How to make Instant Pot brats and sauerkraut that taste amazing! Easy way to steam bratwurst or sausage with some beer in your pressure cooker for dinner.
If you love your pressure cooker and steaming in your Instant Pot, this easy Instant Pot brats recipe is for you! Steamed bratwurst that maintains it’s “snap” while cooking, and absorbs the flavors of the liquid inside the pot are a fantastic dinner idea topped with sauerkraut and mustard!! Whether you’re watching the Super Bowl with friends, having people over to celebrate Oktoberfesst, or just looking for a new meal to try this is a delicious choice. It’s one of my husband’s favorite Instant Pot recipes! (originally published 12/17, affiliate links present)
Doesn’t this look so yummy?!!
My husband and I had it for lunch this day and although I am not a big sauerkraut fan it was SO good atop these Instant Pot brats which kept their snap while being steamed!
- We made Instant Pot hot dogs for the kids but we got to enjoy these beauties. 😉
This is how easy these bratwurst are to cook in your pressure cooker…….
It is totally up to you whether you want to make your own sauerkraut or buy it ready made in the store, either way these taste delicious.
I had some ready made small french style rolls just the right size for sausages in my freezer so I used those this time but you could use hot dog buns or hoagie style rolls too….or go bunless!
Perfect for the big game get togethers or just a yummy Instant Pot dinner idea.
You can put the brats directly in the liquid, beer, but I find they keep their snap and don’t get as soft if I use a steamer basket so I usually go that route but totally up to you.
This is what you’ll need to make these Instant Pot brats
- Vegetable steamer
- Bratwurst
- Beer (or other liquid such as water)
- Sauerkraut
- Spicy mustard
- Hoagie rolls or hot dog buns
If you make mashed potatoes with it you’ll need potatoes. Recipe for that method below as well.
When making these Instant Pot bratwurst and other recipes you’d like to steam it is really handy to have a basket like this one that has an extendable handle to lift things out without your fingers getting too hot.
- The Vegetable steamer comes in this variety as well as this two tiered vegetable steamer basket I used here.
How long to cook frozen sausage in the Instant Pot
- If your brats or large sausage similar to these are frozen cook for the same amount of time
- You can put them under your broiler for 4-5 minutes until the outsides crisp up too if you wish
- When using a Ninja Foodi follow these air fryer sausage directions
But WAIT!! We have a second way to make Instant Pot bangers and mash!
If you love this you should try our pressure cooker jambalaya made with sausage links too, or air fryer sausage is amazing.
Instant Pot Brats
Ingredients
- 6 brats or sausage links of your choosing
- 6 rolls or buns
- 1 c sauerkraut
- 1/4 c spicy mustard or regular mustard
- 1 pint beer left out overnight so it is flat
- If making with mashed potatoes follow recipe starting at step 6
Instructions
- Open your beer bottle or can and leave out overnight so it looses it's bubbles and becomes flat.
- Pour it into your Instant Pot and open your Kitchen Deluxe vegetable steamer basket, lower inside your pot.
- Put brats on steamer rack and close lid. Close steam valve and set to manual, pressure, high for 5 minutes. (if yours are really large they may need more time but this should be just right)
- Do a quick release. Since this is pork always make sure to check that they are cooked completely (can cut one in half to ensure or use thermometer)
- Put in a bun and add sauerkraut and mustard on top...and other favorite toppings.
- If making with mashed potatoes follow these directions: Put 6 washed, partially peeled and diced potatoes into pot with 1/2 c. broth. Place 5-6 frozen or defrosted brats and/or sausages right on top of them.
- Close lid and steam valve and set to high pressure for 6 minutes with a 3 minute natural pressure release. Then release rest of steam.
- Remove brats and set aside to keep warm. If you want to crisp outsides you can put into an air fryer at 400 degrees for a few minutes, under the broiler, or sear outsides in a pan on your stovetop.
- Use potato masher in pot to mash potatoes then add fixin's like: 1/2 c sour cream, 1/4 c. bacon bits, chives, 1 tsp. garlic salt, 1/4 c. shredded cheese, pinch of pepper, and thin mixture with as much milk as you desire until it is the right consistency for you.
- Serve brats and mashed potatoes together.
Video
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Meagen Brosius says
I loved this one! So easy and any excuse to use my Instant Pot is a winner in my book, makes life in the kitchen so much easier.
Beth says
We love brats in my family and I love my instant pot so making it this way is heaven to me!
Ryan says
5 stars for all your recipes! Thank you! Could quartered potatoes & sliced onions be added to the steamer? Or, add potatoes then add sauerkraut & sliced onions maybe at the 1-2 minute mark?
Kim McKoy says
Would sauteing the brats in the Instant Pot first be better? I will be cooking mine tomorrow night.
Miranda says
This sounds so good! Do you think it would be okay to use spicy bratwursts?
The Typical Mom says
Of course.
Bill says
Wonderful taste, but I’m thinking brats may be one thing that’s not meant for the Instant Pot. They were cooked according to the recipe but the skin was so tough they were impossible to bite into. It wasn’t the brats. I used the same brand I always use. Never had trouble with tough skin on the stove or grill. Anyone else have this problem?
Kate says
Typically when we cook casing sausage or brats in the Instant Pot the skin is more tender than when we cook on the grill, we almost don’t even notice the skin when cooked in the Instant Pot. We don’t use a steam basket though, we just put it directly on the bottom of the pot in the liquid…
perry says
just like a soda you can pour a beer back and forth between two glasses until there is no more fizz. voila! it is flat and ready to go in very short order! gonna try recipe in an hour or two so no rating yet. what is to not like? sounds good.
Tracy Gerlach says
Warm up the beer in microwave to take out fizz
CL says
Is it bad to use a carbonated beer (meaning I didn’t let it sit overnight)? Will the IP explode?
The Typical Mom says
It is okay to use as far as I have researched, I just typically leave it out overnight.
Sarah says
Can you put the brats in frozen?
The Typical Mom says
Yes, you may want to add another minute.
Deanna says
Can you put the sauerkraut in the instant pot at the same time?
The Typical Mom says
I haven’t done that.
Patricia Gulliver says
I just did and it was delicious! I was in a hurry so I dumped in a bag of boar head sauerkraut and put the bratwurst on top. Yum!