These Air Fryer Brats are juicy, flavorful and so easy to make! Pair them with your favorite beer and serve them at your next game day party.
Looking to switch up your game day food? Or just need a simple dinner idea? Cooking brats in the air fryer is so simple, you won't believe how good they come out.
This recipe is perfect for colder months when you don't want to brave the weather to turn on the grill. These brats come out crispy and charred on the outside and juicy in the middle. You will love them!
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Ingredients and Substitutions
- Bratwurst- use your favorite brand of bratwurst for this recipe. I've used precooked chicken bratwurst, which is a great option if you don't eat pork.
- Onion- this recipe calls for sliced yellow or white onion to be caramelized. However, you can make the brats without the onion. Peppers would be a great addition to this recipe.
- Butter- I used butter to caramelize the onions but you can also cook them in olive oil or avocado oil.
- Ground mustard- this is optional to use to season the onions.
You can find full quantities in the recipe card below.
Instructions
Prep and cook the onions. Cook the onions in butter over low heat until caramelized.
Preheat the air fryer. Preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees F.
Cook the brats. Cook the brats in a single layer in the air fryer until they are browned and charred on the outside.
Assemble. Top the brats with the caramelized onions and spicy mustard.
Equipment
Grab what you need for this recipe:
- Chef's knife
- Skillet
- Mixing utensil
- Air fryer - I love my NuWave Brio!
- Measuring spoons and cups needed: 1 teaspoon and ½ teaspoon.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. The onions can be stored in a separate container.
Reheat the bratwurst and onions in the microwave for 1-2 minutes before serving.
FAQs
Yes! Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F. Cook the frozen brats for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Some side dish ideas:
Coleslaw
Potato salad
Green salad
French fries
Roasted potatoes
You can use cooked or uncooked, cooking time will vary just slightly. Uncooked sausages will take at least 15 minutes, possibly 20. Be sure to flip them halfway.
You want the sausages to be crispy on the outside and juicy in the middle. Pork sausages are cooked when the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F. Chicken sausages should be cooked to 165 degrees F.
Toppings
Onions and mustard. My favorite topping is caramelized onions and spicy or Dijon mustard which I included in the recipe card below.
Peppers and onions. If you love peppers, slice them and add them to the pan to cook with the onions.
Sauerkraut. Sauerkraut makes a great topping and can be paired with good grainy mustard.
More ideas: ketchup, cheese, crumbled bacon.
More Air Fryer Recipes
5 Easy Weeknight Dinner Recipes!
If you make this recipe, please leave a rating and a comment. I love to know what you are making and ratings help me to create more delicious recipes for you!
Recipe
Brats in the Air Fryer
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 large yellow or white onion sliced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground mustard optional
- 1 package bratwurst
Instructions
- Melt butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sliced onion and cook for 5 minutes. Mix in the salt and ground mustard.
- Turn the heat down to medium-low and cook the onions for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to avoid burning. If the onions look like they are getting too dark, add a tiny bit of water to the pan. Cook the onions until golden brown in color.
- While the onions are cooking, preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F.
- Place the sausages in the air fryer and cook for 12-15 minutes, flipping halfway through. Pork sausages should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160 degrees F and chicken sausages to 165 degrees F.*
- Take the brats out of the air fryer and let them rest for 5 minutes. Serve in hot dog buns topped with caramelized onions and spicy mustard.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.
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