Sonoran Hot Dog Recipe

By
Leah Maroney
Leah Maroney
Leah Maroney
A recipe developer and food photographer, Leah Maroney is an ardent home cook and food blogger who has written over 300 recipes for The Spruce Eats.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 11/13/22
Tested by
Diana Andrews
Headshot of Diana Andrews
Tested by Diana Andrews
Diana earned her B.A. in Fine Art at Queens College and her culinary certification from the Institute of Culinary Education. Diana has served as head recipe developer and editor for Emmy-nominated PBS series Moveable Feast, food editor and test kitchen manager at Fine Cooking Magazine, and recipe developer, and product tester at Food Network.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Sonoran Hot Dog

The Spruce / Cara Cormack

Prep: 25 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Chill: 30 mins
Total: 75 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Yield: 4 hot dogs
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
760 Calories
51g Fat
57g Carbs
22g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 760
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 51g 66%
Saturated Fat 17g 84%
Cholesterol 71mg 24%
Sodium 1434mg 62%
Total Carbohydrate 57g 21%
Dietary Fiber 12g 44%
Total Sugars 8g
Protein 22g
Vitamin C 40mg 199%
Calcium 130mg 10%
Iron 4mg 23%
Potassium 1320mg 28%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Sonoran hot dogs are a street-cart staple in southern Arizona. They were originally from the state of Sonora in Mexico and the Mexican vibes definitely shine through. A large, soft roll (traditionally called a bolillo) is split down the center, toasted, and stuffed with pinto beans, onions, tomatoes, avocado, a variety of sauces, and—of course—a hot dog. But not just any plain hot dog is used, it's a bacon-wrapped one!

The resulting combination is salty, crunchy, spicy, and snappy all at the same time. It really hits every taste and texture and is very easy to make despite all of the toppings. We used a homemade cilantro-lime crema as the creamy topping, but you can simply use mayonnaise or even store-bought salsa.

Make these as part of a barbecue, game night, or as a fun weeknight dinner. You can even make the hot dogs ahead of time and heat them up when you are ready to serve.

2:01

Click Play to Learn How to Make Sonoran Hot Dogs

"I never thought I'd hear myself say the words "luxurious" and "hot dog" in the same sentence, but that's what it is. Lots of my favorite ingredients combined and added to a bacon-wrapped hot dog. It doesn't get any better than this!" —Diana Andrews

Sonoran Hot Dog/Tester Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

For the Hot Dogs:

  • 4 beef hot dogs

  • 4 slices thin-cut bacon

  • 4 sandwich rolls, or split-top hot dog rolls

  • 2 tablespoons salted butter, softened

  • 1/2 cup refried beans

  • 1 medium avocado, diced

  • 1 medium tomato, diced

  • 1 small red onion, diced

  • 1 small jalapeño pepper, thinly sliced

  • Fresh cilantro, for garnish

For the Cilantro-Lime Crema:

  • 1/4 cup sour cream

  • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise

  • 1 tablespoon lime juice

  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro

  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste

  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Sonora hot dog ingredients

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  2. Wrap each hot dog with a slice of bacon so that entire hot dog is covered in bacon. Secure with a toothpick and place in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

    Bacon-wrapped hot dogs, with toothpicks

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  3. Heat a grill pan or cast-iron skillet on top of the stove to medium heat. Remove toothpick from hot dogs. Add the bacon-wrapped hot dogs to the grill pan. Cover hot dogs with a lid. Rotate hot dogs frequently until bacon is crisp and hot dog is warmed through, about 15 minutes.

    Cooked bacon-wrapped hot dogs on a grill pan

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  4. While hot dogs are cooking, prepare the crema. 

    Cilantro-lime crema ingredients in a bowl

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  5. Whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, lime juice, cilantro, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Set aside.

    Cilantro-lime crema mixed up in a bowl with a whisk

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  6. Cut a pocket into the center of each of the rolls, if necessary. 

    sliced rolls

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  7. Remove the hot dogs to a plate. Wipe off any excess bacon fat from the grill pan. Butter the outside of rolls, add to the grill pan, and toast until light golden brown.

    Buttel the buns

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  8. Flip the rolls over and cook cut-side down, opened slightly to ensure the inside of roll crisps. Cook until golden brown.

    Toasting the rolls in a grill pan

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  9. Warm beans in microwave or a small pot until steaming. Spread a few tablespoons of refried beans into bottom of each roll. 

    Beans spread inside the roll

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  10. Add hot dog into roll and top with diced avocado, tomato, red onion, jalapeño, cilantro, and a drizzle of the cilantro-lime crema. Serve immediately with your favorite sides. 

    Sonoran Hot Dogs on a platter

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack