Hot Dog Onion Sauce
This hot dog onion sauce is sweet, tangy, and full of soft onion slices in a rich tomato sauce. Spoon it over a hot dog for an easy topping that brings more flavor than ketchup alone.
It takes about 20 minutes to make with a handful of pantry ingredients, and is incredibly versatile- just like my homemade buffalo sauce.
This is a New York-style red onion topping, with the onions cooked until tender before simmering in a sweet and tangy sauce.
If you like making your own toppings and condiments, try my mulberry BBQ sauce and habanero garlic hot sauce recipes next. Both are handy for adding to a cookout spread.
Quick Look: Hot Dog Onion Sauce
- 🔪 Prep time: 5 mins.
- ⏲️ Cook time: About 15 mins, or until the onions are tender and the sauce thickens.
- 👪 Servings: 4.
- 📋 Main ingredients: White onions, ketchup, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, cinnamon, chili powder, oil.
- ♨️ Cooking method: Slice onions → soften in oil → add sauce ingredients → simmer until thick → cool slightly and serve.
- ⭐ Difficulty: Easy.
- 🥣 Best served: Spooned over hot dogs, burgers (like my French fries waffle burger), or grilled sausages.
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What's So Great About the Recipe?
- A short list of everyday ingredients makes a flavorful topping without much prep.
- The onions and sauce cook in one pan, keeping cleanup simple- just like in my sweet pepper relish.
- You can prepare it ahead and warm it up when your hot dogs or burgers are ready.
Recipe Ingredients
White onions: Slice them thinly and evenly, ideally using a mandolin slicer. I do this when I make my balsamic pickled onions too.
Tomato ketchup: Forms the sweet tomato base. Use a ketchup you enjoy, since its flavor comes through in the finished sauce.
Apple cider vinegar: Adds tang and balances the sweetness of the ketchup and sugar. You can use white vinegar or even an infused vinegar like hot pepper vinegar if you want to.
Brown sugar: Gives the sauce sweetness and a light caramel flavor. Break up any lumps so they dissolve easily.
Ground cinnamon: Adds a gentle warm note. Keep it subtle so it complements the onions.
Chili powder: Adds warmth and a little heat. Chili powders vary in strength, so adjust to suit yours.
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- Yellow onions work in place of white onions. Sweet onions will make the finished sauce sweeter.
- For a milder topping, reduce the chili powder. For more heat, add a little extra red pepper flakes or jalapeno flakes near the end and taste before adding more.
How to Make Hot Dog Onion Sauce
Step 1: Heat the oil in a saucepan or skillet over medium-low heat. Add the thinly sliced onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly golden.
Step 2: Add the ketchup, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and chili powder. Stir well to coat the onions and combine the sauce ingredients.
Step 3: Reduce the heat and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the onions are very tender and the sauce thickens enough to cling to them.
Step 4: Remove from the heat and let the sauce cool slightly. Taste, then spoon over hot dogs or allow it to cool for refrigerating.
💭Top Tip
Soften the onions before adding the vinegar and ketchup. Once the acidic sauce ingredients go in, the onions take longer to soften, so do not rush the first step.
Tips & Tricks to Nail the Recipe
- Slice the onions to a similar thickness so they cook evenly. Thin slices are also easier to eat on a hot dog.
- Keep the heat medium while softening the onions. You want light golden edges rather than dark or burnt pieces. This is one step I really like to focus on while making my Lecsó - a Hungarian tomato pepper stew.
- Stir more often as the sauce thickens, especially around the edges and bottom of the pan.
- If the pan becomes dry before the onions are tender, stir in a small splash of water and keep cooking gently.
- Let the sauce cool a little before judging its consistency; it thickens further as it sits.
How to Serve Hot Dog Onion Sauce
Spoon the warm sauce over hot dogs in soft buns, with hot mustard if you like. It also works well on grilled sausages, burgers, or a vegetarian hot dog.
For another way to use it, add a spoonful to my loaded cheeseburger bowl. I love spooning it over my burgers made with homemade chicken burger patties.
Troubleshooting and FAQs
No. This version uses softened onions simmered in a ketchup-based sauce with vinegar, sugar, and spices. Traditional caramelized onions cook much longer to develop their sweetness and deep brown color.
The slices may be too thick, or the onions may not have softened enough before the acidic ingredients were added. Add a small splash of water and continue cooking gently until tender.
Stir a little water into an overly thick sauce. If it is too loose, simmer uncovered, stirring often, until it coats the onions. Keep in mind that it thickens slightly as it cools.
Cool and refrigerate promptly in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat in a small saucepan over low heat, adding a splash of water if needed, until hot throughout.
Yes. Cool the sauce, portion into freezer-safe containers, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating gently.
More Homemade Sauce Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
If you tried this hot dog onion sauce or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Hot Dog Onion Sauce
Ingredients
- 3 white onions thinly sliced
- ½ cup tomato ketchup
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 2 tablespoon oil
Instructions
- Heat oil in a saucepan and cook the sliced onions on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally.
- Once they soften and turn light golden brown, add in the ketchup, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, ground cinnamon and chili powder.
- Turn down the heat and cook until the mixture thickens and the onions soften further.
- Take off heat, allow it to cool down and serve or store for later.
Notes
- Use white onions for a classic New York-style hot dog onion sauce. Yellow onions work just as well, while sweet onions will give the sauce a slightly sweeter flavor.
- Slice the onions thinly and evenly so they soften quickly and cook at the same rate. A mandoline slicer works well for this.
- Cook the onions over medium-low heat until softened and lightly golden before adding the sauce ingredients. Avoid browning them too much, as they should remain tender rather than crispy.
- Don't rush the initial cooking step, as the vinegar and ketchup can slow down the softening of the onions once added.
- Stir the sauce occasionally as it simmers, scraping the bottom of the pan to prevent the ketchup and brown sugar from sticking or burning.
- Adjust the brown sugar and apple cider vinegar to suit your taste if you prefer a sweeter or tangier sauce.
- Reduce the chili powder for a milder sauce, or add a pinch of red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper for extra heat.
- Add a splash of water if the sauce becomes too thick before the onions are completely tender.
- Let the sauce cool slightly before serving, as it will thicken further as it sits.
- Serve warm over hot dogs, grilled sausages, burgers, or vegetarian hot dogs. It also makes a delicious topping for loaded fries.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat gently in a saucepan, adding a little water if needed.
- Freeze the cooled sauce in small, airtight containers for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
