Give plain old franks a fun and flavorful facelift. In this Tex-Mex creation, I wrap them in tortillas and smother them in an indulgent cheese sauce. (Pro tip: Make sure tortillas are room temperature or warm them in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds to prevent cracking while rolling.)

Want to kick it up a notch? Fold ½ cup of black beans, mashed with the back of a fork, into the cheese mixture and then serve with salsa on the side for dipping or drizzle spicy Sriracha over the tops. So tasty!

Try my Skillet Franks and Beans.

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Hot Dog Quesadillas

Give plain old franks a fun and flavorful facelift. In this Tex-Mex creation, I wrap them in tortillas and smother them in an indulgent cheese sauce.
Servings: 4 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
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Ingredients
 

For the cheese sauce

  • 4 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 1 cup reduced-fat shredded Mexican blend cheese or Colby jack cheese
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder
  • 2 tablespoons scallions, finely chopped (optional)

For the hot dogs

  • 8 soft taco or fajita-sized tortillas, ~6 inches, flour or corn
  • 4 all-beef or poultry hot dogs, or swap in pre-cooked poultry sausages

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 400°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  • In a small bowl, mix all of the cheese sauce ingredients until well blended. Set aside.

To assemble quesadillas:

  • Build each quesadilla by spreading about 1½ tablespoons of cheese sauce on one tortilla, and then top with another tortilla and add another 1 ½ tablespoons of sauce. Be sure to spread the sauce in a thin layer up to the edges.
  • Place a hot dog on one side of a double-layered tortilla and roll tightly like a burrito. Do the same with the remaining dogs and tortillas. Place each “quesadilla dog” seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet. Mist them liberally with oil spray and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown. The cheese will start to ooze slightly from the ends. Allow to cool a bit before serving.
  • *Instead of placing in the oven, you can also pan-sear them in a skillet that has been liberally sprayed with cooking spray (just takes a few minutes so they’re golden brown on all sides). Although for me, the oven tends to be easier because I often double the batch for larger gatherings and can cook them on the baking sheet all at once.
Author: Joy Bauer, MS, RDN, CDN

Nutrition Information per serving

Calories: 420Carbohydrates: 28gProtein: 18gTotal Fat: 25g— Unsaturated Fat: 18g— Saturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 70mgSodium: 870mgFiber: 0gTotal Sugar: 2g— Natural Sugar: 2g— Added Sugar: 0g
Nutrition information is calculated using a leading industry software. That being said, brands can vary, and there may be slight fluctuations in the numbers.
I’m hoping you loved this recipe! If you made it and want to share feedback, I’d be so grateful to hear from you. Please leave a review below or tag @joybauer on Instagram!