Vegan Hotdogs (with beets)

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I get a lot of compliments on my original Vegan Hotdogs as they have a wonderful flavor and texture. Inspired from Kathy Hester’s Gluten Free Hotdog I adapted my original recipe to use beets. Doing this adds to the nutrition value and softens the gluten texture while adding to the depth of flavor.

These hotdogs can be made with either red or golden beets. Despite the fact that the red beets make a deep red dough, once these hotdogs are cooked, the color is transformed to the point that you wouldn’t know red beets were used.

These are fun to make and even though gluten flour is easy to work with, it’s unique. It’s very important to follow the instructions making sure to use the proper ratio of gluten flour and liquid as this is crucial to the outcome. For best results, I recommend to use a weigh scale where there are weight measurements.

To be organized, you will need to soak the cashews for a minimum of 3 hours or as long as overnight, cook the beets and get the wrappers ready. (see wrapper section towards the bottom of the page)

Recipe Start

Hotdogs Made With Beets

Yield: about 10 hotdogs (around 70g/2½ oz each)

Wet Ingredients

  • 1¼ cup (250g/9 oz) cooked beets, minced
  • ½ cup (60g/2 oz) raw cashews, soaked
  • ½ cup (4 oz) water
  • 3 Tbsp (1½ oz) ketchup or tomato paste
  • 3 Tbsp (1½ oz) soy sauce
  • 1 ½ Tbsp liquid smoke

Dry Ingredients

  • 1½ cups (215g/7½ oz) vital wheat gluten
  • 1 Tbsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 tsp mushroom powder
  • 1 ½ tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp arrowroot powder or cornstarch
  • 1 tsp dry mustard powder
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • ¾ tsp poultry seasoning
  • ¾ tsp nutmeg
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp ground cumin
  • ½ tsp fresh ground pepper
  • ¼ tsp chipotle powder

Instructions

Soak the cashews for a minimum of 3 hours or as long as overnight.

While the beets are cooking, put the dry ingredients into a medium sized bowl, whisk them together, then set this aside.

Once the beets are cooked and cool enough to handle, remove the skins then use a food processor or use something like a Tupperware Chopper to mince the beets to a relish like texture. Transfer the beets to a large mixing bowl.

Discard the soaking water from the cashews, rinse then drain them well. Add them to blender along with the water, ketchup, soy sauce, and liquid smoke. Blend until smooth then add this mixture to the beets. Stir to combine. (Be sure to scrape the blender out well as this is an important part of the liquid ratio).

Add the dry ingredients to the wet then stir together to form a dough ball. The dough will be moist and pliable.

Now you are ready to shape and wrap the hotdogs. Have the wrappers ready. (Instructions on how to make the wrappers are below). Divide dough into 10 equal pieces. (about 70g/2½ oz each) Use your hands to squeeze, pinch, and shape the pieces of dough into hotdog shapes. (6″/15 cm long) Don’t be overly concerned about perfection at shaping the dough as it won’t be perfectly smooth. They will cook up nicely because when these are wrapped and cooked the dough will expand and smooth out to the shape of the wrapper. Wrap each hotdog as snug as possible. Twist the ends of the foil similar to a tootsie roll.

Once these are rolled, you are ready to cook them. At the bottom of the page there are separate instructions on how to use the Instant Pot or how to steam them.

Keep leftovers in their original wrappers as this will prevent hotdogs from drying out. Hotdogs can be kept in the fridge up to 5 days, otherwise keep them in the freezer. Unless using a microwave, reheat hotdogs in their wrappers. They can also be put on a BBQ or put them in a pot with some water. I have an AirFryer and this is my preferred method. (with the hotdog in it’s frozen state, set at 400°F for 8-10 minutes) Another advantage, when these are kept in their wrappers and if your meal is delayed, they will stay warm and won’t dry out.

The Wrappers

  • Cut foil into pieces 9″x6″/23×16 cm
  • Cut parchment paper into pieces 7″x4″/18 x10cm

Wrapping the hotdogs will ensure they hold their shape and locks in the moisture. To do this we use aluminum foil. If you are concerned about aluminum foil touching your food then lay a piece of parchment paper on top of the aluminum foil before you wrap each hotdog. 

How to Cook

Instant Pot

  • Place a flat steamer rack on the bottom of the Instant Pot then add enough water to cover the bottom but not so much that the hotdogs are sitting in the water.
  • Stack the hotdogs on the rack in a crisscross pattern to allow circulation around them. If the hotdogs are too wide to fit into the pot you may need to snip the foil ends to shorten them.
  • Select manual pressure then set timer for 40 minutes. Let pressure drop on its own. Leave the hotdogs in their wrappers until ready to serve.

Steaming Method

  • You will need a large pot with lid and a flat steamer rack. Add water to the pot while making sure the water won’t be touching the hotdogs.
  • Stack the hot dogs on the rack in a crisscross pattern to allow circulation around them. If the hotdogs are too wide to fit into the pot you may need to snip the foil ends to shorten them.
  • Cover with lid and steam for 40 minutes. Don’t start timing until the water comes to a full rolling boil.
  • If the pot is running dry, have boiling water ready to add as needed. Leave the hotdogs in their wrappers until ready to serve.