Name: What To Serve With Brats
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 1 portion brats

Table of Contents

If you’re wondering what to serve with your brats, you’ve come to the right place.

In this article, I list 45 of the most popular side dishes for brats.

In a rush? Here’s the short answer.

The best side dishes to serve with brats are cream cheese mashed potatoes, German spaetzle, haluski, braised red cabbage, and roasted veggies. You can also serve apple fennel slaw, Cajun rice, sauteed kale, and poutine. For brunch options, try French onion frittata or cornbread waffles.

Ready? Let’s jump right in.

Cream cheese mashed potatoes

Go full-on English by serving your brats over a bed of these creamy mashed potatoes.

Instead of just heavy cream, this recipe calls for the addition of cream cheese, making your spuds extra rich and velvety.

Psst… whip up an onion gravy to complete the meal.

Why we love this recipe: it’s simple enough for weeknights, but decadent enough for a fancy occasion too.

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Cream cheese mashed potatoes
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Cheesy mashed cauliflower
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German fried potatoes

Braised German red cabbage

Also known as rotkohl, this dish is the perfect healthy side to serve with brats.

It might take a while to cook, but it’s brimming with sweet and tangy flavors, thanks to the apple cider vinegar, apples, and fruit jelly.

The sharp taste will cut right through your heavy brats.

Why we love this recipe: it tastes even better the next day.

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Braised German red cabbage
Make it simple
Butter-braised cabbage
Stay traditional
Homemade sauerkraut

Haluski

This is classic Eastern European comfort food.

The caramelized onions, combined with the buttery cabbage and noodles is a simple but addictive combination.

Stir some cut-up brats into the dish for the ultimate cozy dinner.

Why we love this recipe: it transforms basic ingredients into a tasty meal.

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Haluski
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Polish noodles and sauerkraut
Make it plain
Buttered noodles

Poutine

Take your usual fries up a notch by turning them into poutine (the best thing to come out of Canada).

Just thinking about crisp, golden fries smothered with gravy and melted cheese curds is enough to make my mouth water.

Add some brats to the mix and it becomes truly irresistible.

Psst… this dish calls for cheese curds, but soft mozzarella works in a pinch.

Why we love this recipe: it’s a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.

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Authentic Canadian poutine
Make it Korean-inspired
Korean kimchi poutine
Go American
Bacon and cheese fries

Broccoli salad

Take a break from your usual leafy green salads and use broccoli as the base instead – yes, you can eat it raw!

The salad has a wintery feel to it with tart dried cranberries, seeds, and crispy bacon dotted through it.

And everything is tied together by a zippy honey-mustard sauce.

Why we love this recipe: it’s a flavorful and unique way to enjoy broccoli.

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Broccoli salad
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Easy arugula salad
Make a soup
Broccoli cheddar soup

Lemon garlic sauteed kale

This sauteed kale is my go-to side when I want something quick, healthy, and delicious.

Sauteing kale softens the tough leaves and brings out a mild sweet flavor.

And then a spritz of lemon at the end rounds out the whole dish, so don’t skip it.

Psst… no lemons? Use apple cider vinegar instead.

Why we love this recipe: it’s super nutritious.

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Lemon garlic sauteed kale
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Creamed kale
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Lemon parmesan kale salad

Beer pretzel hotdog buns

These pretzel hotdog buns are the perfect vessel for your grilled brats.

They have a glossy, golden brown crust and a soft, chewy inside just like your usual twisted pretzels.

And the addition of beer gives the buns a deeper flavor (although they’ll still be delicious if you skip it).

…don’t forget the crispy onion toppings!

Why we love this recipe: these buns will instantly elevate your brats.

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Beer pretzel hotdog buns
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Brioche hotdog buns
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Keto hot dog buns

French onion frittata

Start your weekend right with a meal of brats and French onion frittata.

The caramelized onions’ unique sweetness with the gruyere’s nuttiness is an excellent partner to your brats’ savory flavors.

Pro tip: for the ultimate French onion soup flavor, let your onions caramelize for an hour – it’s worth the wait!

Why we love this recipe: it’s fancy but easy to make.

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French onion frittata
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Vegetable frittata
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Brats breakfast scramble

German spaetzle with mushroom gravy

Also known as jägerspätzle, this dish features dumpling-like noodles called spaetzle, drenched with an umami-loaded mushroom gravy.

Making the noodles from scratch will be a bit of a learning curve, but once you get the hang of the technique, it’ll be easy.

Why we love this recipe: you can’t go wrong with a traditional recipe.

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German spaetzle with mushroom gravy
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German cheese spaetzle
Make it familiar
Creamy mushroom gnocchi

Mustard coleslaw

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/749990144207600870/

Creamy mayo coleslaws are a staple at barbecue parties, but if you want to switch things up, try this version.

It features a creamy Greek yogurt-based dressing that adds a bright and tangy note, plus a touch of heat from yellow mustard to help cut through the brats.

Psst… skip spoon this on top of your hotdogs for a cooling contrast.

Why we love this recipe: it’s lighter and healthier than your usual mayo-based slaw.

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Mustard coleslaw
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Spicy Korean coleslaw
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Broccoli slaw

Roasted peppers and onions

These roasted peppers and onions are a great way to perk up your brats.

Roasting the veggies releases their natural sugars, so they become lightly sweet and you get some smokiness from the charred edges.

And the best part? You can cook your brats on the same tray!

Why we love this recipe: no hands-on cooking is needed – just a bit of chopping.

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Roasted peppers and onions
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Roasted Brussel sprouts and carrots
Fire up the grill
Grilled veggie skewers

Apple and fennel salad

This recipe is incredibly simple but it’s super light and refreshing.

Fennel and apple are two strong flavors, but they’ll work together in harmony alongside the meaty brats and elevate the meal to something restaurant-worthy.

Why we love this recipe: you only need three ingredients.

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Apple and fennel salad
Add more substance
Farro salad with fennel
Make it indulgent
Classic Waldorf salad

Cajun rice

Serve your brats with this Cajun rice for a tasty, hearty meal.

Plain rice gets a facelift by cooking it in broth and seasoning it with spices like garlic powder, thyme, paprika, and bay leaf.

Add the brats and you have a German-fusion dirty rice.

Why we love this recipe: it’s a one-pot, budget-friendly dish.

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Cajun rice
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German rice bake
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Cajun cauliflower rice

Greek potato salad

Who knew a hearty potato salad could be this refreshing?

This version has a creamy tzatziki dressing, made up of Greek yogurt studded with chopped cucumbers, parsley, and dill.

The dressing has a cooling, herby flavor which will contrast with your hot, meaty bratwurst.

Why we love this recipe: it’s just what you need to beat the summer heat.

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Greek potato salad
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Loaded baked potato salad
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Warm German potato salad

Cheesy cornbread waffles

Fried chicken and waffles are a popular treat, so why not brats and waffles?

The waffle batter comes together quickly, but you must let it hydrate for at least 15 minutes.

Use the time to fry up your brats and maybe even an egg or two for an Insta-worthy brunch meal.

Why we love this recipe: it’s fun to make and fun to eat.

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