25+ Side Dishes to Serve with Brats: Flavorful Pairings for Every Grill

Wondering what to serve with brats? Whether you’re grilling bratwurst on a bun, making beer brats, or serving bratwurst with sauerkraut, these side ideas will make your meal memorable. From hearty potatoes to light salads and flavorful toppings, here are a variety of options to pair with brats so you’ll never have to wonder what to serve again.

Two plates with beer brats in buns topped with onions, peppers, and mustard, two beers and small bowls of grainy mustard and onions are on the right.

Brats work with so many sides: salads, potatoes, slaws, and grilled vegetables all complement the rich, savory flavors. Below I’ve grouped favorite pairings into categories—potatoes, salads, vegetables, appetizers, and toppings—so you can mix and match depending on the season and mood.

Potatoes and potato salad sides for bratwurst

A bratwurst dinner feels incomplete without a potato side. These options range from creamy to crispy and pair perfectly with grilled sausages.

Dill Potato Salad

Creamy and tangy, dill potato salad blends mayo and sour cream for a rich, cooling side that contrasts nicely with hot, grilled brats.

Pesto Potato Salad

An Italian twist on potato salad: herbaceous pesto brightens the potatoes and adds a fresh, savory note that pairs well with smoky sausages.

Crispy Potato Pancakes

Ukrainian potato pancakes topped with sour cream and dill.

Grated potato pancakes fried until crisp make a fantastic European-inspired side. Serve with sour cream or applesauce for a tasty contrast.

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

A bowl of mashed potatoes topped with roasted garlic cloves and fresh thyme.

Simple, creamy mashed potatoes flavored with roasted garlic are comforting and pair especially well with a more traditional bratwurst dinner.

Oven Roasted Potatoes

Crispy roasted potatoes seasoned with salt and pepper on a sheet tray.

Crispy on the outside and creamy inside, these roast alongside the grill and are an easy, crowd-pleasing side.

Salads to serve with brats

Salads bring brightness and balance to a bratwurst meal. Try these refreshing, globally inspired salads to complement the rich meat.

Creamy Cucumber Salad

A Hungarian-style cucumber salad made with sour cream and dill. Lightly pickled cucumbers add a cool, herb-forward counterpoint to hot brats.

Raw Zucchini Salad with Lemon Caper Vinaigrette

Thinly sliced raw zucchini tossed with lemon, capers, and herbs makes a bright, summery salad that’s ready in minutes.

Garbanzo Bean Salad with Tomato and Cucumber

A large and a small wooden plate of garbanzo bean salad.

Quick to assemble from canned chickpeas, fresh veggies, herbs, and crumbled feta—this protein-packed salad is a satisfying, easy side.

Nectarine Salad with Tomatoes and Herbs

Sweet nectarines and juicy tomatoes combine with a honey-red wine vinegar dressing for a refreshing sweet-savory salad that pairs elegantly with grilled sausage.

Ottolenghi Green Bean Salad

Fresh green bean salad with red peppers, capers and herbs on a plate.

Green beans, red pepper, capers, and fresh herbs tossed in lemon make a bright, herbaceous accompaniment that cuts through rich sausages.

Mango Slaw

Crunchy cabbage with sweet mango and a ginger-lime dressing gives a tropical twist to traditional slaw—great with spicy or smoky brats.

Corn and Shishito Pepper Salad with Lime Dressing

Fresh corn salad on gray plates next to cilantro and squeezed limes.

Fresh corn and blistered shishitos tossed with lime and herbs bring smoky, bright, and slightly spicy flavors to the plate.

Italian Mixed Greens Salad

An insalata mista (Italian mixed salad) on a wooden plate with gold serving utensils.

A simple insalata mista tossed with balsamic vinaigrette lets the brat take center stage—try serving a sliced brat on top of the greens for an effortless one-plate meal.

Strawberry Arugula Salad

Sweet strawberries, peppery arugula, and fresh herbs like basil and mint make a lively summer salad that works beautifully alongside grilled sausages.

Traditional Greek Salad

Chunks of tomato, cucumber, olives, and big pieces of feta deliver a crisp, briny salad that complements rich bratwursts without relying on lettuce.

Sugar Snap Pea Salad

Crunchy snap peas and peppery radishes tossed with a lemony yogurt dressing make a crisp springtime side that’s light and refreshing.

Peach Salad with Prosciutto and Mozzarella

Peach salad in a white bowl with gold serving utensils in it.

Juicy peaches with prosciutto and fresh mozzarella dressed in basil vinaigrette offer a sweet-savory option that feels special with grilled brats.

Grilled Vegetable Salad with Charred Lemon Vinaigrette

Roasted vegetable salad with charred lemon vinaigrette includes grilled beets and asparagus, and goat cheese.

Grill vegetables and char a lemon to make a smoky vinaigrette—serve the grilled veg alongside your brats for a cohesive, smoky meal.

Vegetable bratwurst side dishes

Vegetable sides add texture, color, and flavor contrast to bratwurst. These recipes keep things interesting and seasonal.

Corn Cakes with Jalapeño and Cilantro

Corn cakes with a bowl of guasacaca on a wooden plate.

Pillowy corn cakes with jalapeño and cilantro bring a touch of southwestern flavor and are excellent with grilled sausages.

Sautéed Beet Greens

Don’t discard beet greens—sautéed with garlic and red pepper they cook quickly and provide a flavorful, leafy side instead of sauerkraut.

Charred Broccoli with Calabrian Chile, Feta and Lemon Yogurt Sauce

Charred broccoli with Calabrian chili paste on a grey and white plate.

Charred broccoli tossed with spicy Calabrian chile paste, feta, and lemony yogurt gives smoky heat and creaminess that complements grilled brats.

Southern Corn Succotash

Succotash topped with fresh basil in a black skillet.

Sweet corn, lima beans, and summer vegetables make a classic succotash that’s great for barbecues or cozy indoor dinners with sausages.

Roasted Beets with Goat Cheese and Orange Vinaigrette

A plate of oven-roasted beets with goat cheese, orange vinaigrette, and mint.

Warm roasted beets tossed in orange vinaigrette and topped with goat cheese and mint deliver a bright, elegant side that contrasts nicely with hearty sausages.

Appetizers

If you prefer snacks with your brats, chips-and-dip or a platter of spreads and crudités can make a relaxed, tasty meal.

Dill Pickle Dip

A tangy dill pickle dip served with wavy chips is an easy, craveable companion for grilled beer brats.

Elote Dip (Mexican Street Corn Dip)

Elote dip in a blue bowl topped with cotija cheese and garnished with lime wedges and fresh cilantro.

Elote dip combines corn, mayo, sour cream, cotija, and lime for a creamy, zesty dip that can also double as a side.

Old Fashioned Pimento Cheese

Pimento cheese dip in a red bowl on a round wooden tray.

Classic pimento cheese is a Southern favorite at backyard parties—serve with crackers or veggies for an indulgent appetizer.

Bratwurst toppings and condiments

Toppings transform a brat. Beyond the usual onions and mustard, try a few of these creative condiments to elevate your sausage.

Obatzda German Cheese Spread

A Bavarian cheese spread made with beer and paprika—rich and spreadable, it’s excellent on a bun in place of standard condiments.

Quick Refrigerator Pickles

A small jar of quick pickles, two whole cucumbers are on the left.

Homemade quick pickles add crisp acidity and crunch to a brat—easy to make and much brighter than store-bought spears.

Fresh Mango Habanero Salsa

A bowl of mango habanero salsa surrounded by blue corn tortilla chips.

Spicy-sweet mango habanero salsa brings tropical heat and brightness—great spooned over grilled brats for a bold flavor combo.

Blistered Shishito Peppers

Quickly blistered shishitos bring a smoky, slightly charred pepper flavor—chop them as a topping or serve whole alongside your brats.

If you enjoyed these ideas, consider leaving a rating in the recipe card and sign up for newsletters to get recipes delivered to your inbox. Thank you!