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The skepticism is fair. A carrot in a bun sounds like a consolation prize. But the reason this works is that a hot dog’s flavor is almost entirely in the smoke, salt, and acid (not the meat) and carrots absorb all three remarkably well! So grill up a batch of these carrot hot dogs at your next BBQ. I promise you won’t be disappointed.
save this recipe!These Will Blow Your Mind
Nothing screams summer quite like a delicious, juicy hot dog. So, what a great time of year to try out vegan carrot hot dogs for a meat-free option!
The secret is in the marinade. When I was developing this recipe, I relied heavily on my food science background to help “trick” the brain into thinking these are, in fact, hot dogs.
- Smoky, salty, and tangy flavor that genuinely reads as hot dog rather than vegetable side dish
- Works for vegetarian-friendly cookouts alongside everyone else’s hot dogs without requiring a separate setup
- Only 121 calories per serving including the bun
Reader rating
“I gotta say, these are actually ACTUALLY delicious! My partner and I made them last night and will most likely add them to our rotation of meals since they are just so easy.” —Tiffany
Grab These Ingredients
Transform humble carrots into crave-worthy vegan carrot hot dogs with the following ingredients (this is just an overview – jump to the recipe card for all measurements!).
- Carrots: Medium carrots around three-quarters of an inch thick fit a hot dog bun naturally and cook through in 15 to 20 minutes without going soft. Larger carrots work but require more time and may need a microwave assist to finish the center.
- Liquid smoke: The single ingredient most responsible for the hot dog flavor. A small amount goes a long way. Too much turns the marinade acrid, but the right amount produces the backyard cookout smoke note that makes these convincing.
- Smoked paprika: Works alongside liquid smoke to build a layered smokiness rather than a single harsh note. It also gives the carrots their reddish-brown color after cooking, which is part of what makes them look the part in a bun.
- Apple cider vinegar: Provides the bright, slightly sharp acidity that balances the smoke and salt. It also helps break down the carrot surface slightly during cooking, which aids in flavor absorption.
- Soy sauce: Adds the deep, salty umami base that gives the marinade its savory backbone. Tamari works as a direct gluten-free substitute!
- Dijon mustard: Emulsifies the marinade and adds a tangy sharpness that mimics the flavor profile of a cured meat without any actual curing.
- Vegetable broth: Provides the liquid base for cooking (I love to make my own veggie broth with scraps).
Topping combinations that actually work
Because the marinade already has mustard and smokiness built in, the toppings that work best are ones that add contrast rather than doubling down on what’s already there. Here are three combinations worth trying:
- Classic: Ketchup, sweet relish, and diced white onion. The sweetness of the ketchup and relish balances the tangy marinade without competing with it.
- Chicago-style: Yellow mustard, sport peppers, diced tomato, pickle relish, and a little celery salt. The brightness and acidity cut through the smokiness in a way that feels intentional rather than busy.
- Spicy: Sriracha mayo, pickled jalapeños, and thinly sliced red onion. The creaminess of the mayo softens the heat and rounds out the carrot’s savory edge.
Pair these vegan hotdogs with our chewy roasted BBQ chickpeas–they’re packed with smoky BBQ flavor!
Smoky Vegan Carrot Hot Dogs (Easy Recipe)
Ingredients
- 6 carrots, each about the same size, aim for no more than ¾ inch thick
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar, 120 mL
- 4 Tbsp soy sauce, can sub tamari for gluten-free, 60 mL
- ¼ cup Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp liquid smoke
- 6 hot dog buns
Instructions
- Prep: Peel 6 carrots and trim off the ends, cutting them to fit into the bottom of your large pot.
- Boil: Stir together 2 cups vegetable broth, ½ cup apple cider vinegar, 4 Tbsp soy sauce, ¼ cup Dijon mustard, 2 tsp smoked paprika, and 1 tsp liquid smoke in a large pot.Add carrots, cover, and bring to a simmer over medium/high. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until carrots are cooked through. You should be able to pierce them with a fork, but they should not be so soft that they break easily.
- Marinate: Let carrots rest in the cooking liquid for 30 minutes.
- Serve: At this point you can serve the carrots, or you can sear them on a well-greased grill (or grill plate) to char the outsides. Serve on a hot dog bun with your favorite condiments!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information calculated by Sarah Bond, degreed nutritionist.
did you make this?Leave a comment below and tag @liveeatlearn on social media! I love seeing what you’ve made!P.S. These also make great pigs in blankets!
For a fun twist on these carrot hot dogs, use baby carrots and turn them into vegan pigs in blankets!
These are amazing — my vegetarian husband loves them! (Incidentally, the leftover marinade also makes the best beans we’ve ever had. After cooking and draining a pound of beans, I added the marinade and a half cup of barley, simmered the beans until the barley was soft and the liquid absorbed, and garnished each bowl with chopped sweet onion and a dollop of sour cream.)
So happy to hear it, Mary!! I’ll have to try that with the beans and barley, sounds amazing! 😀
I gotta say, these are actually ACTUALLY delicious! My partner and I made them last night and will most likely add them to our rotation of meals since they are just so easy.
I didn’t change anything about the marinade except added a dash more liquid smoke since I just love that stuff. While they were boiling afterwards, my partner commented they it really did smell like hot dogs. We ate them on buns with the traditional toppings (plus sauerkraut on mine cause it’s delicious!) and were super pleased! My partner gave them a solid 8/10 simply because she says nothing can best an all beef hot dog haha. She’s really looking forward to using the left over marinade for beans or rice.
The only thing I might do different in the future is to soak them overnight for even MORE delicious goodness, but everything was spot on and tasty as per usual.
So happy to hear it, Tiffany! I’ve heard of a few people reusing that marinade for other tasty things. Love that you’re not wasting all that flavor! 😀
Really delicious!! Smelled like hot dogs as it was boiling, and tasted VERY good! and just as easy as the recipe says! (I let it marinade for aboutt to an hour and a half, and I didn’t have liquid smoke so I just doubled the smoked paprika).
Question…how do you reheat the “dogs” after being boiled and refrigerated? Thanks!
So happy to hear it, Christina! I eat them just like hot dogs – on a (brioche) bun with all the fixin’s!
Can you freeze these?
I haven’t tried freezing these, but I think it wouldn’t do great things for the texture.
These were fantastic! I actually tried making them in my pressure cooker since I was short on time for dinner tonight, but I was amazed at how delicious they were. I haven’t found any vegan hot dogs that I like even a little bit, but this was an amazing alternative. My husband and I were so happy with our chili-“dog” dinner. Thank you so much. I will definitely be adding this to the regular line up!!
I’m so happy to hear it, Cat! Enjoy!
I have made these 8-10 times. The key is to top them with chili or of ketchup as tricking your eyes is important even though they really don’t taste like carrots. They also come out good if you nuke them first instead of boil. I put them in small dish with water, covered, nuked until soft then marinated and grilled.
This is a great recipe.
Awsome
Sounded great but too much sodium and potassium for me.
No one cares. Move on.
I’m Jewish, and grew up on (and love!) cream cheese and lox on a bagel. I’ve made lox (smoked salmon) using carrots. Pretty much the same ingredients as this marinade. Let me tell you, when I bit into my bagel loaded with cream cheese, carrot lox, tomato and onion, I was kvelling (swooning with pleasure)! So I know this recipe will be equally as satisfying.
I tried these because after I read it I couldn’t get it out of my head! So I bought a 4lb bag of organic whole carrots and cooked them for my wife and mom and dad. Everyone liked them. I have to say that it seemed the hotter they were the more hot doggy the taste was, bottom line, we were all pleasantly surprised and we all ate more than one!
Yay! I’m so happy to hear it! Enjoy 😀