These vegan hot dogs have a better flavor than packaged frankfurters and a lot less fat and calories. Soy-free, low in sodium, and free of added sugar.
Af few weeks ago, my family had a craving for hot dogs, and having heard so much about Field Roast Frankfurters*, I decided to give them a try.
When I found them in the store and took a look at the package, it took a few minutes to get over my sticker shock, not at the price but at the nutritional stats. Each hot dog clocked in at 180 calories and 8 grams of fat. The ingredients list included “expeller pressed safflower oil” and “organic expeller pressed palm fruit oil,” ingredients I normally try to avoid.
Still, I had promised my family gourmet hot dogs and I figured I could practice self-discipline and eat just one, so I bought them and brought them home. Huge mistake! Not because they were bad but because they were so freaking good that my vow to eat only one vanished after one bite, and the only thing saving me from complete gluttony was the fact that there were only 6 frankfurters in the package.
I’d like to say that I’ll never buy them again, but Field Roast dogs basically ruined my family for other packaged hot dogs. More like a sausage than other veggie dogs, they had a great flavor as well as texture.
Fortunately, we don’t eat hot dogs or other packaged food often, so it’s not that big of a temptation, but I have to say that I’ve been practically haunted by the memory of them ever since we had them. And then I realized that I didn’t have to give in to temptation or give up on hot dogs–I could make them myself.
So I decided to make my own hot dogs for our 4th of July cookout. I started with my Italian Sausage recipe and added onion and seasonings such as coriander and mace to make them more “frankfurtery.” And instead of all the oil in those packaged dogs, I used pinto beans, with flax and rolled oats to absorb moisture and keep them tender.
They were a huge hit with my family. My daughter, who has grown cautious with my cooking experiments, said she forgot that they were homemade until she was halfway through her first dog and then marveled several times at how good they were. And I had a hard time keeping my husband from eating them all before I could take photos.
They definitely lived up to my memory of the Field Roast version, even with about 40% fewer calories and 83% less fat. They’re soy-free (if you use coconut aminos), low in sodium, and added sugar-free.
I wish I could say they were gluten-free for my gluten-free readers, but as someone who has no trouble with gluten, I like to indulge now and then. If you’re up for experimenting, you could probably take my Beany Breakfast Sausages, change the seasoning, and shape them to fit a gluten-free hot dog bun.
Homemade Veggie Dogs
Ingredients
- 1/2 medium onion coarsely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic
- 3/4 cup cooked pinto beans well-drained
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons coconut aminos or soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon white or black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon celery seed
- 1/4 teaspoon mace
- 1/8 teaspoon hickory smoked salt optional but good
- 1 cup vital wheat gluten
- 1/3 cup oatmeal rolled or quick oats, uncooked
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon ground flax seeds
Instructions
- Put the onion and garlic into a food processor and pulse to chop finely. Heat a small non-stick skillet. Add onion and garlic and cook until onion is softened, about 3 minutes. Transfer onion mixture back to food processor.
- Add the pinto beans, water, coconut aminos or soy sauce, tomato paste, and all seasonings to the food processor. Blend until it’s a thin paste.
- Combine remaining ingredients (gluten, oatmeal, yeast, and flax) in a large mixing bowl. Add the contents of the food processor and stir until combined. If it seems that there’s not enough moisture, add another tablespoon or two of water. Knead in the bowl for about two minutes until a heavy gluten “dough” is formed.
- Cut off 8 pieces of aluminum foil or parchment paper, each about 6 inches long. Divide the gluten into 8 equal pieces. Place a piece of foil or parchment on the counter. Roll a piece of gluten between the palms of your hands until it’s about the size and shape of a hot dog. Place it on the foil/paper and roll up. Roll the tube back and forth, pressing lightly with your hands, to give it an even shape, and then twist the ends closed. Repeat with the remaining gluten to form 8 veggie hot dogs.
- Set up a steamer in a pot and add enough water to come just below the bottom of the steamer. Begin heating the water. Place all the veggie dogs in the steamer, cover, and steam for 45 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly before unwrapping. Store the veggie dogs in a covered container in the refrigerator. Warm gently in a frying pan or microwave or on a grill before serving.
Notes
Nutritional info is approximate.
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Happy eating!
*I have no affiliation with Field Roast or its Frankfurters.
Susan
July 11, 2014 at 12:23 pmThese were delicious! We have missed hotdogs since becoming plant-based dieters since February 2014. Your recipe was so easy. Even my daughter loved them and ate 2 of them. I will definitely be preparing these again. Question: Have you tried freezing them? It would really make life easier if this could be done. Also, have you ever tried a mock crab cake? Whole Food has an awesome one but they are like $3.99 each which is expensive. I’ve tried about 3 different recipes but haven’t found one I love yet. Thanks for sharing!….Susan B
Susan Voisin
July 11, 2014 at 1:59 pmHi Susan, these should freeze just fine. Just cook them first and wrap up tightly.
I have a few crab cake recipes that use different ingredients. Check out the first 3 recipes on this search page: https://blog.fatfreevegan.com/search-results?cx=012919865523296602436%3A6iar-mkyfwa&cof=FORID%3A11&ie=UTF-8&q=Crab&sa=Search&siteurl=blog.fatfreevegan.com%2F2007%2F07%2Fbruschetta-with-roasted-baby-tomatoes.html&ref=&ss=1198j540468j4
Carmen
July 13, 2014 at 5:43 pmI doubled your recipe and put my extras in the freezer. I discovered that my homemade vegan sausage turns out chewier (and better) after I freeze them. I’m hoping the same will happen here, as I prefer the chewier texture. Thanks again for the great recipe.
Mindy
July 11, 2014 at 10:55 pmMade these tonight. I had everything on hand except for the mace. The entire family loved them. The texture was great! Thanks for another wonderful recipe 🙂
Bobbi Dwyer
July 12, 2014 at 5:59 amSusan,
Read your blog to my husband and we both Totally understand about Field Roast hot dogs! They are so good that we keep them frozen and only cook 2 at a time.
I will happily try your recipe. Your picky daughter gives me hope that my picky husband will be as satisfied.
Thanks!
Bobbi
Jena
July 13, 2014 at 7:11 amThese were great! We loved them!
Christine (The Raw Project)
July 13, 2014 at 10:22 amThese look great, my hubby would loves these too. Thanks!
Carmen
July 13, 2014 at 5:38 pmExcellent recipe, as usual. I found your site more than 7 years ago when my 10 year old daughter declared that she was never going to eat meat again. My younger daughter and I soon followed her lead. Your recipes always turn out wonderfully. Thank you!
Patricia
July 13, 2014 at 8:16 pmDogs look good but those are really the wrong potatoes to eat with hot dogs!
Any chance you will put together time tables, i.e. how to get everything coordinated for a traditional feast? Or have I just not found it on your site? I would love to have multiple vegan dishes ready to go for a big family celebration but can’t get the hang of the timing…
ps: where were you raised? by hippies or did you just fall further from the tree?
Conz
July 14, 2014 at 3:04 amThese were right nice, and got the approval of two Omni friends. Much better tasting than the toxic packaged veggie hot dogs!
Blaine
July 14, 2014 at 6:03 pmHi. I have been reading your posts a long time and never commented. I am really intrigued by these. Very amazing. I eat plant based and I never love to do the processed vegan meats and cheeses but sometimes I do. Did you have trial and error or first time was the charm? I need to make these.
Lesli
July 14, 2014 at 6:10 pmSusan:
First, let me say, I have done a lot of looking for vegan recipes, and yours by far are my go-to ones each time I am looking for trying something new. The veggie dogs are no exception…tho I think I might need some new spices as mine came out a tad bland and still a little wheaty tasting even after the hour steaming.
Regardless, you are a goddess! I started down the vegan path after my January checkup which showed my lipids and cholesterol levels still way too high, even though we felt we ate healthy by excluding red meat and processed foods. So, after research, I went plant based whole food in February, and my hubby joined in in March. I have lost 28lbs, he 39, we feel like we have more energy than ever, and are loving the new foods we are cooking thanks to your wonderful recipes. My lipids decreased nearly 10% after only two months! and still going down. We are walking, hiking, biking and my husband says his knee, which was replaced last year, feels better than it ever did before. Plant based, low fat is the best recipe for wellness, and the easiest …..zero side effects, and no hardship!!
I continue to sing your praises to everyone, and thank you for all the incredibly delicious recipes!!
Lesli
Steven Little
July 15, 2014 at 3:33 pmThese were FANTASTIC! More like a really good sausage, flavor-wise, than a hot dog (and that is fine by me)!
I made sour dough rolls to go with.
Carol
July 15, 2014 at 4:00 pmSusan: This is a wonderful recipe! My husband, who doesn’t even like hot dogs, says these veggie dogs are “pretty darn good.” BTW, I substituted nutmeg for the mace and it worked great. Thanks so much for sharing your creative efforts with us!
Susan
July 15, 2014 at 6:34 pmMade these again yesterday, using kidney beans instead of pinto beans.
Also doubled the recipe and made them “smokie size,double wrapped them in Parchment and Foil….I agree, they shape better when wrapped in the foil as well as parchment( I worry about having aluminum near my food).
Omnivore hubby said he wanted some tonight for dinner(((SMILE!) (Wink Wink)
Great recipe as well…I too am waiting for a gluten alternative to try out for my sister in law.
Susan.
Carol
July 16, 2014 at 2:01 pmOnce again, thanks for all your experimentation. You asked about a gluten-free version. They are in steaming now, but I substituted the 1 cup of vital wheat gluten with 3/4 cup garbanzo bean flour and 1/4 cup gluten substitute from “ORGRAN”. It’s called “GfG” for gluten-free-gluten, is a bit pricey, but it seems to work. If they don’t turn out that great and I need to tweak it, I will leave another comment. If I don’t, assume they are great.
Ryan
July 16, 2014 at 7:34 pmSusan, do you use vital wheat gluten flour, or just wheat gluten? Is there a brand you can suggest? Does this Bob’s Red Mill one work and do you need to hydrate it first? http://www.bobsredmill.com/vital-wheat-gluten.html
nancy
July 17, 2014 at 7:36 amtotal admiration for you Susan xoxoxoxoxo
deb
July 20, 2014 at 3:15 pmthese were really fabulous. Now I want to play with the spicing and see what other flavours I can come up with.
Do you think I can just freeze them in their tin foil pouches inside a plastic bag?
Thanks for a great recipe.
Susan Voisin
July 20, 2014 at 3:17 pmI’m glad you liked them! Yes, that’s a great way to freeze them.
nessa
July 20, 2014 at 5:53 pmHi,
I was wondering if it is okay to omit the nutritional yeast in this recipe?
Susan Voisin
July 20, 2014 at 5:55 pmSure. It just adds a little flavor.
Howard Roy Harris
July 20, 2014 at 6:17 pmI thought it was very easy to make and it was very good. thank you
Vanessa @ VeganFamilyRecipes
July 21, 2014 at 8:53 amHow great are these? My kids will go crazy for these! Thanks Susan for another brilliant recipe 😀
Carolyn
July 22, 2014 at 7:53 pmYour word is good enough for me, Susan! I bought Field Roast franks once and they were very good, but for the price I thought I would be just as happy with their cheaper brethren. I’ve been making veggie sausages for years, so why not franks? To the kitchen I go!
Corrin Radd
July 23, 2014 at 8:13 pmMade these for dinner. Great texture.
Laura S.
July 24, 2014 at 4:57 amI think that this is a great recipe for the people who want to start eating less meat in general. I had a big problem convincing my husband and son into doing us, until I started to prepare this healthier variations of junk food for our Meatless Mondays. Despite initial male resistance, I was able to finally conquer their taste, and we decided another day without meat. I appreciate your recipe and will try to prepare it for them for the next time.
Werner
July 24, 2014 at 8:37 pmYes! Great vegan hot dogs, absolutely captured the taste. You never cease to amaze me-so many blogs these days but I always default to you. The best, thanks!!
Susan
July 26, 2014 at 4:14 pmEnjoyed this recipe, even though I made a big mess in the kitchen preparing it. Can these veggie dogs be frozen?
Susan Voisin
July 26, 2014 at 5:19 pmYes, just wrap each one tightly in plastic wrap.
Esther J
July 30, 2014 at 6:50 pmSusan, you’re such a rockstar! These are delicious! (and just as well-formed as yours; I thought no way would that happen.) No more store-bought veggie dogs for me. I am sold!
To complement them, I made your coleslaw and your baked beans. A perfect summertime meal.
I bow down to your greatness. 😉 🙂
vegetablej
August 7, 2014 at 8:28 amThese look great and as my mom, who I care for, is addicted to the regular kind, with all kinds of unhealthy stuff in them, I want to try them. We are gluten-free, so I’ll try them with substitutions. I found this link with a few alternatives for vital wheat gluten that might be of interest to others. I’ll try out some of them out and if any are really good, I’ll let you know. 🙂
http://www.livestrong.com/article/295867-substitutes-for-vital-wheat-gluten/
Carol Bradstreet
August 10, 2014 at 9:51 amI noticed that many people have said they didn’t care for the kale chips recipe. One important thing about kale is that you need to cut out the thick stem that runs down the middle of the leaf. That is where the bitterness comes from.
With the roasted chickpeas snack, try sprinkling on some Indian chaat spice mix. It is available in ethnic grocery stores, or in larger grocers in the international food aisle. You’ll never go back once you try this! It comes in a small cardboard box, and is relatively cheap as far as spice mixes go.
VeganOre
August 14, 2014 at 4:04 pmThese are outstanding! They have a great taste and look fantastic. What a great recipe – thanks so much!
VeggieCook
August 16, 2014 at 11:34 amGood! I’ll increase the spices next time. I cooked them in a steamer and didn’t need any foil while they steamed.
Jennifer
August 19, 2014 at 6:22 pmLove the idea of making your own. I am the only one in my house who is not a meat eater though and I was wondering if you have ever made a batch of these and put them in the freezer? Cooked or uncooked? I would love to freeze some and then when our family goes for summer pool-time fun at my dads I can have my own faux dogs. What do you think?
Susan Voisin
August 19, 2014 at 6:26 pmFreeze them after they’re cooked and then thaw and reheat gently later.
Amanda
August 20, 2014 at 8:40 amI don’t have a steamer. Any suggestions?
Laura
August 20, 2014 at 7:19 pmHi Susan,
Think I need glasses. LOL
I made these today using canned pinto beans and should have taken the time to cook dry ones instead.
Well they were edible but I’m sure they’ll be 100 times better with the dry beans.
Anastasia Crisis
August 21, 2014 at 9:51 pmHi there Susan,
I’ve been following your blog for years, and I love your inspirational recipes! The kale & chickpea curry is by far a favourite in our kitchen.
I produce a vegan ‘foodcast’ (food podcast with musical interludes) – and perhaps great minds think alike because as part of our latest installment we share a ‘not’ dog recipe as well.
It took many trial-and-error hours in the kitchen, but we’ve come up with a gluten-free recipe that does the trick (the first dozen of batches were more of a ‘hot-dog pate’, so to say)
Either way, if you have a minute, have a look and listen to our little production: http://singingwithmymouthfull.tumblr.com/post/93454718176/singing-with-my-mouth-full-010-bbq-dogz-kraut
I hope you enjoy it 🙂
zyra
August 23, 2014 at 2:02 pmthanks for this recipe… i love love it… Do you think if i grain all the ingredients will be okay!
Kyra
August 30, 2014 at 2:56 amI love making homemade veggie sausages and your recipe sounds awesome – the combination of the spices you used sound like the perfect veggie dog flavour! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Janet Lang
September 2, 2014 at 1:54 pmLove the cabin near Asheville. How did you find it?
Susan Voisin
September 2, 2014 at 1:56 pmI always use the website http://www.vrbo.com to find vacation rentals. We’ve rented a different place every summer for about 9 years and have never had a bad experience.
nlh110
September 2, 2014 at 2:08 pmGoing for round 2 on these dogs. My first batch turned out very very firm, and tasted a little more like pepperoni to me. After re-reading the recipe I measured the flaxseed before grinding, so I’ll correct that, but not sure that is the only reason mine were dry and firm. Any other suggestions?
Susan Voisin
September 2, 2014 at 2:12 pmYou could try cooking them for a shorter time, maybe 10 minutes less, and then checking them to see if they’re done. My only other suggestion may not work if you’re following a strict low-fat diet: add a tablespoon or two of any nut butter.
nlh110
September 3, 2014 at 10:26 amTried both suggestions, I think I over cooked them the first time because I was not confident they would be firm. Monitoring them worked fine and they were great. But I have to say adding the almond butter was absolutely to die for, gave them a mouthfeel and moisture that was very very tasty.
I used to worry about fat, keeping it below 5%, but since I quit that and made a couple other tweaks the last 30 lbs fell off with 6 months. So now I enjoy some nut butter every now and then.
Thank you very much.
Jeanine Mitchell
September 6, 2014 at 12:49 amHi Susan,
I plan to make these over the weekend. Can I use a rice cooker for the steamer?
Thank you
Susan Voisin
September 6, 2014 at 8:08 amYou probably could, but you will need to have some kind of insert to hold them up out of the water. They need to be cooked above, not in, water.
Jeanine Mitchell
September 7, 2014 at 5:44 pmThank you. There is a tray for steaming.
Casey
December 2, 2014 at 7:48 pmWe used a rice cooker steamer- worked great
Gordon Brown
September 15, 2014 at 10:44 pmGreat recipes to inspire me to change my life style back on track.
jane
September 22, 2014 at 4:13 pmThese look delicious — have you tried carrot dogs? We’ve made them a couple of times and my husband thought they were the most genius thing ever. He loved them! I’d make them more often if the whole planning-ahead-and-marinating-overnight thing didn’t conflict with my normal ack!-dinner’s-in-an-hour-what-do-I-make? style. 🙂
I have to avoid the field roast sausages too — super addictive, high sodium and I will totally eat the whole package. (the breakfast ones, and the maple apple sausage, zomg. I now buy them ONLY when specifically making cider-braised greens, thinking that I can only justify eating them as garish for a main course of a giant pile of collard, mustard, and kale. 🙂