Description
Chili Cheese Dog Casserole is a hearty, flavorful, and easy-to-make dish perfect for family dinners. It combines savory chili beans, browned ground beef, and juicy hot dogs wrapped in crescent roll dough, all baked together with melted cheddar cheese on top. This one-pan meal offers a comforting twist on classic chili dogs while being simple enough for a weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Chili Mixture
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 (15-ounce) can chili beans (undrained)
- 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Other Ingredients
- 8 beef hot dogs
- 1 can refrigerated crescent roll dough
- 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped green onions (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) to prepare for baking the casserole.
- Sauté Aromatics: In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil and sauté the diced onion for 3–4 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook for an additional minute until fragrant.
- Cook Ground Beef: Add the ground beef to the skillet and cook until browned, breaking it up as it cooks. Drain any excess grease from the pan to keep the dish from becoming too oily.
- Prepare Chili Mixture: Stir in the chili beans (with their sauce), tomato sauce, chili powder, cumin, salt, and black pepper into the browned beef. Let the mixture simmer for 5–10 minutes, stirring occasionally until it thickens slightly.
- Assemble Casserole: Pour the thickened chili mixture evenly into a greased 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Prepare Hot Dogs: Roll each hot dog in a crescent roll dough triangle, ensuring they are fully wrapped. Arrange the wrapped hot dogs on top of the chili layer in the baking dish.
- Add Cheese: Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the top of the hot dogs and chili mixture.
- Bake: Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 20–25 minutes, or until the crescent rolls are golden brown and the cheese is fully melted and bubbly.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove the casserole from the oven and optionally sprinkle with chopped green onions for added freshness. Serve warm and enjoy!
Notes
- You can substitute homemade chili with store-bought canned chili for a quicker preparation.
- For a spicier dish, add chopped jalapeños or a splash of hot sauce to the chili mixture before baking.
- If preferred, use turkey or vegetarian hot dogs to adjust for dietary preferences.
- This casserole can be prepared a day ahead and refrigerated; bake when ready to serve.
