Looking for a healthy, delicious meal for your family? These easy sausage and sauerkraut brioche burgers are the answer for you. Full of protein and probiotics, this comfort meal will have your family begging for it to be on the regular rotation. This meal is inspired by my Mennonite Brethren heritage and is worth the effort. Use German sausage, bratwurst, or any kind of sausage you prefer. If you put forethought and some prep work into this meal, there are really only a few simple steps between you and a yummy from-scratch dinner. Sauerkraut and sausage brioche burgers are perfect all through summer and fall. Serve with cold watermelon and gurkensalat or with any fruits and vegetables that are in season!
Health Benefits of Sauerkraut
Sauerkraut is packed full of probiotics and other nutrients that help with gut health, immune function, and decreasing inflammation in the body. It is simple to make and will help you get this meal on the table very easily with a little thinking ahead. You can either serve the sauerkraut cold or room-temp for maximum probiotic benefits or, warm it up for more of a comfort food feel… you know.
Although you absolutely can buy sauerkraut in a pinch, I highly recommend making it yourself! It is super easy and fun to make. Simply shred a head of cabbage (red cabbage, green cabbage, or both!) sprinkle with a tablespoon of sea salt, stir and let sit. You can use a food processor to make the shredding process quick and easy. Optionally, add some caraway seeds for additional tangy sauerkraut flavor. The salt will draw the water out of the cabbage and make its own brine. After about 45 minutes, pack the shredded cabbage into a Mason jar and top with brine, a fermenting weight and airlock lid. The sauerkraut will be ready in 7-14 days.
I get it. 7-14 days seems like a long time to wait for sauerkraut! But, it is completely worth it. The best trick is to get a lot of sauerkraut going at once so that you have it for a long time. It has a long shelf life, so you can make enough for months at a time. Then you then have it on hand for whenever you need it. Sauerkraut is a wonderful side for every meal. Here is a simple sauerkraut recipe if you want more in-depth instructions.
Brioche Buns
I’ll say it again. You can buy brioche buns from the store, or you can make them! I prefer to make sourdough brioche buns, but using an instant yeast recipe is great as well. Sourdough breads offer an easier-to-digest option to those that are sensitive to gluten or are working to healing their gut. Fermenting your bread by using the natural yeasts found in sourdough starter helps break down the gluten in flour and leaves behind a lovely, delicious bread to enjoy.
If you are really on your A-game for this meal, you’ll be taking the brioche buns out of the oven as you start cooking the sausage. This leaves some time for the buns to cool so that you can slice them to pile on the fillings. Just sayin’, it’s a good feeling.
I altered this recipe to make brioche buns instead of a loaf. Follow all the steps up to the second rise. Instead of dividing the dough into 16 pieces, divide it into 8 even pieces and shape into rolls. Allow to rise on a parchment-lined baking sheet until doubled. Preheat your oven to 425F. Once your rolls are doubled, mix up an egg yolk with a couple tablespoons of water and brush on top of the rolls. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.
Toppings
These sauerkraut and sausage brioche burgers are delicious as-is, but are best topped with sliced Swiss or Pepperjack cheese, fresh homemade mayo, and roasted onions. If you are feeling adventurous, try adding fresh or fermented jalapeno slices for some spice.
FAQs
Can I only use sausage?
No! You have so many options. You can adapt this recipe to whatever you have on hand. Whether that be beer brats, smoked sausage, chicken breast, kielbasa sausage, or any ground meat such as ground beef, ground pork, or ground turkey. Sausage is what makes this sauerkraut burger unique, so you may consider seasoning the meat that you use to imitate the savory flavor of sausage and make some simple burger patties. If you make burger patties, follow the same cooking process of cooking in the bottom of the skillet. If you use raw sausages like I usually do, be sure that the sausage is cooked through. It should have an internal temperature of 160F.
Is there a slider-sized version?
Absolutely! Just divide your brioche dough into 16 pieces for more reasonably sized slider buns, let rise, coat with egg wash, and bake. Cook your sausage in a large skillet on medium heat, cut to fit buns, and assemble in 9×13 baking dish. Put the bottom bun in a greased pan, layer on mayo, sausage, sauerkraut, cheese, caramelized onions, jalapenos, and top bun. Brush top buns with several tablespoons of butter and bake at 350F until the cheese is melted. If you make this, I would encourage you to add more cheese to make them into a more traditional slider.
Can I use Rye Bread?
Yes. You can use whatever whole grains you want. Whole wheat sourdough will not look as pretty or be as fluffy as sourdough made with more refined flours, but it is better for you.
Can I use regular hamburger buns?
You can use whatever you have! Sometimes life is too busy or it is too hot to be baking. During summer grilling season, you may decide that you need store bought buns for a quick meal. Use whatever floats your boat!
Sauerkraut and Sausage Brioche Burgers Instructions
You’ll need:
- Brioche buns
- Sauerkraut
- Brats or sausage links
- Olive oil
- Sweet Onions
- Fresh Mayo
- Swiss cheese (or Pepperjack)
- Sliced Jalapenos (optional)
- Preheat a large cast iron skillet on medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Drizzle with olive oil and add Brats or sausage links.
- Cook the sausage links for about 9 minutes on each side – until cooked through. You want to get a nice golden finish on each sausage. Another good option for the summer is to grill the sausage outdoors and dine al fresco!
- As the sausage is cooking, whip together your fresh mayo, slice jalapenos, and cut the brioche buns.
- Once you are finished cooking the sausage, remove it and throw in the sauerkraut to warm it. You can also leave it cold or at room temperature for more probiotic benefits.
- Cut the sausages down the middle so that they lie flat.
- Slice the onion, remove sauerkraut, and sauté onion on medium-low heat with a drizzle of olive oil.
- Sauté the onion until golden and remove from heat. Caramelizing your onions adds to the depth of the flavor profile and is delicious!
- Assemble your burgers by spreading a good thick layer of mayo on the brioche buns, adding a pile of sausage and sauerkraut, and topping with cheese, caramelized onions, and jalapenos.
- Serve with cold watermelon, gurkensalat, chips, or any seasonal fruits and veggies that sound appealing and enjoy!
Sauerkraut and Sausage Brioche Burgers Printable Recipe
The Best Easy Sausage and Sauerkraut Brioche Burgers
Ingredients
- 8 Brioche buns
- 8 Brats or sausage links
- 3 Tbsp Olive oil for sautéing
- 1 Sweet Onions
- Fresh Mayo for spreading
- 8 slices Swiss cheese or Pepperjack
- Sauerkraut for topping
- Sliced Jalapenos optional
Instructions
- Preheat a large cast iron skillet on medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Drizzle with olive oil and add Brats or sausage links.
- Cook the sausage links for about 9 minutes on each side – until cooked through. You want to get a nice golden finish on each sausage.
- As the sausage is cooking, whip together your fresh mayo, slice jalapenos, and cut the brioche buns.
- Once you are finished cooking the sausage, remove it and throw in the sauerkraut to warm it. You can also leave it cold or at room temperature for more probiotic benefits.
- Cut the sausages down the middle so that they lie flat.
- Slice the onion, remove sauerkraut, and sauté onion on medium-low heat with a drizzle of olive oil.
- Sauté the onion until golden and remove from heat.
- Assemble your burgers by spreading a thick layer of mayo on the brioche buns, adding a pile of sausage and sauerkraut, and topping with cheese, caramelized onions, and jalapenos.
- Serve with cold watermelon, gurkensalat, chips, or any seasonal fruits and veggies that sound appealing and enjoy!
Sharing is caring! If you love this recipe, be sure to share it on Pinterest and leave comments and questions below!
This is amazing. I will be following your blog.
Looks and tastes amazing, Elisabeth! More German sausage just made its way to our freezer, so its time to try this on my own. Thanks for sharing!
Absolutely delicious! Thank you for the recipe.
This looks amazing! I will have to give it a try. Thank you for sharing!
Oh my gosh this looks so good I can’t take it! 🤤😬