Name: Homemade Krautburgers
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 2 h 20 min
Yield: 10
Ingredients: 1 recipe homemade white bread dough, homemade dinner roll dough, or one 48-ounce package frozen bread dough or dinner roll dough (*See note below); 2 pounds ground beef (I usually use 80/20); 1 medium size head of green cabbage; Salt and ground black pepper; Ketchup or dijonnaise, for serving (*See note below)

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Krautburgers, also called cabbage burgers, are a simple, economical, and utterly delicious and satisfying meal that can be traced back to hard working, German farmers who immigrated to the US from Russia.

I grew up on Krautburgers and they were one of my favorite things to eat when I was a child. I remember being so excited when my grandmother or mother made a batch!

As an adult, I've been making them a couple times a year for three decades, and they are still just as much of a treat now as they were when I was a child.

A kraut burger that's been cut in half with one half stacked on top of the other half.

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Krautburgers come from Germans who lived in Russia then migrated to the United States. Many of these German immigrants settled in northern Colorado, where there is an abundance of farmland.

My family has a strong German heritage and has called Colorado home for many generations. So, it's no surprise that Krautburgers were a staple of my childhood.

Once, I read about the "Colorado Krautburger Triangle", which includes the regions between Brighton, Fort Collins, and Sterling. This is where my family is from and where I grew up.

So, it's not a coincidence that everyone in my family makes, and loves, krautburgers.

To me, they always felt like something special. My mom probably made them twice a year and every time felt like a holiday. As an adult with children of my own, making a batch of kraut burgers felt no less like a treat. I'd often make them in the middle of the afternoon so they'd be hot when our teenagers came home with their friends after school, all of them starving. They'd devour an entire tray of krautburgers in record time, ketchup smeared smiles on their faces.

Regardless of how special they feel to me, krautburgers are humble food. Cooked ground beef and cabbage are tucked into bread dough and baked until golden brown. They are simple and inexpensive, nothing fancy about them. And yet, they somehow always feel like an occasion to me.

The krautburgers of my childhood were always eaten with ketchup, and this is how I served them to my kids. But recently, a friend told me she serves them with dijonnaise. I tried this, flavoring it with a bit of honey and lemon juice, and we couldn't believe how good it was. So, you'll find that recipe below as well.

-Rebecca

Ingredients needed to prepare this recipe

All the ingredients needed to make Kraut Burgers.

Cost of ingredients: $22.50 total/ $2.25 per serving

I purchased these ingredients at a Safeway grocery store in Colorado. The cost will vary depending on where you are and where you shop. The cost is almost the same whether you choose to use Rhodes frozen dough, homemade white bread dough, or homemade dinner roll dough. Pictured above are the ingredients for making krautburgers with homemade white bread dough.

This recipe comes with a few options for the bread dough. My mom and grandma used to use Rhodes frozen rolls and bread dough to make krautburgers and they were delicious. You can find Rhodes frozen dough in most major supermarkets, so if you'd like to skip the step of making the dough, this is a great option.

But, honestly, making the dough from scratch is quite easy, especially if you have a stand mixer to do all the kneading for you. I like to either use the dough from this recipe for homemade white bread or the dough from this recipe for homemade dinner rolls.

Both work equally well. Using homemade white bread dough will give you krautburgers with a higher proportion of bread to filling, as you can see in the photo below. The texture will be similar to a hamburger bun.

A krautburger that's been made with homemade white bread dough and cut in half.

If you use the recipe for homemade dinner rolls, the bread will be thinner, giving you a higher proportion of filling to bread. Also, the texture will be a bit richer and a bit softer. The photo below is a krautburger that's been made with homemade dinner roll dough.

All three options, Rhodes frozen dough, homemade white bread dough, or homemade dinner roll dough, are delicious. Use whichever sounds good to you.

Aside from the bread dough, the only other ingredients you'll need to make a batch of krautburgers are:

Green cabbage
Ground beef: I recommend using 80/20 ground beef. This means a mixture where approximately 20% is fat. There is no added fat in krautburgers, so choosing ground beef with a healthy percentage of fat to beef will prevent them from being too dry.
Salt and pepper

Many recipes also include cooked onion and I believe this is closer to the historical origins of the krautburger. But, that's not how we ate them when I was a child, and that's not how we prefer to eat them now. So, I've left the onion out of this recipe. Of course, you are free to add it back in.

Additions and substitutions

Traditional krautburgers most likely contained some onion. I usually leave the onion out, but if that sounds good to you, please add some in. Chop an onion into small-ish pieces and add it to the pan along with the ground beef and cabbage.
Another way to add some onion flavor is to add some onion powder or a packet of onion soup mix to the ground beef and cabbage.
The krautburgers of my youth never contained cheese, but I've seen several recipes that do. If this sounds like something you'd like to try, add a slice of cheddar cheese on top of the ground beef and cabbage filling before pulling up the corners of the dough to create a sealed pocket.
If you are a sauerkraut lover, swap out the cabbage for your favorite brand (extra points if it's homemade!). Simply brown the ground beef as instructed, then stir in a generous amount of sauerkraut.
If you are gluten free, or if you are cooking for someone who is gluten free, use your favorite gluten free bread dough. Some supermarkets even carry ready to use frozen gluten free bread dough. I have also seen frozen gluten free pizza dough in a few supermarket freezer cases. This will also work well!
You can substitute ground turkey, pork, or any kind of ground game meat for the ground beef.

Step-by-step photos and instructions

Prepare a batch of homemade bread dough or homemade dinner roll dough. Follow the instructions to make the dough and allow it to rise, covered, until doubled in size.

If using frozen bread dough, follow the package instructions to allow the dough to thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature. Frozen dough is ready to use as soon as it has thawed.

A bowl containing bread dough that is fully risen and ready to use.

Ground beef and chopped cabbage cooking in a saucepan.

Chop the cabbage and add it to a large saucepan or dutch oven along with the ground beef.

Cooked ground beef and cabbage for krautburgers.

Sprinkle with salt and a generous amount of ground black pepper and cook until the beef is cooked through and the cabbage is soft and wilted.

Cooked ground beef and cabbage draining in a colander.

Transfer the mixture to a colander set inside a bowl to allow any excess fat to drain. If using lean ground beef this may not be necessary.

A square of bread dough filled with cooked cabbage and ground beef with the corners folded over to create a pocket.

Divide the dough into 10-12 equally sized pieces, about 5-6 ounces each. Working with one piece at a time, roll it out into a square, add a generous mound of the hamburger and cabbage filling to the center of the square, then fold the corners of the dough up and over the filling, pinching them together to form a pocket.

A pocket of bread dough filled with cooked cabbage and ground beef.

Pinch the seams together so the filling is completely enclosed.

Several freshly formed krautburgers on a work surface, ready to be transfered to a baking sheet.

Continue with the remaining dough and filling.

Kraut burgers on a baking sheet, resting to let the yeast dough rise before baking.

Set the krautburgers on a parchment lined baking sheet that's been lightly dusted with flour. If your dough is on the sticky side, dust the tops of the krautburgers with a bit of flour as well. Cover with a piece of plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise for 10-20 minutes while you preheat the oven.

Four freshly baked krautburgers on a baking sheet.

Bake for about 20 minutes, until the krautburgers are golden brown.

Optional: I know some people brush the tops of their krautburgers with some melted butter right before baking. I usually skip this step as I find the krautburgers perfectly delicious without it. But, if this sounds good to you, go for it! Another option is to brush the krautburgers with some melted butter immediately after baking.

Two krautburgers on a plate, one stacked on top of the other.

Serve with ketchup or dijonnaise, or both

A krautburger that's been cut in half on a plate with a small bowl of catsup and another of dijonnaise.

Eating krautburgers with dijonnaise is a new thing around here, and I never thought I'd give up the traditional ketchup, but now that I've tried it, I really do prefer it.

Someone dipping half of a krautburger into a small bowl of dijonnaise.

You can make dijonnaise by simply stirring together equal amounts dijon mustard and mayonnaise. This is where I start, but then I like to add a bit of honey, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. See the notes section of the recipe card below for more information.

It's one of those throw together, no measuring required, kind of sauces. So play around with it to find something that tastes delicious to you.

What to serve with krautburgers

We almost always eat these all by themselves, no other sides necessary. However, there are times when I want to serve them with soup or salad and these are my favorite options:

How to store krautburgers

Allow the krautburgers to cool completely at room temperature the place them in a ziptop bag, wrap in plastic wrap or foil, or place inside an airtight container.

Krautburgers will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. They can also be frozen for up to 3 months. When freezing, I like to wrap them individually, first in plastic wrap, then in aluminum foil.

Allow frozen krautburgers to thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.

To reheat, wrap them individually in aluminum foil and place in a preheated 350°F oven for about 10 minutes, until hot. Krautburgers can also be reheated in an airfryer or in the microwave. If reheating in the microwave, cover with a damp paper towel to keep the bread from drying out.

A partially eaten krautburger on a plate next to a bowl of dijonnaise.

If you give this recipe a try, let me know! Scroll down to leave a comment and rate it!

📖 Recipe

Yield: 10-12 krautburgers

Homemade Krautburgers

This is the traditional krautburger recipe of my childhood, the one I make to this day a few times a year. But there are several ways to shake things up a bit. Scroll up to the section titled "Additions and substitutions" for some ideas!

Prep Time 1 hour

Cook Time 20 minutes

Additional Time 1 hour

Total Time 2 hours 20 minutes

Ingredients

1 recipe homemade white bread dough, homemade dinner roll dough, or one 48-ounce package frozen bread dough or dinner roll dough (*See note below)
2 pounds ground beef (I usually use 80/20)
1 medium size head of green cabbage
Salt and ground black pepper
Ketchup or dijonnaise, for serving (*See note below)

Instructions

Prepare a batch of homemade bread dough or homemade dinner roll dough. Follow the instructions to make the dough and allow it to rise, covered, until doubled in size. If using frozen bread dough, follow the package instructions to allow the dough to thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature. Frozen dough is ready to use as soon as it has thawed.
Cut the cabbage in half and cut out the core. Chop each half into small-ish pieces and add them to a large saucepan or dutch oven. Add the ground beef and use a wooden spoon to break the ground beef up inside the pan. Sprinkle with salt and a generous amount of ground black pepper.
Set the pan over medium heat and cook, stirring frequently, until the ground beef is completely cooked through with no pink and the cabbage is very soft and wilted, about 10-15 minutes. If the mixture starts to look dry and the cabbage begins to brown, add a splash of water and lower the heat.
Taste and add more salt and pepper if desired, then transfer the mixture to a colander set inside a bowl to allow any excess fat to drain. If using lean ground beef this may not be necessary.
Divide the dough into 10-12 equally sized pieces, about 5-6 ounces each. Working with one piece at a time, roll it out into a square on a lightly floured surface. Add a generous mound of the hamburger and cabbage filling to the center of the square, then fold the corners of the dough up and over the filling, pinching them together to form a pocket. (*See photos above for guidance.)
Pinch the seams together so the filling is completely enclosed. Continue with the remaining dough and filling.
Set the krautburgers on a parchment lined baking sheet that's been lightly dusted with flour. (If your baking sheet is large, you will be able to fit 10 krautburgers on one sheet. If that seems too crowded, divide them between two parchment lined baking sheets.) If your dough is on the sticky side, dust the tops of the krautburgers with a bit of flour as well. Cover with a piece of plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise for 10-20 minutes while you preheat the oven. to 350°F (176°C).
Bake the krautburgers for about 20 minutes, until they are golden brown. (*If working with two sheets of krautburgers, see note below.)
Serve with ketchup or dijonnaise (recipe in the notes below).
How to store krautburgers: Allow them to cool completely at room temperature then place in a zip-top bag, an airtight container, or enclose in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for up to 3 days. To reheat, wrap them individually in aluminum foil and place in a preheated 350°F oven for about 10 minutes, until hot. Krautburgers can also be reheated in an air fryer or in the microwave. If reheating in the microwave, cover with a damp paper towel to keep the bread from drying out.

Notes

Here is where you'll find the recipe for homemade bread dough.
Here is where you'll find the recipe for homemade dinner roll dough.
If you've divided the krautburgers between two baking sheets, bake them one sheet at a time. Allow both sheets to rest at room temperature for 10-20 minutes while the oven preheats. Then, place one sheet in the oven to bake and the other sheet in the refrigerator. When the first sheet is done baking, remove the second sheet from the refrigerator and place it in the oven to bake.
To make dijonnaise: add equal parts dijon mustard and mayonnaise to a bowl and stir to combine. Add the following ingredients to taste: honey, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
Nutrition information calculated without ketchup or dijonnaise.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1 krautburger
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 534Total Fat: 19gSaturated Fat: 7gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 66mgSodium: 798mgCarbohydrates: 61gFiber: 4gSugar: 8gProtein: 31g