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by Stephanie Manley 36 Comments
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Walking the streets of Manhattan you see the Sabrett’s pushcarts everywhere.While these may not be in your town, you can make their special onions in sauce topping for hot dogs with this copycat recipe.
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Sabrett’s Onion Sauce Hot Dog Topping
Walking the streets of Manhattan, you see the Sabrett’s pushcarts everywhere. While these may not be in your town, you can make Sabrett’s special onions in sauce topping for hot dogs with this copycat Sabrett onion sauce recipe.
Sabrett’s hot dog onions in sauce have a delightful tang, rich tomato flavor, a little sweetness, and a slight kick of heat. It’s a delicious hot dog topping, everyone loves those New York hot dog onions. You can buy this onion sauce in a jar, but it will never taste as good! Pre-made is never as good as homemade, don’t you agree?
Sabrett’s hot dogs are known as New York City’s number one hot dogs. Whenever you order one from a vendor cart under the distinctive blue and yellow umbrella, you will enjoy a wonderfully tasting all-beef hot dog contained in an all-natural casing. NYC just wouldn’t be the same without Sabrett! Plus, if you so desire, you can even have your own colorful Sabrett umbrella!
Discover the unique taste of this onion sauce for hot dogs that New Yorkers enjoy so much.
Recipe Ingredients
Here’s a list of what you need to make this hot dog topping:
- Olive Oil
- Onions
- Water
- Tomato Paste
- Corn Syrup
- Cornstarch
- Salt
- Red Pepper Flakes
- Vinegar – White distilled, apple cider, or white wine vinegar
How to Make Sabrett’s Hot Dog Onions
Here are the simple steps for making this New York style onion sauce:
- Chop and saute onions in a large skillet over medium high heat with a pinch of salt.
- Add water, tomato paste, corn syrup, cornstarch, and salt to the pan. Stir to combine.
- Bring the mixture to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 45 minutes.
- Add vinegar and simmer for an additional 30 to 45 minutes until the liquid is reduced and thickened.
Enjoy this delicious hot dog topping without having to get it on a pushcart in New York.
Best Hot Dog Toppings
Hot dogs are a perfect food. They don’t cost much and are nearly impossible to mess up. Everyone has their own idea about what they want on their hot dog. In fact, there are probably more foods that go well with hot dogs than foods that you would never put on hot dogs. Here are some of the most popular toppings and hot dog condiments:
- Mustard – Mustard is a classic topping. Go with good ol’ yellow ballpark mustard, spicy brown mustard, or Dijon mustard.
- Ketchup – With its rich tomato taste, this is among the most popular hot dog toppings, especially when combined with mustard.
- Cheese – Cheese is a no-brainer. For something different, dress your dog up Seattle-style with cream cheese, but, honestly, any kind of cheese is going to taste good on a hot dog.
- Onions – Onions are another popular addition to hot dogs. They can be diced and served raw, but also sliced, fried, and caramelized. And, of course, there are Sabrett onions.
- Coleslaw – Coleslaw has become an American side dish staple. Coleslaw often accompanies hamburgers, sandwiches, and, of course, hot dogs.
- Sauerkraut – This fermented cabbage dish is popular on hot dogs because of its characteristically tangy and zesty flavor.
- Relish – Add a little sweetness with relish, a condiment made from pickled diced vegetables or fruit. Cucumbers and vinegar are the most common ingredients found in relish.
- Chili – Chili is a hot dog topping that must be cooked instead of simply cut or pickled. It can be made from beans, meat, or a combination. Chili dogs turn a regular dog into something special.
Other Uses For This Onion Sauce
There are more ways you can use this tasty sauce. Try it over grilled chicken or pulled pork. Use it on burgers or sandwiches. It’s also a great baked potato topping.
How to Store and Reheat Leftover Sabrett Hot Dog Sauce
Want to enjoy this hot dog onions recipe later? Be sure to store any leftover portions in an airtight container and store them in your refrigerator for up to five days. You can freeze these in an airtight container and store them in your freezer for up to three months.
To reheat, I recommend placing the hot dog sauce in a small pot and heating it on low until the sauce has been heated through.
Love hot dogs? Try these recipes!
- How to Cook Hot Dogs in the Air Fryer
- Oven Baked Hot Dogs
- Bacon Truffle Mac and Cheese Hot Dog
- Green Bean and Hot Dog Casserole
- Bourbon Hot Dogs
More Onion Recipes
- Fried Onion Petals
- How to Cook a Blooming Onion
- Hot French Onion Dip
- Vidalia Onion Pie
- New Orleans French Onion Soup Recipe
- How to Store Chopped Onions
- Home Made Onion Rings
Be sure to check out the best copycat recipes and restaurant sauces.
Thanks to CarolynTLyons for sharing this recipe.
Sabrett Onions in Sauce
Make this New York City classic hotdog topping at home and enjoy delicious New York street food whenever you want. Warm your bun, put in your dog, squirt on some mustard, and add these onions. Yummy!
4.52 from 33 votes
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Course: Sauces
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Sabretts Onions in Sauce
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes
Total Time: 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes
Servings: 10
Calories: 23kcal
Author: Stephanie Manley
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Olive oil
- 2 cups Onions, sliced thin and chopped
- 3 cups Water
- 2 tablespoons Tomato Paste
- 2 teaspoons Corn Syrup
- 1 tablespoon Cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Red pepper flakes
- 1/4 cup Vinegar
Instructions
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Sauté the sliced onions in oil for 5 minutes, until the onions are soft but not brown.
Add 3 cups of water, corn syrup, corn starch, tomato paste, salt, and pepper flakes and stir. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 45 minutes.
Add vinegar. Continue to simmer for an additional 30 to 45 minutes or until most of the liquid has reduced and the onion sauce is thick.
Video
Nutrition
Calories: 23kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 0g | Fat: 0g | Saturated Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 147mg | Potassium: 83mg | Fiber: 0g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 110IU | Vitamin C: 3.1mg | Calcium: 9mg | Iron: 0.2mg
About Stephanie Manley
I recreate your favorite restaurant recipes, so you can prepare these dishes at home. I help you cook dinner, and serve up dishes you know your family will love. You can find most of the ingredients for all of the recipes in your local grocery store.
Stephanie is the author of CopyKat.com's Dining Out in the Home, and CopyKat.com's Dining Out in the Home 2.
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Reader Interactions
Comments
Lisa DeLeo
These were way too spicy, Sabrett onions have a little zip, but that is way too much red pepper flakes to be like the original.Reply
J. Green
I made it with the 2 cups of water and additional tomato paste and was pleasantly surprised at how close to authentic it tasted. Think I will lesson the amount of red pepper flakes thoughReply
Michael Lagana
why not use ketchup,instead of paste,& corn syrupReply
Stephanie Manley
Different kinds of ketchup taste a bit differently. I thought using these two ingredients helped to control the flavor more.
Reply
Peter J
Great idea………..put your own touch on it……….Reply
Steve
Even though I am a former New Yorker, all my life practically, I live in Georgia now, I found the Sabarettes hot dog sauce in Publix Supermarket, with the jar pickles and things. Now if they could get me hard Kaiser rolls!Reply
Richard L Radzik
Our Publix bakery in Douglasville carries the Kaiser rolls with the hard crust. The only problem is that they sell out fast. You also have to ask them to put them in their perforated bags so that the outside crust doesn’t soften up.
Reply
Stephanie Manley
I oven reheat rolls that I buy in my toaster oven for a few minutes. Also a breadbox is helpful in keeping bread fresh.
Wanda
It was good tasting,but,1/4 cup of vinegar was just too much and I used 2 cups of water instead of the 3,next time I may add a little extra paste and less vinegar and see if that works,but all in all,I would make this again.Reply
Wanda
UPDATE:
I left out the cornstarch and added 2 extra tbs. of tomato paste and used half of the vinegar and 2 cups of water instead of the 3 and it worked out very well.Reply
Kendra
See AlsoThe Best Roast Beef Gravy Recipe
I never have been to a Sabretts but I liked this.Reply
Jimi
WAY!!!! too much ACV. I’m from NYC and have eaten many a Sabrett’s dog in my day.Reply
Stephanie
I am sorry you didn’t like this recipe.
Reply
Evelyn Gaetani
This recipe is the closes to the Sabretts onions you can purchase in a jar for $3.50. Very good. Try it You wont be disappointed.
Reply
Mary Klimowicz
I don’t like using corn syrup; would honey work just as well?
Reply
Stephanie
I think a better product to use would be “golden syrup”. It is a sugar cane syrup-like corn syrup. Honey would change the flavor.
Reply
Mark
Do you serve this hot or cold?Reply
Stephanie
I would do either. I prefer it slightly warm.Reply
RVAmom
My mother’s secret recipe is actually ketchup sliced onions and pepper flakes. The ketchup has a lot of what all the other ingredients listed do.
Reply
Baltisraul
Over the years Sabretts have been the official hot dog of the Yankees, Mets and Red Sox. There are only 3 hot dog brands we buy other than Sabretts. Sahlen’s and Hofman. Luckily Publix carries all three brands. Wait for the BOGO sales and stock up as all three are a little pricey. We have never tried the sauce but we are about to give it a try.Reply
reannonluv
Hi…I have made this before and it is yummy I worked at a hot dog stand here in L.A, CA…it is 1/4 teaspoon of the red pepper flakes, add them with the paste…cider vinegar is best…4 cups of water is better…also it is better to add the onions after the initial 45 minutes of cooking…you run the risk of the onions disintegrating…saute for the 5 minutes then add in the second part of cooking…hope this helps–Please don’t buy this sauce in a can it will never taste as good! My question is–where can you buy the Sabrett’s here in Los Angeles? My boss would not tell me where he got them–they are the best ones to eat!
Reply
stephaniemanley
Thank you for the tips and your insight, I will have to take your ideas into account.
Reply
Baltisraul
Sabrett’s web page can locate where to find their products in your area. I have not searched West of the Mississippi but that may be a small challenge.
Reply
William Spina
you’re right, 1 tsp red pepper flakes is too much.
Reply
IronStomach
I think a small bit of cinnamon is missing from this recipe.
Reply
trish L
I’m a ex-Nyer and the one thing I do miss is the onion sauce and dogs from the carts! This sauce was Excellent! Thanks so much!!!!!
Reply
BOB HUNTER
WHERE CAN WE PURCHASE THE ONION SAUCE PRECOOKED.
SHIPPED TO SO. CALIFBOB
Reply
Rstaurant Depot sells # 10 cans
Reply
Toni Lucas
try sabrett I’m sure they do online sales, and not very expensive. everyone likes them a little different.
Reply
Stephanie Manley
Great suggestion.
Thomas E. Wardrop
You can go on line to the sabretts website..or you can look for an East coast market in your area 🙂Reply
You can purchase on Amazon hot dog and the onion sauceReply
Sherman
Beware the 1/4 CUP!!!!!!! of crushed red pepper flakes. The recipe this looks like it was copied from calls for 1/4 TEASPOON!
In that recipe,
http://www.recipezaar.com/Sabretts-Onion-Sauce-for-Hot-Dogs-92747
you add the pepper flakes with the water, tomato paste, etc.
Reply
debbie
your recipe has 3 cups water and at the bottom it has 4 cups of water it also does’t tell you when to add pepper
Reply
