Bratwurst and Sauerkraut (my mom’s recipe)
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My mom’s bratwurst and sauerkraut is the perfect dish for Oktoberfest, with tender sausages and tangy kraut simmered together. She adds sliced apples for a touch of sweetness, making this German classic unforgettable.
If you’re looking for the perfect dish to celebrate Oktoberfest or just want a cozy German-inspired dinner, my mom’s bratwurst and sauerkraut recipe is it. The sauerkraut is simmered with sliced apples, which add just the right touch of sweetness to balance the tang, making it taste hearty and comforting without being too heavy. The juicy bratwurst soak up all that flavor, so every bite feels like comfort food at its best.
Serve it alongside creamy mashed potatoes and you’ve got a traditional meal that feels special enough for a celebration but simple enough for a weeknight. It’s the kind of recipe that brings people to the table and makes them linger—rich, flavorful, and full of old-world charm with a little family twist.
Ingredients notes
This bratwurst and sauerkraut recipe is savory, salty, with a little sweetness and tang! These are the ingredients you’ll need:
- Bratwurst sausages: Juicy and tender inside with a crisp coating, you’ll find bratwurst sausages at your supermarket of local butcher.
- Other ingredients: Butter, apple juice, onion, sauerkraut, red baking apple, and fresh parsley.
- Mashed potatoes: potatoes, salt and pepper, butter, and whipping cream.
Selecting your sauerkraut
You’ll find sauerkraut most often sold in jars in supermarkets, sometimes in cans, and some stores also carry fresh, refrigerated sauerkraut. One tip is to avoid red cabbage sauerkraut as the color bleeds through your plate, turning everything a red-ish-blue-ish color.
If you’re unsure, check the ingredients – you’ll want a sauerkraut with minimal items listed, as traditional sauerkraut only contains cabbage, salt, and sometimes water. Fresh, refrigerated sauerkraut will often retain more crunch and tang. You can also find recipes for homemade sauerkraut online.
Beer brats
Have you heard of beer brats? Bratwurst cooked in beer is referred to with the nickname ‘beer brats’ and it’s a delicious variation of this recipe. Meat is no stranger to being cooked in beer, adding richness, depth, and a touch of bitterness from the hops. Plus, when you cook with beer, its sugars caramelize, giving your brats that irresistible crispy edge.
Simply start by poking your bratwurst with a fork a few times each, creating little holes that let the beer to seep into. Pour a few cans of beer into a pot then let it heat up. Add the bratwurst in, letting them simmer in the beer, then use tongs to retrieve them and place them on the grill so they crisp up.
When it comes time to pick your brew, you might be wondering which can to reach for. A classic lager is a go-to choice, but you can get creative with any other beers you may fancy – it doesn’t have to be a beer that you love drinking, either, as the beer flavor will be more subtle. Pilsners and amber ales work like a charm, too.
If beer brats sound appetizing to you but you want to skip a step, look for pre-made beer brats that have been prepared with the beer flavor already infused – easy!
What goes with bratwurst and sauerkraut
A little tang goes so well with German cuisine: add a scoop of sour cream or mayo mustard on the side makes this dish extra awesome. Other complementary side dishes include crisp spring mix salad, apple fennel salad, or a side of sauteed asparagus. Käsespätzle is a cheesy pasta German side dish, or you can make a four cheese mac and cheese for a North American rendition.
Change up the potato and make a grilled potato salad, shoestring fries, or duchess potatoes instead.
Watch how to make it
Bratwurst and Sauerkraut (my mom’s recipe)
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 8 bratwurst sausages
- 1 cup apple juice
- 1 large onion (sliced)
- 3 cups sauerkraut (drained)
- 1 red baking apple (sliced)
- Minced parsley (to serve)
Mashed Potatoes
- 1 lb potatoes (diced )
- ¾ teaspoon EACH: salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ¼ cup whipping cream
Instructions
- Start by making the mashed potatoes. Place the diced potatoes into a medium-sized pot and cover them with water. Bring to a boil over high heat then reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water and then drain the pot. Add the butter, cream, salt, and pepper and mash the potatoes. Slowly stir in some of the reserved cooking water, until the potatoes are wonderfully creamy.1 lb potatoes, ¾ teaspoon EACH: salt and pepper, 2 tablespoons butter, ¼ cup whipping cream
- While the potatoes are boiling, make the bratwurst. Melt the butter in a large, non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add the bratwurst and cook until brown on both sides, about 10 minutes. Remove them from the pan.1 tablespoon butter, 8 bratwurst sausages
- Add the onion and cook until it turns soft and golden, then add the sauerkraut and mix well. Add the bratwurst to the pan then pour the apple juice over the top. Cover the pan, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook for 20 minutes, until the bratwurst is fully cooked.1 large onion, 3 cups sauerkraut, 1 cup apple juice
- Nestle the apple slices around the bratwurst and cook, uncovered, for 5 minutes more. Serve the bratwurst and sauerkraut over the mashed potatoes with a little minced parsley on top.1 red baking apple, Minced parsley
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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For more inspiration, check out all of my dinner ideas!
I made this for an Oktoberfest party and it was a solid win. Thanks for such a fabulous recipe, and for making me look good!!
I didn’t see my comment posted, so wanted to leave my question again. This looks amazing, and I’d like to make it for an Octoberfest party I’m having next weekend. I’m having 20 people at the party. I’m assuming I can make the first batch ahead and keep in the fridge? Maybe except for the apples, and just add them when I reheat?
Hi Susan! While I haven’t made this in advance before, I think your plan sounds great. I would make the recipe through step 3 then reheat it and add the apple slices before serving. Have a great party!
Thank you for this recipe, love this.
This is hands down the best recipe for brats & kraut I’ve ever had! And I can’t tell you how many recipes I’ve gone through… I love north coast organic apple products as well, great pick! What kind of sauerkraut do you usually get? A lot of people prefer the canned stuff with vinegar but I prefer fermented sauerkraut like Bubbie’s (no vinegar or preservatives). I’m so making this again, probably going to be an every month meal. Thanks for sharing!
My favorite is my mom’s homemade sauerkraut. It’s so good! I’ve had Bubbies before and it’s really really good!
Apples are so good in it! Brats are the best, aren’t they?!!
I’m not normally a big fan of sauerkraut but I think I might still have to try this… I bet the sweetness of the apples would help to temper the sourness of the sauerkraut, which might make it just perfect for me 🙂
It definitely does temper the sauerkraut. Also, not all sauerkraut is the same so you might want to try a few different brands to find the one you like best. My favorite is my mom’s homemade sauerkraut. I’ll have to see if she’ll share that recipe with me!
This is my fav….and my sauerkraut is almost ready to use……I lv your addition of the sour cream, Perfect
It’s the best!!