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Sonoran Hot Dogs Recipe (Saguaro National Park)

By: Author Bram Reusen

Posted on Last updated:

Sonoran hot dogs recipe inspired by: Saguaro National Park, Arizona (alternatively: Joshua Tree National Park)

A quintessential street food in southern Arizona, southern California and northwestern Mexico, Sonoran hot dogs originated in the 1980s in Hermosillo, the capital of the Mexican state of Sonora.

Along with Tex-Mex-style dishes, these topping-stuffed hot dogs may just be the ultimate Mexican-American fusion food. They feature the classic American hot dog, but come with all kinds of Mexican toppings, from beans to pico de gallo with avocado.

Served in a typical bolillo bun—essentially a short and puffy baguette-like roll—Sonoran hot dogs are a phenomenal lunch or filling dinner after a long national park hike.

Obviously extremely popular in Sonora, these hot dogs are also found all over southern Arizona. Especially the cities of Phoenix and Tucson have, quite literally, hundreds of places serving Sonoran hot dogs.

This brings us to the national park pairing with this dish: Saguaro National Park.

Preserving the iconic saguaro cacti, which are the very natural symbols of the Sonoran Desert, Saguaro National Park encompasses two districts on both sides of Tucson.

The link between park and recipe could hardly be any stronger. So, if you’re looking for more national park-inspired recipes, I highly recommend trying out this Sonoran hot dogs recipe.

You can easily make it in your kitchen at home, but this specific dish is particularly fun to prepare and enjoy at a campground somewhere in southern Arizona!

Sonoran hot dogs recipe

Saguaro Sonoran Hot Dogs

  • Prep time: 15 minutes
  • Cook time: 30 minutes
  • Total time: 45 minutes
  • Servings: 4
  • Calories per serving: 638

Sonoran hot dogs are hot dogs wrapped in bacon, topped with all kinds of toppings and condiments.

The bolillo bun is stuffed with warm pinto beans, while popular toppings include homemade pico de gallo, charred jalapeño peppers and avocado.

Condiments range from the classic mustard and ketchup to sour cream, Mexican crema, chipotle sauce and mayonnaise.

Sonoran hot dogs are often served with a side of potato chips, a few lime wedges and a grilled jalapeño pepper.

Sonoran hot dog with chips and jalapeno pepper

This Saguaro National Park-inspired recipe for Sonoran hot dogs contains affiliate links. You can read more about our Terms of Use / Disclosure here.

Necessary Kitchen Tools

While this is a fantastic dish to cook over a campfire or grill, this specific Sonoran hot dogs recipe outlines the steps to make it in a standard kitchen, which involves an oven. See the notes in the recipe below for tips on how to make Sonoran hot dogs on a grill.

Sonoran hot dog with potato chips and grilled jalapeno pepper
Yield: 4 servings

Saguaro Sonoran Hot Dogs Recipe

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

Inspired by southern Arizona's Saguaro National Park, this Sonoran hot dogs recipe features bacon-wrapped hot dogs, pinto beans, pico de gallo and avocado in a classic bolillo bun.

Ingredients

  • 4 hot dogs
  • 4 bacon slices
  • 4 bolillo buns
  • 1/4 red onion, chopped
  • 1 large tomato, chopped
  • 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 1 large avocado, diced
  • 2 jalapeño peppers
  • 1 can pinto beans
  • Avocado oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • Ketchup and mustard

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
  2. Wrap one bacon slice around each hot dog, securing it with a couple of toothpicks.
  3. Place bacon-wrapped hot dogs on a baking sheet.
  4. Place jalapeño peppers alongside hot dogs on the baking sheet. Drizzle peppers with avocado oil.
  5. Bake hot dogs and jalapeño peppers until bacon is crispy and peppers are charred, about 30 minutes. Turn peppers regularly to ensure charring on all sides.
  6. While hot dogs and peppers are in the oven, prepare pico de gallo and pinto beans.
  7. Mix red onion, tomato, cilantro, lime juice and avocado in a bowl. Season with a little salt and pepper, stir and put in fridge until ready to assemble hot dogs.
  8. Heat pinto beans with their liquid in a medium pot over medium heat. Stir occasionally until beans are heated through and about half of the liquid has evaporated. Drain beans in a strainer, cover to keep warm.
  9. Make a cut in the top of the bolillo buns and toast them in the oven, 1-2 minutes.
  10. Remove buns, hot dogs and peppers from the oven.
  11. Thinly slice peppers on a cutting board.
  12. Spread pinto beans into the bottom of the buns. Add bacon-wrapped hot dogs, top with pico de gallo and sliced jalapeño peppers.
  13. Drizzle with your favorite condiments (I used mustard and ketchup).
  14. Serve with a handful of potato chips, some lime wedges and/or any extra charred jalapeño peppers.
  15. Enjoy!

Notes

Note: This Sonoran hot dogs recipe outlines the steps to make them in a conventional kitchen, including an oven. If you'd like to make them on a grill or over a campfire, simply cook both the bacon-wrapped hot dogs and jalapeño peppers in a grill pan or on a campfire grill. Cook until hot dogs are cooked through, bacon is crispy and peppers are charred, turning everything often. (This shouldn't take as long as the oven method.)

Nutrition Information

Yield

4

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 773Total Fat 36gSaturated Fat 10gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 22gCholesterol 40mgSodium 1583mgCarbohydrates 88gFiber 12gSugar 9gProtein 28g

A general nutrition calculator was used to determine the nutritional information of this recipe, which is meant solely as an indication of the dish's nutritional values. Depending on specific ingredients, quantities used and/or serving size, the ultimate dish you end up making may have different nutritional aspects. Please consider the information provided here only as guidance and not as an absolute fact.

© Bram
Cuisine: Meat / Category: Recipes
If You Decide to Make This Famous Sonoran Hot Dogs Recipe Inspired by Saguaro National Park at Home, Feel Free to Tell Everyone About It Below! Happy Cooking!

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