These Air Fryer Brats are juicy, flavorful and so easy to make! Done in just 20 minutes, they pair great with your favorite beer and make the perfect easy meal for your next game-day party.
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Why You'll Love this Recipe
- Quick and easy recipe. Cooking brats in the air fryer is so simple, you won't believe how good they come out. It's an easy way to get a delicious dinner on the table on busy weeknights.
- Simple meal. If you love easy recipes, this is the meal for you because it's made with only 6 ingredients!
- Easy to customize. You can easily customize this recipe by using your favorite brand of bratwurst or beer brats and adding your ideal toppings. Try my Air Fryer Sausage and Peppers next!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Bratwurst sausages. Use your favorite brand of bratwurst (German sausage) for this recipe. I've used pre-cooked chicken bratwurst, which is a great option if you don't eat pork. Johnsonville brats are probably the most popular brand and can be found in most grocery stores. You can use pre-cooked or raw brats.
- Onion. This recipe calls for sliced yellow or white onion to be caramelized. You can use bell peppers instead of or in addition to the onion.
- Butter. I always use butter to caramelize onions but you can also cook them in olive oil or avocado oil.
- Ground mustard. This is optional to use to season the onions but I recommend it!
You can find full quantities in the recipe card below.
How to Cook Brats in the Air Fryer
Step 1: Begin by adding the onions to a skillet with butter and cook on medium heat until they start to soften.
Step 2: Turn the heat to medium-low and cook the onions for at least 30 minutes, until softened and caramelized.
Step 3: Cook the package of brats in a single layer in the air fryer basket or tray until they are charred on the outside and cooked through.
Step 4: Place the brats in hot dog buns and top them with caramelized onions and spicy mustard, if desired.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F. Cook the frozen brats for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through.
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.
There is no need to pierce the brats before air frying. The circulating hot air helps to cook the brats evenly without the need for poking holes in them. Also, poking holes allows the fat to leak out which provides flavor and you don't want to lose this flavor.
Toppings
- My favorite topping is caramelized onions and spicy or Dijon mustard which I included in the recipe card below.
- If you love peppers, slice them and add them to the pan to cook with the onions.
- Sauerkraut makes a great topping and can be paired with good grainy mustard.
- More ideas: ketchup, cheese, crumbled bacon.
Sarah's Top Tips
- Replace the brats with other types of sausages such as Italian sausage or even hot dogs.
- Brats will be done once they reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees F. If you use chicken bratwurst make sure the internal temp is 165 degrees F.
- The cooking time will vary depending on your air fryer model. I recommend checking after 10 minutes. You may have to air fry brats in batches depending on the size of your air fryer. The best way to achieve juicy brats is to not overcook them!
- If you are using frozen sausages or uncooked brats, the cooking time will be longer.
Serving
Air fryer bratwurst can be served as is if you are making them as a party appetizer. However, if you are going to be enjoying them as part of a meal you will want to serve them on hot dog buns or hoagie rolls and a side dish such as:
Storage & Reheating
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.
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Air Fryer Brats
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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 350 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.
Sarah's Tips
- Replace the brats with other types of sausages such as Italian sausage or even hot dogs.
- Brats will be done once they reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees F. If you use chicken bratwurst make sure the internal temp is 165 degrees F.
- The cooking time will vary depending on your air fryer model. I recommend checking after 10 minutes. You may have to air fry brats in batches depending on the size of your air fryer. The best way to achieve juicy brats is to not overcook them!
- If you are using frozen sausages or uncooked brats, the cooking time will be longer.
- 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.
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