German Hamburger Meat Patties - German Meatballs Recipe

Published: Feb 8, 2018 · Modified: Feb 8, 2023 by Angela Schofield · 2
Comments

This easy recipe shows you how to make German Hamburger patties. These
tasty
German meatballs are a popular lunch, dinner, or snack in every German
Gasthaus and on the family menu. You'll find them in rolls, with potato
salad, french fries, and mashed potatoes, or with a variety of other sides.

They go by different names depending on where you are. In the south, they
are known as Fleischküchle or Fleischpflanzerl, while in the north, they
are known as Frikadellen or Klopse. Whatever you call them, they are very
flavorful and can be eaten both warm and cold.


German hamburger with potato salad on a white plate on a blue-white
tablecloth.

If you love German meatballs you should try also this recipe for German
meatloaf. It has a similar flavor to these German meatballs but can be
easily prepared for a large group dinner in no time because each meatball
does not need to be shaped individually.

Königsberger Klopse is another German meatball recipe that you might want
to try if you love traditional German cuisine. These tasty meatballs in a
unique creamy sauce are a culinary piece of German culture and something
you
should not miss.
Jump to:

Cultural Background
Ingredients & Substitutes
Step-by-Step Instructions
Video Tutorial
Variations
Equipment
Storage
Top Tip
How to Serve
Recipe




Cultural Background

German Hamburgers are one of Germany´s most popular snack at the so called “Imbissbuden” which are old school fast food shacks. Every butcher serves them hot in a roll for a quick lunch but it will also be served regularly at German family meals and in German restaurants.


Frikadellen Imbiss shack in Berlin in the 50ties.

It is unclear who invented the German meatball aka hamburger. But it is
known, that the Romans used a similar recipe for their “Lucan
Sausages”.

Along with having many different names, the meatball also has many
different
recipes. While German hamburger used to be made mostly out of leftover
meat,
today freshly ground meat is the main ingredient.



How are German hamburgers called in German?
German meatballs have many names, that are very different depending on the
region. In Bavaria they are called “Fleischpflanzerl”, in Swabia and
Franconia it is referred to as “Fleischküchle” or
“Fleischküchla”.
The people of Berlin call the flat pressed meatball “Bulette”, while
other parts of Germany call it “Klops” or “Frikadelle”.



Ingredients & Substitutes

This dish may appear to have a lot of ingredients, but many of them are spices.
And you probably already have the majority of the ingredients on hand.


Frikadellen ingredients: ground beef, onion, marjoram, salt, pepper, egg,
milk, bread crumbs, paprika powder, yellow mustard, clarified butter, white
bread, garlic.

ground beef - to make juicy beef patties, I usually use 80/20 ground
beef. German hamburger are traditionally made with 50% ground beef and 50%
ground pork. You can also choose leaner beef or ground poultry meat, such as
turkey or chicken.
onion - finely chopped onions give these meatballs a wonderful flavor.
If you don't like the onion pieces in your meat, you can use onion powder to
taste instead.
white bread - the bread helps to make the German meatballs light and
juicy. It is the perfect way to use up a stale roll or a piece of white
bread.
warm water - the stale bread is hydrated in water, but you can use milk
instead.
egg - is an important ingredient to keep the hamburger patties in
shape.
coarse Kosher salt - I prefer coarse Kosher salt, but you can use
whatever salt you have on hand.
black pepper - for this dish, coarse black pepper is my favorite, but
use whatever pepper you prefer.
mustard - yellow mustard is traditionally used, but you could also use a
spicy or sweet German mustard if you like to alter the flavor.
garlic paste - I personally love a hint of garlic and use my convenient
homemade garlic paste. But you can use garlic powder or fresh garlic
instead. And of course, you can leave it out completely if you don't like
it.
paprika powder - this recipe calls for paprika powder. In Germany you
can find both mild and spicy paprika powder. Both work well. Choose what you
prefer. I would not recommend smoked paprika as it will alter the taste. But
if you love it, just go for it.
bread crumbs - plain, unseasoned bread crumbs work best for this
recipe.
clarified butter - Clarified butter is my personal favorite for frying
the meatballs. Lard or a neutral vegetable oil are also excellent options.


See recipe card for quantities.



Step-by-Step Instructions

Making authentic German meatballs is a straightforward process. It's so
simple that even little helpers can join in on the fun and learn how to make
this German recipe from scratch.
  







 Break the bread or roll into small pieces, place them into a bowl and cover
with warm water.  Frikadellen recipe step 2: ground beef, onion cubes, egg, 
garlic paste, salt, pepper, mustard, and paprika powder in a yellow bowl.

Finely chop the onion. Add them with the ground meat, bread crumbs, egg,
pepper, salt, paprika powder, mustard, and garlic paste to a large mixing bowl.










Squeeze the excess water from the bread and add it to the other ingredients
in the bowl. Mix well with your hands until everything is well combined into
a smooth texture.

Shape the meat mixture into 8 balls and lightly flatten them. Add more bread
crumbs if the dough is too wet to shape the hamburgers.










Heat the clarified butter over medium-high heat in a large non-stick pan.

Fry the patties for 5 to 10 minutes on each side, until golden brown.


Hint: 
Make sure the German meatballs are fully cooked, but don't overcook
them or they will become hard and dry.



Variations
Traditionally German hamburger are made with ground beef or mixed ground
beef and pork. You can also find variations with veal, fish, game or
poultry.

If you prefer a leaner version, try this recipe with ground chicken or
turkey. This version of the German meatballs is also delicious. Because
ground poultry meat requires more spices to be flavorful, adjust the
seasoning as needed.

German hamburger Frikadellen on a white plate with Swabian potato salad.


Equipment

These kitchen tools are required to make this recipe.

large bowl to mix the meat
small bowl to soak the stale rolls
cutting board and knife to cube the onion
large pan to fry the hamburger
two forks or a spatula to turn the meatballs




Storage
Leftover German meatballs can be kept in the refrigerator for several days.
They also freeze extremely well. I usually double the recipe and freeze half
of the fully cooked patties. This is the perfect dinner if you are not in
the mood to cook and is a way cheaper and better alternative to fast food.
Top Tip

Skewer tiny German meatballs with a cornichon pickle, a small mozzarella
ball or a cherry tomato as finger food. The ideal snack for a game day or an
appetizer.



How to Serve
German meatballs are served in a variety of ways. The German meat patties
are frequently eaten as fast food in a crispy roll, similar to a hamburger.
However, Germans eat meatballs also cold, cut into slices and served on a
slice of fresh bread with mustard.



Side Dishes

They are also served as a main course at lunch and dinner. Served with
mashed potatoes, Swabian potato salad, french fries, fried potatoes, and a
side of vegetables or a German salad.



Hamburger Style
And they would not be called German hamburgers if you could not make an
amazing, flavorful burger with them. Served on a crusty roll, like this
Kaiser roll, you can enjoy German street food at its best from the comfort
of your home.



Gravy

If you like to include a gravy to this dish, try this traditional German
cream sauce, called Rahmsauce.
Recipe
Frikadellen with German potato salad on a white plate.
German Meatballs aka German Hamburger
Angela Schofield
These tasty German hamburger patties that are the ultimate German comfort
food and can be eaten in a variety of ways.
4.67 from 3 votes
Print Recipe
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Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 15 minutes mins
Total Time 30 minutes mins
Course Entrees, Snacks
Cuisine German
Servings 8 German Burgers
Calories 275 kcal
Ingredients
  

    1 ½ pounds ground beef
    ½ medium onion
    2 slices stale white bread or 1 stale roll
    ½ cup warm water
    1 egg
    1 tbsp. coarse Kosher salt
    ½ tsp. coarse black pepper
    1 tbsp. mustard
    1 tsp. garlic paste
    1 tsp. paprika powder
    ¼ cup bread crumbs more if necessary
    1 tbsp. clarified butter or 1 tbsp. vegetable oil or 1 tbsp. lard

Instructions
 

    Break the bread into small pieces, place them into a bowl and cover with
warm water.
    Cube the onion finely.
    To large bowl add the ground meat, bread crumbs, the egg, pepper, salt,
paprika powder, mustard, garlic paste, and onions.
    Squeeze excess water from the bread and add it to the other ingredients.
Discard the water.
    Mix everything until well combined and smooth. Shape the meat mixture
into 8 balls and flatten them lightly.
    Heat clarified butter on medium-high heat. Fry the patties for about 5 -
10 minutes per side, until golden brown.

Nutrition
Yield: 1FrikadelleCalories: 275kcalCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 17gFat:
20gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gNet Carbohydrates: 6g
Keyword easy, fast
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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