Hot Dog Recipe

The Japanese Hot Dog (ホットドッグ) is a light meal featuring a split roll filled with a crispy coarsely ground pork sausage and curry-flavored sautéed cabbage, topped with ketchup and mustard. This American classic has been thoroughly adapted over the decades to suit Japanese tastes.

Hot Dogs in Japan: A Local Twist on an American Classic

In the United States, hot dogs are one of the most beloved foods for any occasion. Whether you’re grilling them in the backyard on weekends and summer holidays, enjoying them at festivals and parties, or grabbing one at a casual burger joint for lunch or dinner, hot dogs are a true American staple.

In contrast, the Japanese hot dog is viewed less as a full meal and more as a light bite or afternoon snack. While they’re easy to make at home—especially when cooked on the stovetop rather than a barbecue grill—hot dogs are not considered typical home-cooked food in Japan. Instead, you’ll often find them served in kissaten (old-fashioned cafés) or casual coffee shops that offer light meals like sandwiches and pastries.

So, what does a Japanese hot dog actually taste like?

A Japanese hot dog usually consists of a bun, sausage, stir-fried cabbage, and a few simple condiments. The bun is similar to its American counterpart—a long, soft white bread roll—but often split from the top rather than sliced horizontally. These buns, called Koppe Pan, are also used in other Japanese sandwiches like Yakisoba Pan or buttercream rolls.

Koppepan

Yakisoba Pan

The sausage is typically a firm, coarse-ground (arabiki) type with a crisp snap. It’s often scored with shallow cuts on the surface and pan-fried to a golden brown, giving it a savory, aromatic edge.

One of the most distinctive features of the Japanese hot dog is the vegetable topping—specifically, stir-fried cabbage seasoned with curry powder. This curry-flavored cabbage is especially popular in the Kansai region (Western Japan) and adds a unique, slightly spicy note. It’s said that cabbage was originally used as a substitute for sauerkraut, which was hard to find in Japan in earlier times.

As for condiments, the classic pairing of ketchup and mustard remains popular, but you’ll also find variations topped with melted cheese, chopped onions, and other creative additions today.

Tips and substitutions for Japanese-style hot dog

• No Koppe Pan? No problem.
  If you don’t have access to koppe-pan, regular hot dog buns work just fine. We used butter rolls—small, soft Japanese dinner rolls with a slightly sweet white bread texture—and they worked great too.
• Warm the bread first.
  Especially if you’re using store-bought buns or rolls that aren’t super fresh, lightly warming them (Step 1 in the recipe) will bring out their flavor and improve the overall taste of the dish.
• Can’t find Japanese sausages?
  That’s okay! Use skinny smoked sausages instead, and cook them as instructed in the recipe. Avoid large, fresh sausages like bratwursts—they don’t work as well with this style..
• Not a fan of curry?
  Simply leave out the curry powder when making the stir-fried cabbage. A light seasoning with salt and pepper will still taste delicious.
• Want a fresher twist?
  Add some lettuce or thinly sliced cucumber for a crunchy, refreshing touch—something you don’t usually see in American-style hot dogs.

More recipes like Japanese-style hot dog

• Yakisoba Pan
• Katsu Sando
• Tamago Sando