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Bratwurst – German sausages for pan-frying, grilling or baking. There are a large number of regional bratwurst recipes not only in Germany, but also in Austria, Switzerland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
First of all, they differ in the qualitative composition of the spices used. Bratwurst is a popular street food, usually sold as hot dogs with a bun, spicy stone ground mustard, ketchup or table horseradish.
The process of preparing such a dish is quite simple and all the main difficulties arise with the correct selection of side dishes for serving. However, this article will help you get answers to all questions. Let’s figure everything out!
What is traditionally served with bratwurst?
In Bavaria, chefs traditionally serve bratwurst with stewed sauerkraut, fried potatoes or potato salad. Many people consider this combination to be ideal – potatoes, sausage, and beer!
Sauerkraut is the same standard bratwurst side dish that perfectly brings out the rich taste of the product. In some German restaurants, serving with green beans, cherry tomatoes and sweet potatoes remains classic.
But in other countries, the variety of side dishes and ideas for serving with sausages goes beyond the traditional Bavaria. Let’s find out what other options are available to you.
Hard rolls
You do not have to serve bratwurst on ordinary dishes. Just use hard rolls! The main thing is not to take a soft bun, as it will quickly become saturated with the sausage fat. In many ways, this side dish will resemble a standard hot dog.
You can also add tomatoes, fresh lettuce leaves, pickled cucumbers, mustard sauce and ketchup.
Many gourmets determine the quality of hard rolls by the quality of their crunch. Even despite the contact with the sausage, the bun should remain crispy!
German potato salad
German potato salad is a classic of side dish cuisine. Despite the name, the recipe history goes far into the history of Czech and Austrian cultures.
For this reason, you can find many varieties of this dish. In a traditional recipe, boil potatoes in the peel for 20-30 minutes. At this time, fry the onion in a hot cast iron skillet until a golden crust forms.
After processing, put the potatoes in a deep bowl and mix. Serve warm or cold and don’t forget to add bacon, apple cider vinegar and Dijon mustard for a bright taste!
German potato pancakes
Pancakes are one of the traditional German sides. If you cook such a dish from potatoes, you will get an excellent combination with bratwurst sausage.
For such a recipe, prepare only mashed potatoes, milk, eggs, flour, garlic and vegetable oil. Add all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix thoroughly.
Next, put the dough on a hot pan skillet and fry the potato pancakes for 2 minutes on each side. Serve with beer, german bratwurst and baked beans!
Homemade applesauce
Applesauce is an unexpected way to serve sausages. It is best to cook such a dish yourself to get a great taste. To prepare such a recipe, you will need only fresh apples and spices.
Then everything is simple: boil the peeled apples in water for about 30 minutes and add sugar or herbs for flavor.
Don’t be afraid of such a bold combination of products and just try to serve bratwurst with applesauce. Only one bite and everything will fall into place!
Creamy Cucumber Salad
This creamy salad, also known as German cucumber salad, is a refreshing combination of cucumbers, red onion and dill, seasoned with simple dressing. The preparation of such a side dish will take you a few minutes.
Just peel the cucumbers and cut them into slices. Also peel and chop the onion.
Wash the dill and chop it finely too. Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and add dressing. So you will get an excellent creamy style side dish to your savory bratwurst.
German Spaetzle
Spaetzle is a Swabian and Alemannian variety of pasta. For cooking, we will need 400 grams of flour, 4 eggs, 200 ml of mineral water, white ground pepper, dry ground nutmeg, salt and pepper. The cooking technology is simple:
- Put the sifted flour in a bowl, add salt and mix.
- In a separate container, mix milk, eggs and chopped greens. Lightly whisk with a fork.
- Add the milk-egg mixture to the container with flour and mix until smooth.
- Leave the mixture for 20 minutes and boil the water in parallel.
- Put a portion of the dough on the surface of the grater and wipe it with a spoon.
- Place the pasta in boiling water and cook for 6-7 minutes.
- Put the Spaetzle on a plate and pour butter or vegetable oil so that they do not stick together.
This German side dish is quite difficult to prepare, but it goes well with the Bratwurst classic recipe. For extra flavor, you can also add feta cheese.
Grilled Corn on the Cob
Corn on the cob is a great side dish for any meat product.
Many chefs have a favorite recipe – grilled corn. However, you should remember that cooking such a vegetable is an art! The corn should remain juicy inside and crispy on the outside.
In order to get the perfect corn for your sausage, just follow some tips:
- Pre-soak the corn in cold water for 10-15 minutes. This will help soften the texture of the vegetable.
- Add butter and fresh herbs to form a crispy crust.
- Quickly turn the corn on the grill so that it is evenly cooked on all sides.
Sweet and Sour Red Cabbage
Stewed cabbage is a classic side dish for bratwurst. But have you ever thought to serve sweet and sour red cabbage to a meat fatty dish? Such a meal will have a rich and bright taste as well as a delicious aroma.
In Germany, locals call such stewed cabbage “rotkohl” and prepare it differently depending on the region.
Professional chefs advise beginners to choose such a recipe for sausages in order not to make mistakes. Just add red wine to the red cabbage and simmer under the lid for about 20 minutes. Also you can add balsamic vinegar and apple slices for extra flavor.
Sweet potato fries
French fries are a great, but high-calorie side dish. In combination with fat bratwurst, you will get an overabundance of fat. Is there a way out of this situation?
Just replace the starchy potatoes with ordinary and healthy sweet potatoes. You can also replace vegetable oil with butter or olive oil.
Don’t worry about the lack of taste – just add spices, herbs to the sweet potato and you can also make a hot sauce. It is better to give preference to backyard barbecue or tomato sauce.
Sweet potato fries will allow you to get the perfect balance between a fatty sausage and a healthy vegetable.
Grilled Veggies
There are many side dish recipes for bratwurst, but grilled vegetables remain classic. You can choose different variations of ingredients: tomatoes, peppers, carrots, eggplants, and zucchini.
However, the German version of grilled vegetables includes shredded carrots and unpeeled red potatoes. But try not to dwell on a certain vegetable set and choose everything to your flavor.
To surprise your taste buds, add ranch dressing or vinegar based dressing to grilled vegetables. This side dish will definitely delight you and your friends with its perfect nutritional balance.
Sauteed Spinach with Garlic
If you are looking for a spicy granary recipe, then pay attention to the combination of spinach and garlic. The technology of preparation is simple:
- Rinse the spinach in cold water and dry it with paper towels.
- In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil and fry the garlic over medium heat for 1 minute.
- Add all the spinach, salt and pepper to the pan, mix with garlic and oil, cover and fry for 2 minutes.
- Remove the lid, increase the heat and fry the spinach for another minute, stirring with a wooden spoon. Serve hot.
To make such a delicious recipe even better, add whole grain mustard to the spinach. Such a dish served at the dinner table with brats will be an excellent option for a hearty lunch!
Brown Sugar Baked Beans
Baked beans cooked in a slow cooker is what you were looking for for your sausages. This side dish will turn out to be light, tasty and at the same time satisfying.
If you add brown sugar to the beans, your product will acquire a pleasant sweetness. The cooking technology is simple:
- Soak the red beans for 3-4 hours. Rinse and boil in new water for an hour.
- Caramelize brown sugar with water in a frying pan.
- Put the beans in a bowl for a slow cooker, pour the resulting brown sugar sauce and bake for 30 minutes.
Possible keto sides for brats
In the low-carb keto kitchen, there are many delicious side dishes that are perfect for bratwurst. Consider the following options:
- Spicy keto avocado salad. This salad will be a wonderful keto side dish at a variety of summer events. For example, it is good at barbecue parties, picnics or summer dinners with family and friends. The main advantage is the ability to neutralize the fat content of bratwurst.
- Green string beans in creamy lemon sauce. Green beans, lemon and cream. This combination is perfect. You can get a meaty mouthful of bratwurst with beans and get pleasure!
- Keto zucchini noodles. This is probably one of the simplest keto side dishes for bratwurst. So delicious, hot and satisfying!
- Cauliflower rice. Do you like rice and often serve it as a side dish? Prepare a new version of cauliflower rice for bratwurst.
What to make with brats for dinner
Dinner is hearty and the main meal of the day for many people. If you want to serve bratwurst in the evening, then choose the right side dishes. The simplest option is mashed potatoes.
For such a recipe, you will need literally 20-30 minutes. Also, do not forget about the variety of cereals: buckwheat, oatmeal and wheat. For a lighter side dish, consider vegetables and legumes. Vary the recipes and try to find the combinations that will appeal to you!
Potatoes to serve with brats
It is worth dwelling in detail on the product that is best suited to sausages. We are talking about the world-famous potato. What is the best way to prepare it for the bratwursts?
You can make mashed potatoes, fried potatoes, and also make French fries.
However, professional chefs advise you to choose something more unusual – for example, boil potatoes in the husk, then roast them a little in lemon juice.
What is the best way to cook a bratwurst?
For those who want to know how to cook classic German bratwurst – check out the recipe straight. For such a dish you will need the following set of ingredients:
- ground beef – 500 grams
- ground pork – 500 grams
- onion – 2 heads
- garlic – 8 cloves
- ground nutmeg – 1 pinch
- parsley – 1 bunch
- white bread – 150 grams
- milk – 150 ml
- egg – to taste
Step-by-step technology of preparation:
- Soak white bread in milk. Wait until it gets wet.
- Finely chop the onion and fry in natural lard until golden brown.
- Finely chop the garlic with a sharp knife. Also finely chop the parsley.
- Prepare the minced meat by mixing pork, beef, bread, parsley and egg. Also add salt, pepper and nutmeg.
- Prepare a natural sausage casing and start filling it with minced meat. Tie the sausages every 15 centimeters.
- Before sending brats to the oven, put them in boiling water for 10 minutes.
- Grease the baking sheet with butter and place the brats on it. Bake for 20-25 minutes in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Main tips
If you want to choose a good side dish for bratwurst, follow the advice from professional chefs. Among them:
- Choose a side dish depending on the time of the meal. For a lunch you can choose something lighter: beans or vegetables. If the time falls on dinner, then give preference to hearty combinations.
- Do not choose a side dish of soft bread or pita bread for bratwurst. Meat fat will soften the product very quickly and make it tasteless and impossible to serve.
- Put the bratwursts on a deep plate. This product releases a lot of juice and fat, which will simply pour out of a straight plate and spoil your clothes.
Closing
Bratwurst is a classic meal of German cuisine. By tradition, you should definitely serve it with a side dish and sauces. When choosing, do not forget about our advice and your own preferences.
You can also improve some recipes by adding a twist to it. Surprise your loved ones with classic German brats and unusual side dishes to them.
Bon appetit!