Take a taste of the tropics with these Hawaiian Hot Dogs. Grilled hot dogs are topped with grilled pineapple and onions for a Hawaiian flair.
Serve these hot dogs up with a side of Hawaiian Macaroni Salad for the perfect summer meal!
If you’re a long time reader to Taste and Tell, you’ll know that I love hot dogs, and these Hawaiian Hot Dogs are right at the top of the hot dog recipes that I love the most.
This hot dog is more than just a grilled hot dog. Two of my favorite things on the grill are pineapple and onions, and this recipe combines those – with a touch of barbecue sauce – to create a hot dog with a tropical flair. The pineapple and onion both get nice and caramelized and they bring a wonderful, sweet touch to these dogs.
These Hawaiian Hot Dogs are so easy and would be perfect for a backyard bbq. I’m a huge fan of the sweet/savory mix, and this gives me both. Plus, they only take 5 ingredients, making this a super easy dinner!
Ingredients
- Pineapple: You want to use fresh pineapple. And you will only need half for this recipe, so you can save the rest and make a Hawaiian Pizza the next night. You can see the photos below to see how to cut the pineapple
- Onion: I prefer a red onion, but sweet onions would also work well here.
- Barbecue Sauce: You can use a homemade barbecue sauce or a store bought sauce.
- Hot Dogs: I prefer an all beef hot dog. But you could even use bratwursts or chicken sausage. Just be aware that the flavor of the sausage can change the overall flavor of the end product.
- Hot Dog Buns: I don’t do anything fancy here – just regular hot dog buns.
How to Make Hawaiian Hot Dogs
STEP 1: Before you start, you want to prep your pineapple and onion. I like to cut the top and bottom off the pineapple, then remove the outer rind. Then you can cut the pineapple in half, as you only need half for this recipe. Cut that into 3 to 4 slices – you wan to keep them a little bit thick for grilling. Then cut the tough center out. I use a small cookie cutter.
STEP 2: For the onion, you want to peel the outer layer, then cut the onion into thick slices, keeping the rings together for easier grilling.
STEP 3: Heat the grill, and add your pineapple and onion. Cook, brushing the pieces with barbecue sauce as they cook, until they are nice and caramelized, soft, and browned.
STEP 4: Remove them from the grill and let them cool slightly.
STEP 5: Cook the hot dogs on the grill, brushing them with the barbecue sauce as they are cooking.
STEP 6: Once the pineapple and onion are slightly cooled, dice them and mix them together in a bowl. To serve, place a hot dog in each bun, and then top with the pineapple and onion mixture. If you have any leftover barbecue sauce, you can serve that at the table.
Tips and Tricks
You can cook the pineapple and onion ahead of time, but I prefer them served a little bit warm. And really, they don’t take long to grill, so making them ahead of time won’t save you a lot of time.
These are also good with a bit of chopped cilantro over the top.
Make them even meatier by wrapping the hot dogs in bacon before grilling.
These Hawaiian Hot Dogs are best served when made, but if you do have leftovers, store them in the refrigerator. Reheat the hot dog in the microwave, or air fryer, or throw them back on the grill.
More Hot Dog Recipes
Coney Island Hot Dogs
Cordon Bleu Dogs
Pizza Dogs
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Hawaiian Hot Dogs
Ingredients
- 1/2 of a fresh pineapple peeled, cored, and sliced
- 1 red onion cut into thick rings
- 1/2 cup prepared barbecue sauce
- 8 hot dogs
- 8 hot dog buns
Instructions
- Preheat a grill to medium-high heat.
- Once hot, place the pineapple and onion on the grill. Brush with some of the barbecue sauce. Continue to baste with barbecue sauce as they cooking, turning as needed, until they are charred and soft.1/2 of a fresh pineapple, 1 red onion, 1/2 cup prepared barbecue sauce
- Meanwhile, grill the hot dogs, basting with more of the barbecue sauce.8 hot dogs
- Remove the pineapple and onion from the grill and dice. Mix together in a bowl.
- To make the hot dogs, place a hot dog in each bun. Top with the pineapple and onion and serve with any leftover barbecue sauce, if desired.8 hot dog buns
Charlene Connell says
What a fun way to dress up a hot dog and make it worth a summer dinner. We pair it with a creamy cabbage slaw to fill the bellies of the 6 kids still at home.