No need to hop on a plane – you can have a delicious, authentic Coney Island Hot Dog in the comfort of your own backyard or kitchen! Diced onions, yellow mustard, and homemade chili sauce that’s bursting with flavor cover all-beef hot dogs placed on soft buns. Hot dogs don’t get much better than this!

Four hot dogs are placed on a white rectangular plate.


Coney Island Hot Dogs

There’s really nothing more American than a Coney Island hot dog! I usually make these bad boys for summertime parties, like the 4th of July backyard barbecues and all that jazz. Besides being wholly American, these hot dogs are also incredibly satisfying and delicious! The entire hot dog is to die for, but what really makes it remarkable is the homemade chili sauce.

And yes, this chili sauce is the real deal! I use a good amount of ingredients to make the chili sauce really stand out, and boy, does it ever! With ingredients like smoked paprika, chili powder, cayenne powder and garlic powder (just to name a few), it’s impossible not to practically drool over this beanless chili. I’ve seen these hot dogs made before with a can of store-bought chili… and it was a real shame. The homemade chili makes a WORLD of difference!

Of course, these hot dogs wouldn’t be complete without the onions, cheese and mustard, too! Those toppings are what elevate these dogs from being regular chili cheese hot dogs to Coney Island hot dogs. You might not think that my homemade chili and mustard belong together, but let me tell you – they’re a match made in heaven! These hot dogs are tangy, savory, cheesy, and oh so good. After you make a batch, you’ll feel like a real Coney Island queen!

Four hot dogs are placed on two separate metal serving trays.

How to Make Coney Island Hot Dogs

First, start by making the chili sauce!

  1. Start cooking the chili meat. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the ground beef and sausage to the pot breaking it up into small pieces with a fork. The smaller the pieces, the better your chili will be!
  2. Cook and drain. Continue cooking the meat until browned and no longer pink, approximately 7-8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the meat from the pot and transfer to a large bowl. Drain off all but 2 tablespoons of fat.
  3. Add the onion and garlic. Add the onion to the pot with the reserved fat. Cook the onion for 3-4 minutes or until softened. Stir in the garlic and continue cooking for 1 minute.
  4. Toss in more ingredients. Add the chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, cayenne, paprika and tomato paste to the onion mixture stirring to combine. Continue to cook the onions until the tomato paste turns a deep Burgundy color, approximately 2-3 minutes.
  5. Stir. Stir in the tomato sauce, brown sugar, espresso powder and vinegar. Return the beef and sausage back to the pot and stir to combine.
  6. Simmer. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Turn the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. After it’s done simmering, do a quick taste check to see if you need any more seasonings.
  7. Time to assemble the Coney Island hot dogs!
  8. Toast. If desired, toast the hot dog buns under the broiler or on a grill.
  9. Add the dog and chili. Add the hot dog to the bun and carefully spoon the chili sauce across the top.
  10. Top it off! Top with mustard, a sprinkle of onion and cheese, and serve immediately. Enjoy!
Pickles and fries are placed next to two Coney Island hot dogs on a metal tray lined with patriotic paper.

Do I Need The Espresso Powder?

I get it – espresso powder in chili may seem a little bit odd, but I promise it’s delicious! And don’t worry, your chili won’t taste like coffee, either. Espresso powder is my little secret ingredient that helps make the chili even tastier and wonderfully rich with deep flavor. Just make sure that you’re not adding any more than what this recipe calls for, or you’re going to have a much more noticeable espresso taste!

Four hot dogs are ready to be eaten on metal trays.

How To Cook The Hot Dogs

If you’ve already got the grill fired up in the backyard, you can definitely grill your dogs for a great smokey, grilled flavor! And if you want them a little bit browned without having to deal with the grill, just melt a little bit of butter in a pan, then cook the dogs for about 7-8 minutes in that hot butter.

However, if you’re on a time crunch, check out How to Boil Hot Dogs!

A hot dog is covered with chili, cheese, mustard and onions.

Planning something special this summer? Don’t forget these easy recipes to make your backyard barbecue really perfect!

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Pickles and fries are placed next to two Coney Island hot dogs on a metal tray lined with patriotic paper.

Get the Recipe: Coney Island Hot Dog Recipe

Yield: 8
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Classic Coney Island Hot Dogs are the perfect snack for summer, game day or just a leisurely weekday dinner! Hot dogs topped with chili sauce, mustard, onions and sometimes cheese are simple to whip up in minutes.
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Ingredients

For the Chili Sauce:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • 4 ounces sweet Italian sausage, casing removed
  • 1 cup chopped sweet onion
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 15 ounce can tomato sauce
  • 2 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • salt and pepper, to taste

For the Hot Dogs:

  • 8 all-beef Hot Dogs, boiled or grilled
  • 8 Hot Dog Buns, toasted

Toppings:

  • 1 cup diced onion
  • 1/4 cup yellow mustard
  • 1 cup grated cheddar cheese, optional

Equipment

  • saucepan

Instructions 

For the Chili Sauce:

  • Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the ground beef and sausage to the pot breaking it up into small pieces with a fork. The smaller the pieces, the better your chili will be!
  • Continue cooking the meat until browned and no longer pink, approximately 7-8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the meat from the pot and transfer to a large bowl. Drain off all but 2 tablespoons of fat.
  • Add the onion to the pot with the reserved fat. Cook the onion for 3-4 minutes or until softened. Stir in the garlic and continue cooking for 1 minute.
  • Add the chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, cayenne, paprika and tomato paste to the onion mixture stirring to combine. Continue to cook the onions until the tomato paste turns a deep Burgundy color, approximately 2-3 minutes.
  • Stir in the tomato sauce, brown sugar, espresso powder and vinegar. Return the beef and sausage back to the pot and stir to combine.
  • Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Turn the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.
  • Check for seasoning again adding salt and pepper, if necessary.

To assemble:

  • Toast the hot dog buns under the broiler or on a grill.
  • Add the hot dog to the bun and spoon the chili sauce across the top.
  • Top with mustard, a sprinkle of onion and cheese.
  • Serve immediately.

Notes

Hot Dog Chili Sauce can be made up to 5 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat before serving.
Calories: 523kcal, Carbohydrates: 35g, Protein: 29g, Fat: 30g, Saturated Fat: 12g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 13g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 86mg, Sodium: 1356mg, Potassium: 733mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 12g, Vitamin A: 898IU, Vitamin C: 9mg, Calcium: 221mg, Iron: 5mg
Author: Kellie
Course: Dinner, lunch
Cuisine: American