Look, we're no stranger to dreaming up inventive burger recipes and creating new ways to enjoy grilled vegetables, but the simplicity of hot dogs holds a special place in our hearts (though we’ve also been known to go wild with them too; here’s looking at you, jalapeño popper dogs). But whether you’re a ketchup-only purist or you go crazy with the toppings, a hot dog alone does not make a full meal. You could just grab a bag of chips, or check out our list of side dishes for hot dogs for more ideas.
And don’t worry, we’ve got the classics, like homemade french fries or sweet potato fries. But since you’re likely cooking outdoors for a picnic or backyard BBQ, there’s lots of room to get even more creative with your sides. Everyone loves a salad (whether it be leafy, potato, or pasta-based), so we’ve included our standard macaroni salad, a jalapeno popper potato salad, and our watermelon feta salad. Need to feed a crowd? Try our homemade mac and cheese or baked beans. We promise, they’re worth turning your oven on for.
One of our favorite things about hot dogs over burgers has gotta be the buns. Hear us out: The more things you try to pile onto a burger, the messier it gets, right? But with a hot dog, everything can be way better contained in those soft, pillowy buns, meaning the sky's the limit for toppings. So when it comes to side dishes, we thought about what could be served both alongside hotdogs and on top of them. Try topping them with our avocado salsa, grilled pineapple salsa, or coleslaw, or go classic, with a beef chili. Chili dogs, FTW!
Want more warm weather ideas? Check out our summer BBQ sides and salads too.
Classic Macaroni Salad
Macaroni salad is one of our favorite things to pair with hot dogs, pulled pork, or ribs, which is why it's such a disappointment when it's too dry or soggy. Not to fear—this recipe guarantees perfection every time.
Get the Classic Macaroni Salad recipe.
Cheesy Asparagus Foil Packs
Our cheesy baked asparagus is one of our most popular recipes (and for very good reason). It's so well-loved, that we knew we had to make a grilled version. This summer side uses one of my favorite summer hacks—foil packs—to make serving asparagus easier than ever. With plenty of melty cheese, garlic, fresh lemon juice, and a bit of red pepper flakes for heat, these foil packs don't sacrifice any flavor (even though they're so easy to make).
Get the Cheesy Asparagus Foil Packs recipe.
Blueberry Peach Feta Salad
Blueberries, peaches, cucumbers, AND feta? You’ll be amazed by how well this combination comes together in salad form (and how well it goes with savory hot dogs!).
Get the Blueberry Peach Feta Salad recipe.
Queso Mac & Cheese
This one-pot recipe starts by cooking macaroni, then uses the same pot and pasta water to create a very creamy queso sauce that coats every curly noodle. For an extra kick, finish it off with a crunchy salsa crumble. Serve this side dish alongside hot dog tacos for a twist that'll have everyone asking for seconds!
Get the Queso Mac & Cheese recipe.
Beef Chili
Chili dogs, anyone? This beef chili is a CLASSIC, but if you want alternatives, try topping your hot dogs with sloppy Joes, vegetarian chili, Crockpot white chicken chili... get creative!
Get the Beef Chili recipe.
Fiesta Corn Salad
When corn is in season, it’s a crime to not eat as much of it as possible. If you’ve got the grill fired up for hot dogs, burgers, steaks, or chicken, then it’s the perfect time for this corn salad.
Get the Fiesta Corn Salad recipe.
Classic Coleslaw
A classic, staple side dish to rely on, coleslaw is a MUST when it comes to summer BBQs, potlucks, and picnics. Everyone needs a go-to recipe, and we happen to think that ours is the one you should reach for.
Get the Classic Coleslaw recipe.
Panzanella Salad
Summer, to us, is a huge bowl of panzanella in the center of the table: generous bronzed croutons tossed with chunks of juicy tomato, shallots, and torn basil in a bright vinaigrette. It might technically be called a salad, but you’ll probably find yourself snacking on this panzanella for breakfast, dinner… and dessert.
Get the Panzanella Salad recipe.
Jalapeño Popper Potato Salad
While we can't get enough of a classic potato salad, we also love to get creative with this staple side dish. For this recipe, we decided to take the flavors of one of our favorite apps—jalapeño poppers—and add them to this classic potato side. With crispy bacon, hot jalapeños, shredded cheddar cheese, and a simple dressing, this potato salad adds a kick of heat to the classic that we can't get enough of.
Get the Jalapeño Popper Potato Salad recipe.
Baked Beans
Baked beans are sweet, tangy, savory, and the best part, surprisingly easy to make. Not to mention, they’re a one-pot wonder! Put them on your hot dogs, pair them alongside your cornbread, or enjoy them all on their own.
Get the Baked Beans recipe.
Cheddar Bacon Ranch Corn
While we love the smoky, charred flavor the grill gives corn all on its own, sometimes we’re looking to do something a little extra. We’ve dreamed up countless toppings for grilled corn on the cob, but this cheddar, bacon, and ranch combination just might be our favorite.
Get the Cheddar Bacon Ranch Corn recipe.
Black Bean & Corn Salad
Think of this as a medley of the most exciting parts of a vegetarian burrito bowl, unadulterated by rice, and hyped up by a little honey-lime action. Pair it alongside or on top of your hot dogs.
Get the Black Bean & Corn Salad recipe.
Grilled Pineapple Salsa
If you've never grilled pineapple before, you're missing out! Use it to make this salsa that pairs great on top of smoky hot dogs, or turn it into skewers, like in our chipotle tofu and pineapple skewers or pineapple salmon skewers.
Get the Grilled Pineapple Salsa recipe.
Avocado Salsa
Creamy, just-ripe avocados are tossed with chopped tomatoes, jalapeño, red onion, sweet corn, and tons of chopped fresh cilantro to create this refreshing hybrid dip and topping that your tortilla chips and hot dogs will thank you for.
Get the Avocado Salsa recipe.
Watermelon Feta Salad
Watermelon and cucumbers is one of the most refreshing combos of all time. Throw in some mint, red onion, and feta and toss it all with a very simple vinaigrette (just olive oil + red wine vinegar), and you've got yourself a mean summer salad.
Get the Watermelon Feta Salad recipe.
Air Fryer Fried Pickles
It's no secret that Delish is obsessed with crazy pickle recipes. One of our all-time favorites: fried pickles. This air fryer version uses virtually no fat, and they're insanely crunchy regardless! Pickle fans, you know what to do.
Get the Air Fryer Fried Pickles recipe.
Sweet Potato Fries
Sweet potato fries can sometimes have a bad reputation—especially the oven-baked ones. They’re usually a floppy, bland pile of under-seasoned sadness, but it doesn’t have to be that way! We've got all the tips to guarantee crisp and savory sweet potato fries fresh out of the oven.
Get the Sweet Potato Fries recipe.
Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
This summer-friendly recipe uses canned chickpeas, meaning it comes together in less than 30 minutes. 😎 Our lemon-parsley vinaigrette here is perfectly tart and fresh with a hint of spice, and you're going to want to put it on everything.
Get the Mediterranean Chickpea Salad recipe.
Southern Potato Salad
Tender Yukon gold potatoes paired with hard-boiled eggs, celery, sweet pickles, and red onion make this Southern-style potato salad the perfect sidekick for hot dogs at your next BBQ.
Get the Southern Potato Salad recipe.
French Fries
Deep-frying anything is always messy, annoying, and time-consuming. (Anyone else hate cooking in batches?!), especially french fries. They also never turn out quite as crispy or good as McDonald's. But we recently discovered a genius hack that changes EVERYTHING. It yields astonishingly crispy on the outside, creamy on the inside fries that just might be better than the ones you get at the drive-thru.
Get the French Fries recipe.
