Vegan Carrot “Hot Dogs” (with all the fixings)

Carrot “hot dogs” have earned their spot in the plant-based world, following in the footsteps of other veggie copycat recipes like Buffalo cauliflower. If you haven’t tried vegan carrot hot dogs, do so ASAP; if you have, chances are you’ll find Julia Dzafic’s take on the recipe is the best you’ve ever tried.

Here’s what Julia has to say, from her book, Garden Grown: “If you told me that I could make a carrot taste like a hot dog before making this recipe, I would never have believed you. You’ll just have to trust me that these are incredible.The smoky-sweet marinade somehow mimics hot dog flavor but with all clean ingredients.”

You don’t have to be a gardener to love Julia Dzafic’s Garden Grown. While there are several chapters for home vegetable gardeners, a unique feature of this book, it’s also for anyone who wants to make the most of warm-weather produce. So that means anyone who belongs to a CSA or who frequents farm markets.

The book is arranged in chapters dedicated to making common produce that grows in abundance (and sometimes overabundance) really shine: Tomatoes, cucumbers, leafy greens, eggplant, herbs, onions & garlic, carrots, peppers, and berries.

While this book isn’t completely plant-based (or even vegetarian), most if not all of the non-vegan recipes are easily adaptable. For example, I made the Herby Cucumber Tea Sandwiches, and simply swapped in vegan butter and vegan cream cheese.

I also tried Slightly Spicy Watermelon Cucumber Salad, which needed only a swap-in of Violife feta instead of the standard variety (you can also make your own Tofu Feta). I’ve always been a bit intimidated by the idea of making summer rolls with rice paper, but Julia’s Vegetable Rainbow Rolls recipe makes it seem so easy, not to mention stunningly beautiful.

One last note before we get to the recipe — I see a lot of cookbooks with great photography, but those in this book, by Julie D’Agostino, are so vivid that you feel like you can eat the dishes right off the page.

Garden Grown is available on Bookshop.org*, Amazon*,
and wherever books are sold.

Excerpted from Garden Grown: Garden-to-Table Recipes to Make the Most of Your Bounty. reprinted by permission of DK, a division of Penguin Random House LLC. Copyright © 2024 by Julia Dzafic. Photo Credit: Julia D’Agostino.

More about Garden Grown and Julia Dzafic following the recipe card.

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Yield: 4

Vegan Carrot “Hot Dogs”

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Carrot “hot dogs” have earned their spot in the plant-based world, following in the footsteps of other veggie copycat recipes like Buffalo cauliflower. 

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Additional Time 8 hours

Total Time 8 hours 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 medium carrots, peeled
• 2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• ½ cup apple cider vinegar
• ½ cup tamari or soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 4 hot dog buns

Toppings (use any you’d like)

• Ketchup
• Mustard
• Relish
• Diced onions
• Coleslaw
• Sliced jalapeños
• Chopped pickles

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the carrots and salt and cook until just fork-tender, about 10 minutes.
2. While the carrots are cooking, mix the broth, vinegar, tamari, ketchup, mustard, maple syrup, garlic powder, paprika, and pepper in a large bowl until well combined. Transfer the marinade to a rectangular container.
3. Use tongs to transfer the carrots directly into the marinade. Cover the container and transfer to the refrigerator to marinate for at least 4 hours and up to 12 hours.
4. When you’re ready to serve, place the carrots on the grill (or a grill pan on the stove over medium-high heat) and cook until they’re warmed through and you get grill marks, 2 to 3 minutes per side.
5. Serve in hot dog buns with your favorite toppings. (You may have to cut the ends so that they fit into the bun.)

More about Garden Grown by Julia Dzafic

Julia Dzafic, creator of the lifestyle blog Lemon Stripes, released her debut cookbook, Garden Grown: Garden-to-Table Recipes to Make the Most of Your Bounty.

On her popular blog Lemon Stripes, Julia Dzafic shares her life—motherhood, decor, lifestyle, wellness, cooking, and more—with thousands of readers. Julia’s husband Anel is an avid gardener, and over the years, Julia has been taking their garden’s bounty and experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen.

The result is Garden Grown, an aesthetically pleasing garden-to-table cookbook packed full with over 100 colorful, easy-to-make, family-friendly, veggie-forward recipes inspired by produce from Anel’s bountiful garden.

Chapters are divided up by fresh ingredients, so if you find yourself with an abundance of tomatoes or leafy greens, you know exactly where to look for inspiration.

Her simple, thoughtful approach to cooking will let your homegrown ingredients shine, and expert gardening tips from Anel will ensure that your garden is bursting with beautiful fruit, vegetables, and herbs for years to come. This collection of fresh, seasonal recipes is the perfect kitchen companion for gardeners, farmers market enthusiasts, and anyone who appreciates nature’s bounty.

About the Author

Julia Dzafic started her popular lifestyle blog Lemon Stripes in 2010, while working full time in marketing in the wellness industry. Today, the site is a creative space that covers topics from motherhood to home decor, healthy recipes, and ideas, along with wellness advice, and more.

In 2015, she quit her job in start-up marketing to work for herself full-time, focusing on her blog and marketing consulting business. Town & Country named her one of eight women under 30 to follow on Instagram. She has been featured by the Tory Burch Foundation, the TODAY show, People StyleWatch, and Serendipity magazine. Julia lives in Westport, Connecticut, with her husband, Anel; their two children, Amalia and Luca; their pitbull mix, Boots; and 10 chickens.

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