Hot dog taquitos are a the perfect way to use up leftover grilled hot dogs. Also known as chihuahuas, kids love eating them and I love making this easy recipe.
We do lots of cookouts this time of year.
And chances are real high that you’ll find leftover burgers and hot dogs in our fridge.
Of course, no one loves leftovers, but I can’t stand to let them go to waste so I find ways to repurpose them into things my hungry boys will gladly eat.
And simply turning the leftover dogs into taquitos does that and lets me use up my leftovers.
Ingredients
To make these chihuahuas, you’ll need:
- Hot dogs– Leftover grilled hot dogs
- Corn tortillas– You could use flour tortillas but you’ll have to cut the cook time down a lot.
- Cheese– Shredded cheddar cheese.
- Oil– Extra virgin olive oil
How to Make
Making these Tex Mex dogs is so easy.
To do it, stack the tortillas on a microwave safe plate and top them with a layer of damp paper towels.
Microwave the tortillas for 30-45 seconds to soften and steam them.
Lay the tortillas evenly out on a baking sheet lined with foil and sprayed with nonstick spray.
Sprinkle cheese in the center of each tortilla.
Put a hot dog on each tortilla and roll it up until tightly closed.
Secure the rolled tortillas with toothpicks if needed.
Place the hot dog taquitos seam side down.
Repeat with all the hot dogs and tortillas.
Use a pastry brush and brush all of the exposed tortillas with olive oil.
Bake at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or until the hot dogs are warmed through, the tortillas are crispy, and the cheese has melted.
Serve with desired topping or dips.
Enjoy!
Air Fryer Instructions
These are easy to make in the air fryer as well!
To do it, follow all the instructions for assembling the taquitos above.
Then spray them lightly with cooking spray and add them to the basket of your air fryer, making sure they are not touching.
Air fry at 375 for about 5 minutes, flipping halfway through.
If you need to, repeat this in batches until they are all cooked.
Serve and enjoy!
How to Serve Hot Dog Taquitos
We love to serve these with both our favorite taco night toppings and our favorite hot dog toppings.
I generally put out a toppings bar so the boys can customize their own.
Topping ideas include:
- salsa
- sour cream
- guacamole
- chopped onions
- relish
- queso
- chili
Can I freeze these taquitos?
Yes!
To make ahead and freeze, cook according to the recipe and let them cool completely.
Then add to a freezer safe ziplocking bag and freeze.
Pull out and cook, as desired.
Tips and Tricks
- Make sure you steam the tortillas first. It will make assembly a million times easier and prevent the tortillas from ripping.
- Brushing them in oil will help them get nice and crispy. Don’t skip this!
- Use any kind of cheese you like. Pepper jack, Colby, or a Mexican blend would all work well.
Other Recipes to Use Up Leftover Hot Dogs
Hot dog taquitos are a fun, kid friendly way to use up your leftover cook out food. Make them and enjoy!
Looking for other leftover hot dog recipes? Try these:
If you’ve tried these HOT DOG TAQUITOS, or any other recipe on the site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers! You can also follow along with me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes and whatever else we’ve got going on!
Hot Dog Taquitos
Ingredients
- 6-8 leftover grilled hot dogs
- corn tortillas 1 for each hot dog
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Place the tortillas on a microwave safe plate, one per hot dog. Top with a layer of damp paper towels.
- Microwave them for 30-45 seconds- until they're soft & steamed. This will prevent them from breaking when bent.
- Lay the steamed tortillas evenly out on a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle the cheese evenly out over the center of each tortilla.
- Add a hot dog to each tortilla and roll up until tightly closed, like a taquito. Secure with toothpicks if needed, and try to set them seam side down.
- Using a pastry brush, brush all of the exposed tortillas with the olive oil.
- Bake at 400° for 15-20 minutes, until the hot dogs are heated through and the tortillas have crisped up and turned golden brown.
- Serve the hot dog taquitos with desired toppings or dipping options, and enjoy.
Notes
- Make sure you steam the tortillas first. It will make assembly a million times easier and prevent the tortillas from ripping.
- Brushing them in oil will help them get nice and crispy. Don't skip this!
- Use any kind of cheese you like. Pepper jack, Colby, or a Mexican blend would all work well.
Nutrition
recipe adapted from Cupcakes & Kale Chips
I grew with a variation – flour tortilla, hot dog, sauerkraut, mustard, and cheddar cheese. Baste with butter and bake in a Pyrex. Yum!!
That sounds delicious!