What Is a Hot Dog Pizza?

Hot dog pizza is a pizza or pizza-like dish which has sliced hot dogs as the primary topping. Often made with the help of children, hot dog pizza may be created like a traditional pizza or may be a faux version, which includes inventive substitutes for the traditional ingredients. This dish is usually made at home and is a family friendly and usually cost effective choice.

A twist to the usual pizza, hot dog pizza transforms a basic pepperoni pizza into a combination of two of a typical American child's favorite dishes. A creative way to use inexpensive at-home ingredients, hot dog pizza allows for a variety of substitutions and variations in its making. Whether the result is more traditional or inventive, hot dogs are the essential ingredient to this pizza. The hot dogs may be boiled, grilled, or microwaved, but they are usually first cooked and are normally chopped or sliced before being included in the dish.

The crust of a hot dog pizza may be a traditional pizza crust or may be nearly any bread or dough-like product. Hamburger buns or tortillas are frequent crust replacements. Since this dish is generally simple and quick, whatever type of crust is chosen is usually pre-made. Homemade crusts can be created, however.

Additional ingredients usually include cheese and sauce. Traditional pizza sauce is sometimes used, but chili is a frequent substitute. Salsa might also be used. Cheese is usually shredded or grated for easy placement. Mozzarella, cheddar, provolone, or a combination are the common cheese choices.

Garnish may also be added to a hot dog pizza. Typical hot dog toppings are usually included in the garnish. Onions, as well as condiments such as mustard, relish, or ketchup, may all be added.

To make a hot dog pizza, the chosen sauce is spread over the crust. Afterward, the cheese is added. This step may be particularly fun for small children helping in the kitchen. Then, the cooked and cut hot dogs can be added and the dish is baked. Garnish is usually included after the pizza has cooked.

A more quesadilla-like hot dog pizza can be created by using flour tortillas and salsa. The tortillas are briefly pan fried, then the pizza ingredients are arranged on the tortilla and the quesadilla is folded in half in the pan to finish cooking. To keep with the quesadilla theme, salsa or a combination of salsa and ketchup is usually used for the pizza sauce.