Seattle-Style Hot Dogs 

By Ifrah F. Ahmed

Published June 20, 2025

Seattle-Style Hot Dogs 
Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Monica Pierini
Total Time
30 minutes
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes
Rating
5(8)
Comments
Read comments

Nestled in a toasted bun, slathered with cream cheese and piled high with cooked onions and other toppings like sauerkraut and jalapeños, the split and seared Seattle dog is part of the city’s culinary identity. But, like so many regional dishes, the Seattle dog has evolved: Created in 1988 by Hadley Long, a street vendor in Pioneer Square during grunge’s heyday, the combination of hot dog and cream cheese was originally tucked into a toasted bialy bagel stick. By the early ’90s, other vendors followed suit, and the street food evolved to include butterflied hot dogs and toasted hot dog buns, becoming common at late-night hot dog carts outside of local music venues and sports arenas. While Mr. Long has since left the city, he has kept up with the evolution of his creation and maintains that while you can add whatever toppings you’d prefer, a true Seattle dog requires three essential ingredients: a bialy stick, cream cheese and a hot dog.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 hot dogs
  • 3tablespoons salted butter
  • 1large sweet onion, halved and sliced
  • ¼teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 4hot dog buns
  • 4all-beef hot dogs, butterflied
  • Softened cream cheese (about 4 ounces)
  • Cold sauerkraut, for serving
  • Yellow mustard, for serving 
  • Fresh jalapeños, sliced, for serving
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

239 calories; 16 grams fat; 8 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 6 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 17 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 5 grams sugars; 6 grams protein; 476 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a large pan or medium cast-iron skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat. Add the onions and salt. Cook the onions, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes, until caramelized and brown in spots. (Reduce the temperature to medium, if needed, to ensure the onions don’t darken too much.)

  2. Step 2

    Once the onions are done, transfer them to a plate. In the same skillet, toast the insides of the buns over medium-high heat until they are light brown, about 2 minutes. Set the buns aside on a plate.

  3. Step 3

    Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and the hot dogs to the skillet and cook on both sides until slightly charred, 2 to 3 minutes. While the hot dogs cook, slather the cut sides of each bun with 1 to 2 tablespoons of cream cheese, or as much as you’d prefer.

  4. Step 4

    Once the hot dogs are finished, divide them among the buns, cut sides up, and top with your choice of onions, sauerkraut, mustard and jalapeños. Enjoy immediately.

Ratings

5 out of 5
8 user ratings
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Comments

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Jackson R

Sitting in downtown Seattle now; my favorite condiment for a Seattle Dog is Sriracha - something about the creamy, salty, spicy, umami, combines so well. I've never heard of it with a bialy stick -- I don't know if anyone on the street is making it with those these days. Cream cheese, Sriracha, and light onions is how I enjoy them 🌭

Brendan

One alternative that’s more authentic to the city’s maritime tradition is using a salmon hot dog. A salmon cake shaped like as sausage also works.

Seattlederg

@Brendan this is definitely not a thing at all anywhere on the streets of Seattle- This recipe really should have been a sausage or at least a ballpark size hotdog - not a lot of Seattle dogs runnin standard hot dogs.

Pete

@Brendan I’m from Seattle and have never heard of this. Sounds… intriguing.

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