Go ahead and laugh—carrot hot dogs sound a little ridiculous. As in, “why mess with a classic BBQ fave, when everyone knows hot dogs are supposed to be made out of meat, and definitely aren’t supposed to be ultra nutritious?”
But keep an open mind, take a bite, and you may just find these land squarely in your recipe rotation. Not only are they easy, nutritious, and kid friendly, they’re also super fun to eat. Unlike many carrot hot dog recipes, these don’t require specialty ingredients like liquid smoke or nutritional yeast. And there’s no multi-step stovetop-to-grill cooking—they simply get roasted in the oven, along with the toppings. (Of course, if you happen to be barbecuing and want to finish the dogs on the grill, go right ahead!)
Kosher Status: Pareve or Dairy
Recipe Tips:
The basic recipe is gluten-free, provided you use gluten-free tamari. Pick up some gluten-free hot dog buns, or make your own.
While the roasted tomatoes, mushrooms, and optional cheese make fabulous toppings, feel free to experiment with whatever else suits your mood. Go with traditional toppings like mustard, relish, ketchup, and sauerkraut or coleslaw, or opt for homemade kosher kimchi and avocado.
Want the carrots to look more like “real” hot dogs? Use a veggie peeler to round off the ends!
What You’ll Need
- For the Carrot Dogs
- 8 carrots, peeled and trimmed
- 2/3 cup water or vegetable broth
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons tamari soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- For the Roasted Vegetables
- 1 pint grape tomatoes, sliced lengthwise
- 1 (10 ounce) package cremini mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed, and thinly sliced
- To Serve
- 8 hot dog buns
- Goat cheese or feta cheese, crumbled (optional)
- Za’atar (optional)
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How to Make It
- Preheat the oven to 425 Fahrenheit. Place the carrots in a roasting pan or baking dish just large enough to hold them in a single layer.
- In a medium bowl or large liquid measuring cup, whisk together the water or broth, maple syrup, soy sauce, vinegar, olive oil, smoked paprika, and garlic powder. Pour the marinade over the carrots, cover the pan with foil, and roast in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.
- While the carrots are roasting, place the tomatoes in a small baking dish, drizzle with 1 teaspoon of olive oil, and toss to coat. Place the sliced mushrooms in another small baking dish, add the remaining teaspoon of olive oil, and toss to coat.
- After the carrots have roasted for 20 minutes, carefully remove the foil (watch out for escaping steam!). Turn the carrots and return the pan to the oven, along with the tomatoes and mushrooms. Roast, stirring the tomatoes and mushrooms once or twice, until the carrots are tender and glazed with the marinade, and the tomatoes and mushrooms are beginning to caramelize in spots, about 20 to 25 minutes more.
- To assemble: Warm or toast the hot dog buns if desired. Place a carrot in each bun, and top with a spoonful of roasted mushrooms and roasted tomatoes. Add some crumbled goat cheese or feta and/or a sprinkling of za’atar, if desired. Serve immediately.
Source: thespruce.com
