Imagine a soft, golden-brown roll filled with a juicy mixture of ground beef, onions and shredded cabbage. You’ve just met the kraut burger: a fun German twist on America’s favorite meal.
Where do kraut burgers come from? These dough pockets, stuffed with savory fillings, likely came into being as German-Russian immigrants found homes in the Great Plains states and shared their culinary traditions. Mostly farmers by trade, they needed something easy and handheld to take into the fields for lunch. Kraut burgers have evolved since then, and can be found on food truck and bar menus around Colorado, Kansas and Nebraska. But homemade ones are always the best!
Because kraut burgers are a play on beloved all-American hamburgers, they make a great addition to barbecue or potluck spreads. You can eat these stuffed buns out of hand, so they’re perfect for snacking on the go or for road trips. And once you know the technique, you can fill the pockets with pretty much any burger toppings you like.
Ingredients for Kraut Burgers
- Active dry yeast: The main difference between active dry and instant yeast is that the former needs to be proofed in water before it can be mixed into the dry ingredients. Be sure you know how to use yeast properly, especially when substituting one for the other.
- Milk: Whole milk gives the dough flavor and texture, while 2% milk adds a little bit less fat. Use whichever you have on hand.
- Sugar: Simple granulated sugar feeds the yeast and helps the dough rise.
- Shortening: Shortening helps create a soft and supple dough. If you’re avoiding hydrogenated fats in your diet, you can use an equal amount of softened butter. However, the results will change slightly because butter is only 80% fat (with around 20% water and milk solids). You can also use lard. Here’s more about the difference between butter, shortening, margarine and lard.
- Seasonings: Season your kraut burger filling with salt and black pepper. If possible, use freshly ground pepper. The recipe also calls for seasoned salt. You can make your own seasoned salt or buy a brand like Lawry’s.
- All-purpose flour: Basic all-purpose flour is best for making burger buns.
- Ground beef: The best ground beef for burgers has around 80/20 fat content. Grass-fed beef offers a big flavor boost and some additional nutrition, too.
- Cabbage: If you’re seeking a “medium” green cabbage, try to find one that weighs around two pounds. Here’s how to shred cabbage quickly and easily.
- Onion: A yellow or white onion will do the trick here. You can also use red onion or a couple of shallots.
- Butter: Brushing the buns with butter will give them a shiny appearance when they come out of the oven.
Directions
Step 1: Make the dough
In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in warm water. Add the milk, sugar, shortening and salt. Stir in enough flour to form a soft dough.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it until it’s smooth and elastic, six to eight minutes.
Step 2: Let it rise
Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, turning to grease it on all sides. Cover the bowl and let rise in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size, about one hour.
Step 3: Make your meat mixture
While the dough rises, cook the beef in a large skillet over medium heat until it’s no longer pink. Drain off the fat. In a large saucepan, cook the shredded cabbage and onion until they’re tender.
Editor’s Tip: For fewer dirty dishes, choose a single skillet or saucepan large enough to fit all the cabbage and onion. Cook your beef in that pan, then move it to a large bowl after draining off the fat. Use the same pan to cook the vegetables—you don’t even need to wash it in between.
Step 4: Mix the filling ingredients
In a large bowl, combine the beef, cabbage mixture, salt, pepper and seasoned salt. Let the filling sit while you prepare the dough.
Editor’s Tip: As you season the filling, taste bits of it and keep adjusting until the flavor is rich and savory.
Step 5: Stuff the dough
Punch down the dough, divide it in half, and place it on a lightly floured surface. Roll each half into a 16-inch square and cut each square into sixteen 4-inch squares. Place 1/4 cup of filling in the center of each square.
Bring the corners over the filling and pinch them together to seal the kraut burgers.
Editor’s Tip: Since there’s no rising time between forming and baking the buns, this is a good time to preheat the oven to 425°F. If you’re having trouble getting the dough to stick to itself when sealing the buns, lightly moisten the edges with water before pinching them.
Step 6: Bake the buns
Place the buns, seam-side down, on greased baking sheets and immediately place them into the oven (do not let them rise). Bake them for 10 minutes at 425°, then reduce the heat to 350° and bake them for 15 to 20 minutes longer, or until they’re golden brown. Remove them from the oven, transfer them to wire racks and brush them with melted butter. Serve them warm.
Editor’s Tip: You can use parchment paper instead of greasing the baking sheets for less mess. To avoid getting melted butter on your counters, re-use those pieces of parchment by placing them under your wire racks to catch drips.
Recipe Variations
- Add sauerkraut: If you enjoy the flavor of sauerkraut, you can add some to the filling and reduce the amount of fresh cabbage accordingly.
- Use a different meat: Try pork, ground turkey or chicken instead of beef.
- Layer in some cheese: Not all stores carry authentic German cheeses, but cheeses from bordering countries such as Switzerland, France and the Netherlands can get you close. Try sprinkling in some shredded Emmenthaler, Gruyere or Gouda, or go rogue and use cheddar (or whatever cheese you love most!). Hit up our collection of cheeseburger recipes for more inspiration.
- Add herbs and spices: To the filling, add sweet or hot paprika, toasted caraway seeds, minced parsley or dill, some nutmeg or even a smidgen of crushed juniper berries. You can also stir some spicy prepared mustard or horseradish into the filling. If you aren’t wedded to German flavors, you can try plenty of other spice blends.
How to Store Kraut Burgers
Store kraut burgers in a tightly sealed container in the fridge for up to four days. They should be served warm, so pop them into a 350° oven to heat them back up before eating them.
Can you make kraut burgers ahead of time?
Kraut burgers are best right out of the oven, but you can prepare the filling a day or two ahead of time, store it in the fridge, and make the dough the day you want to serve them. It’s best to lightly reheat the filling before stuffing the rolls; you want it to be warm or at room temperature, not hot.
Kraut Burgers Tips
What can you serve with kraut burgers?
Kraut burgers contain a little of everything—protein, starch and veg—but loading up the table with side dishes never hurts. Try offering some creamy German potato salad or pickled beets. Finish the meal with a gooey German chocolate cake or a slice of German apple cake.
What kind of dips are good for kraut burgers?
Like most burgers, ketchup is a classic go-to dip for kraut burgers. You can also serve them with a spicy brown mustard or a creamy horseradish sauce for dipping.
