This low-carb Chili Dog Bake will be a family favorite around your table. Juicy all-beef hot dogs wrapped in low-carb tortillas then smothered in a quick meaty hot dog sauce. Top with shredded cheese for the gooey goodness I call dinner!
Healthy Chili Dogs?
Nate and I are super excited to bring you guys another great dinner recipe in our healthier series for kids. We have deemed these recipes THM Kids series based on us following an eating plan called Trim Healthy Mama.
With this series, we try to find ways to help our readers find ways to cook food for those picker eaters sitting around their dinner table.
In these special recipes, we find tasty old faithful recipes that most families enjoy then make some simple adjustments.
Our goal is not to fully recreate the dish, we just want to find ways to reduce the carb counts, sugars, and those unwanted weird ingredients that shall remain nameless because I can’t pronounce many of them, ha!
So in this post, we are sharing one of Nate’s favorites, our Chili Dog Bake. It is a huge hit around our table, I mean, who doesn’t love a good chili dog, right?
You’ll see that we’ve made some easy substitutes here to make the chili dog a little better for us all.
For starters, we choose a good quality hot dog without those fillers or nitrates, then replaced the traditional bun with a low-carb type wrap, and finally, we tossed about that canned chili and whipped up a quick and tasty low-carb hot dog sauce.
It may sound like a lot of changes, but don’t worry, making these changes won’t keep you in the kitchen much longer than making normal chili dogs.
In fact, this entire recipe can be prepped and baked in under an hour. Quick, tasty, and a healthier option to traditional chili dogs sounds like a triple threat recipe to me!
Choosing a Low-Carb Wrap Option for the Chile Dog Bake
One of the main components of a chili dog, of course, is the bun. If your kiddo is like many out there the bun may be their favorite part of the chili dog.
I’m no stranger to kids like this, you see growing up, my younger brother, Paul, was one of these kids.
When he would ask for a hot dog for lunch, what he was really saying was “Mom, give me a hot dog bun with tons of ketchup”.
Yes, you heard me correctly, without the hot dog which was always odd to me, but hey to each his own, I suppose. Sound familiar to any of you?
I’ll admit too, that I love having some type of “bread” with my chili dogs too, but since we try to avoid eating hot dog buns these days I have found a few ways to use low-carb options to mimic those traditional wheat buns.
In this recipe, we use low-carb wraps as a substitute.
Thankfully my son loves the low-carb homemade wraps I make or the THM wonder wraps that we use for this recipe most of the time but some children may prefer other options so I thought I’d share a few below you can choose from.
This version of the recipe in the photos is made with store-bought options for the sake of time when I was working on this post.
Low-Carb Tortilla Recipes Options
- Trim Healthy Mama Wonder Wraps (my favorite) – This yummy wrap recipe comes from Pearl and Serene, the sisters who created the Trim Healthy Mama plan. They are gluten-free, low fat, and low carb, so they work great for any low-carb diet and are a THM “FP”. These are so tasty but do take a bit of practice once you get the hang of it you’ll love having them on hand!
- Keto Low Carb Tortillas, Diet Doctor – here’s another great option for the wraps in your Chili Dog Bake. This low-carb wrap recipe from the Diet Doctor website uses a combo of cream cheese, coconut flour, and psyllium husk powder whereas the THM wonder wraps use the whole psyllium husk.
- Missions Carb Balance Tortillas – This store-bought option works well in this recipe too as you can see from the pictures in this recipe. This option will contain gluten and of course, add additional carbs to the recipe, but for those THM kids, this is a great and super quick option to use. This also works well for picker eaters that may not like some of the alternatives. Just remember if you follow a stricter low-carb recipe or Trim Healthy Mama these types of processed foods for us adults should be limited and only eaten in moderation.
Here’s a peek at the way I assemble this Chili Dog Bake in the photo below. If you want to jazz this casserole up even more try adding this Keto Cheese Sauce, from Joy Filled Eats, over the top instead of shredded cheese. I bet that would be amazing!
How To Make This Low-Carb Chili Dog Bake Even Faste!
I like making my low-carb wraps or tortillas and they work great for me in this recipe. However, they do add additional time to the cooking time of this recipe.
So I would recommend making the wraps a day or so before you plan to make this recipe.
Although I prefer using the Wonder Wraps in ours here at home, I’ve made this recipe several times for company or to take to families and used the Mission’s brand and they raved about it and it saved me some time in a pinch.
So if you are in a time pinch for dinner or you simply don’t want to invest the time into making your wraps go with the store-bought Mission Tortillas.
Also if are working on slowly adding healthier dinner choices into the diets of your sweet picky eaters then the Mission Carb Balance Flour Tortillas will be the route to go. They will never notice you made the switch!
Listen, friends, do what works best for your family and I promise no matter which wraps you choose to go with, you will find that this recipe will satisfy your taste buds and those of your healthier kiddos too!
Chili Dog Bake
Juicy all beef hot dogs wrapped in low carb tortillas then smothered in a quick quick chili dog sauces and topped with melted cheese.
Ingredients
Quick Hot Dog Sauce
- 1 pound of grass fed ground beef
- 1 cup of beef broth
- 1/2 cup of no sugar added salsa
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Hot Dog Wraps
- 8 beef hot dogs, nitrate free
- 4 low carb wraps of choice, halved
- 6 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
Instructions
- To make the Quick Hot Dog Sauce add in the grass fed beef, broth, salsa, and all the spices into a sauce pan and turn the burner on medium high. Note: If you are not using a very lean ground beef I recommend cooking and draining the ground beef first then add the rest of the ingredients and simmer for 10 min.
- Cook the hot dog sauce for 10 to 15 min stirring and breaking up the ground meat as needed to. You can taste and adjust the seasoning as needed after it simmers.
- As your Quick Hot Dog Sauce simmers cut the 4 wraps in half.
- Next roll one hot dog up in each half of the wraps and set aside until the hot dog sauce is ready.
- To assemble the Chili Dog Bake add one cup of the cooked hot dog sauce into the bottom of a 9 x 11 baking dish and spread around evenly.
- Place the wrapped hot dogs over the layer of hot dog sauce and top with the rest of the sauce. Spread the rest of the sauce as evenly as possible over the top of the hot dogs.
- Top with the shredded cheese and bake in a preheated oven at 350 degree for 35 minutes.
- Serve hot.
- Optional topping could be: chopped onions, mustard, dill relish, no sugar added ketchup, sauerkraut.
Nutrition Information
Yield
8Serving Size
2 chili dogsAmount Per ServingCalories 670Total Fat 36gSaturated Fat 16gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 20gCholesterol 153mgSodium 1899mgCarbohydrates 14gNet Carbohydrates 10gFiber 4gSugar 3gProtein 53g
I am not a nutritionalist. I always advise you calculate your own nutritional values via an onine calculator using the exact brands you use if you have strict dietary needs.
I am a southern girl through and through that loves to laugh, cook, read and spend time with family. My passions outside of home schooling my son are ministering to those in need and creating art in the kitchen! Every day is an adventure in our little house and I wouldn’t trade it or the chance to share here with you for anything!
Does the wrap get soggy sitting on top of the sauce?
It is softer than it would be without covering it in chili, but my family never complains about it being soggy. But it definitely softens up like a bun would with chili on it. Hope that helps. Thanks for taking time to check out the recipe. 🙂
What would be a good substitution for the salsa?
I use the salsa for some added flavor in the “chili sauce” but you can leave it out if you don’t want to use it. Or you can sub it for a cup of diced tomatoes if you are have them and not the salsa.
This was so good! I shared it with a couple of friends that like easy recipes. I’m the only keto person in the family, and everyone liked it. Thank you so much for the recipe.
That’s so great to hear Barbara! I’m glad it was a hit with your family.
I’m wondering where the 28 grams of sugar are coming from in the nutrition facts! Going through the ingredients, I can’t see anything that would add up to that amount.
Hi Kaitlyn, I have updated that nutrition. The only sugars in this recipe would be from the tomatoes in the 1/2 cup of salsa. It is only 2 to 3 grams of sugar at the most per serving. Sorry about the confusion. I always recommend calculating your own numbers as well with your specific brands and ingredients because the calculations may vary some. I appreciate your question and bringing my attention to that.
Hi! Thank you for sharing! I have been craving chili dogs for awhile and these Hit. The. Spot! I used Mission low carb tortillas. In addition to being a healthy alternative,
These are very quick to make, inexpensive, and delicious. This recipe is a keeper.
Hello, just starting my low carb journey and trying these delicious looking chili dog bake tonight for the first time. I will let you know how they turn out. Please add me to your email.
This recipe has become our new favorite. The flavors are absolutely delicious & so easy to make. So happy I found this recipe!!!
Yay, that makes me so happy! I love hearing you enjoy it as much as we do!
I just made this recipe, it’s so good ‘‘tis will stay in my rotation.
Happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe Sue! Thank you for giving it a try.:)
What brand of hot dog weiners do you recommend ? TIA!
Most of the time I buy any brand that says nitrate free, so usually it is a local store brand I find in a mom and pop store here, but the Nathan’s All Beefs dogs are pretty good with only 1 carb per hot dog.
Wondering if you even need the tortillas? Do you think it would be missing flavor without them?
Not really Gina. The flavors are good without them. It is basically like eating a Chili Cheese Dog in a bowl, so still yummy!
This looks so good and going to make on Football Sunday. Just discovered your site and what a find but somehow can’t get subscribed for the emails. Please help thanks
Hi Kathleen, I hope you enjoy the Chili Dog Bake and thank you so much for coming by the blog! I’ll get you added to my email list right away. 🙂
Would love to make but wondering do the wraps become soggy?
Hi! What salsa do you use that has zero sugar? Excited to make this for my fam!
Thanks!
I make my own a lot of the time and keep it in the fridge, but I just look for the jars in the store that have the lowest amounts of “added sugars”. With tomatoes being the main ingredients there will always be some natural sugars in salsa, so I just try to find the best I can that doesn’t have “sugar” as an added ingredient on the jar or that has the least amount of carbs. 🙂
ALDI’S SALSA HAS 1 GRAM OF SUGAR. SUGAR IS NOT LISTED IN THE INGREDIENTS 🙂
Tomatoes have natural sugars Becky that’s why the Salsa has sugar gram’s. Company’s only list sugar in the ingredients if they add additional sugars to the product. 🙂
I just made this tonight the sauce that is and will make it tomorrow for supper it smells amazing I’m letting it cooled to put it in fridge I doubled the recipe hoping for left overs .
That’s a great idea to make the sauce ahead, it makes this recipe come together even faster when you’re ready to eat. I hope you enjoy it as much as my family does!
Thanks for sharing! I’m always looking for something the whole family will eat. Ours are in the oven now. Can’t wait to try them!!
Yes, me too! It is awesome to cook one dish that everyone can enjoy, right? Enjoy!
We had this a couple weeks ago and it was so good! So easy to make. My MIL requested that I make it again and we have it on the meal plan for this week. Either tomorrow or Wednesday! TY 🙂
Yay, I love hearing your family enjoyed this recipe. Thank you so much for sharing your feed back with me!
What would the net carbs be using the mission tortillas you mentioned?
The net carbs (using the brands that I use in my home) are 10 next carbs per 2 chili dogs. That is if you use the Mission Tortillas. If you use the other low carb wraps I suggest it would be 5 or less. The nutritional values are right below the recipe directions on the blog post. Thanks for stopping by, I hope you enjoy the recipe if you make it!
Can this be frozen for later meals?
Hmm, good question. I haven’t frozen it yet. My only concern would be that the wraps would get a little bit soggy, but I get it would still tast amazing. I know the chili portion freezes well though if you wanted to make that up in portions and freeze it.
Delicious! Thank you!!
We really enjoyed this dish tonight! Thank you!
Yay, so glad you guys liked it! 🙂
Could I use Pepperidge Farm Sprouted Grain bread rolled out so it’s thinner instead of a low carb tortilla? Not a huge fan with tortillas. But these look amazing we love some good old chili dogs!!
I assume you can Stephanie. It might be a little wetter as the bread may absorb more of the chili, but how can that taste bad, right? As far as the kiddos go it would be great but if you follow THM it would be a crossover with the break instead of the S as written with the tortillas. Hope you enjoy it!
I’m sure you already know this but that would also make this meal an XO instead of an S 🙂
Just wondering whaCat low carb wrap did you use? This looks great!!
HI Carolyn, why I use the store bought ones I use the Mission Carb Balance tortillas when I make my own I use the recipe I listed in the post above the recipe called THM Wonder Wraps or the other one I shared.
Have you tried this in the crockpot or on the stove? it’s way too hot to turn on the oven..
I have not tried it in either of those, but I bet it would be easy to do on the stove in a large skillet. Make your chili sauce in the skillet and lay the wrapped hot dogs in and heat until the hot dogs are hot inside. Then top the hotdogs with cheese and maybe put a lid on to let the cheese melt.
I grew up in Southern California where the days would be 108 in the summer and the last thing we wanted to do was cook because we wanted to maximize the air-conditioning. So we cooked in the oven at night when it cooled down or early in the morning and then microwaved to reheat items and now there is the air fryer that works like a mini oven. These don’t take too long in the oven anyway.
Oh man, I can totally see why you all would cook at night. That heat is not fun!