Our German sliders are a delicious fusion of German and American flavors. These small delights are made from savory ground bratwurst meat and then topped with zesty sauerkraut, German-style mustard, and Havarti cheese. Serve these kraut burger sliders for your next Octoberfest party.

Bratwurst sliders on a plate for German Octoberfest.

German Kraut Burger Sliders

These sliders are the perfect item to bring a little bit of Germany into your next meal. Serve them as an appetizer or even as a main course. They are perfect any time of the year but they are a must during Octoberfest. Serve them with pretzel bites and beer cheese dip for the perfect pairing that echoes the hearty fare found at many traditional Oktoberfest celebrations.

Who ever invented sliders? They have become very popular in our area and for good reason, they are delicious! These kraut burger sliders actually are not authentic German fare but it is my version and they are exceptionally delicious.

Ingredients used for bratwurst sliders: bratwurst, ground beef, sauerkraut, butter, mustard, salt, cheese, and dinner rolls.

Perfect Party Food

They will be a nice appetizer for your annual Octoberfest bash, or serve them as the main entree along with a good hot German potato salad and some pickled red onions. Oh, yes, and a beer! Don’t forget the beer.

Last year at Octoberfest I served up some beer-simmered bratwurst along with some sauerkraut and dark rye bread. The year before that, sauerbraten was the main event with a braised red cabbage dish. So, it has become an annual event to look forward to and these cute little sliders are my contribution this year.

They are so juicy and delicious and that tangy sauerkraut is perfect. I have heard tell that sauerkraut is easy to make. Maybe next year?

Mixing ground bratwurst with ground beef.

Beef and Bratwurst Sliders with Sauerkraut

Usually when I buy ground beef I buy the lean mix as there is less fat, but for burgers and these siders, in particular, I wanted some juicy flavor. I mixed a higher-fat content ground beef and a good bulk bratwurst sausage together for maximum flavor. If bulk sausage is not available in your area, the next best bet would be to buy the raw-type sausages in casings and cut open the casings to remove the meat.

I also enhanced the flavor and moisture of the meat by adding some coarse-grain German-style mustard and a little Worcestershire sauce before forming the meat patties. Making a small thumbprint in each patty when you set it in the skillet will prevent it from shrinking into a meatball.

Shaping the Patties

Oh, yes….I have to mention that since these meat patties do have more fat content they will also have more shrinkage, so it is important to form the patties a little larger than your slider buns. Otherwise, you will end up with a quarter-size patty.

Get Good Sauerkraut

Another thing, when buying sauerkraut spend a little bit more and get a good brand in a glass jar or cello-bag, just not a canned variety.

Hawaiian Pretzel Sliders or Brioche Buns

Small slider buns like the brioche or Hawaiian pretzel slider rolls work great with this recipe. Slider buns are available in the bread section of most grocery stores, but dinner rolls or slices of seasoned bread are a good substitute. They just are not as cute as the slider buns.

I buttered each bun and toasted them slightly on an electric griddle, spread brown grainy mustard on both sides, added some sauerkraut, a meat patty, a small slice of havarti cheese, the top bun and a cocktail pick to keep it together.

So, happy Octoberfest to you!! I would love to hear from you all as to what you are planning for Octoberfest this year and what is your favorite Octoberfest food.

Kraut burger sliders on a plate with French fries. A German mug and pickles are in the background.

Variations to Try

Here are some ideas to mix in different flavor variations for some great German appetizers.

Make Apple & Onion Bratwurst Sliders:

Mix some grated apple and sautéed onions into the bratwurst mix for a sweet and savory twist.
Top with Gouda cheese instead of Havarti for a deeper flavor.

Chicken & Ham German Appetizer Slider:

Make ground chicken patties and top with thin slices of Black Forest ham or smoked ham.
Add Emmental or Swiss cheese and pickled red cabbage.

Potato Pancake Variation:

Incorporate a small potato pancake into the slider for a texture twist.
Pair them with homemade applesauce and Swiss cheese.

More Appetizer Recipes

Connect With Savor the Best:

Please follow us on our social media accounts

Facebook * Instagram * Pinterest * Youtube * Twitter

Did you make this recipe? We would love to hear from you. Drop us a comment below.

German sliders made with bratwurst and sauerkraut.

German Kraut Burger Sliders

The beef and bratwurst sausage mix in these kraut burger sliders makes them moist and juicy. We added creamy Havarti cheese, grainy brown mustard, and a generous helping of tangy sauerkraut.

These sliders make perfect German appetizers for Octoberfest but they taste great any time of the year.

4.94 from 16 votes

Print Pin Save

Prep Time: 30

Cook Time: 10

Total Time: 40

Servings: sliders

Calories: 444kcal

Author: Pat Nyswonger

Ingredients

25 ounce jar of sauerkraut I used Bubbies
12 slider buns or dinner rolls
6 tablespoons butter
6 tablespoons brown grainy mustard
1 pound ground beef 30%
1 pound ground bratwurst bulk/or links or other German sausage
3 tablespoons coarse-grain German-style mustard
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon kosher salt
6 slices of Havarti cheese cut in half

Instructions

In a colander, drain the liquid from the sauerkraut, pressing down to get as much moisture out as possible. Transfer the sauerkraut to a plate lined with a double thickness of paper towels. Reserve.
Heat a large skillet on medium high heat, split each slider bun in half, butter each side and add to the skillet to toast slightly.
Or alternatively, arrange them on a baking sheet, cut side up and slide them under a preheated broiler to toast. When cool, spread mustard on both sides of each slider bun. Add 1 or 2 tablespoons of sauerkraut to the bottom half of each slider bun. Reserve.
In a medium bowl, add the beef and sausage, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Blend together with a fork, mashing to combine. (You can also use your hands) Divide the mixture into 12 equal portions, form the portions into patties a little larger than the diameter of the slider buns.
Heat the skillet over medium-high heat and add half of the patties. (If they will all fit in the skillet without crowding then do so) press a slight indentation in the center of each patty to prevent it from balling up during cooking.
Cook the patties for 3 minutes on the first side and 1 to 2 minutes on the other side for medium. Transfer to a plate, add a slice of cheese to each one and cover the plate with foil to keep warm while cooking the remaining patties.
To finish assembling the siders, add a patty on top of the sauerkraut, place the top of the slider bun on and a long cocktail pick to keep it together. Serve immediately.
Serves 12 as appetizers and 6 for main entree

Nutrition

4.94 from 16 votes (16 ratings without comment)

John/Kitchen Riffs

Wednesday 14th of October 2015

I always associate sliders with White Castle. But who knows if they were the first? And honestly, theirs aren't very good. These, however, look wonderful! VERY creative recipe -- restaurant worthy. Thanks!

Pat

Thanks for the kudos, John...these are delicious!