Layers of chili, juicy hot dogs, and cheese all topped with a golden, flaky crescent roll crust that's topped with even more cheese. It's not just a meal; it's a family-friendly sensation that gives you the night off.
Table of Contents
🗝️ Key takeaways
- Chili cheese dog casserole is full of meaty, gooey cheddar goodness that will satisfy the whole family—picky eaters included!
- It's a real crowd-pleaser for quick dinners, family nights, and watching sports (okay, or scrolling the 'gram while your boys watch sports!)
- Use freshly shredded cheddar cheese from a block for meltiness that'll knock your socks off.
Craving some nostalgic comfort food on a busy weeknight? Try this classic hot dog chili casserole recipe—it’s a delicious dinner recipe with only five ingredients!
🧾 Ingredients
This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the green recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.
📖 Variations
- Extra time on your hands? Jazz it up with your own homemade chili instead of canned chili.
- Beef or pork hot dogs work great in this recipe, so use your favorite! Most hot dogs from the store are actually made with a blend of both.
- Add a little kick to your chili dog casserole with Pepper Jack cheese.
- Amp up the spice even more with red pepper flakes, hot sauce, or a light dusting of homemade ancho chili powder.
- Some people like to add garlic powder, cumin, and/or black pepper. Do so if you're feeling fancy, but don't worry if not.
🔪 Instructions
This is an overview of the instructions. Full instructions are in the green recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Spoon the chili into the bottom of a greased casserole dish and spread evenly with a spatula.
- Cover the chili mixture with bite-sized hot dog chunks.
- Sprinkle half of your freshly shredded cheddar cheese on top.
- Flatten the crescent roll dough on top of the cheese layer and brush with melted butter. Top with the remaining cheese and bake!
🥫 How to store leftovers
This chili dog casserole recipe is best eaten hot out of the oven.
Refrigerate
If you have leftovers, cover the casserole dish with aluminum foil and store it in the fridge for up to two days. Keep in mind the crescent roll dough crust gets a bit soggy the longer it sits.
Freeze
To freeze leftovers, tightly wrap the casserole dish with plastic wrap and then with aluminum foil.
You can also portion the baked chili dog casserole into an airtight, freezer-safe container.
Freeze for up to three months.
Reheat
To reheat leftovers, leave the aluminum foil on the baking dish and pop it in the oven at 350 degrees F for about 20 minutes.
If you have an air fryer, it will take less than 5 minutes to heat up smaller servings at the same temperature.
💭 Things to know
Expert Tip: Resist the temptation to buy pre-shredded cheese from the grocery store. It doesn’t melt well and won’t give you the same ooey-gooey texture as freshly shredded cheese!
- Cut the hot dog pieces into quarters if you have younger kids. Thick hot dog rounds are a choking hazard!
- Chili dog casserole is finished baking when the crust is golden brown.
- Enjoy this warm chili casserole fresh and hot while the crescent dough pastry is still crisp and flakey.
- Feel free to top this casserole with your favorite chili cheese dog toppings, like diced red onion or jalapenos.
👩🍳 FAQs
Yep, you can assemble the casserole ahead of time. Cover it with foil and keep refrigerated (for up to one day) until you're ready to bake.
You can—if you freeze and reheat it. I don’t recommend storing it in the fridge, though, unless you like soggy crescent dough.
I wouldn’t. The crust already gets soggy in the fridge, so heating it up in the microwave will make the texture even softer. Reheating leftovers in an oven or air fryer is your best bet.
Absolutely! Use other melty cheeses like Monterey Jack, Colby-Jack, or Pepper Jack cheese. Combine different cheeses for a fuller flavor!
📚 Related recipes
- Packed with flavor and tons of gooey cheese, Chili Mac Casserole comes together in just thirty minutes for a super easy, tasty dinner.
- Cowboy Cornbread Casserole is another kid-friendly recipe made of taco-seasoned ground beef, corn, chili beans, and a cornbread topping.
- With just ten minutes of prep time, King Ranch Chicken Casserole combines tangy and creamy flavors for a simple meal no one can resist!
🍽️ Serve with...
This chili cheese dog casserole is a hearty meal, so it pairs well with sides made of fresh ingredients. I like to top it with candied jalapeños for a sweet and spicy kick!
The colorful veggies in southern cornbread salad and the refreshing crunch in my southern cucumber salad make them great side dishes for this cheesy casserole.
📞 The last word
It always surprises people to find out that chili dogs are one of my favorite foods.
Soft bun soaked with chili, hot dog, melty cheese, and a pile of onions on top. Preferably served with a root beer float on the side. YUM!
This casserole makes it a little more "dinner time acceptable" to the 1950s moms in my head, clutching their pearls, and moaning dramatically at my meal choices.
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.
If you love this recipe please comment below and give it 5 stars!
📖 Recipe
Chili Dog Casserole
Print Pin Recipe Save Recipe Rate RecipeIngredients
- 1 pound hot dogs
- 45 ounces chili, 3 15-ounce cans or 6 cups homemade
- 8 ounces Cheddar cheese, shredded
- 8 ounces crescent roll dough sheet, 8 ounce tube
- green onions, garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375℉.
- Spray a 13x 9 inch casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- Spoon the chili into the bottom and smooth evenly.
- Slice the hot dogs in bite-sized pieces. If toddlers will be eating then slice each round in half or quarters for safety.
- Cover with half the shredded cheese.
- Top with the crescent roll dough sheet.
- Brush with butter.
- Top with remaining cheese.
- Bake until the dough is fully cooked and the casserole is heated through to 180℉.
- Remove from oven and top with sliced green onions as a garnish.
Notes
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- Cut the hot dog pieces into quarters if you have younger kids. Thick hot dog rounds are a choking hazard!
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- Chili dog casserole is finished baking when the crust is golden brown.
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- Always grate cheese from a block rather than buy pre-grated. It makes a huge difference.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.
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