Chilean Completo — Homemade Hot Dog with Sauerkraut Recipe

Versión en Español

The Chilean completo is a hot dog in a long soft bun loaded with diced tomato, sauerkraut, salsa americana, and a generous layer of mayonnaise, the best selling sandwich in the fuentes de soda and street carts of Santiago. It takes 30 minutes of preparation plus 10 minutes of cooking and makes 4 completos for 2 people.

It is the most traditional of the almost 50 topping combinations that exist for this Chilean hot dog, cheap, versatile, and loved by everyone.

How to Make a Chilean Completo?

The classic version that most Chileans mean by completo has a base of tomato with sauerkraut and salsa americana, topped with mayonnaise and, if you like, mustard, ketchup, or chili cream. The right temperature and the order of assembly make all the difference.

Nutritional Information

Each completo with sauerkraut and salsa americana contains approximately 480 kcal, 16 g of protein, 32 g of fat (8 g of saturated fat), 32 g of carbohydrates, 3 g of fiber, 5 g of sugars, 50 mg of cholesterol, and 1,540 mg of sodium. These values are estimates and may vary depending on ingredients and portion sizes.

Homemade Chilean Completo Recipe

Preparation: 30 minutes
Cooking: 10 minutes
Servings: 4 completos

Ingredients

• 4 hot dog sausages (vienesas)
• 4 completo buns (pan copihue)
• 2 large tomatoes
• Sauerkraut
• Salsa americana (Chilean pickle relish)
• Fine salt
• Sunflower oil
• Mayonnaise
• Mustard
• Ketchup

Instructions

1. In a medium pot, bring about a liter of water to a boil, add the sausages, and cook for about 5 minutes. Keep them hot. Peel the tomatoes, dice them small, and season with salt and oil to taste. Set aside.

2. Drain the liquid from the sauerkraut and the salsa americana and keep them separate. Split the buns lengthwise down the middle without cutting all the way through, and warm them for a few minutes in the oven or a toaster without scorching them.

3. Place a sausage in each bun along the cut, add the tomato on top, then the sauerkraut and the salsa americana, and finish with mayonnaise to taste. Serve the completos right away, with mustard, ketchup, or chili paste on the side if you like.

Additional Tips

Keep the tomato at room temperature

Cold tomato releases its juice onto the warm bun and makes it soggy in seconds. At room temperature it stays firm and flavorful, and the contrast of hot sausage, fresh tomato, and cool sauerkraut is part of the completo’s balance.

Know your completos

A completo has sausage, tomato, sauerkraut, and mayo; an italiano has sausage, tomato, avocado, and mayo, the colors of the Italian flag; and an americano adds sauerkraut, avocado, and more. Avocado always goes before the mayo so it does not slide off.

Drain everything

Drain the sauerkraut and salsa americana well so their brine does not soak into the bread.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Can I use another type of bread?

Yes. The ideal is the soft, long Chilean pan copihue, but an American hot dog bun or even a marraqueta for a crisper bite also work.

2. What is salsa americana?

It is a mix of finely chopped pickles, such as gherkins, carrots, and cauliflower, preserved in vinegar, which adds acidity and crunch.

3. Should the sauerkraut be cooked?

No. Sauerkraut is served drained, cold or at room temperature, as a pickle that adds acidity and texture.

4. How many types of completo are there?

There are almost 50 topping combinations, but the best known are the completo, the italiano, the dinamico, and the aleman.

What Is a Completo?

The completo is Chile’s national hot dog, sold at fuentes de soda, street carts, and stadiums across the country. Its defining feature is the abundance of toppings, which often hide the sausage entirely.

History and Origin of the Completo

The idea reached Chile in the 1920s with Eduardo Bahamondes, who had discovered hot dogs while working in the United States. Back in Santiago he opened Quick Lunch Bahamondes in the Portal Fernandez Concha, today known as El Portal, selling hot dogs with sauerkraut and mustard. Over time tomato and mayonnaise were added, completing the Chilean style and giving the sandwich its name.

Did You Know?

In the 1960s, when the Italian businessman Jose Devillaine bought Bahamondes’ shop, completos were already among its star dishes, and under his ownership another national classic is said to have been born, the completo italiano.

Recommended

• Chilean Pan Copihue Recipe
• Chilean Salsa Americana Recipe
• Talca Style Wet Hot Dogs Recipe
• Chilean Gorda Completa Recipe