Hot Dog Dinners: 16 Cheap Grandma Suppers That Stretched One Pack of Franks to Feed the Whole Family

Hot dog dinners were the quiet heroes of grandma’s kitchen, the meals she made when payday was still four days away and the whole family still needed a hot supper. One pack of franks, a few potatoes, a can of beans or a box of pasta, and somehow there was enough for everyone plus a plate saved for whoever came home late. These were not fancy recipes. They were clever ones, built on whatever the pantry held and stretched with love, patience and a hot oven. We gathered 16 cheap hot dog dinners from American church cookbooks and from kitchens around the world, each with a short story, a shopping list and easy steps, so you can feed a crowd for next to nothing this week..

Baked Franks and Beans With a Cornbread Crust, the Hot Dog Dinner Grandma Made Most

Every family seems to have a version of this one, and it is the hot dog dinner that started it all. Grandma stirred sliced franks into sweet molasses beans, spread a quick cornbread batter over one end of the pan and let the oven do the rest. The beans bubble up around the crust, the franks turn golden at the edges, and the whole house smells like a Saturday night supper. It costs a few dollars, feeds six, and leftovers taste even better the next day..

You will need: 6 hot dogs sliced into coins, 2 cans (28 ounces each) baked beans, 1/4 cup molasses or brown sugar, 2 tablespoons ketchup, 1 tablespoon yellow mustard, 1 small onion diced, 1 box (8.5 ounces) corn muffin mix, 1 egg, 1/3 cup milk.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 400 F and grease a 9×13 pan. 2. Brown the hot dog coins and onion in a skillet for 5 minutes. 3. Stir in the beans, molasses, ketchup and mustard and pour into the pan. 4. Mix the corn muffin mix with the egg and milk and spoon it over half or all of the beans. 5. Bake 20 to 25 minutes until the cornbread is golden and the beans bubble.

Hot Dog Tater Tot Casserole

Tater tot casserole is a Midwest church supper legend, and when ground beef was too pricey, thrifty cooks swapped in a pack of franks. The sliced hot dogs go into a creamy layer with green beans and corn, then the whole pan gets covered in neat rows of frozen tots and a blanket of cheddar. Kids fight over the crispy corner pieces, and grown-ups go back for seconds while pretending they are only having a little more. It is the kind of cheap hot dog dinner that disappears before the dishes are even cleared.

You will need: 8 hot dogs sliced, 1 can cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup, 1/2 cup sour cream or milk, 1 can green beans drained, 1 cup frozen corn, 1 bag (32 ounces) frozen tater tots, 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar, salt and pepper.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 375 F. 2. Mix the hot dogs, soup, sour cream, green beans and corn and spread in a greased 9×13 pan. 3. Top with half the cheese. 4. Arrange the tater tots in rows over the top. 5. Bake 40 minutes, sprinkle the rest of the cheese and bake 5 more minutes until melted and bubbly.

Scalloped Potatoes and Franks, a Hot Dog Dinner That Stretches for Days

When grandma had a sack of potatoes and a pack of franks, scalloped potatoes became a full supper instead of a side dish. Thin potato slices are layered with a simple homemade cheese sauce and coins of browned hot dog, then baked until the top turns golden and blistered. The franks add a smoky, salty bite that makes the creamy potatoes taste richer than they have any right to. Serve it with buttered peas or a crunchy coleslaw and nobody will guess this hot dog dinner cost so little.

You will need: 2 1/2 pounds russet potatoes thinly sliced, 6 hot dogs sliced, 3 tablespoons butter, 3 tablespoons flour, 2 1/2 cups milk, 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar, 1 small onion thinly sliced, salt, pepper, chopped parsley.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 375 F and butter a deep casserole dish. 2. Melt the butter, whisk in the flour, then slowly whisk in the milk and cook until thick. 3. Stir in 1 cup cheese, salt and pepper. 4. Layer potatoes, onion, hot dogs and sauce, repeating to the top. 5. Cover and bake 50 minutes, uncover, add the rest of the cheese and bake 25 minutes more.

Pigs in a Blanket Supper

Pigs in a blanket started as a party snack, but plenty of moms turned them into a full dinner on busy nights. Whole or halved franks get rolled in biscuit, crescent or bread dough, brushed with butter and baked until puffed and golden on one big sheet pan. Add a bowl of applesauce, a few carrot sticks and a little dish of mustard for dipping, and you have a meal kids still remember fondly decades later. It is one of the easiest hot dog dinners to double for a crowd.

You will need: 8 to 10 hot dogs, 2 cans refrigerated crescent roll or biscuit dough, 2 tablespoons melted butter, 1 egg beaten (optional), sesame or poppy seeds, mustard and ketchup for dipping.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 375 F and line a sheet pan with parchment. 2. Cut the hot dogs in half if you want bite-size pieces. 3. Wrap each one in a strip of dough, seam side down. 4. Brush with butter or egg and sprinkle with seeds. 5. Bake 12 to 15 minutes until golden and serve hot with dips.

Hot Dog Fried Rice

Leftover rice and a couple of franks have rescued many a tight week. This fried rice is a favorite in Asian American, Hawaiian and Filipino homes, where hot dogs often stand in for pricier char siu or ham. The coins of frank get seared until their edges caramelize, then everything is tossed with day-old rice, scrambled egg, peas and carrots and a splash of soy sauce. It takes fifteen minutes, uses up odds and ends from the fridge and is one of the fastest hot dog dinners you can make.

You will need: 4 cups cold cooked rice, 5 hot dogs sliced into coins, 3 eggs, 1 cup frozen peas and carrots, 3 green onions sliced, 2 cloves garlic minced, 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 2 tablespoons vegetable oil.

How to make it: 1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet and brown the hot dogs, then push them aside. 2. Scramble the eggs in the empty space and break them up. 3. Add the rest of the oil, garlic and peas and carrots and cook 2 minutes. 4. Add the rice and fry, stirring, until hot and lightly crisp. 5. Toss with soy sauce, sesame oil and green onions.

Homemade Corn Dogs, a Hot Dog Dinner From the County Fair

Corn dogs are the taste of the county fair, but grandma knew they cost far less at home. A simple batter of cornmeal, flour, egg and milk clings to each frank, then a quick fry turns it crisp, golden and slightly sweet. For a weeknight shortcut, the same batter can be baked in a muffin tin with a chunk of hot dog pressed into each cup. Serve them with a ring of ketchup and mustard and maybe some baked beans, and every kid at the table will call it the best night of the week.

You will need: 8 hot dogs, 8 wooden sticks, 1 cup yellow cornmeal, 1 cup flour, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 egg, 1 cup milk, oil for frying, ketchup and mustard.

How to make it: 1. Pat the hot dogs dry and insert a stick into each. 2. Whisk the dry ingredients, then stir in the egg and milk to make a thick batter and pour it into a tall glass. 3. Heat 3 inches of oil to 350 F. 4. Dip each hot dog into the batter to coat. 5. Fry 3 to 4 minutes, turning, until deep golden, and drain on paper towels.

Filipino Spaghetti With Hot Dogs

In the Philippines, birthday parties are not complete without a big tray of this sweet, saucy spaghetti. The tomato sauce is cooked with ground meat and a spoonful of banana ketchup or sugar, then loaded with sliced red hot dogs and finished with a snowfall of grated cheese. It began as a way to make American-style spaghetti suit local tastes, and it became one of the most loved budget party dishes in the country. Kids adore it, and like the best hot dog dinners, a single pound of pasta feeds a surprising number of guests.

You will need: 1 pound spaghetti, 6 hot dogs sliced on the diagonal, 1/2 pound ground pork or beef, 1 onion diced, 3 cloves garlic minced, 1 jar (24 ounces) tomato pasta sauce, 1/2 cup banana ketchup or regular ketchup, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 cup shredded cheddar.

How to make it: 1. Cook the spaghetti and drain. 2. Brown the hot dogs in a large pan and set aside. 3. Saute the onion and garlic, then brown the ground meat. 4. Stir in the sauce, ketchup and sugar and simmer 15 minutes, then add the hot dogs back. 5. Spoon the sauce over the spaghetti and top generously with cheese.

Korean Army Stew, a Hot Dog Dinner Born From Hard Times

Budae jjigae was born from hard times after the Korean War, when cooks combined hot dogs, ham and canned beans from nearby army bases with kimchi and spicy broth. Today it is a beloved comfort food, cooked at the table in a wide pot and shared by everyone with chopsticks and long spoons. Instant ramen noodles go in at the end, and a slice of American cheese melts right on top. It proves that a pack of franks can become something warming, generous and full of flavor.

You will need: 4 hot dogs sliced, 4 ounces canned ham or Spam-style luncheon meat sliced, 1 cup chopped kimchi, 1/2 onion sliced, 1/2 block firm tofu sliced, 1/2 cup canned baked beans, 4 cups chicken broth, 1 tablespoon gochujang, 1 teaspoon gochugaru, 2 green onions, 1 package instant ramen noodles, 1 slice American cheese.

How to make it: 1. Arrange the hot dogs, ham, kimchi, onion, tofu and beans in sections in a wide shallow pot. 2. Mix the broth with gochujang and gochugaru and pour it in. 3. Bring to a boil and simmer 8 minutes. 4. Add the ramen noodles and cook 3 minutes. 5. Top with the cheese slice and green onions and serve straight from the pot.

Swedish Korv Stroganoff

Ask anyone who grew up in Sweden about cheap family dinners and korv stroganoff will come up fast. It is a weeknight version of the famous Russian dish made with sliced sausage instead of beef, simmered in a creamy tomato sauce with onions and a touch of mustard. Swedish families serve it over plain white rice, and it is one of the most popular school lunch dishes in the country. Made with hot dogs or ring bologna, this hot dog dinner is ready in twenty minutes and costs very little.

You will need: 8 hot dogs or 1 pound smoked sausage cut into sticks, 1 onion diced, 1 tablespoon butter, 2 tablespoons tomato paste, 1 tablespoon mustard, 1 cup heavy cream or half-and-half, 1/2 cup milk, salt, pepper, cooked rice for serving.

How to make it: 1. Melt the butter in a skillet and fry the onion until soft. 2. Add the hot dog strips and brown them 5 minutes. 3. Stir in the tomato paste and mustard and cook 1 minute. 4. Pour in the cream and milk and simmer 8 to 10 minutes until thickened. 5. Season and serve over rice.

Franks and Sauerkraut Skillet, the Cold Night Hot Dog Dinner

German and Polish grandmothers across the Midwest kept a crock or a jar of sauerkraut on hand all winter, and franks were its perfect partner. The kraut simmers with onion, a little brown sugar and caraway until it turns mellow, and the hot dogs are tucked in to warm through and soak up the flavor. Serve it with boiled potatoes and grainy mustard and it feels like a beer hall supper at home. It is one of those hot dog dinners that tastes better on the coldest night of the year.

You will need: 8 hot dogs or bratwurst, 1 jar (32 ounces) sauerkraut drained, 1 onion sliced, 1 apple grated, 2 tablespoons butter, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 teaspoon caraway seeds, 1/2 cup chicken broth or apple cider, boiled potatoes and mustard for serving.

How to make it: 1. Melt the butter in a large skillet and brown the hot dogs, then remove them. 2. Cook the onion until soft. 3. Add the sauerkraut, apple, sugar, caraway and broth. 4. Nestle the hot dogs back on top, cover and simmer 20 minutes. 5. Serve with potatoes and mustard.

Chili Cheese Dog Casserole

Chili cheese dogs are a diner favorite, and the casserole version brings that messy, wonderful flavor to the family table. Buns are cut into cubes and lined up in the pan, then topped with hot dogs, a thick layer of chili and plenty of shredded cheddar before going into the oven. Everything melts together into something you eat with a fork, which means far fewer chili drips on shirts. Top each serving with chopped onion and mustard, and this hot dog dinner tastes just like a roadside stand.

You will need: 8 hot dogs, 8 hot dog buns, 2 cans (15 ounces each) chili with or without beans, 2 cups shredded cheddar, 1 small onion finely chopped, yellow mustard, pickled jalapenos (optional).

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 375 F and grease a 9×13 pan. 2. Place the hot dogs in the buns and set them snugly in the pan. 3. Spoon the chili over the top. 4. Cover with foil and bake 20 minutes. 5. Uncover, add the cheese and bake 10 more minutes, then top with onion and mustard.

Coney Sauce Over Franks

In Michigan, a coney is serious business, and families argue for hours over whose sauce is the real thing. Detroit-style coney sauce is a loose, beanless meat chili spiced with chili powder and cumin, spooned over a snappy frank with yellow mustard and a heap of chopped white onion. It turns the humble hot dog into a full plate supper, especially with a side of fries or baked beans. One pound of beef makes enough sauce for a whole crowd, and leftovers freeze beautifully.

You will need: 8 hot dogs, 8 buns, 1 pound ground beef, 1 small onion very finely chopped, 2 tablespoons chili powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 2 tablespoons tomato paste, 1/2 cup water, salt, yellow mustard, extra chopped onion.

How to make it: 1. Brown the beef in a skillet, breaking it into very fine crumbles. 2. Add the onion and spices and cook 3 minutes. 3. Stir in the tomato paste and water and simmer 15 minutes until thick. 4. Grill or simmer the hot dogs and warm the buns. 5. Top each hot dog with mustard, a spoon of sauce and chopped onion.

Grandma’s Hot Dog and Potato Stew

On cold nights grandma could turn a few franks and the bottom of the vegetable bin into a big pot of stew. Chunks of potato, carrot and celery simmer in a tomato broth with a can of beans, and coins of hot dog float through every spoonful. It is the kind of soup that warms your hands as much as your stomach, and it stretches easily when unexpected company knocks. Like the cozy dinners grandma made with a bag of egg noodles, it is proof that a cheap supper can still feel like a hug.

You will need: 6 hot dogs sliced, 4 potatoes cubed, 2 carrots sliced, 2 celery stalks sliced, 1 onion diced, 1 can (15 ounces) kidney or white beans drained, 1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes, 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 bay leaf, salt, pepper, parsley.

How to make it: 1. Brown the hot dogs in a large pot, then add the onion, carrots and celery and cook 5 minutes. 2. Add the potatoes, tomatoes, broth, paprika and bay leaf. 3. Simmer 25 minutes until the potatoes are tender. 4. Stir in the beans and heat through. 5. Season with salt and pepper and top with parsley.

Toad in the Hole With Franks

This British classic has the funniest name on the menu and one of the cheapest ingredient lists. Sausages or franks sit in a hot pan of fat while a simple batter of eggs, flour and milk is poured around them, puffing up in the oven into a golden Yorkshire pudding cloud. Families during wartime rationing relied on it because a few links and a little batter could fill several plates. Serve it with onion gravy and peas for a hot dog dinner that looks far more impressive than it costs.

You will need: 8 hot dogs or small sausages, 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, 1 cup flour, 4 eggs, 1 cup milk, 1/2 teaspoon salt, onion gravy and peas for serving.

How to make it: 1. Whisk the flour, eggs, milk and salt until smooth and let rest 20 minutes. 2. Heat the oven to 425 F. 3. Put the oil and hot dogs in a 9×13 metal pan and heat in the oven 10 minutes. 4. Quickly pour the batter around the hot dogs. 5. Bake 25 minutes without opening the door until tall and golden.

Hot Dog and Potato Hash, Scandinavian Style

Pyttipanna means small pieces in a pan, and together with Danish biksemad it is how Scandinavian families have used up leftovers for generations. Diced potatoes are fried until crisp with onion and cubes of sausage or franks, then each plate is crowned with a fried egg and a few slices of pickled beets. The American diner version is hot dog hash, and it is just as good for supper as it is for breakfast. It is one of the most satisfying hot dog dinners for stretching two or three franks into a meal.

You will need: 4 hot dogs diced, 4 boiled potatoes diced, 1 onion diced, 2 tablespoons butter, 1 tablespoon oil, salt, pepper, 4 eggs, pickled beets and parsley for serving.

How to make it: 1. Heat the butter and oil in a large skillet. 2. Fry the potatoes 10 minutes, turning, until crisp. 3. Add the onion and hot dogs and cook 6 to 8 minutes more. 4. Season well with salt and pepper. 5. Fry the eggs and set one on each portion with pickled beets on the side.

Currywurst, the Berlin Hot Dog Dinner

Currywurst was invented in postwar Berlin when a snack stand owner mixed ketchup with curry powder and spooned it over sliced fried sausage. It became the city’s favorite street food and today Germans eat hundreds of millions of servings every year. At home it is a fast hot dog dinner: brown the franks, slice them, and smother them with a warm curry ketchup sauce, then serve with fries or crusty bread. It is sweet, tangy, a little spicy and wonderfully cheap.

You will need: 8 hot dogs or bratwurst, 1 tablespoon oil, 1 small onion grated, 1 1/2 cups ketchup, 1/2 cup water, 2 tablespoons curry powder plus extra for dusting, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, fries or bread for serving.

How to make it: 1. Cook the onion in a little oil until soft. 2. Add the ketchup, water, curry powder, paprika, honey and Worcestershire and simmer 10 minutes. 3. Brown the hot dogs in a skillet. 4. Slice them into bite-size pieces. 5. Spoon the sauce over the top, dust with more curry powder and serve with fries.