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Cheesy Hot Dog Soldiers

A weeknight dinner that makes the whole family happy!

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This dish is as simple as they come, but sometimes simple is best. This easy bake illustrates that well; it’s satisfying and so very tasty. A basic tomato sauce is brightened up with sauteed garlic and onions and spread on the bottom of a baking dish. From there, savory jumbo hot dogs are packed in – lined up in little rows like soldiers, hence the name – and a generous helping of melted mozzarella tops the whole thing. It’s savory, it’s easy and cheesy, and the whole family loves it.

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For this dish, you want to find the thickest jumbo hot dogs you can so that they will stand up well. You also want to use a baking dish small enough that you can pack them close together so that they support each other and don’t fall over. If you can find thick enough hot dogs, you can even get away with cutting them in half instead of thirds, which means you can feed more folks with no extra effort.

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When this bake comes out of the oven it smells so incredibly good. Then you plate up the hot dogs, coated in melty, bubbly cheese with sweet tomato sauce spooned over them… Yum. (We think it goes really well with rice or noodles on the side). It’s a meaty cheesy bake that elevates the humble hot dog and makes for a great crowd-pleasing weeknight meal!

Serves 4-6

45 minutes

4.8
Rated 4.8 out of 5
Rated by 4 reviewers
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When you share or print a 12 Tomatoes recipe,
you're making mealtime meaningful.
100% of the Share to Care sponsor fees fund meals for families in need. Learn More
CLICK ANY LINK BELOW TO JOIN OUR CAUSE!
Ingredients
  • 8 jumbo hot dogs, cut into thirds
  • 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
  • 2 cups mozzarella, shredded
  • 1 small onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Preparation
  1. Preheat oven to 375°F and lightly grease a baking dish. Set aside.
  2. In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add onions and cook until translucent, 3-5 minutes. Add garlic and cook one minute more.
  3. Add tomato sauce and bring to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper and let simmer 2-3 minutes. Spread sauce evenly across the bottom of the baking dish.
  4. Arrange hot dogs standing up in rows across baking dish. Top evenly with cheese and bake until bubbly and cheese has melted, 30-40 minutes. Enjoy!