Are you looking to bring the festive, comforting, and unbelievably delicious flavors of an authentic German beer hall right into your own kitchen? This incredible, from-scratch Bratwurst with Sauerkraut and a sweet and savory Apple-Potato Hash is the ultimate Oktoberfest-inspired meal. It’s a perfect, hearty balance of savory, sweet, and tangy flavors, and it all comes together in about 30 minutes, making it perfect for a weeknight dinner.
This isn’t just a recipe; it’s a guide to your new favorite fall comfort food. We’ll show you the simple secrets to perfectly seared, juicy bratwurst and a quick, flavorful hash that will have your whole family asking for seconds. Served with classic accompaniments of tangy sauerkraut and a zesty mustard cream, this is a complete, satisfying, and soul-warming meal that is a true celebration of the season.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Recipe Overview: The Ultimate Oktoberfest Dinner
What makes this Bratwurst and Sauerkraut recipe so spectacularly delicious is its incredible, classic balance of flavors and its wonderfully simple skillet preparation. The dish features juicy, savory bratwurst that are seared to a perfect golden brown. They’re served alongside a fantastic, warm apple and potato hash, which is cooked in the same skillet to soak up all the delicious pork drippings. The natural sweetness of the apples and the hearty potatoes are the perfect complement to the savory sausage and the tangy, traditional side of sauerkraut. A final dollop of a cool and creamy grainy mustard sauce ties the entire delicious meal together.
| Metric | Time / Level |
| Total Time | 40 minutes |
| Active Prep Time | 20 minutes |
| Difficulty Level | Easy |
| Servings | 4 |
The Essential Ingredients for This German-Inspired Meal
This recipe uses a handful of fresh, seasonal ingredients and pantry staples to create its signature comforting and savory flavor.
- The Bratwurst:
- Fully Cooked Bratwurst: Using fully cooked bratwurst sausages is a fantastic time-saver for a quick weeknight meal. All you need to do is give them a beautiful, golden-brown sear in the skillet to heat them through and make them extra delicious.
- The Braised Sauerkraut & Apple-Potato Hash: This is the sweet, tangy, and savory heart of the dish.
- The Sauerkraut: A classic German condiment made from fermented cabbage. For this recipe, it’s important to drain and rinse your sauerkraut if you prefer a milder tang.
- The Potatoes & Apples: A waxy, red-skinned potato is a great choice because its skin is tender (no peeling required!) and it holds its shape beautifully in the hash. A sweet, firm apple like a Golden Delicious becomes wonderfully tender and sweet, providing a perfect contrast to the tangy sauerkraut.
- Caraway Seeds: This is a classic, signature spice in many German and Central European dishes. It has a unique, aromatic, and slightly anise-like flavor that is a traditional and perfect pairing with both cabbage and pork.
- The Creamy Mustard Sauce: A simple, two-ingredient sauce made from cool, tangy sour cream and a sharp, zesty grainy mustard.
Step-by-Step to the Perfect Bratwurst Dinner
This delicious meal comes together in just a few simple stages.
Step 1: Cook the Potatoes and Brown the Brats
Step 1: First, bring a large saucepan of heavily salted water to a boil. Add your 1 1/4 pounds of chunked red-skinned potatoes and cook for about 5 minutes, until they are just tender but not falling apart. Drain the potatoes well and pat them dry.
Pro Tip: This “par-boiling” step is crucial! It gives the potatoes a head start on cooking and guarantees that they will be perfectly tender and creamy on the inside in the same amount of time it takes to get them golden and crispy in the skillet.
Step 2: While the potatoes are cooking, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the 6 halved bratwursts and cook, turning them occasionally, for about 4 minutes, until they are beautifully browned on all sides.
Step 3: Transfer the browned bratwursts to a rimmed baking sheet and place them in a preheated 250°F oven to keep them warm. Do not wipe out the skillet!
Part 2: Make the Apple-Potato Hash
Step 1: Add 1 tablespoon of butter to the same skillet with all the delicious bratwurst drippings. Add your par-boiled potatoes and the 2 chunks of apples to the skillet and toss everything together. Season with 3/4 teaspoon of kosher salt and a few grinds of fresh black pepper.
Step 2: Increase the heat to medium-high. Cook the potatoes and apples, tossing them occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, until they are a deep golden brown, caramelized, and very tender.
Step 3: Add the chopped scallions and the 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh sage to the skillet and cook for 2 more minutes, until the scallions have wilted.
Step 4: Add the 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, the 1 tablespoon of honey, and the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter to the skillet. Cook, stirring, for one more minute, until the potatoes and apples are beautifully coated in a light, glossy glaze.
Part 3: Prepare the Mustard Cream and Serve
In a small bowl, simply mix together the 1/4 cup of sour cream with the 1 tablespoon of grainy mustard.
Serve the warm bratwursts with a generous portion of the hot apple-potato hash, a spoonful of the warmed sauerkraut, and a dollop of the mustard cream sauce.
The Best Bratwurst and Sauerkraut with Apple-Potato Hash
A complete, one-skillet meal with German-inspired flavors, this recipe features pan-fried bratwurst served with a savory-sweet apple and potato hash. The hash is made by sautéing par-boiled red-skinned potatoes and chunks of Golden Delicious apple in the same skillet used to brown the bratwurst. The hash is finished with scallions, fresh sage, and a simple glaze of apple cider vinegar and honey. The entire dish is served with warmed sauerkraut and a tangy sour cream and mustard sauce on the side.
Ingredients
- Kosher salt
- 1 1/4 pounds red-skinned potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 6 fully cooked bratwurst, halved lengthwise (about 1 1/4 pounds)
- 2 Golden Delicious apples, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
- Freshly ground pepper
- 1 bunch scallions, chopped
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon grainy mustard
- 1 cup sauerkraut, drained, rinsed and warmed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 250°F to keep the bratwurst warm.
- Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the potatoes and cook for about 5 minutes, until just tender. Drain and pat the potatoes dry.
- While the potatoes cook, melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the bratwurst and cook for about 4 minutes, turning, until browned. Transfer the bratwurst to a rimmed baking sheet and place them in the warm oven.
- Add another tablespoon of butter to the skillet along with the par-boiled potatoes and the apples. Season with 3/4 teaspoon of salt and a few grinds of pepper.
- Increase the heat to medium-high and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, tossing occasionally, until the potatoes and apples are golden brown and tender.
- Add the scallions and sage to the skillet and cook for about 2 minutes, until the scallions have wilted.
- Add the vinegar, honey, and the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter. Cook, stirring, for 1 more minute until the potatoes and apples are glazed.
- In a small bowl, mix the sour cream with the grainy mustard.
- Serve the bratwurst with the apple-potato hash, a side of warmed sauerkraut, and the sour cream-mustard mixture.
Notes
- This is a quick, one-pan meal (for the main components) that is perfect for a weeknight dinner.
- Par-boiling the potatoes before frying them in the skillet is a key step that ensures they cook through and become tender on the inside while getting crispy on the outside.
- Using fully-cooked bratwurst significantly speeds up the cooking time.
What to Serve With Your Bratwurst and Sauerkraut
This beautiful skillet dinner is a fantastic, all-in-one meal. However, for a true Oktoberfest-style feast, here are a few suggestions:
- A Hearty Bread: A side of warm, crusty rye or pumpernickel bread is a must-have for sopping up all the delicious pan juices.
- A German-Style Beer: The absolute perfect beverage pairing! A classic German Märzen (Oktoberfest), a Bock, or a Hefeweizen would all be fantastic choices.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
- Make-Ahead: For a super-fast weeknight meal, you can get a head start by par-boiling your potatoes and chopping your apples and onions up to a day in advance. You can also prepare the mustard cream sauce and keep it in the refrigerator.
- Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
For more recipe follow my pinterest account
Creative Recipe Variations
- Add Onions to the Hash: For an even more classic and savory flavor, you can add one thinly sliced yellow onion to the skillet to cook along with the apples and potatoes.
- Use a Different Sausage: If you’re not a fan of bratwurst, this delicious hash and sauerkraut combination is also absolutely fantastic with other types of fully cooked sausage, like a smoky kielbasa or a spicy andouille.
- Add a Splash of Beer: For an even deeper, more authentic flavor, you can deglaze the pan with a splash of your favorite German-style lager or ale after the hash has browned, just before you add the vinegar and the honey. Let it cook for a minute to reduce before you finish the glaze.
Enjoy The Ultimate Old-World Comfort Food!
You’ve just created a truly special dish that is a perfect harmony of savory, sweet, and tangy flavors. This classic Bratwurst with Sauerkraut and Apples is a testament to the power of a simple, from-scratch meal to bring comfort and joy. It’s a rewarding and deeply satisfying recipe that is sure to become a new family favorite for all the cozy days of the year.
We hope you enjoy every last, perfect, and delicious bite!
If you enjoyed making this recipe, please leave a comment below or share it with a friend who loves a good, easy, and comforting meal!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: What is the best way to cook pre-cooked bratwurst so they are flavorful?
The key is to give them a good sear in a hot skillet with a little bit of butter or oil. Because they are already fully cooked, your goal is not to cook them through, but simply to heat them and, most importantly, to use the Maillard reaction to develop a beautiful, deep golden-brown, and incredibly flavorful crust on the outside.
Q2: What are the best apples to use for a savory dish like this one?
You want to use a firm apple that will hold its shape when cooked and not turn into a mushy applesauce. An apple that is both a little sweet and a little crisp, like a Gala, a Fuji, a Cameo, or a Golden Delicious, as the recipe suggests, is a fantastic choice that will complement the savory pork and tangy sauerkraut beautifully.
Q3: Do I have to rinse the sauerkraut?
That is a matter of personal preference! If you love a very strong, salty, and tangy sauerkraut flavor, you can simply drain it well and use it as is. If you prefer a milder, less aggressive tang that allows the flavors of the apples and the cider to shine through more, it is highly recommended to give the sauerkraut a quick rinse under cold water and then squeeze it dry.
Q4: Can I make this dish ahead of time?
This dish is at its absolute best when it is served fresh. However, for a fantastic time-saving trick, you can prepare the apple-potato hash completely and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. When you are ready to eat, you can simply reheat the hash in a skillet while you sear your bratwursts.
Q5: What is the difference between grainy mustard and a smooth Dijon mustard?
Grainy mustard is made by mixing whole or partially ground mustard seeds with vinegar and other liquids, which gives it a wonderful, coarse, and “poppy” texture. A Dijon mustard is a classic, smooth, and sharp-tasting mustard that is made from finely ground mustard seeds. Both are delicious!