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This Sweet & Sour Hot Dogs recipe is a quick and easy meal to prepare when time is limited. You can substitute chicken if you like.

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Recipes with Hot Dogs
Truthfully, there have been times in my life when I have need some budget-friendly recipes. There have been times when I feel like I’ve had to make something to feed my family out of nothing. Have you ever felt like that?
This is one of those recipes that helped me get through some of those tough times. Bonus? My kids liked it so much, I immediately put the recipe in our recipe binder to make again.
I have a few recipes that use hot dogs or pantry staples that got us through those hard times. Chili Cheese Dog Mac n’ Cheese, Easy Tuna Mac n’ Cheese, Chili Cheese Dog Nachos, Tuna Salad, Old-Fashioned Egg Salad Recipe, Buttermilk Pancakes, and Cornbread Pancakes are all recipes that have become favorites.
Easy Dinner Quick
This quick and easy recipe uses hot dogs. I like that it’s a different way to eat them aside from the usual bun. A quick sauce made from pineapple juice and ketchup mixes with bacon, onion, green bell pepper, celery, and garlic. If you like, you can add pineapple to the mixture before serving it over rice or noodles.
One of the things I like about this recipe is that when the budget isn’t so tight, you can replace the hot dogs with chicken. It is a quick, cheap, and filling dinner no matter which way you choose to make it.
How to make Sweet & Sour Hot Dogs
- In a medium saucepan, cook the bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon and drain it on paper towels; set aside. Drain the bacon grease, reserving 1 tablespoon of the drippings.
- Saute the onion, celery, green pepper, and garlic in the remaining bacon drippings until tender.
- Add pineapple juice, ketchup, and chili powder; mix well. Bring the mixture to a boil.
- Add the hot dogs and return to a boil. Reduce heat and cover; simmer for 8-10 minutes or until the hot dogs are heated through.
- Stir in the pineapple, if desired, and cook another 3-5 minutes or until the pineapple is heated through.
- Mix in the reserved bacon.
- Serve over rice or noodles.
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What goes with Sweet & Sour Hot Dogs
Typically, we serve this with rice or noodles. Usually, that’s enough for us. If I feel like making anything else, I might add a side salad recipe or make one of my bread recipes.
Sweet & Sour Hot Dogs FAQs
Place any leftovers in a microwave-safe container with a vented lid. Microwave on high power for 1 to 2 minutes or until heated all the way through.
Honestly, I’ve never tried that, so I can’t answer the question from experience, but I would imagine you can. Use a freezer-safe container, and be sure to use it within 1-2 months.
Recipe Tips
- Want a more sour taste? Add a tablespoon or two of distilled white vinegar.
- Do you like it hot? Spice it up with red pepper flakes, hot sauce, or chili peppers.
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Sweet and Sour Hot Dogs
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Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ pound bacon strips, diced
- 1 small onion, chopped
- ⅓ cup green pepper, chopped
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup unsweetened pineapple juice
- ¾ cup ketchup
- 1 package hot dogs, cut into bite-sized pieces, 1 pound
- Pineapple chunks or tidbits, drained, optional
- Cooked rice or noodles, for serving
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, cook the bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon and drain it on paper towels; set aside. Drain the bacon grease, reserving 1 tablespoon of the drippings.
- Saute the onion, celery, green pepper, and garlic in the remaining bacon drippings until tender.
- Add pineapple juice, ketchup, and chili powder; mix well. Bring the mixture to a boil.
- Add the hot dogs and return to a boil. Reduce heat and cover; simmer for 8-10 minutes or until the hot dogs are heated through.
- Stir in the pineapple, if desired, and cook another 3-5 minutes or until the pineapple is heated through.
- Mix in the reserved bacon.
- Serve over rice or noodles.
Notes
- Want a more sour taste? Add a tablespoon or two of distilled white vinegar.
- Do you like it hot? Spice it up with red pepper flakes, hot sauce, or chili peppers.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Originally published on September 16, 2012. Updated on September 28, 2021.
Love that this recipe is budget friendly (and quick to cook on top of that)! I'm always looking for reasonably priced, yet tasty dinners.
I would definitely replace them with chicken to try it. My kids actually don't care for hot dogs. I know, that's odd ;). Thanks for sharing at Must Try Monday.
Must be a boy thing, my son ate so many hot dogs when he was little I thought he was going to turn into one, lol. Will have to make this the next time he visits. Pinning.