Want to enjoy a tasty sausage without much of the hassle? Air fryer brats are for you.
Juicy on the inside and crispy brown on the outside, this classic German sausage cooks well in the air fryer.
Bratwurst in the air fryer makes for a delicious and quick meaty meal! Enjoy it with sharp mustard in a crust roll, with sauerkraut or other condiments.

Recipe Tips
Before you make brats in the air fryer, have a quick read through these recipe tips:
- Different brands make different bratwurst sausages so this (along with your air fryer) might vary the cooking time slightly. Just be sure that they are browned on the outside and cooked through to an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Similar to Italian sausages, bratwurst sausages have a high fat content which could result in white smoke coming from your air fryer. That’s why it is important to use an air fryer that is clean (without leftover fat from other foods) and to stay close by – especially if you’re cooking brats in your air fryer for the first time.
- Because of the fat content in the bratwurst sausages, be sure to clean your air fryer after you are done cooking. Wipe up (or drain off) the fat from the air fryer tray while it’s still a liquid but has cooled off a bit – this will make your life much easier than waiting for it to harden!
We use this air fryer for our recipes and it has been great.

Step by Step Instructions
If you are looking for visuals for how to air fry brats, you can check out a few photos in this section. This way, you can see exactly how we make ours.
If you have your brats and just want the times and temps without photos, you can skip below to the recipe card!

First, preheat the air fryer to 360 degrees Fahrenheit.
Once the air fryer is hot, add the brats. Remember to leave some space between them to allow for even cooking.

Cook the brats for 12-16 minutes (this can vary by air fryer and the thickness of the sausage).
Remember to flip them at the halfway mark (after approx. 7 minutes). The internal temperature should be 160 degrees Fahrenheit.

Once cooked through, remove the brats and serve with mustard and/or ketchup on their own, on a crusty bun, or with a side of sauerkraut!
Storage Tips
You can store leftover brats in a sealed container and keep them in the fridge. They will last for up to 3 days.
You can eat the leftovers cold… but they are much tastier heated up. For this, you can put them back in the air fryer for a few minutes or microwave them – it’s really up to you.
Related Recipes
For more great air fryer meat recipes, check out these tasty classics:
- Homemade Air Fried Meatballs
- Hamburgers in the Air Fryer (Homemade)
- Chicken Sausages in the Air Fryer
- Air Fried Chicken Thighs

Air Fryer Brats
Ingredients
- 5 brats
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 360 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Once the air fryer is hot, add the brats. Remember to leave some space between them to allow for even cooking.
- Cook the brats for 12-16 minutes (this can vary by air fryer and the thickness of the sausage). Remember to flip them at the halfway mark (after approx. 7 minutes). The internal temperature should be 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Once cooked through, remove the brats and serve with mustard and/or ketchup on their own, on a crusty bun, or with a side of sauerkraut!
Notes
- There are many brands out there that make Bratwurst. We used Johnsonville regular bratwürste and they cook really nicely in the air fryer.
- There might be white smoke coming out of the air fryer since these sausages have a high fat content. To reduce the likelihood of this happening, it is important to use a clean air fryer. Make sure to watch it as the sausages cook. This is especially important when making brats in the air fryer for the first time. We don’t usually have any issues – but once again, every air fryer is slightly different.
Nutrition
This nutritional information has been estimated by an online nutrition calculator. It should only be seen as a rough calculation and not a replacement for professional dietary advice.