Take Hot Dogs To Another Level By Using This Baked Side Dish As A Bun

There are potato buns, and then there are potatoes that become buns. Make your number one side dish the star of the show by ditching the bread and plopping your favorite frank on top of a steamy baked potato as a bun. Yeah, we mean an actual baked potato. And, news flash, your "potato dog" better be loaded with toppings.

If you've spent any time dreaming about the best ways to cook hot dogs, halving a baked potato and using it as the bun may never have entered the picture. Popularized by Nathan's Famous hot dog brand, the Baked Potato Dog method is simple: Bake your Idaho potatoes in the oven, cook your hot dogs how you like, slice your tater open on top (like a bun), add your dog, and top it with sour cream, chives, and shredded cheese. While we wouldn't say no to salting and buttering your piping hot spud before adding your toppings, Nathan's also suggests a sprinkle of crispy bacon which is a clear stroke of genius.

Of course, those are classic loaded baked potato fixin's. While some toppings may blur the lines between tuber and wiener fare, traditionally hot dog-esque accouterments are just as on-point (because, hello, potatoes go with everything). Love the tangy flavors of mustard, sauerkraut, and pickle relish? Or comforting chili, cheese, and onions? Put 'em on your potato dog. You can even dress it Chicago style with mustard, relish, pickles, tomato, onions, celery salt, hot sport peppers, and poppy seeds for effect. Call it a gluten-free bun option, but potato dogs are a filling, runaway hit for anyone.

When it comes to innovative combinations involving the two greatest food groups on the planet, potato dogs never disappoint. Must we be content to rest on our laurels after arranging our snappiest frank atop a fluffy baked potato? Please.

If you mistake the baked potato bun for the zenith of potatology, you might miss out on a true gem of ingenuity: the "loaded" potato dog. It differs from the standard potato dog in that it features hot dog halves baked into the potato itself, as well as a full frankfurter stacked on top (along with American singles and beefy chili, obviously). Skip the trad baking potato and go for a sweet potato, or even scrap the hot dog and do a sausage with mayo and chives. You can also pull a switcheroo and turn the hot dog into the "bun" by slicing it in half and loading it with sauerkraut, a few scoops of mashed potatoes, and shredded cheddar cheese. Breaded mashed potatoes molded around a hot dog on a stick transform this combo into a portable snack that's ready to party.

Sadly, we've lost a few weenies to some less appetizing collaborations (RIP "Super Tuber," which was basically a plain, microwaved baked potato spiked by a reluctant hot dog "stick"). Trust us: Go with the OG clamshell style baked potato and your favorite hot dog brand, and you'll only be limited by your imagination — and the toppings in your fridge.