Bratwurst with sauerkraut

Name: Bratwurst with sauerkraut
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 4 plates
Cuisine: German
Ingredients: 6 piece German sausages, bratwurst; 700 g Sauerkraut, drained, from a jar or bag, not tinned if you can help it; 1 medium Onion, sliced; 1 medium Apple or Korean pear, tart, peeled and grated; 80 g Bacon, diced; 6 piece Juniper berries, crushed; 1 tsp Caraway seed; 1 piece Bay leaf; 150 ml White wine, dry; Riesling if you have it; 150 ml Chicken stock, or water; 20 g Butter; 1 tbsp Neutral oil; 0.5 tsp Black pepper; 2 tbsp Mustard, to serve

Bratwurst mit Sauerkraut

Slow-fried German sausages on sauerkraut braised with onion, apple, juniper, caraway and a splash of white wine.

Recipe by I Want Some Food · Reviewed by the editorial kitchen. Native name preserved: Bratwurst mit Sauerkraut.

Start cooking

Prep: 10 min
Cook: 45 min
Rest: None
Total: 55 min
Difficulty: Easy
Spice: No chilli
Cost: Weeknight budget$8–16 USD · indicative, not a store price

Know it before you cook it

About

Pan-fried bratwurst on a heap of sauerkraut that has been braised for 40 minutes with onion, apple, bacon, juniper, caraway and a little white wine until it turns soft and mellow. The sausages fry slowly so the skins brown without splitting; the kraut does its own thing in a covered pan. Mustard, rye bread or boiled potatoes finish the plate. Rinse the sauerkraut only if it is very sharp. The sourness is the point, and the apple and wine round it off without hiding it.

What you'll need

14 ingredients. Tap each one once it's out on the bench.

0 of 14 ready

4 servings

Ingredients

Servings

German sausages, bratwurst6
Sauerkraut, drained, from a jar or bag, not tinned if you can help it700 g
Onion, sliced1 medium
Apple or Korean pear, tart, peeled and grated1 medium
Bacon, diced80 g
Juniper berries, crushed6
Caraway seed4.9 ml
Bay leaf1
White wine, dry; Riesling if you have it150 ml
Chicken stock, or water150 ml
Butter20 g
Neutral oil15 ml
Black pepper2½ ml
Mustard, to serve30 ml

Scaling multiplies the written quantities. Baking still prefers a scale.

Steps

Step 1
Fry the bacon in the butter in a saucepan until the fat runs, 4 minutes. Add the onion and soften 5 minutes.
9 min
Step 2
Add the sauerkraut, apple, juniper, caraway, bay and pepper. Pour in the wine and stock, cover and simmer on low for 35 to 40 minutes, stirring twice, until soft and most of the liquid is gone.
40 min
Tip: If it tastes harsh at the end, a pinch of sugar fixes it.
Step 3
Fifteen minutes before the kraut is done, heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat and fry the sausages, turning often, for 12 to 15 minutes until browned on all sides and cooked through.
15 min
Watch: Do not prick them. Slow heat keeps the skins whole.
Step 4
Fish out the bay leaf. Spoon the kraut onto plates, lay the sausages on top and serve with mustard and bread or boiled potatoes.
3 min

Nutrition

Per serving · estimate

Calories: 689 kcal
Protein: 52.4 g
Carbs: 28.3 g
Fat: 36.7 g
Saturated fat: 12.9 g
Fibre: 4.3 g
Sugar: 9.3 g
Sodium: 326 mg

Calculated from canonical ingredient data (USDA FoodData Central averages and equivalent published tables). Estimates only.

Allergens

Informational only. Not a medical guarantee. Cross-contamination happens in real kitchens.

Milk

Gluten-free
Nut-free

Adapt this recipe

The original recipe stays as it is. Personal versions are labelled. Serving changes are simple maths.

Adaptations · 0 / 15 used. Resets 12 November.

Substitutions

White wine → Light beer or apple juice
Beer is Bavarian practice. Juice makes a sweeter kraut; use less apple.
Bacon → Leave it out and use 30 g butter
Still good. Vegetarian if you swap the sausages too.

Tips

Raw sauerkraut from the chiller is alive and tastes brighter than pasteurised jar kraut. Either works here.
Grilling the sausages over charcoal is better than frying, if the weather allows it.

History & culture

Everyday food in the south and east, beer garden and Christmas market food everywhere. Nuremberg serves three finger-sized bratwurst on kraut with horseradish; Thuringia grills long ones over charcoal and eats them in a roll with mustard. At home it is a 45-minute dinner for a cold evening and nobody asks what else there is.

Nuremberg bratwurst are recorded from the early 14th century and Thuringian ones from 1404; both carry protected status today. Fermented cabbage has carried German winters for as long as anyone kept records. Together they are the plate foreigners picture when they think of German food, and one Germans actually eat.

Traditional

Provenance: Editorial adaptation.

Questions about this recipe

Answers taken from this dish's times, amounts, swaps and tips.

How long does Bratwurst with sauerkraut take?

55 min all in — 10 min prep, 45 min cook. Cook and rest follow the method. Leftover storage and optional extra waits are not included.

How many does it serve?

The recipe is written for 4 plates. Scale the ingredient list on the page if you are cooking for a different number.

How hard is it?

Easy.

How spicy is it?

No chilli.

What allergens should I watch?

This recipe is labelled for Milk. Labels are informational — check the packets in your kitchen. This is not medical advice.

Does it fit a diet?

The published recipe is labelled Gluten-free, Nut-free.

7 more questions

What does it cost to cook?

Weeknight budget — about $8–16 USD, as a grocery budget for this recipe, not a restaurant price.

What equipment do I need?

Frying pan, Saucepan, Chef's knife.

How much salt do I put in?

This recipe does not list a salt amount. We will not invent one.

What can I use instead?

White wine → Light beer or apple juice. Beer is Bavarian practice. Juice makes a sweeter kraut; use less apple. Bacon → Leave it out and use 30 g butter. Still good. Vegetarian if you swap the sausages too.

What should I watch for?

Do not prick them. Slow heat keeps the skins whole.

Any tips from this recipe?

Raw sauerkraut from the chiller is alive and tastes brighter than pasteurised jar kraut. Either works here. Grilling the sausages over charcoal is better than frying, if the weather allows it.

Can I use an air fryer?

This method is not written for an air fryer. The core technique on the page still applies.