17 Delicious Side Dishes You Can Serve With Bratwurst

Bratwurst, or brats for short, are short sausages made from beef, pork, and veal.

The name bratwurst actually comes from the name of the meat mixture used to make the sausage.

Bratwursts are German sausages packed with strong flavors. They can be served all year round. 

However, whilst this sausage might be up there with your favorite, we can easily slip into the habit of always serving them the same way with the same side dishes, when in reality we don’t have to.

Bratwurst are versatile. They go well with an astonishing variety of different sides and toppings. 

Whether you’re looking for American or German-style bratwursts, there are multiple side dishes out there you will love.

In today’s post, we’re going to show you some of the very best.

To help you mix things up, we’ve listed 17 delicious side dishes you can serve with brats. If you’re looking for something tasty, keep reading!

1. Potluck German Potato Salad

Let’s start with a great German-style side dish that can be made quickly and easily.

This German potato salad recipe calls for Yukon Gold potatoes, bacon strips, onion, celery, and a variety of different herbs and spices.

Full of sweet and spicy flavors, this side dish looks delightful and tastes wonderful.

It’s also quite hearty too, keeping you full for hours. Don’t worry though, you won’t be too full to enjoy your brats.

2. Sweet Potato Fries

Instead of serving your bratwurst with regular fries, why not go with something slightly different and make some homemade sweet potato fries instead?

The best thing about this side dish is how different it is from normal fries.

These fries have a salty flavor like normal fries but also come with a burst of sweetness.

If you follow this recipe carefully, you’ll be left with a batch of hot crispy fries that are crunchy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.

3. Hard Rolls

You don’t always have to settle with a soft roll to hold your bratwurst. You could always go with a hard roll instead.

This particular recipe shows you how you can make your very own.

The best thing about serving your brats with a hard roll instead is that they won’t go soggy too quickly. 

On top of that, the crispiness of the rolls goes nicely with the snappy sausage.

4. Slow Cooker Barbecued Beans

As far as side dishes that are comforting go, this slow cooker barbecued beans recipe from Betty Crocker is hard to beat.

Hot, sweet, tangy, and slightly spicy, this barbecue bean side dish is to die for. 

All you have to do to make this tasty side dish is throw all the ingredients in your slow cooker and leave it to cook for just over 3 hours.

Some of the ingredients that make this side dish so good are bacon, ketchup, brown sugar, cider vinegar, and mustard.

5. Sauerkraut

There’s not too much to say about the next side dish other than that it forms an iconic duo with bratwurst.

This pair is a traditional pairing that any bratwurst lover can enjoy. The two work perfectly together without us having to try. 

All we have to do is make some fermented cabbage. The ingredients do the rest of the work for us.

Fermented cabbage also has the same good bacteria as yogurt which is handy.

6. Corn On The Cob

If you want a super simple side dish that can be made in a little time, go for grilled corn on the cob.

Corn on the cob is quick and easy to prepare and tastes brilliant. What more can we ask for?

There’s nothing quite like the satisfying crunch and burst of juice that hits your mouth when you bite into a corn on the cob, so it only makes sense to pair it with your brats.

You can slather your corn with butter or sprinkle chili salt over your corn instead.

7. Beer-Braised Brats And Onions

Next, we have a delicious recipe that shows you how to cook your brats with a divine side dish. This side dish includes onions and brats cooked in beer.

Whether you cook the brats and then serve the onions on top or simply let everything cook in one pan, you can’t go wrong. 

The rich flavor of the onions and beer combine perfectly to give the sausage something special.

The meaty flavors of the brats also go nicely with the sweeter flavors of the onions.

8. Pineapple Relish

Admittedly, pineapple and bratwurst don’t sound like they should go together, however, it just works.

The exotic flavors of this light, fragrant relish give your brats a much bolder flavor.

We see this relish as the perfect summer accompaniment for your brat hot dogs. 

This sweet relish is easy to make too. All we need are basic ingredients such as pineapple, onion, cilantro, yellow and red bell peppers, soy sauce, sugar, lime, and red pepper.

The mix of sweet, savory, meaty, tangy, and spicy flavors is phenomenal.

9. Broccoli Salad With Bacon And Cheese

Those of you that like to serve your brats with crunchy textures will appreciate everything this salad offers.

Aside from being loaded with healthy nutrients, this creamy salad is packed with creamy flavors.

From the texture of the broccoli to the crispiness of the salty bacon, everything about this salad’s texture is great.

Things are only made better by the smoothness of the creamy cheese. To give the salad extra zing, red onion, and cider vinegar are added.

10. Coleslaw

Next up, we have a coleslaw side dish that can be made in a pinch with just 11 common ingredients.

Most of the ingredients needed are simple herbs and spices found in most kitchens.

This particular recipe teaches you how to make a KFC-style coleslaw. Why KFC you ask?

Well, KFC has a fantastic coleslaw that’s zesty, smoky, and rich. This recipe simply recreates those delicious flavors.

11. Mushroom Kabobs

If you want a healthier side dish that’s low in carbs and calories, check out this mushroom kabob recipe from The Mushroom Council.

This recipe contains whole mushrooms, grape tomatoes, onion, and pepper.

The recipe also comes with a marinade recipe to enhance the flavors of the kabob.

Aside from being tasty, this recipe is full of nutrients and vitamins.

12. Jalapeno Popper Corn Salad

This chilled, creamy salad is a real crowd-pleaser that will be gone in no time.

The recipe does a wonderful job of combining all the best flavors of jalapeno poppers with the delicate sweetness of the corn. 

The mixture of mayonnaise, sour cream, cheddar cheese, pepper Jack cheese, and cream cheese helps produce the smooth, creamy sauce, while the onion, chili powder, and garlic give the salad a strong kick.

13. Grilled Veggies

Another super simple, incredibly healthy side dish is grilled veggies.

There’s not too much to say about this recipe other than that it contains plenty of nutrients, and flavor, and can offer you as much flexibility as you need.

Simply season your vegetables of choice, season them, and give them a good grilling.

14. Applesauce

If you’re really pushed for time and need a quick solution to your side dish problem, simply serve your brats with applesauce. 

This side dish might not be the most exciting, but it’s a great safe option that works well with the meatiness of the sausages.

You can easily use store-bought sauce if you have no time, but this recipe shows you how to easily make sweet applesauce on your own.

15. Bacon Beer Cheese Brats

Cheese and beer are two things that go with brats perfectly. In fact, instead of a side dish, you could easily have a pint of beer.

However, this side dish recipe shows you how to make a magnificent combination of cheese, beer, and bacon bits.

The freshly made beer cheese consists of cheddar cheese, cream cheese, garlic powder, mustard, worcestershire sauce, and garlic powder.

The mixture is then poured over the brats and bacon is added.

16. Easy Fruit Salad

Fruit is easily the most refreshing bratwurst side you can make. It’s also arguably one of the easiest and most versatile.

Whilst this recipe will call for you to use a combination of red grapes, mango, pineapple, strawberries, and more, you can actually use any fruits you want. 

Having said that, we do recommend sticking to tropical fruits because they offer more sweetness and tanginess. 

17. Mango Relish

Sticking to our theme of fruits, we’ll finish with a fruity mango relish recipe.

The sweetness of the mango in this relish goes beautifully with the meatiness of the brats.

To ensure the relish isn’t too sweet though, savory and spicy ingredients such as onion, cilantro, and jalapenos are added.

You can make this powerful-tasting relish in just 15 minutes. Go easy on the jalapenos if you’re not good with spice.

Can I Serve These Side Dishes With Corned Beef Instead of Bratwurst?

When it comes to side dishes for corned beef, versatility is key. While traditionally served with bratwurst, you can easily swap them out for other options. Consider pairing corned beef with classic choices like roasted potatoes, steamed cabbage, or a refreshing coleslaw. These complementary flavors will enhance your corned beef meal.

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Thoughts

That concludes this post looking at 17 delicious side dishes you can serve with brats.

As you can see from our list, the options are virtually endless. In fact, this list could have gone on and on. 

Our list has shown you a wide range of options so that you have a better chance of finding a side dish that suits you.

All you have to do now is find the side dish you want to try first.

Thanks to the small size of some of the side dishes, there’s no reason you can’t try two or three at once.