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Instant Pot Brats with Sauerkraut

Cooked in your choice of beer with sauerkraut, onion, and bell pepper, Instant Pot brats are the way to go when you are unable to grill. Perfect for a weeknight dinner, they are simple to prepare in just 20-minutes.

Bowl of brats with kraut with a bottle of Guiness, a cup, and a stack of plates with two forks.

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What you’ll love about this recipe


  • It’s so incredibly simple! Cooking brats in an Instant Pot has got to be the easiest method to prepare them. A quick sear and six minutes at high pressure is all it takes. And all you need are five ingredients (that don’t require much in the way of prep) and an Instant Pot.
  • It’s a great weeknight dinner option! Because this recipe is so quick and simple and because it requires minimal clean-up, it’s more than ideal for a weeknight dinner. From start to finish, it takes just 20-minutes to prepare. That means you can have dinner out of the way in no time and move on to some much-needed R&R.
  • It’s customizable! You have a couple of options when it comes to preparing these brats. The first choice you get to make is what color bell peppers to include. Personally, I like to use a combination of them all but the choice is yours. Additionally, you can select whichever type of beer you prefer. OR, if you’re not into beer, sub for beef broth or even water in a pinch.
Close up of a brat in a bun with kraut and veggies.

Ingredients (+ notes & substitutions)


Ingredients for Instant Pot brats (see recipe card).
  • Brats: 5-6 raw bratwursts.
  • Beer: Feel free to experiment with the type of beer you cook the brats in. Typically, lager/pilsner style beers or stouts like Guinness are thought best. If you are not a fan of beer or wish for this dish to be gluten-free, you may substitute the beer for beef broth. In a pinch, water would even suffice. Keep in mind that you would lose flavor should you use water.
  • Sauerkraut: You’ll need a 14-ounce can or 1 3/4 cups to prepare this recipe.
  • Bell peppers: Two small to medium peppers of whichever color variety you choose.
  • Onion: White or yellow onion will work.

How to make Instant Pot beer brats (+ tips)


1. Set your Instant Pot to the saute function. Once hot, add the brats in a single layer and cook for 2-3 minutes then flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes until browned to your liking.

Seared brats in Instant Pot.

2. Add the sauerkraut, bell pepper, onion, and beer.

Instant pot filled with sauerkraut and raw veggies.

Then cover, seal, and cook on high pressure for 6 minutes.

3. Quick release and serve warm as is or on a bun which your choice of condiments.

Cooked beer brats in beer with kraut, peppers, and onions in Intstant Pot.

Storage


Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to four days.


FAQ


What are brats made of?

While most bratwursts are made with pork, they may also be made with veal, beef, or a combination of any two of the aforementioned. They also contain spices like salt, garlic, and pepper.

Are beer brats gluten-free?

Unless you opt for a beer that is gluten-free, beer brats are NOT gluten-free. This is because most beer is produced from grains containing gluten. If you wish for this dish to remain gluten-free, you will need to select a GF beer or swap the beer for beef broth.

Are brats keto?

Yes!!! Brats are keto-friendly. Beer, however, is not and onions and bell peppers should be eaten in moderation on a keto diet.

Are beer brats safe to serve to minors?

All of the alcohol will evaporate during the cooking process, so yes, beer brats are safe to serve to those under 21 years of age.

How do I know if brats are cooked thoroughly?

The inside of a cooked brat is often pink which may lead you to believe that they are undercooked. If you are concerned that they are not cooked through, the best way to make sure that they are is to gauge the internal temperature with a cooking thermometer. The temperature of the center of a cooked brat should register at least 160 degrees.



A bowl of brats with sauerkraut, peppers, and onions atop a kitchen towel.
A plate with a single brat atop a bed of sauerkraut.

What to serve with Instant Pot bratwursts:


If you make these Instant Pot bratwursts I’d love your feedback. Please leave a comment and/or a rating below as I greatly value your opinion. Or snap a pic and tag me on Instagram @taoofspiceblog. Love, light, and happy cooking ya’ll ♥

Bowl of brats with kraut with a bottle of Guiness, a cup, and a stack of plates with two forks.

Instant Pot Brats With Sauerkraut

Yield: 5
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Cooked in your choice of beer with sauerkraut, onion, and bell pepper, Instant Pot brats are the way to go when you are unable to grill. Perfect for a weeknight dinner, they are simple to prepare in just 20-minutes.

Ingredients

  • 5-6 uncooked bratwursts
  • 12 ounces beer or beef broth
  • 1-14 ounce can (1 3/4 cups) sauerkraut
  • 1 small white or yellow onion, sliced
  • 2 small-medium bell peppers, any color, thinly sliced

Instructions

  1. Set your Instant Pot to the saute function. Once hot, add the brats in a single layer and cook for 2-3 minutes then flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes until browned to your liking.
  2. Add the sauerkraut, bell pepper, onion, and beer then cover, seal, and cook on high pressure for 6-minutes.
  3. Quick release and serve warm as is or on a bun which your choice of condiments.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 5 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 392Total Fat: 30gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 75mgSodium: 1046mgCarbohydrates: 10gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 15g

The nutritional information provided is computer generated. It is only an estimate and intended for informational purposes only. Nutrition details may vary depending on various factors such as origin, freshness of ingredients, etc

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Facebook

Alisa Stoll

Thursday 6th of July 2023

My husband said this recipe is a keeper.

Marie

Saturday 4th of June 2022

This is such a scrumptious dish! Perfect to feed a crowd.

ramona

Saturday 4th of June 2022

I have all the ingredients for this recipe and I will definitely be making this for dinner tonight! I cant wait to give it a go, thank you for sharing this recipe!

Sean

Tuesday 31st of May 2022

This was delightful and it now a go to meal for me during the summer. I absolutely love brats!

Bernice

Tuesday 31st of May 2022

This is my kind of a meal here. We have all of the ingredients and will be making this for dinner tonight! Now I just have to bake up some buns.

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