Carrot Dogs
If you’re looking for a plant-based alternative to hog dogs, these carrot dogs will be your go-to favorites. Serve them on buns with your favorite hot dog toppings. Make this recipe and share it with your family. Our taste testers loved them!
Is it fair to surprise someone with a plant-based alternative to their regular meat products? I think when the subject involved is carrots, you’re good to go. Because once you tell someone it’s a carrot, they look at it differently. But if you didn’t know this was a carrot to begin with, you will be surprised how much it passes the test.
These plant-based carrot dogs are amazing!
How to Make Carrot Dogs
You can find the full printable recipe, including ingredient quantities, below. But first, here are some explanations of ingredients and steps to help you make this recipe perfect every time.
- Add the marinade sauce ingredients to a saucepan.
- Use the bun as a guide to cut carrot length.
- Peel carrots and trim the thick end to match the size of the more narrow end. Trim the ends to round them out.
- Add carrots to the marinade.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer. Cook for 9 to 11 minutes, until just tender.
- Remove from heat and transfer carrots to cool water to stop the cooking process.
- Allow the marinade to cool for up to 10 minutes. Then add carrots back to marinate and set aside to marinate for 30 minutes or up to overnight.
- Serve as is or grill.
- Serve immediately on buns with your favorite toppings.
Key Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe, including substitution ideas:
- Soy Sauce — I use a gluten-free version of soy sauce referred to as tamari. You can use plain soy sauce, coconut aminos, etc.
- Vinegar — We’ll be using apple cider vinegar for this recipe.
- Broth — To make the best vegetable broth, I like to use 1 teaspoon of vegetable bouillon combined with water. I particularly like Better than Bouillon Vegetable Base.
- Maple syrup — You can substitute agave nectar.
- Liquid smoke
- Brown mustard
- Garlic — We’ll use 1 or 2 cloves of fresh garlic.
- Carrots — I like to choose large carrots that have a decently wide base on both ends. In other words, carrots that have overly narrow ends may not work. We can whittle away at the thick, root end, but there needs to be balance in the size.
- Hot dog buns — You can find these at the store or make dairy-free hot dog buns at home.
- Toppings — Add your favorite hot dog toppings (see ideas below)!
What Makes This Recipe Shine?
- HEALTHY — Carrots are low in calories and full of healthy phytonutrients, like beta-carotene (which gives them their distinctive orange color).
- SIMPLE INGREDIENTS — Carrots, vinegar, soy sauce (or gluten-free soy sauce), maple syrup? These are all ingredients you might already have on hand or you can find at a local grocery store.
- EASY — Prepping the carrots is the toughest part of this recipe, but once you’re done with that, it’s a breeze!
Frequently-Asked Questions
What do carrot dogs taste like?
Because they’re simmered in a smoky sauce, these plant-based dogs have a very similar flavor to hot dogs. The texture is different, but when served on a bun with hot dog toppings, it’s a very nice (and healthy) alternative.
Can you freeze carrot dogs?
Frozen carrots can be mushy after thawing, so it’s not recommended to freeze carrot dogs.
Serving Suggestions
Serve your carrot dogs on a bun with any of these tasty toppings:
Storage Tips
To store, add carrot dogs to an airtight container. They will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. Not recommended for freezing.
Vegan Hot Dogs
If you love these plant-based carrot dogs, here are even more vegan hot dog recipes to try:
Subscribe and get a free Easy Vegan Recipes eBook
Plus our latest vegan recipes, delivered right to your inbox!
Carrot Dogs
Ingredients
Marinade
- ½ cup tamari (substitute soy sauce)
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vegetable bouillon
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon liquid smoke
- 1 teaspoon brown mustard
- 1 teaspoon garlic, peeled and minced
Carrot Dogs
- 8 large carrots
- 8 hot dog buns
- Toppings: Add ketchup, mustard, chopped onions, and relish.
Instructions
- Add the marinade sauce ingredients to a saucepan.
- Use the bun as a guide to cut carrot length. Peel carrots and trim the thick end to match the size of the more narrow end. Trim the ends to round them out.
- Add carrots to the marinade. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer. Cook for 9 to 11 minutes, until just tender. Remove from heat and transfer to cool water to stop the cooking process. Allow the marinade to cool for up to 10 minutes. Then add carrots back to marinate and set aside to marinate for 30 minutes or up to overnight. Serve as is or grill.
- Grill: Add cooked carrots to a grill over medium-high heat for around 5 minutes, turning from time to time, cooking until there are char marks. You're only heating the carrot dogs and adding char marks for flavor.
- Serve immediately on buns with your favorite toppings.
- To store, add carrot dogs to an airtight container. They will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.
(The products above contain sponsored links to products we use and recommend)
The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator and should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
I had no idea carrots could taste like hot dogs. I love this recipe!
I’m so glad you liked them Maria!