Glazed Hot Dog Kabobs

Summer grilling doesn’t have to be complicated to be fun. Some of my best backyard cookouts have featured the simplest foods, just prepared in a new way. Hot dogs are a staple around here, but threading them onto skewers with colorful peppers, onions, and sweet pineapple? That turns an ordinary weeknight dinner into something the kids actually get excited about.

What I love about these kabobs is that they come together in about 20 minutes. You’re basically cutting everything into chunks, threading them onto skewers, and brushing on a sweet and tangy sauce. The sauce is just a quick mix of BBQ sauce, ketchup, and a few other ingredients you probably already have in your pantry.

The best part? Everyone can build their own kabob if they want. My kids fight over who gets the most pineapple pieces, while my husband loads his up with extra peppers and onions. Either way, cleanup is easier than a regular hot dog dinner, and you get that smoky grilled flavor on everything.

What Kind of Hot Dogs Should I Use?

Any hot dogs you have on hand will work great for these kabobs, whether you prefer beef, pork, turkey, or chicken varieties. All-beef hot dogs tend to hold up really well on the grill and have a nice snap to them, while turkey or chicken dogs are a lighter option that still taste delicious. If you’re feeding a crowd with different preferences, you can even mix and match different types on the same skewers. Just make sure to choose hot dogs that are fully cooked (which most are), so you’re really just heating them through and getting those nice grill marks rather than worrying about cooking them completely.

Options for Substitutions

This recipe is super forgiving and works great with whatever you have in your kitchen:

• Hot dogs: Feel free to use any type of sausage you like – bratwurst, kielbasa, or smoked sausage all work great. You can also use chicken or turkey dogs for a lighter option.
• Bell peppers: Any color bell pepper works here, so if you only have green or yellow peppers on hand, go ahead and use those. You could also try poblano peppers for a mild kick.
• Pineapple: Fresh or canned pineapple both work fine. If using canned, just drain it well before cutting into chunks. You can also swap pineapple for peaches or mango if you want to mix things up.
• Rice vinegar: Don’t have rice vinegar? White vinegar or apple cider vinegar will do the trick in the same amount.
• BBQ sauce: Any BBQ sauce you have will work – sweet, smoky, or spicy. You could even use teriyaki sauce for an Asian-inspired twist.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Grilling

The biggest mistake people make with hot dog kabobs is skipping the skewer soaking step, which can lead to your wooden skewers catching fire on the grill – make sure to soak them for at least 20 minutes before threading your ingredients.

Another common error is cutting your vegetables and pineapple too small, as pieces smaller than 1-inch tend to fall through the grill grates or cook too quickly and burn before the hot dogs are done.

Don’t forget to leave a little space between each ingredient on the skewer rather than packing everything tightly together, since this allows heat to circulate and ensures everything cooks evenly.

Finally, resist the urge to constantly flip your kabobs – let them sit for 3-4 minutes per side to develop nice grill marks, and save most of your sauce for the last few minutes of cooking to prevent it from burning.

What to Serve With Hot Dog Kabobs?

These hot dog kabobs are perfect for a backyard cookout, so I like to keep the sides simple and fun. A big bowl of potato salad or coleslaw is always a hit and balances out the sweet and savory flavors from the pineapple and BBQ sauce. You could also throw some corn on the cob on the grill alongside the kabobs, or keep things easy with chips and dip. For something a bit different, try serving them with a fresh cucumber salad or some baked beans to round out the meal.

Storage Instructions

Store: If you have leftover kabobs, slide everything off the skewers first and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The hot dogs and veggies will keep just fine, though the pineapple might release a bit of juice.

Freeze: I don’t recommend freezing these once they’re cooked since the peppers and pineapple get pretty mushy when thawed. But you can definitely prep the kabobs ahead by threading everything onto skewers, wrapping them well, and keeping them in the fridge for up to 24 hours before grilling.

Reheat: Pop the leftovers in the microwave for about 60-90 seconds, or warm them up in a skillet over medium heat for a few minutes. You can also throw them back on the grill for a couple minutes if you want to crisp them up again.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1050-1200
• Protein: 32-40 g
• Fat: 52-62 g
• Carbohydrates: 110-125 g

Ingredients

For the skewers:

• 8 hot dogs (I use Nathan’s Famous for the best snap and flavor)
• 1 large red onion (cut into 1-inch chunks to match the hot dog size)
• 1 large green bell pepper (deseeded and cut into 1-inch squares)
• 1 large red bell pepper (deseeded and cut into 1-inch squares)
• 3 1/2 cups fresh pineapple (fresh chunks provide a firmer texture for grilling)

For the glaze:

• 1/4 cup bbq sauce (I prefer Sweet Baby Ray’s for its thickness)
• 2 tbsp ketchup
• 1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder

Step 1: Prepare Mise en Place and Soak Skewers

• 8 hot dogs, cut into 1-inch rounds
• 1 large red onion, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 large green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch squares
• 1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch squares
• 3 1/2 cups fresh pineapple, cut into 1-inch chunks

Begin by soaking wooden skewers in water for at least 20 minutes to prevent burning on the grill.

While they soak, prepare all your ingredients: cut the hot dogs into 1-inch rounds, cut the red onion into 1-inch chunks, deseed both bell peppers and cut them into 1-inch squares, and cut the fresh pineapple into 1-inch chunks.

Having everything prepped and ready before you start assembling and grilling ensures a smooth cooking process.

Step 2: Mix the Glaze Base

• 1/4 cup BBQ sauce
• 2 tbsp ketchup
• 1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder

In a small bowl, combine the BBQ sauce, ketchup, soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, chili powder, and garlic powder.

Whisk everything together until smooth and well combined.

I like to let this mixture sit for a minute to allow the flavors to meld together—it makes a noticeable difference in the final glaze.

Set this glaze aside until you’re ready to brush it on the skewers.

Step 3: Assemble the Kabobs

• Soaked wooden skewers
• hot dog pieces from Step 1
• red onion chunks from Step 1
• green bell pepper squares from Step 1
• red bell pepper squares from Step 1
• pineapple chunks from Step 1

Remove the soaked skewers from water and begin threading the ingredients onto each skewer.

I recommend alternating between hot dog pieces, onion chunks, bell peppers, and pineapple to ensure even cooking and balanced flavor in every bite.

Leave about 1 inch of space at each end of the skewer for safe handling on the grill.

Step 4: Preheat Grill and Oil Grates

Heat your grill to medium-high temperature (around 375-400°F if using a gas grill).

Allow it to preheat for about 5 minutes until the grates are hot.

Oil the grill grates well by rubbing them with an oiled paper towel or brush to prevent the kabobs from sticking.

Step 5: Grill and Glaze the Kabobs

• assembled kabobs from Step 3
• glaze mixture from Step 2

Place the assembled kabobs directly on the oiled grill grates.

Grill for about 8 minutes total, turning every 2 minutes to ensure even cooking and nice char marks on all sides.

After the first flip, begin brushing the glaze from Step 2 onto the kabobs, adding more with each turn.

The hot dogs will heat through, the peppers and onions will soften slightly with a light char, and the pineapple will caramelize and develop deep sweetness.

Step 6: Serve the Kabobs

• cooked kabobs from Step 5

Transfer the kabobs to a serving platter and let them rest for 1-2 minutes.

The residual heat will finish cooking any pieces that need it, and this brief rest allows the flavors to settle.

Serve immediately with your favorite side dishes while the kabobs are still warm and the glaze is tacky and flavorful.

Glazed Hot Dog Kabobs

Delicious Glazed Hot Dog Kabobs recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Servings 8 servings

Calories 1125 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the skewers

• 8 hot dogs (I use Nathan's Famous for the best snap and flavor)
• 1 large red onion (cut into 1-inch chunks to match the hot dog size)
• 1 large green bell pepper (deseeded and cut into 1-inch squares)
• 1 large red bell pepper (deseeded and cut into 1-inch squares)
• 3 1/2 cups fresh pineapple (fresh chunks provide a firmer texture for grilling)

For the glaze

• 1/4 cup bbq sauce (I prefer Sweet Baby Ray's for its thickness)
• 2 tbsp ketchup
• 1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder

Instructions

 

• Begin by soaking wooden skewers in water for at least 20 minutes to prevent burning on the grill. While they soak, prepare all your ingredients: cut the hot dogs into 1-inch rounds, cut the red onion into 1-inch chunks, deseed both bell peppers and cut them into 1-inch squares, and cut the fresh pineapple into 1-inch chunks. Having everything prepped and ready before you start assembling and grilling ensures a smooth cooking process.
• In a small bowl, combine the BBQ sauce, ketchup, soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, chili powder, and garlic powder. Whisk everything together until smooth and well combined. I like to let this mixture sit for a minute to allow the flavors to meld together—it makes a noticeable difference in the final glaze. Set this glaze aside until you're ready to brush it on the skewers.
• Remove the soaked skewers from water and begin threading the ingredients onto each skewer. I recommend alternating between hot dog pieces, onion chunks, bell peppers, and pineapple to ensure even cooking and balanced flavor in every bite. Leave about 1 inch of space at each end of the skewer for safe handling on the grill.
• Heat your grill to medium-high temperature (around 375-400°F if using a gas grill). Allow it to preheat for about 5 minutes until the grates are hot. Oil the grill grates well by rubbing them with an oiled paper towel or brush to prevent the kabobs from sticking.
• Place the assembled kabobs directly on the oiled grill grates. Grill for about 8 minutes total, turning every 2 minutes to ensure even cooking and nice char marks on all sides. After the first flip, begin brushing the glaze from Step 2 onto the kabobs, adding more with each turn. The hot dogs will heat through, the peppers and onions will soften slightly with a light char, and the pineapple will caramelize and develop deep sweetness.
• Transfer the kabobs to a serving platter and let them rest for 1-2 minutes. The residual heat will finish cooking any pieces that need it, and this brief rest allows the flavors to settle. Serve immediately with your favorite side dishes while the kabobs are still warm and the glaze is tacky and flavorful.