Bratwurst Burger with Onion Sauerkraut Topping
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These bratwurst burgers combine all the glorious German flavors of bratwurst in the form of a burger. Mouth-watering pork patties are served on a soft bun with melted swiss cheese, a mustard mayo sauce, and onion sauerkraut topping. It's an easy fuss-free recipe that is ready in 25 minutes!
If you love flavorful burger recipes, also try our lamb burgers and our spinach feta chicken burgers.
If you love the classic German taste of bratwurst, you'll love these bratwurst burgers with onion sauerkraut topping. They're an easy and delicious dinner for weeknights, and perfect for mixing up your standard burger fare.
Rather than seasoning ground meat, we keep things simple and use bratwurst sausages that are already seasoned. We empty the meat from the casings, form it into bratwurst patties, and grill them to juicy perfection. Then we pile the burgers onto pretzel buns smothered in our easy mayo mustard sauce and sauteed onions and sauerkraut.
With only real food ingredients, they make a satisfying meal that eaters of all ages will enjoy. So fire up the barbecue and get ready to impress with these burgers made from bratwurst that deliver big, juicy flavor!
If you love bratwurst sausages, also try our bratwurst and sauerkraut recipe!
Bratwurst burger ingredients
Here's what you'll need to make these bratwurst burgers:
- Onion ā slow-cooked onions in olive oil which gives the burgers lots of rich, savory flavor.
- Sauerkraut ā this traditional fermented food is full of flavor and healthy gut bacteria, and the sourness works perfectly with the sweet onions.
- Mayonnaise ā light or regular ā your choice!
- German mustard ā German mustard is a bit like dijon but with a bit more heat. It's made with different varieties of ground mustard seeds mixed with vinegar, oil, herbs, and/or sweeteners. If you have dijon in your fridge, you can use that instead.
- Bratwurst sausages ā these fresh German sausages are made with pork and veal and seasoned with herbs like ginger, nutmeg, coriander, and caraway.
- Swiss cheese ā this mild and nutty cheese is everything an alpine-style cheese should be!
- Burger buns ā we use pretzel buns in the pictures, but any hamburger bun or brioche bun will work just as well!
How to make these bratwurst burgers with onion sauerkraut topping
These bratwurst burgers are a quick and easy weeknight or pre-game meal. Here's how we make them at home in a few simple steps:
- To start, cook the onions until they're soft and starting to brown. Then, mix in the sauerkraut.
- We like to mix the mayonnaise and mustard together to make a sauce.
- Open the sausages and discard the casings then place the meat into a bowl and crumble it with your hands.
- Now, form the meat into four patties.
- Grill the patties or sear them in a dry pan. Just make sure they're fully cooked and reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, top the cooked bratwurst patties with swiss cheese and warm up the buns.
- To serve your burgers, slather the mustard mayo sauce on buns and top with a burger patty and some of the onion mixture.
Recipe FAQs
How do I know when the burgers are fully cooked?
Great question! Because these burgers are made with sausage meat (rather than freshly ground meat), it's important that they are fully cooked before you serve them. Use a meat thermometer to make sure they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.Ā
Can I prepare these ahead of time?
Definitely! To save time, mix together the mustard mayo sauce and prepare the patties. Store them in the fridge in airtight containers for up to 3 days, or until you're ready to cook them.
Can I reheat leftover bratwurst burgers?
Burgers are one of those foods that just don't taste the same reheated. You definitely can, but don't expect the same results. To reheat, place them in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for about 5 minutes, flipping halfway through.
What to serve with a bratwurst burger
Like all burgers, these bratwurst burgers are perfect for backyard barbecues and grilling season. They of course taste great with potatoes of all kinds, but they're also super versatile and pair well with other vegetable sides and salads.
Potato sides to serve with bratwurst burgers
- Grilled Potato Salad
- Dill French Fries
- Baked Parmesan Rosemary Shoestring Fries with Lemony Garlic Mayo
Salads that taste great with bratwurst burgers
Bratwurst Burger Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion (sliced)
- Ā½ cup sauerkraut
- Ā¼ cup mayonnaise (can be light)
- 1 tablespoon German mustard (or dijon)
- 6 links bratwurst sausages
- 4 slices swiss cheese
- 4 hamburger buns
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, occasionally stirring, until it is very soft, about 7 minutes. Stir in the sauerkraut and remove the pan from the heat.1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 large onion, Ā½ cup sauerkraut
- While the onions are cooking, make the sauce. Mix the mayonnaise and mustard together in a small bowl.Ā¼ cup mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon German mustard
- Remove and discard the sausage casings and place the meat in a bowl. Use your hands to break up the meat to resemble ground pork.6 links bratwurst sausages
- Form the bratwurst meat into four burger patties.
- Preheat your grill to medium heat. Once it's hot, cook the bratwurst burger patties until they are fully cooked and have reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. See notes. Then top with the swiss cheese and let it melt. If you'd like, warm the burger buns. You can also sear these burgers in a dry pan over medium-high heat for 5 minutes per side.4 slices swiss cheese, 4 hamburger buns
- Serve the burgers with the mustard mayo sauce and the onions piled on top.
Notes
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
If you love burgers as much as we do, make sure to check out all of our burger recipes!
