Sausage connoisseurs the world over love a good bratwurst. However, what do you top yours with? What are the best bratwurst toppings?

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There are so many fantastic and delicious ways to top a good quality bratwurst!

Here’s 14 tasty ideas for the next time you’re cooking this delicious German sausage.

Sauerkraut

Sauerkraut is definitely one of the more traditional accompaniments to a good quality bratwurst that you’ll find on any list!

It’s a classic for a good reason, as the fermented cabbage adds a really authentic German flavor to any sausage – being one of the most well-known and popular German foods.

Sauerkraut is of course a bit of an acquired taste, but those who like it will pile as much of it as they can onto any sausage they can get their hands on!

For some people, a bratwurst with sauerkraut is a match made in heaven.

Kimchi

For those looking for a topping with similar qualities to sauerkraut, why not consider kimchi on your bratwurst? This Korean staple will give your delicious sausage a similar tang to that provided by sauerkraut, as they’re both fermented products.

Kimchi is an absolutely delicious food if you’ve got the taste for it, and will make an absolutely fantastic addition to your bratwurst!

There are so many different ways of making kimchi too, meaning that you’re always going to have new options for toppings if you start enjoying what kimchi has to offer.

Onions

Onions are of course a staple side to any sausage or hot dog! They go so well together that many people would consider a sausage without onions only half done.

There are so many different ways that you can use onions too! You can fry them, grill them, mix them with other vegetables, and even use them raw if you’re particularly adventurous!

They’re something you should definitely pick up next time you’re going to be cooking some bratwurst, as most people will agree that you can’t go wrong with a bit of onion to go with your sausage.

Mustard

If you love mustard, then this is probably already top of your list, and you’ll likely have at least one sort of mustard already!

There are so many different types of mustard too – you’ll have so many options if you like mustard that you could fill your entire kitchen with different types.

You can also mix mustard with other sauces, such as mayo or ketchup. You’ve got a practically infinite amount of flavorings you could add to your hot dog this way!

Ketchup

Ketchup hardly needs any introduction at all! Practically every household will have at least one bottle of ketchup in the kitchen.

There are of course so many different brands and types of ketchup too – it’s highly likely you’ve got a favorite.

However, it’s possible that there are some people out there who have genuinely never had ketchup – right?

If you’ve never tried bratwurst and ketchup, then what are you waiting for? This is practically food 101 – so no excuses, get some bratwurst and ketchup immediately!

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Chili Con Carne

Why not, really? If you love bratwurst, and love chili, then can you really think of a good reason not to try the two together?

They’re both absolutely delicious, and a great chili and a great bratwurst are going to be a perfect match for each other.

You could also use the chili as the topping for your bratwurst hot dog, instead of a sauce… Yeah, your mouth is watering already, right?

If you’ve got your very own favorite chili recipe, you should definitely start thinking of all the different ways that you could use it with some delicious bratwurst!

Coleslaw

It’s probably no surprise that coleslaw is a tasty and popular topping for bratwurst.

After all, it hails from the Netherlands, which neighbors Germany – and it’s not completely dissimilar to sauerkraut either!

You either love coleslaw, or you really, really don’t. If you’re in the former camp, then this should be a no-brainer for you – they’ll go perfectly together!

And if you’re not a fan – well, maybe the fantastic meaty bratwurst will help to change your mind. However, you’re more likely to want one of the many other toppings instead!

Cheese

This one pretty much sells itself. Cheese is one of those foods that you can seemingly pair with anything at all.

In fact, you can pretty much overpower any single ingredient entirely if you use enough cheese – and for some people, enough cheese isn’t anywhere near enough cheese.

There’s no point at all listing the different cheeses you could use on your bratwurst – as the list contains literally every cheese ever made.

Really, you can do whatever you want here – throw as much cheese as you feel like onto your bratwurst. You probably didn’t even need to be told that!

Peppers

This means any type of pepper at all! If all you’re after is something refreshing and light to accompany your bratwurst, then bell peppers can be a good choice, especially when mixed in a sauce or used to top a bratwurst hot dog.

They’ve got no spice at all to them, so don’t worry if you don’t like the heat!

However, if you want it spicy, then there are of course plenty of peppers that you can use to accompany or top your bratwurst – or use to make a deliciously spicy sauce!

Pesto

German and Italian cuisine might not seem like natural bedfellows, but good pesto has a habit of adding a lot of great flavor and character to almost any type of meat!

Bratwurst is no exception – and with many different types of pesto available, you have lots of different flavors to try! You can of course make your own pesto at home, too!

You could also consider using bratwurst as the meat in a pasta dish flavored with pesto!

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Chutney

There are so many different chutneys out there in the world that you will never, ever be short of different ways to flavor your bratwurst.

Mango chutney, apple and onion chutney, tomato chutney, beetroot and orange chutney.. Frankly, we’re not even scratching the surface here!

Suffice to say that if it grows on a plant and you can eat it, there’s probably a chutney made from it, or at least incorporating it.

You’ve pretty much got the entire world of flavor to add when you start getting into chutneys!

BBQ Sauce

If you’re an avid barbecue fanatic, then this is another one that barely needs saying to you.

Suffice to say that if you’ve got a favorite BBQ sauce, then you’ll be armed and ready with it any time a bratwurst comes near you!

No matter what your favorite BBQ sauce is, it’s practically guaranteed to go well with a bratwurst.

You pretty much cannot go wrong with this idea. If you’re already got an array of BBQ sauces, then you might as well try them all out!

Hot Sauce

Definitely a great choice for anyone who’s a fan of the spicier side of food! Your favorite hot sauce is going to make such a fantastic accompaniment to any bratwurst.

Whether you like your hot sauce to be mild, or you prefer them to put you in serious danger of breathing fire, you’ll find that a hot sauce goes amazingly with this delicious German sausage.

And, of course, a dash of hot sauce can livin up any of the other toppings too!

Mayo

Mayonnaise is a really popular topping for bratwurst! It works well on its own, of course – and there are so many different brands, flavors, and varieties of mayo available.

It can also be mixed with other sauces too! If you like the idea, try mixing mayo with ketchup, or mustard – or maybe all three! You can also mix mayo with your favorite hot sauce too, to spice it up a little bit!

RELATED: 25 Chili Toppings For Your Chili Bar

Frequently Asked Questions

Where Does Bratwurst Come From?

Bratwurst is a delicious sausage that comes from Germany!

There is evidence of bratwurst existing as early as 1313 in Nuremberg – unsurprising, when you consider that sausages have existed in some form or other since around 200AD!

What Does “Bratwurst” Mean?

Well, let’s get the easy part out of the way first!

The “-wurst” part of the word is really simple to explain – it means sausage! Anytime you see a food name that has “-wurst” in it – rotwurst, weisswurst, bratwurst, for instance – then you can tell without needing to see it that it’s a sausage!

The “Brat-“ part of the word is a little more complex. The word “Brat” comes from an Old High German word “brät” – which means finely chopped meat.

However, modern use of the word “bratwurst” carries associations of the verb “braten”, which means to fry or roast.

What Is Bratwurst Made Of?

Well, obviously (now that you know about the word “wurst”!), bratwurst is a sausage.

More specifically, it’s a meat sausage – and there are a few different types of meat that can be used to make it.

Normally, a bratwurst is made from pork. However, bratwurst can also be made from veal or beef!

Conclusion

Of course, this is just scratching the surface of possible toppings – after all, if you can eat it, chances are there’s a way you can figure out how to get it on a sausage!

However, these are all fantastic places to start – and you’ll get a deliciously flavorful meaty treat with every one of them!

14 Best Bratwurst Toppings

What’s the best topping for your bratwurst? Find out just what’s the best thing you can put on this delicious German sausage, right here!

Ingredients

Sauerkraut
Kimchi
Onions
Mustard
Ketchup
Chili Con Carne
Coleslaw
Cheese
Peppers
Pesto
Chutney
BBQ Sauce
Hot Sauce
Mayo

Directions

Pick a recipe from the list above
Click the recipe name and visit the website
Collect the ingredients and cook the food
Enjoy – don’t forget to leave a review

Recipe Video

Author
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Jess Smith

Hi, my name is Jess Smith, and I love cooking in my spare time. Around three years ago, I decided to give up my day job as a teacher to pursue my passion for food. While I have enjoyed sharing tips and tricks on Social Media, I have decided to expand my horizons through this blog.

Through this blog I hope to help others learn the basics and more intricate details of cooking. I know from personal experience how frustrating it can be to cook a meal, only to realize you are missing one ingredient from your list. This is why I love to write articles chatting readers through some great substitutes that can be used in an emergency.

I hope you will find this blog useful, and that it will help you to develop your culinary skills, to help you cook up a storm!