use the white inner rind of a watermelon to make this tangy relish that’s spiced up with turmeric, ginger, and dry mustard.

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Spiced Pepper Relish

Credit: Jan Smith

Spiced Pepper Relish Recipe

This colorful condiment tastes like traditional sweet pickle relish, but with a peppery spike.

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Sweet Onion Relish

Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Styling: Stephana Bottom

Sweet Onion Relish Recipe

Instead of topping your dog with plain chopped onion, make a sweet and tangy relish with Vidalia onion, celery, and chopped pimento.

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Classic Salsa Verde

Credit: Iain Bagwell

Classic Salsa Verde Recipe

Tomatillos and fresh chiles give this salsa a bright, "green" flavor, and toasting the ingredients contributes a smoky element.

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Fresh Herb Mayonnaise

Fresh Herb Mayonnaise Recipe

Dress up your favorite store-bought mayonnaise with fresh parsley, chives, basil, dill, and oregano for a delicious herb mayonnaise spread for hot dogs, burgers, and other summer sandwiches.

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Red Pepper Mayonnaise

Credit: Randy Mayor; Styling: Kathleen Royal Phillips

Red Pepper Mayonnaise Recipe

Add flavor to plain mayo by stirring in jarred roasted red peppers. Three ingredients are all you need for a gourmet topping for your hot dogs.

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Sweet and Sour Slaw

Credit: Karry Hosford

Sweet and Sour Slaw Recipe

Make yourself a slaw dog by topping your hot dog with this easy slaw that starts with a package of cabbage-and-carrot coleslaw.

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Game-Day Chili

Credit: Lee Harrelson; Styling: Jan Gautro, Laura Zapalowski

Game-Day Chili Recipe

Calling all chili dog lovers. Make a batch of this spicy beef-and-beans chili to keep on hand as a hearty hot dog topping. It makes 13 cups of chili, so if you don't need that much, it's easy to half the recipe.

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