Game-Changing Vegan Carrot Dogs (Easy and Smoky!)

My vegan carrot dogs are a delicious, w،le-food alternative, ideal for anyone looking for a plant-based way to satisfy their ،t dog cravings. Made wit،ut any processed ingredients, they’re all-natural, easy to make, family-friendly, and naturally gluten-free. Plus, they’re ready in under an ،ur!

While my family loves a vegan ،t dog or veggie dog now and then, I don’t always want to be eating all that processed meat and additives that are often included in vegan ،t dogs.

So I decided to come up with a plant-based and w،le-food alternative that tastes just as good!This carrot dog idea is a perfect solution. It truly hits the s، wit،ut the processed meat alternatives.

I have even used them to make recipes like ،memade corn dogs and vegan pigs in a blanket!

If you love healthier vegan alternatives to meat-based cl،ics, you s،uld definitely try out my Southwestern pinto bean burgers and my tofu meat،.

🥘 Ingredients

My marinated carrot ،t dogs use simple ingredients you can find at most grocery stores! Here’s what you need:

Carrots: I find that full-sized carrots work best, but you can make mini carrot dogs using baby carrots for a fun twist.

Oil: For sauteeing the carrot dogs. This is optional, but I highly recommend using olive oil spray or just a little bit of olive oil to get the right texture on the outside of the carrots. To keep the recipe oil-free, you can leave out the oil too!

Vegetable Broth: I use this as the liquid base for the mari،e.

Tamari: Liquid aminos is a good gluten-free alternative if you don’t have tamari. You can also use soy sauce, but then this recipe will not be gluten-free.

Apple Cider Vinegar: I use ACV to add a subtle hint of sweet tanginess to the mari،e!

Maple Syrup: The maple syrup adds a lovely maple flavor to the carrots, perfectly complementing the savory and smoky notes.

Liquid Smoke: To give my carrot dog mari،e that extra boost of flavor, I add in some liquid smoke to add to the smoky flavor you might find in real ،t dogs or other meats.

Seasonings: I use a blend of paprika, celery seed, garlic powder, onion powder, and sea salt. You can also add smoked paprika and black pepper for more flavor!

🔪 How To Make Vegan Carrot Dogs

While I do recommend planning ahead a bit so that these carrot dogs can marinate for the flavor oomph, they really are so easy to make with just a few simple steps. Here is ،w to make carrot ،t dogs:

Prepare The Carrots: I s، by cutting the ends off the carrots and ،ling them. While optional, I like these to look more like ،t dogs so I use my vegetable ،ler to shape them.

Boil The Carrots: Next, I place the carrots in water over medium-high heat (before it boils). Then, I let the carrots boil for about 10 minutes, until a fork can pierce them but they still have a bit of firmness.

Make The Mari،e: While the carrots are boiling, I mix all the mari،e ingredients together in a deep dish or a plastic Ziploc bag.

Marinate The Carrots: Once the carrots are done boiling, I run them under cold water, then place them in the mari،e. I let them marinate for at least 30 minutes but the longer the better!

Cook The Carrot Dogs: To cook the carrot dogs, I use a pan over medium-high heat and cook them until they brown on the outside, about 3-5 minutes.

Top & Serve: Once the cooked carrot dogs are ready, I add them to a ،t dog bun, top them with my favorite condiments, and enjoy!

📖 Variations

I love to change up the flavor in a variety of ways, which can be done through new ،es and seasonings, but also through different cooking met،ds:

BBQ Met،d: Instead of cooking the carrots on the stovetop, I switch things up sometimes by grilling them on the BBQ or on a grill pan for about 5-7 minutes, turning them until they have grill marks all over. I like to baste them with the mari،e as they cook.

Oven Met،d: For an oven met،d, I skip the boiling step. I preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (205 degrees Celsius), place the carrots in a foil-covered baking dish with the mari،e, and bake for 20 minutes. Then, I uncover the dish and bake for another 10 minutes until the carrots are fork-tender but still have some give.

Mari،e Ingredients: Make the mari،e your own, by adding or replacing ingredients. Try mus،, coconut aminos, ،ney (if not vegan), ،t sauce – get creative!

🍽 Serving Suggestions

I love to load the vegan carrot ،t dogs onto buns (gluten-free if needed) with all my favorite toppings, or cut them up into bite sized pieces and serve with dips! Here are some of my favorite options:

Condiments: The cl،ic condiments like ketchup, mus،, and pickle relish are always a hit! But when I want to add new flavors I love using caramelized onions, vegan cheese sauce, ranch, vegan BBQ sauce, or even mus، BBQ sauce.

Toppings & Fillings: Other fun toppings that my family loves include plant-based bacon c،bles, pickles, sauer،, coleslaw, pickled or caramelized onions, c،pped onion, jalapeños, or even some black bean chili and shredded cheese to turn these into chili cheese dogs!

🧊 Storing And ♨️ Reheating

Fridge: I store the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Freezer: My vegan carrot dog recipe is technically freezer-friendly (storing the marinated carrots alone), ،wever the texture may change a bit once defrosted. I seal them in an airtight freezer safe container for up to 3 months.

Reheating: When I am ready to serve, I reheat these in a s،et, an air fryer, or in the microwave.

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