Carrot Dogs: Smoky Vegan Hot Dogs
These super simple vegan carrot dogs are perfect for grilling season! Made with whole food ingredients, carrots are marinated in a smoky brine, then grilled, and finished with your favorite toppings!
Servings: 8
Calories: 170kcal
Ingredients
- 8 large to medium carrots
- ½ tsp salt optional
- 8 whole wheat buns or gluten-free
- 2 teaspoon olive oil for brushing onto carrots before grilling
Marinade
- ½ cup low-sodium vegetable broth
- ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce use tamari for gluten-free option
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
- 1 teaspoon brown or yellow mustard
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Toppings(optional)
- ketchup
- yellow mustard
- pickle relish
- chopped onion
Instructions
- Wash, peel, and trim your carrots so that they are relatively similar in thickness from end to end, and fit the bun. For a similar look to a hot dog, you can round the ends if you prefer.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt to taste. Place medium carrots in the boiling water, cover, reduce heat to a rolling boil. Cooking time will vary. It could take anywhere from 10-15 minutes. Be careful not to overcook the carrots or they will fall apart. You want them to be fork tender, yet still firm.
- While the carrots are cooking, prep the marinade. In a small bowl, whisk together the vegetable stock, apple cider vinegar, liquid smoke, mustard, and spices.
- Drain the carrots, and rinse under cool water to stop the cooking.
- Place the cooked carrots in a single layer in a shallow bowl. Pour the marinade overtop. Allow to marinate as long as possible anywhere from 1-2 hours.
- Now, you're carrots are ready for the grill! Brush the carrots with olive oil. Heat your grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Place on your heated grill or grill pan. Cook on each side for about 2 minutes, or until you get those gorgeous charcoal marks.
- Place the carrot dogs in the bun, and top with all your favorite toppings! Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Instead of cooking the carrots stovetop, you could cook them in the pressure cooker to save time.
- Make sure that the grill or grill pan is hot before adding the carrots. Splatter a few drops of water in the pan. If they immediately bounce and sizzle, the pan is ready!
- Don't overcook the dogs on the grill. They are already cooked, so they just need to be charred!
- You can marinate your dogs for longer than 2 hours if you prefer, but I wouldn't recommend marinating overnight, as they can become too soft.
- Don't skip the liquid smoke! It's what makes these carrot taste like hot dogs! You can find it in most grocery stores in the aisle with BBQ sauce, ketchups, and other condiments.
- Keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Nutrition information is an estimate and does not account for added toppings.
Nutrition
Calories: 170kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 669mg | Potassium: 306mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 10314IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 2mg