Elevate the summer grill staple with delicious hot dog recipes inspired by some favourite Canadian flavours.
As we’re firing up the grills this summer, we’re ramping up for National Hot Dog Day on July 16. What better way to celebrate the occasion than with new and exciting recipes to wow your tastebuds?
We recently commissioned a survey asking Canadians about the beloved summer staple – noting favourite toppings and fun insights about how they enjoy their hot dog. And while many of the traditional favourites are similar across the country, there were some unique preferences that stand out among the regions.
From infusing international flavours to classic campfire nostalgia, below are recipes that highlight just how unique — and uniquely Canadian — our love for hot dogs really is!
Bannock Hot Dog
For a fun Canadian twist on the classic hot dog, swap your hot dog bun for Bannock. The delectable bread perfectly pairs with our favourite food group — hot dogs! Looking to add something special to your hot dog dinner? Don’t be afraid to get creative by adding a zesty garnish like jalapenos, or even more fixings like beans or chili! Make this Bannock hot dog your very own, the options are endless!
Serves - 4
Ingredients
- 1 375g Maple Leaf® Natural Top Dogs™ Original Hot Dogs, Oven Baked (6-7 min at 375 F)
- ½ Cup 250g Maple Leaf® Original Natural Smoked Ham, diced
Bannock
- 2 Cup Flour
- 1 Cup water
- 1 Tsp sugar
- ¼ Tsp salt
- ½ Tsp baking powder
Toppings: Corn-Black bean relish
- 1 Cup Corn, canned
- 1 Cup Black bean, canned
- ½ Cup Onion, finely chopped
- ¼ Cup Red pepper, finely chopped
- 1 Tbsp parsley, finely chopped
- 1 Tbsp Lime juice
- Salt, to taste
- ½ Cup Ketchup
- ¼ Cup Mustard
- 2 500ml Split pea soup, prepared
Wonton Dog
Looking to wow your guests at your next BBQ? Take the classic to new levels with this flavour packed hot dog wrapped in crunchy goodness. Inspired by British Columbia preferences for international fusion flavours, this recipe combines delectably sweet and spicy Korean and Japanese flavours with the irresistible crunchiness from the wonton and peanut toppings, paired with a crisp romaine shell. A true treat for your tastebuds, this new recipe will surely be worthy of joining your go-to homemade recipe book.
Serves – 4
Ingredients
- 1 375g Maple Leaf® Natural Top Dogs™ Original Hot Dogs, Air fried (3 min at 450F, glazed with gochujang sauce and air fried again for 1 min at 450 F)
- 4 Romaine lettuce leaves
- ½ Cup Wasabi Aioli
- 2 Tbsp gochujang sauce
- ½ Cup fried Crispy Wontons
- ¼ Cup Crushed peanuts
Camping Walking Chip Hot Dogs
It’s time to put a remix on the ‘hot dog on a stick’ camping classic. Inspired by nights in the prairies snacking around the campfire, elevate your favourite camping recipes with walking chip hot dogs! The beauty of this recipe is that you can customize your Canadian-inspired hot dog however you like by adding in whatever ingredients you have at your campfire to make this walking hot dog truly unique.
Serves - 4
Ingredients
- 1 375g Maple Leaf® Natural Top Dogs™ Original Hot Dogs, Grill per package instructions.
- 4 40g Old Dutch Chips
- 1 L Chili with black beans, prepared
- 2 Cups Cheddar cheese Green Onion, Garnish
Food Truck Inspired
Looking to shake up your typical food truck order? Make your very own food truck-inspired hot dog delicacy inspired by Ontario’s favourite street meat. Feel free to swap out your traditional wieners for Mina Chicken Weiners™, LightLife Smart Dog™, or a Field Roast Stadium Dog™ to make this food truck style hot dog your very own. Skip the long food truck lines and enjoy the flavours of summer in the city, in the comfort of your own home!
Serves – 4
Ingredients
- 1 375g Maple Leaf® Natural Top Dogs™ Original Hot Dogs, grill per package instructions
- ½ Cup Tomato, finely diced
- 1 Cup Crispy onions
- ½ Cup roasted red pepper salsa (roasted red pepper, White onion, Cilantro, lime juice, salt)
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Relish
Montreal Steamie
Have you ever wondered how to make the classic Montreal poutine better? Well, we think we’ve found the answer! Move over French fries, the new base for gravy and cheese curds belongs to hot dogs. Test out this poutine-hot dog fusion to bring the taste of classic gravy and cheese paired with our Quebec exclusive - Montreal Steamie. Did you know – Quebec's hot dog culture is both famous and unique, with 61% of our survey respondents favouring steamed hot dogs (aka “Steamé”) over triple the national average - Ben voyons donc!
Serves – 4
Ingredients
- 1 375g Maple Leaf® Natural Top Dogs™ Original Hot Dogs, Steam for 6-7 minutes until internal temperature of 165 F
- 165gr package Maple Leaf Ready Crisp Bacon Bits
- 4 Hot Dog Buns
- 2 Cup Hickory sticks
- 2 Cups Mozarella, shredded (Cheese curds can be used)
- 1 Cup Gravy, prepared
BLT Hot Dog
As much as we love a classic BLT, like most things – it'd be better with a hot dog! Mix the delicious world of bacon, lettuce, and tomato with iconic wieners to create your very own BLT hot dog hybrid. Don’t get us started on the long-standing “Is a hotdog a sandwich?” debate – we already answered that! Just enjoy the goodness of bacon and hot dogs colliding to create the perfect melody of flavours you need to finish this hot dog journey.
Serves – 4
Ingredients
- 1 375g Maple Leaf® Natural Top Dogs™ Original Hot Dogs, wrapped in bacon and pan fried/flat top under medium flame for 4-5 minutes.
- 1 375g package of Maple Leaf Original Bacon
- 4 Brioche Hot dog Buns
- ½ Cup Iceberg lettuce, thinly sliced
- 2 medium tomato, Sliced
- 3 tbsp Ranch sauce
Let’s hear it – have you found your favourite Canadian-inspired hot dog to celebrate National Hot Dog Day? Share your vote on the Maple Leaf™ website for your favourite Maple Leaf™ Top Dog™ recipes from across Canada for a chance to win a $10,000 trip anywhere in Canada!
Enjoy these delicious Canadian hot dogs for the rest of your summer days, and we’ll be enjoying the sound of sizzling grills featuring our favourite food group all year round!
