Bratwurst made in the air fryer turns out tender and juicy every time. Serve your sausage up in a bun with some tangy mustard and sauerkraut for the perfect weekday dinner.
Cooking sausages is super easy in our favorite kitchen appliance, the air fryer! For some great dishes to serve with brats try this Air Fryer Squash and Zucchini or Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts with Bacon. Or out of the air fryer make this crowd pleasing Dill Pickle Potato Salad or Cheesy Garlic Mashed Potatoes.
Juicy Air Fryer Sausages
For an easy and quick dinner idea, you are going to love making these brats in the air fryer. They end up super juicy on the inside and crispy and brown on the outside.
Although you can make bratwurst sausages on the grill, in a skillet on the stove or baked in the oven, I love making them in the air fryer. They always cook super fast and come out perfectly every time. Just throw in some side dishes and dinner is on the table in no time at all!
What are Brats?
Bratwurst, or brats for short, are very popular sausages that are originally from Germany. To break it down “Brat” means finely chopped meat and “wurst” means sausage. These meats may be pork, veal, chicken, or turkey. Their unique flavor comes from seasonings such as caraway, ginger, and nutmeg. These flavors help keep these sausages distinguished from other types of sausages like kielbasa.
You can buy brats from your local butcher or they are also sold at grocery stores, we like the Johnsonville brand.
Why make Brats in an Air Fryer
- Quick to cook: These cook the quickest in the air fryer!
- No grill needed: When you are craving some juicy brats but the weather is bad, you don’t even need a grill because you can cook them all year long in the air fryer.
- No oven needed: Another reason to love the air fryer is that it doesn’t heat up the whole house. Which is perfect for summer!
- Small amount: This recipe makes five brats which is perfect for my family of 4. But, it is also easy to throw in another round of brats after the first batch cooks if you’d like to make more.
What Ingredients are Needed
- Brats: The brats you want to buy are uncooked, raw sausages.
- Buns: Get your favorite brand of buns!
- Toppings: Use your favorite toppings on your brats. We absolutely love using stone ground mustard, but any mustard will work.
How to Cook it
STEP 1: Preheat the air fryer.
STEP 2: Once air fryer is preheated, add the brats making sure to keep some space between each one.
STEP 3: Cook for 12-15 minutes, flipping over the brats halfway through the cook time.
STEP 4: Serve immediately.
How to Serve Air Fryer Brats
Brats are delicious served just as they are, as a whole sausage. Add a side of air fried mini potatoes, this grape salad recipe, and some baked asparagus and you will have a full meal.
But, they also make an excellent appetizer. Just cut the sausages into slices, poke each slice with a toothpick, and serve with a cup of mustard for dipping. Use it in bratwurst pasta or try them topped with creamy coleslaw with poppy seed dressing.
Our favorite way to eat them, is to put them in a bun and top with stone-ground mustard and sauerkraut!
Cooking Tips and Tricks
- Don’t overcrowd the air fryer. Mine comfortably fits 5 brats in the air fryer basket. If you want more, just cook in batches.
- Flip the brats over halfway through cooking to ensure even cooking on the inside and even browning on the outside.
- Don’t pierce the casing of the sausages before cooking. This can cause them to dry out because they lose all their juices.
- Check on the sausages during the cooking process. Don’t be afraid to open the air fryer at any time.
- Check the doneness of brats with a meat thermometer, pork brats need to be cooked to 165°F and poultry brats need to be cooked to 160°F.
Recipe Variations
- Air fry some onions and peppers with the sausages.
- Make it breakfast. Serve for brats for breakfast alongside eggs and potato.
- Italian brats. Put the brats on a bun with marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese.
- Beer brats. To infuse beer flavor simmer brats in beer on the stove before popping them in the air fryer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the air fryer need to be preheated before cooking brats? It is preferred to preheat the air fryer if yours has that setting. If not, that is ok.
Should I pierce the sausages before putting them into the air fryer? It’s not necessary to pierce the brats because they will lose their juices and may make them dry out.
Do I need any added oil? Since sausages are fatty, there is no need to add any extra oil.
Can I cook brats from frozen? Yes you can cook frozen brats in the air fryer without defrosting them first. You will just want to add 5-7 minutes of cook time to the original cook time.
How to Store & Reheat
How to store it? Let the sausages cool and put in an airtight container. It should last about 3-4 days in the fridge. To reheat, add brats to a 350°f preheated and cook for 3-5 minutes.
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Air Fryer Brats
Ingredients
- 5 brats
- 5 buns optional
- toppings: sautéed onions, mustard, saurkraut
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 350° F.
- Once air fryer is preheated, add the brats making sure to keep some space between each one.
- Cook for 12-15 minutes, flipping over the brats halfway through the cook time.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- Don’t overcrowd the air fryer. Mine comfortably fits 5 brats in the air fryer basket. If you want more, just cook in batches.
- Flip the brats over halfway through cooking to ensure even cooking on the inside and even browning on the outside.
- Don’t pierce the casing of the sausages before cooking. This can cause them to dry out because they lose all their juices.
- Check on the sausages during the cooking process. Don’t be afraid to open the air fryer at any time.
- Check the doneness of brats with a meat thermometer, pork brats need to be cooked to 165°F and poultry brats need to be cooked to 160°F.
Nutrition
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