Our Easy 4 Ingredient Chili Dog Casserole Recipe

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Do you love chili dogs? Of course, you do! Who doesn’t? Well, now there’s a way to enjoy them even more – in the form of a casserole! This chili dog casserole is incredibly easy to make, and it only requires four ingredients. We’re sure you’ll love it!

I know Chili Dog Casserole sounds strange — and yummy at the same time, but you kind of need to know our family history to “get it”.

We are part German, part English, part Irish, and part Tennessee Hillbilly.

Seriously.

Did you ever see that black and white movie of Gary Cooper’s called Sergeant York?

Yes, my family comes from the Dyer/Yorks — same family.

Some of the “family recipes” are too far out there for even me to try… I seriously can’t even tell you what the family recipe cards say to do with possum. Just. No.

But this Chili Dog Casserole is a potluck favorite. It is SUPER easy to make and SUPER easy to make healthier…if you really want to go that route.

We choose the middle-of-the-road option and let people doctor it up with their choice of fixin’s.

Why a Hot Dog Casserole?

Hot dogs have been a frugal staple item since the Great Depression. They are filling, and they stretch a meal, even if they aren’t the most nutritious. Many recipes from the Great Depression used them and are American Classics.

Think of our normal 8-count package of hot dogs today. The depression-era dogs were larger, and a meal for a family rarely used an entire one. The most famous dish was “Poor Man’s Meal” which used very thin slices of a hot dog in a pan, along with other inexpensive ingredients like sliced or diced potato and diced onions.

I love this video of 91-year old Clara making a large batch of Poor Man’s Meal.

Another famous Depression Era hot dog dish was Hoover Stew. Named for President Herbert Hoover, this dish was made with a variety of inexpensive ingredients, like pasta, diced tomatoes, and yes, including hot dogs.

You get the idea.

Hot dogs are a part of our history, and they continue to be a popular food item today. They are also versatile, meaning that there are many ways to prepare them.

This is why I am so excited to share this chili dog casserole with you! It is simple to make and it will please even the pickiest of eaters. It is one of those easy recipes that you will love to have handy when looking for comfort food for the whole family.

Healthy chili dog casserole

Yes, you can make this great recipe a lot healthier than the 4 ingredient version I share with you here. I am not going to lie, I have never made it that way. But if you are looking for a way to lighten it up, there are lots of ways to do so.

You could use turkey hot dogs, whole-wheat hot dog buns, and even low-fat cheese. You could also use chili that is beans only – or even a chili that is made from a lentil base.

I like to make a chili with lean meat like ground turkey instead of high-fat meat like ground beef, and freeze it in 2-4 cup portions. One 2-cup portion is just perfect for this casserole dish.

Can you ake this in the Slow Cooker?

Yes, you could, but it really wouldn’t be the same. Instead of getting a nice crispy crust, you would have a soggy layer in the middle. I guarantee you that it wouldn’t be one of your favorite dinner recipes if you tried it this way.

What to serve with chili dog casserole

Well, what goes well with chili dogs? We like to serve it with a variety of side dishes, including cornbread, potato salad, or even macaroni salad. This is chili dog casserole is a slightly salty dish – so it’s nice to have a side that compliments it like coleslaw, fruit salad, etc. Think summery and picnic-like.

How do you store chili dog casserole?

If you have any chili dog casserole leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. You can also freeze it for up to two months.

Chili dog casserole with buns

OK – some people call this chili cheese dog casserole or even cheesy chili dog casserole. Regardless, this is a chili cheese dog bake that all hot dog lovers tend to go nuts over

What You Need For Our Easy 4 Ingredient Chili Dog Casserole:

• 1 package hot dog buns (8 ct)
• 1 package hot dogs
• 2 cups chili (homemade of canned chili)
• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• “fixins” – these could be diced red onion, green onions, diced white onions, extra cheese, sour cream, or whatever favorite toppings you usually add to your chili.

How to make chili dog casserole

Cut up your hot dogs into slices. Also, cut your hot dug buns into smaller pieces.

In your baking dish, give a quick shot of nonstick cooking spray, and then place your cup up buns in it. Next, take the sliced hot dogs and sprinkle them over the cut-up buns.

Now comes the chili.

You COULD use a can, but I like homemade better. Some people swear by Coney Island Dog sauce.

You need about 2 cups of it to spread over the hot dog layer. Usually, a can of chili mixture is enough for one recipe batch.

Now, take your 2 cups of shredded cheddar and sprinkle it over the chili 

You are now ready to pop it into the oven!

I do the standard 350* for 30 minutes to heat it all through and make the cheese look yummy:

Now you are ready to rip into that awesome-ness of chili cheese dogs!

I personally don’t add any “fixins”, my hubby likes a little diced raw onion on the top.

Our daughter smothers it with ketchup- but she smothers everything with ketchup, LOL!

Some people add mustard or even a little sauerkraut.

While I can’t guarantee that this will become your favorite food, it is a great take on the traditional chili dog and is perfect for those group events like when you are all watching the Super Bowl. The warm chili helps make it a crowd pleaser and the gooey cheese makes for the perfect recipe.

If you try this, I’d love to know what you thought!

Like our Chili Dog Casserole? Try these other casserole recipes of ours:

Print off our recipe and see the full nutrition facts: