Air fryer brats are a delicious dinner idea. This classic German sausage tastes fantastic when air fried and comes out fresh and crispy with an amazing flavor that’s hard to beat!
You can get all the grill taste you love without toiling over a hot grill or worrying about the weather. And making brats in the air fryer is the quickest method of cooking brats since this delicious dinner is ready in 15 minutes!
In this post, I will show you how to air fry uncooked brats, cooked brats, and even frozen brats, with a table of cooking times. You can even toast the buns or heat up toppings like sauerkraut right in the air fryer. Learn how to make this simple dinner that the entire family will love.
Love sausages? Check out recipes for Air Fryer Hot Dogs, Air Fryer Italian Sausage, or Aidells Sausages in the Air Fryer!
Simple Ingredients
The only ingredient you need for this recipe is bratwurst. You can buy either pre-cooked brats, uncooked brats, or frozen brats. We have a German deli in town with many different flavors, but standard grocery store brats like Johnsonville are tasty too.
How to Make Air Fryer Brats
1. Prep
Preheat air fryer at 360 degrees F for 3 minutes.
Bratwurst have a high-fat content, so cooking them will generate a lot of fat in the bottom of the basket. If your air fryer tends to smoke when you cook fatty food, you can put a piece of bread under the basket to absorb excess grease. A little bit of water in the bottom can also catch drips during cooking and keep the air fryer from smoking.
Put the bratwurst in the basket in a single layer. Don’t overcrowd the sausages! My 5.8-quart Cosori air fryer can hold 6 brats without crowding.
2. Cook Time For Air Fryer Bratwurst
The cooking time will vary depending on whether they are uncooked, fully cooked, or frozen. Check out this chart for the cooking times and temperatures.
| Type | Temperature | Time |
|---|---|---|
| uncooked bratwurst | 360 degrees F | 13-15 minute |
| pre-cooked bratwurst | 360 degrees F | 10 minute |
| frozen bratwurst | 350 degrees F | 15-17 minute |
Pull the basket out halfway through the cooking time and flip them over. This will ensure even browning.
Once the cooking time is done, check the internal temperature using an instant-read thermometer. The sausage should reach 160 degrees F before serving. Add extra cooking time if necessary until the desired internal temperature is reached.
The outsides will be brown with crispy skin when they are done. The insides will be juicy and delicious.
3. Toasting the Buns
You can toast the buns right in the air fryer if you like! This is a great way to reduce the number of dishes you need to wash. Put the bratwurst in the buns, and add any toppings you’d like to heat up, such as Swiss cheese or sauerkraut.
Put the buns with brats in the basket and cook them at 360 degrees F for 2 minutes. This will make the rolls just a little bit toasty.
Find More Air Fryer Recipes!
Toppings and Serving Suggestions
Let the bratwurst rest for 5 minutes before serving. Some of the juices will reabsorb, making them juicier. Waiting will also prevent you from burning your mouth on the very hot sausages!
Bratwurst are versatile, so there are endless options for delicious meal ideas. Here are some of my favorites:
- Add sauerkraut and mustard and serve them with pierogies for a favorite classic meal.
- Cook them with bell pepper, onions, and mushrooms like you’d cook Italian sausage.
- Add a bunch of veggies to the basket as they cook, such as potatoes, zucchini, and carrots, and make a simple dinner.
- Serve with a bunch of your favorite toppings for a kid-friendly meal. Some topping ideas:
- coleslaw
- relish and onions
- bbq sauce
- chili
- ketchup
- cheese
- pickles
How to Store
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 days. To reheat them, air fry them at 350 degrees F for 3-5 minutes. Or use the leftovers to make a tasty Bratwurst pizza!
Tips for the Best Air Fryer Brats
Be sure to check out the step by step instructions
Use water in the bottom or bread underneath the basket if smoking is an issue for your air fryer.
Check internal temperature with a meat thermometer to ensure the brats reach 160 degrees F.
Let the brats rest for 5 minutes, so juices reabsorb and you don’t burn your mouth.
Did You Make This? Leave a Star Rating!
Air Fryer Brats Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 bratwurst links cooked, uncooked, or frozen
- 4 rolls
Customizable Toppings such as:
- sauerkraut
- Swiss cheese
- onion
- relish
- condiments
Instructions
- Preheat at 360 degrees F for 3 minutes before cooking.
- Because bratwurst is fatty, a lot of grease drips down as they cook, which can cause the air fryer to smoke during cooking. Put a piece of bread under the basket to catch the excess fat and prevent smoking. Or add a few tablespoons of water to the bottom of the air fryer.
- Put the brats in a single layer in basket. Cook the brats for the time and temperature indicated by the table below:4 bratwurst links
- Halfway through the cooking time, pull the basket out and flip the sausages over.
- Continue to cook until the brats are brown and cooked to an internal temperature of 160 degrees F. Use a meat thermometer to check the temperature, don’t try to guess.
- Place them in buns and add any toppings you want to be heated, such as sauerkraut or cheese.4 rolls, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, onion
- Return them, in the buns, to the air fryer and cook for 2 minutes at 360 degrees F.
- Let them sit for about 5 minutes before serving so that the juices reabsorb and they don’t burn your mouth.relish, condiments
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Recommended Products
Nutrition Information
Nutrition facts are estimates.
