Prepare to take your taste buds on a flavor-packed journey of a perfectly grilled bratwurst burger stuffed with sauerkraut and gooey Swiss cheese. A slice of red onion, crispy sauerkraut, and whole-grain mustard on a pretzel bun will make this your new favorite burger!
Game Day Just Got More Delicious!
Are you a burger purist or are you burgeradventurous? Naturally I’m the latter. I mean c’mon, just look at the burger below. How could you not be?!
With the Super Bowl only 2 weeks away I’m already planning my menu. Sure you can serve a beef burger but why would you when you can serve this baby?! Or hey, serve both! Just make them as sliders and let folks have a taste of both! I mean there are 2 teams playing so why not have 2 types of burgers?!
Grab Your Ingredients
This burger really only is 4 ingredients (not counting the toppings or bun).
- 5 Bratwurst link – remove the casings
- Swiss Cheese – you want to cube some and then leave some for slices to melt on top
- 1 14 ounce can of Frank’s Kraut
- Pretzel Buns
- Red Onions
- Whole Grain Mustard (that’s my preference)
Watch The Video
The video will show you how I made these from start to scratch. It includes things like:
- Removing the meat from the casings
- Mixing the burger mixture
- Forming and Shaping the patties
- Grilling them – the gorgeous sear is everything!
Chef’s Tips: Shaping Burgers
If you watch the video I do a double shape. Meaning I’ll round the burgers, shape them into a patty but then I use a burger press to get them nice and snug.
I do that specifically with these burgers as it keeps the meat, sauerkraut and cheese pressed tightly together so when I make them on the grill, they don’t fall apart. If there wasn’t add-ins to the burger, you wouldn’t need to use the press.
I use this burger press. I’ve used it for years and honestly love it!
Assemble Your Burger
Now I’ll be transparent here – bratwurst on their own, I’m not a huge fan of. Don’t ask me why as I love Italian Sausage and hot dogs and I love these bratwurst burgers but when they are in the casing, not a fan. I know, I’m weird.
I kept it pretty straight forward with the German them and went with:
- Melted Swiss on top
- Crispy Sauerkraut
- Whole Grain Mustard
- Red Onions
The Crispy Sauerkraut
This was one of those “how can I use the whole can of sauerkraut” thoughts. I tossed it into a skillet with some melted butter and let it fry up just until the edges got crispy. Truthfully, I could have easily done this to another full can as it was incredible!
Pickles For The Win
For me, the finishing, perfect touch, was a pickle. Actually several pickles as I LOVE how the flavor paired so perfectly with the meat, cheese and the sauerkraut.
And can we just take a moment to stare at that beauty shot?! See those white chunks in the patty? That melted swiss cheese! Seriously when you bite into this, it was pure heaven! This is one burger that I can 100% say “Bacon not necessary”. Shocker I know but it’s perfect as-is.
Recipe Additions and Substitutions
Truthfully there’s not much about the burger patty itself I’d change but there are a few things you could modify if you wish:
- Cheese – try smoked gouda or Jarlsberg instead of Swiss
- Bun – instead of a pretzel bun, try a crispy potato pancake/latke
- Mustard – yellow or German mustard would work
- Beer Cheese – this is definitely on the menu for game day!
Stovetop Instructions
I get it, not everyone has a grill. No worries you can still make these on the stovetop!
- Heat a cast-iron pan over medium heat. Add the oil and when the oil starts to sizzle/shimmer, add the burger patties. Cook for 2-4 minutes per side, flipping only once.
- Add the cheese on top about a minute before the burger are done and place a lid on top. This will help it melt.
- Take the internal temp before serving. They should be 160F.
Air Fryer Instructions
- Heat the air fryer to 390F. Spray the basket, place the patties in a single layer and air fryer for 12-15 minutes flipping half-way through.
- 1 minute before they are done, add the cheese and finish air frying You’re looking for an internal temperature of 160F.
The Best Grilled German Bratwurst Burgers Stuffed With Cheese & Sauerkraut
Prepare to take your taste buds on a flavor-packed journey of a perfectly grilled bratwurst burger stuffed with sauerkraut and gooey Swiss cheese. A slice of red onion, crispy sauerkraut, and whole-grain mustard on a pretzel bun will make this your new favorite burger!
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 10
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Category: burgers, sliders, gameday foods, grilled burgers, sausage, oktoberfest
- Method: grill, stovetop
- Cuisine: burgers, sliders, gameday foods, grilled burgers, sausage, oktoberfest
Ingredients
- 5 Bratwursts, removed from casing
- 1–14oz Can Frank’s Kraut / SnowFloss, drained and divided
- 3/4 cup small cubed Swiss cheese
- 6–12 slices Swiss Cheese
- Whole Grain Mustard
- 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 Tablespoon Canola oil
- 6 Pretzel buns
- Sliced red onions
Instructions
- In a bowl, add the Bratwurst’s meat minus the casings. Add in 6 ounces of the drained sauerkraut, 3/4 cup of cubed Swiss cheese. Mix well, and form into 6 tight burger patties. Cover and place in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
- While the burgers are chilling, add the 1 Tbl of butter to a skillet over medium heat. Toss in the rest of the sauerkraut, stir frequently, and fry up until it starts to crisp up on the edges. Set aside.
- Preheat the grill to 400F with a cast iron pan on it. When the pan is hot enough, drizzle in some canola oil and the burger patties. Cook for 5-7 minutes or until a beautiful crispy sear has developed. Flip, cook for a few minutes, add 1-2 slices of cheese per burger, and continue to cook until the internal temperature is 160. If desired, grill the pretzel buns.
- To the bottom of the pretzel bun, add a few slices of red onion followed by the burger. Add a spoon or two of the fried sauerkraut, a few spoons of mustard, followed by the top of the bun. Serve with pickles, chips, and a beer or drink of choice.
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