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I have tried every friggin’ store-bought vegan hotdog, from the Notdogs that I haven’t seen on store shelves in twenty years, to the Impossible beef hot dog, which are the newest, coolest dogs added to the dog park. And here’s what I’ve got for you: Forget the store-bought versions - imagine biting into a perfectly seasoned, smoky, and satisfyingly firm hotdog, nestled in a soft bun and dressed with your favorite toppings. That's what we're bringing to your table!
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Just like your fave song that plays on a loop on your yellow Sony walkman™ all day (Hot Dog Hot Dog Hot Diggity Dog), I’ve put a staggering number of hours in the kitchen, tweaking and perfecting this recipe to ensure it's foolproof. The result? A vegan hotdog that’s:
- ✅ easy to make.
- ✅ requires no specialty food-sciency ingredients.
- ✅ not a (sigh) carrot dog recipe or some other kind of monstrosity you will get made fun of for sharing at a family bbq...
- ✅ can be ready to savor in under thirty minutes.
- ✅ It's the kind of recipe that makes you wonder why on Earth you ever used to settle for the store-bought processed ones.
Whether you're a seasoned vegan cook or new to the plant-based scene, this vegan hot dog recipe is designed to help you nail it on the first attempt. You get to shape and steam these beauties yourself, giving you the ultimate bragging rights when you serve them up at your next cookout, potluck or BBQ alongside vegan elote and seitan fried chicken dripping with spicy Korean bbq sauce. Trust me, once you try these, you'll be making them on repeat!
Jump to:
🥰 Why this is the best vegan hot dog recipe
✊ Vegan AF: Just like all of my vegan meat recipes, this recipe doesn't require animal products. It's a high-five to deliciousness without eating all the nasty pink slime and whatnot that regular hot dogs are made out of. Obv. they are kosher and Halal dogs too!
🌡️ Flavor Science: Steaming the hot dog wrapped in parchment and foil is just one of the important hacks that sets this apart from the world of rubbery vegan hot dog recipes on the internet. This method locks in the smoky and savory notes and ensures the texture has the right chew. Sorry folks, carrot dogs don't cut it, their flavor is way too sweet, and they can't absorb the seasonings that hot doggies need to shine!
✅ Tested and Approved Worldwide: Like all of the vegan recipes I share, these vegan ballpark hot dogs have been put to the test and perfected with the help of a global team of recipe testers.
🤫 Learn the secrets for perfect vegan meats
This guide to my most popular vegan meat recipes is 100% FREE, & you'll love the actual heck out of it 🥰
🫛 Vegan hot dog ingredients
Tofu
To get just the right protein texture, without these being rubbery from being made outta pure gluten, I use some pureed extra-firm tofu in the mix. If you don’t have extra-firm tofu on hand, soft tofu (not silken) works well too, as long as you press it. Pressing soft tofu, BTW, is the secret to the best chicken-textured vegan tofu katsu.
Vital Wheat Gluten
Vital wheat gluten is the magic ingredient that gives these seitan dogs their chewy, satisfying texture. If you buy a whole bag of the stuff and don’t know what else to do with it, it’s great for making vegan chicken, plant-based pepperoni, and applewood-smoked vegan breakfast sausages.
Pea Protein
Pea protein, an excellent source of iron and lysine, adds a nutritional boost to the hot dog and helps improve their texture. Plain, unflavored pea protein is best to use as it doesn’t alter the taste. If you have some leftover after making this recipe, you should mess with my vegan Italian sausages next!
Vegan Worcestershire Sauce
Vegan Worcestershire sauce brings a complex, umami-rich flavor to the table, mimicking the depth found in regular hot dogs. If you can’t get it, hoisin sauce or a mix of vinegar, tamarind, and vegetarian oyster sauce can serve as a backup.
Liquid Smoke
Just a tiny hint of liquid hickory smoke infuses the hot dog with a classic barbecue flavor, essential for replicating the authentic hotdog experience. If you can't find any, a dash of smoked paprika, or a teaspoon or two of strong-brewed lapsang souchong tea can help mimic this smokiness.
Tomato Paste
Tomato paste contributes richness and a slight tang, balancing the savory flavors with its concentrated tomato sweetness. It's crucial for adding depth and a hint of acidity. Another great option to use in place of the tomato paste is tatli biber salcasi, the mild Turkish pepper paste that is used in dishes like Kisir, Turkish stuffed cabbage, and Mercimek Kofte. It’s mild and sweet, like tomato paste, but you can opt for the spicier version aci biber salcasi (made from hot peppers), if you want more heat.
Brown Sugar
Brown sugar adds a touch of sweetness, creating a balance against the savory and smoky flavors. It helps to caramelize the exterior for that perfect finish. Coconut sugar, maple syrup, or palm sugar (my go-to sweetener for Southeast Asian desserts like klepon, bubur sumsum and Filipino taho) can be used in its place.
Smoked Paprika
Smoked paprika brings a robust, smoky flavor that complements the liquid smoke, reinforcing the grilled taste. It also adds a beautiful color to the veggie dogs, making them look like real hot dogs. For less smokiness but similar color, Kashmiri red chili powder can be used (and also makes a big difference in recipes like vegan chana masala, soya chaap sabji, masala lotus seeds, and vegan butter chicken).
*See the recipe card at the bottom of the page for exact quantities, nutritional info, and detailed cooking directions.
🤯Variations
Vegan Chili Dogs
Don't jusge me, but I am more of a "hat full of chili" guy. But if you wanna whip up my glorious vegan chili recipe to eat on a doggo, well, that's cool too, I guess.
Spicy Korean-Style Hot dog
Inject some fiery Korean vibes by mixing in a little gochujang (Korean chili paste) to the hot dog dough mixture. Grill the finished dogs in Korean bbq sauce. Instead of the typical condiments, use homemade vegan kimchi, spicy Korean cucumber salad, or little bits of minced vegan bulgogi on top.
Thai Dogs
Add a spoonful of red curry paste, tom yum paste, or bumbu Bali to the hot dog mixture before you form and steam the dogs. Grill your hot dog bun with vegan chili butter. Top the hot dogs in their buns with Thai chili jam, or nam jim jaew with pickled green papaya. I know this sounds super untraditional. And guess what? It is untraditional, but it’s so damned good, you will not care one wee little bit.
📖 How to make vegan hot dogs
Knock these outta the park on your first shot by following these step-by-step instructions with helpful tips. Or you can follow along with the easy-to-print recipe card towards the bottom of this page.
Step One
Blend & Bond:
Start by tossing all ingredients into a food processor, blitzing until you've got yourself a smooth, uniform pinkish dough. Don't forget to give the sides a little love with a spatula to ensure no bits are left behind.
Step Two
Shape Shifters:
Divide the dough into 8 equal portions. about ¼ cup each. Roll each piece into a neat 4-inch (10 cm.) sausage shape.
✅ This recipe makes slightly "jumbo" hot dogs, so if you like them a little more modest, you can divide the dough into 10 portions.
Step Three
Gangster Wrappers:
Lightly brush parchment paper with oil and snugly wrap each sausage, then warp those parcels in aluminum foil, twisting the ends to keep everything tight and right.
Step Four
Steam Punks:
Use either a steamer, or a pot fitted with a steamer basket. Make sure they've got room to breathe, and let them steam for 20-25 minutes until they're firm and fully cooked.
Step Five
Cooling Crew:
Patience is a virtue, especially when it comes to letting those hot dog sausages chill out completely before they hit the grill or boiling pot. Store them in a bag inside a container so they don’t develop tough outside skin.
Step Six
Hotdog Happening:
It's showtime! Tuck those vegan dogs into buns, pile on sauerkraut, ketchup, and all of your fave toppings. Serve with some baked beans or fried sweet potatoes and you've now got yourself the perfies classic hot dog to smash during the warm weather, or for game day.
💡What else to serve on vegan hot dog night
Well, my plant-based drumsticks or seitan fried chicken tossed in vegan buffalo sauce to make some super-slammin' vegan buffalo wings might be just the thingy!
Making these for a Memorial Day or July 4th thingy? Some skillet-baked vegan cornbread might just be the thing to do.
How about serving these with a classic American dessert like vegan apple pie that gets baked in the flakiest vegan pie crust in the galaxy, or something simpler (but still outrageously bangin') like these vegan oatmeal cookies?
🌭Vegan Hot Dog Toppings
I'm not here to state the obvious sauerkraut, ketchup, and mustard... No mommy, these here are a few fixings you might want to mess with to make these way more fun:
Hot sauces: Make homemade sriracha, chili garlic sauce, or follow my sambal oelek recipe to knock these outta the park.
Southeast Asian Sauces: Grill these up in nam prik pao, or nam jim jaew. Top them with classic Indonesian sambals such as sambal dabu dabu or sambal matah!
👉Top tips
- Wrap Tightly: Tightly wrapping the hot dogs first in parchment and then in foil is essential. Hot dogs have a dense texture. Wrapping them tightly prevents them from expanding, which can mess up the tight, dense texture. Wrapping also makes sure that water doesn’t seep in as they steam.
- Temperature Matters: When steaming your vegetarian hot dogs, ensure the water is at a low boil and not vigorously bubbling. A too-high temperature can cause the hot dog to expand too quickly, making them spongey.
- Patience Pays Off: After steaming, give your hot dog ample time to cool down before grilling or boiling. This resting period helps them firm up properly, ensuring they hold together well during their final cook and achieve the best possible texture.
- Flavor Depth: For a Hoboken “dirty-water dogs” taste, consider marinating the shaped and steamed hot dog in a mixture of soy sauce, liquid smoke, and a bit of apple cider vinegar for a few hours before cooking.
- Grill with Care: I was always more of a boiled hot dog guy myself. If you choose to grill your hot dog, lightly oil them and use medium-high cook quickly without drying the dogs out, getting beautiful grill marks without compromising the hot dog' integrity.
🤷♀️ Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can freeze the steamed hot dog for up to 3 months. I suggest freezing them first on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper so that they don’t stick together. Then, when they are frozen solid, wrap them tightly and store them in a freezer-safe bag or container.
This recipe includes vital wheat gluten, so they are not gluten-free hot dogs. For a gluten-free alternative, you would need to modify the recipe significantly. A lot of GF folks mess with vegan carrot dogs, but honestly, I have tried a lot of them, and they are pretty lame. I’ve got a vegan meatball recipe though, that happens to be gluten-free, and you could for sure shape those as hot dogs, and they would be pretty bangin’!
Yes, you can break up the mixture into smaller batches and puree them in a high-speed blender, then combine the pureed batches. It’s important to get the ingredients completely smooth, so don’t mess with using a stand mixer, or trying to mash them up with a baseball bat or whatever…
Traditional hot dogs are all about toppings like ketchup, yellow mustard, relish, and sauerkraut. But don't feel weird about getting wild with creative plant-based options like caramelized onions, pickled green chilies, or spicy pickled carrots.
Once cooked, vegan hot dogs can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Make sure they are in a sealed container to maintain freshness.
✌️My faves to serve with vegan hot dogs:
Learn to make plant-based meat from the seitan master himself, in this super-fun & informative class with Chef Adam Sobel!
Perfect Homemade Vegan Hot Dog Recipe
Ingredients
- 14 ounce extra-firm tofu pressed
- ⅔ cup vital wheat gluten
- ¼ cup pea protein plain, unflavored
- 4 teaspoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons vegan Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- ½ teaspoon liquid smoke
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ½ teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 ¼ teaspoons salt
Instructions
- In a food processor, combine all ingredients until a smooth dough forms. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the processor to ensure everything is well-mixed.
- Once the dough is formed, transfer it to a clean surface. Divide the dough into equal portions, shaping each portion into 4-inch (10 cm.), hotdog-shaped sausages. You can roll them between your hands to get a smooth surface.
- Wrap each portion individually in lightly oiled parchment paper, and then wrap the parchment-wrapped hot dog in aluminum foil, twisting the ends to seal.
- Prepare a steamer by bringing water to a boil over medium heat. Once steaming, place the wrapped sausages in the steamer basket, ensuring they are not overcrowded. Steam the hot dogs for 20-25 minutes, or until they are firm to the touch and cooked through.
- Allow the hot dogs to cool completely before boiling or grilling.
- Serve the hot dogs in buns with your favorite toppings, and enjoy!
Notes
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Susan Hudson says
These are truly the BEST vegan hot dogs found anywhere!!! Soooo many things I went without, since becoming plant based. Not only are these DELICIOUS, I feel great after eating them. Soooo glad I found you. Thank you!
Adam Sobel says
So glad you loved 'em, Susan. Makes me so happy to hear that ❤️
Paige Davis says
This was a fun recipe to make. The finished hot dogs had a great texture and mouthfeel, and the flavor was yummy. I served them on pretzel buns with onions and mustard, and we felt they were better than any of the commercially produced hotdogs available in stores. I had to order pea protein from Amazon after searching in several stores, but I’ll be making these again because the recipe is straightforward and shaping the hotdogs wasn’t hard at all. I might even eat the remaining ones “plain “ without all the trimmings because they taste really good on their own.
Adam’s recipes never disappoint!
Elke says
A great recipe and easy to make. I might only add a bit more garlic powder to really make it smell like the hot dogs in my memory. Thanks for the recipe!
Deb Z says
Hi Adam! Can you make this in an instant pot? If yes, for how long. I can steam and pressure cook at the same time. Great tool for making seitan.
Adam Sobel says
Haha. I keep finding all your IP questions! Answer is pretty much the same as you asked on the ham and stuffed vegan turkey recipe. Low heat and pressure is fine. ❤️
KRB says
The flavor profile of these is great, everyone who tried one couldn't believe it was homemade! Better tasting than any store bought veggie dog that I've tried for sure. However it's missing the characteristic snap that traditional hot dogs get from the casing. Maybe next time I'll try wrapping some rice paper around them before grilling? Hmm...
Pam says
Made these vegan hot dogs and they are the best! Texture was perfect and non vegans could not tell the difference in the appearance of these dogs vs non plant based dogs. And, they are so easy and quick to prepare. I am making another batch today and freezing the! Adam, is the best about perfecting the texture and flavor!
Daisy says
Can hemp protein or something else be substituted for pea protein? Or what is the result if it’s omitted?
Adam Sobel says
I haven't tried it with hemp protein, but as long as it's unflavored it should probably work (please report back if you try it that way). Otherwise, for a slightly denser texture, you can leave ti out and just use more vital wheat gluten in its place. Please let me know how it turns out ok?
Sarah Miller says
Indeed, these are perfect! Perfect for a fast food meal. I made three batches and froze them. So Adam, lead me to your best baked beans, Cole slaw, and potato salad recipes and I’ll be ready for summer BBQ!
CL says
I liked the flavor but the texture was a little odd. It was not spongy, more pasty? Any suggestions? I thought they would firm up after a day but they're still the same. The outer layer firmed up pretty well. I made 8 dogs @ 4inches. I took one out of the steamer at 23 minutes, it was super wet still so I actually left the others for half an hour then pulled them. Half of them I unwrapped right away so they could get a firmer crust, the other half I left packaged up overnight. Just to try. No difference either way. Maybe the tofu had too much moisture in it still?
Adam Sobel says
What was the temperature like inside your steamer. It sounds like they could have cooked longer, but like you aid, you left some in for longer. Perhaps at 4 inches, were they a bit thicker than hot dogs usually are, and the heat didn't penetrate to their insides well enough?
CL says
I didn't think to check temp inside the steamer. OK, next time I'll cook them a little longer/make them thinner. Thanks!
Sharon says
It says nothing in the recipe about freezing the tofu. The pictures show unfrozen tofu. Which is it?
Adam Sobel says
For sure this recipe doesn't call for using frozen tofu. Where did you get the idea that the tofu should be frozen? It doesn't indicate to do that anywhere in the blog post. Let me know so I can clear up the confusion.
CL says
I think that person thought on Feb 28th thought it was supposed to be frozen, because in a comment on the 24th you mentioned frozen tofu
Carolyn Blakeney says
Question, Adam, how much water are you pressing out of the tofu? For instance with a standard 14 oz block of extra firm, with extreme pressing you can get it down to 10 oz. (although it takes me several hours/overnight to get it that dry). What is your ideal weight after pressing for this recipe?
Adam Sobel says
I honestly have never weighed it out after pressing, but you will get a decent amount of water out of the block before freezing (maybe ⅓ cup or so), and then after freezing, another ¼ - ⅓ cup of water will come out on the second pressing as it thaws. It will be about half as thick as the original block of tofu was after all of that.
Carolyn Blakeney says
Aha, so you are freezing as well. I didn't see that mentioned, but agree it makes a difference! And when I just use a tofu press on a 14 oz. block (no freezing) the result is probably also about half the thickness of the original block, or close to it.