Latin American Cuisine And Hot Dogs Have Always Been Closely Intertwined

Hot dogs aren't just a culinary staple in the US, and when garnished with bold Latin American flavors, they tend to stand out from the typical American hot dogs topped with relish, mustard, and ketchup. Depending on the region, you can expect to find everything from chiles, salsa, quail eggs, and potato sticks on your hot dog. Hot dogs are an extremely popular street food, especially in Mexico, where they serve up their iconic Sonora dogs.

The origins of the hot dog are disputed by historians, though most agree that this beloved food has been around for thousands of years. We do know that a pair of entrepreneurs introduced the hot dog to Mexico in 1943 at the Plaza Mexico Bull Ring. It's hard to pin down exactly when the hot dog became intertwined with Latin American food culture, but it's widely attributed to the early to mid-20th century in Brazil and other metropolitan Latin American regions due to the influence of American culture. 

The Sonoran is Mexico's signature hot dog. Itwas invented in Hermosillo, Sonora's capital, and is also a popular street food in America's southwest, particularly Arizona. It's a bacon-wrapped beef hot dog wrapped in a bolillo bun — a wide, deep bun similar in texture to a French baguette — smothered in pinto beans, and topped with avocado, mayo, jalapenos, onions (grilled and raw), and more. Choripán is the most popular hot dog in South America and is a street food staple throughout Latin America. The chorizo sausage (Chori) is placed in a baguette (pan), and topped with condiments, chimichurri being the most popular. Grilling choripan is the best option while the baguette can be buttered and toasted for additional crunch and flavor, and holds up well with wetter condiments like salsa.

The Venezuelan hot dog has perhaps the most interesting topping: potato sticks. It's also loaded with toppings like cabbage, cojita cheese, onions, and ketchup. Like the bacon in the Sonora dog, the potato sticks add crunchiness and a little fat to the overall flavor, while the cojita cheese adds saltiness. While there are a ton of regional hot dog styles to choose from, these unique Latin dogs stand out based on their ingenuity, interesting toppings, and flavors.