Bratwursts or Brats seem like a straightforward dish for many. After all, it resembles the look of a hotdog dish, and the only thing that many people know about it is that it is usually paired with beer.

What many people don’t know is that this is a sausage dish that holds a lot of German history. But the surprising thing about brats is that you can pair it with a lot of side dishes (yes, aside from beer!) that can make it taste a lot more satisfying.

What goes good with brats? Read on to discover the fantastic side dishes that you can prepare for your next Bratwurst dinner.

What Goes Good with Brats?

Most people are afraid to prepare unique side dishes for Brats mainly because they think that those side dishes are hard to prepare (they are German, after all!). When you read this section, you will be amazed at how surprisingly simple their preparation process can be.

Mustard

Why would you ever want to serve Bratwurst without mustard? Why? This one’s a given when you serve Bratwurst because we assure you—they will surely be looking for it!

Regardless if you will be using a hard roll or a soft bun, your brats must always have mustard with it. If you are a Bratwurst lover, you already know this. BUT did you know which is the best type of mustard for it? If not, try the stone ground mustard and discover what you have been missing all your life!

Onions

If you love Bratwurst, it is most likely that you love onions too. If that is the case, then we will let you in on a little secret—you can serve onions with your Bratwursts!

If you are a die-hard onion lover, you can serve raw white or yellow onions as side dishes. But if that is too much for you, the simplest way to prepare it is to saute it. Just simply place pan or skillet over high medium heat. Once the pan is already hot, place oil or butter and allow it to melt. Add the chopped and sliced onions and cook it for 5 to 7 minutes until tender.

Another option that you have is to roast the onions. You can do this via an oven or a grill.

Sauerkraut

Another German side dish that you should not miss out on is sauerkraut. This dish features fermented chopped cabbage, so it really goes well with Brats.

The truth is, preparing sauerkraut can be a bit complicated. If possible, just buy the bottled ones that you can find in grocery stores.

But if you plan to create your own, chop or shred the cabbage and sprinkle it with salt. After that, pound the cabbages until it has produced enough water to cover the cabbage pieces. After that, stuff the cabbage in a quart jar, ensuring that the cabbage is fully submerged in liquid. Cover the jar with an airlock lid and allow it to ferment at room temperature for two weeks. It is recommended that you try to burp the lid daily to release the unnecessary pressure from the jar. Once it has already fermented, transfer the jar in cold storage.

Kartoffelsalat (German Potato Salad)

What makes this potato salad recipe different from the traditional ones is that it contains thick-cut bacon, mustard, chives, and potatoes and not mayonnaise or eggs.

You can prepare this potato salad by placing the potatoes in a Dutch oven and cover it with water. Bring the water to a boil. Afterwards, reduce the heat and allow it to simmer for 25 minutes. Drain the water and let the potatoes cool for a bit.

In a skillet, fry the bacon until it turns crisp then place it on plates covered by table napkins. Set aside 4 tablespoons of the bacon drippings. Place another skillet on the stove and add the bacon drippings on it. Add the onions and saute it until tender. Add in salt, flour, pepper, and celery seed until everything is properly blended. Place sugar, water, and vinegar and bring the mixture to a boil for 2 minutes or until the mixture thickens.

Slice the potatoes then add it together with the bacon to the skillet and cook until the vegetables are a bit tender. Sprinkle parsley on top and serve warm.

Rotkohl (Sweet and Sour Red Cabbage)

Yes, Germans love cabbage almost as much as they love their sausages! This dish can be found in nearly all German homes and is usually paired with meat dishes like sausages, beef roasts, and many more.

To prepare this, saute diced onions in butter. After that, slice the cabbage. Place it in the skillet then add vinegar. Cover the skillet and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. Add enough sugar to make it a bit sweet. Add apples and reheat the dish.

Potato Pancakes

This dish is far from being a German dish but who can say no to potatoes when they are paired with sausages, are we right? And since it comes in the form of pancakes, even your children can’t resist it for sure! Plus, this one’s a step up to the usual mashed potato side dishes that most people prepare.

To prepare this, grate the potatoes then place the shredded potatoes in a bowl. Add flour, onion, egg, pepper, garlic powder, and salt. Mix everything well. After that, heat oil in a medium-sized skillet over medium-high heat. Add about ¼ cup of batter to the skillet. Press the mixture lightly to flatten it. Fry until golden brown then flip and continue frying until the other side turns golden brown.

In Summary

So there you have it— the perfect answers on what goes good with Brats. We hope that the simple list that we have provided you can help you explore the amazing side dishes that you can try with bratwurst. Trust us when we say that these can make your Brats meal taste a whole lot better!