German-style hamburger steak – Frikadellen 🇩🇪

Name: German-style hamburger steak – Frikadellen 🇩🇪
Prep time: 40 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 500g of Minced meat; 120g of Onion (1–2 pieces); 1 tablespoon of Parsley (or an appropriate amount); 40g of Bread (white bread, baguette, etc.); 1 egg; *1 clove of Garlic; *1 teaspoon of Salt; *1 teaspoon of Marjoram (or oregano); *1 teaspoon of Paprika powder; *1 teaspoon of Mustard; *1 teaspoon of Bouillon; *A little Pepper; Olive oil or butter (appropriate amount)

40 min prep30-40 minutes

Updated 6 Oct 2025

German-style hamburger steak: Frikadellen.
At first glance, they may look like Japanese hamburger steaks, but the seasoning sets them apart. With a punch of garlic and flavorful salty herbs, they are delicious even without sauce. Give them a try!

Ingredients

For 4 people

500g of Minced meat
120g of Onion (1–2 pieces)
1 tablespoon of Parsley (or an appropriate amount)
40g of Bread (white bread, baguette, etc.)
1 egg
*1 clove of Garlic
*1 teaspoon of Salt
*1 teaspoon of Marjoram (or oregano)
*1 teaspoon of Paprika powder
*1 teaspoon of Mustard
*1 teaspoon of Bouillon
*A little Pepper
Olive oil or butter (appropriate amount)

German-style hamburger steak – Frikadellen 🇩🇪 ingredients

How to make it

1/ Pour water into a bowl and soak the bread until softened.
2/ Finely chop the onion, parsley, and garlic.
3/ In a large bowl, combine the minced meat, eggs, chopped onion, parsley, and all the seasonings*. Mix thoroughly until evenly combined.

4/ Squeeze the soaked bread to remove excess water, then add it to the meat mixture and mix well.

5/ Shape the mixture into hamburger patties of your desired size. For a more traditional German-style, make them smaller.

6/ Heat olive oil or butter in a pan. Fry the patties over medium heat until the first side is nicely browned. Flip them over, cover the pan with a lid, and reduce to medium-low heat. Cook for about 5–7 minutes until the inside is cooked through and juicy. Remove the lid at the end to let excess moisture evaporate if needed.

Good to know

🌟How to Make Frikadellen Even Better🌟 ⭐️While some recipes add fine breadcrumbs, as is common in Germany, you can grill these patties without any coating, just like Japanese hamburg steaks. In this recipe, I’ve chosen to skip the breadcrumbs for simplicity. ⭐️Although this recipe uses bread soaked in water, you can substitute milk for a softer texture. It’s a great alternative to breadcrumbs if you prefer a lighter bite. ⭐️Hamburger steaks are known for their aromatic blend of herbs and spices. While paprika powder adds a beautiful red hue, don’t worry—it’s not spicy at all, just flavorful! ⭐️For a traditional German-style garnish, I paired the patties with red cabbage and apple stew (Rotkohl) and creamy potato puree, as shown in the photo. You can find the recipes for Rotkohl and Potato puree in this website, Umami Sans Frontières.😊 ⭐️ These patties are perfect as a snack with beer or even as a flavorful side dish to rice.