Made with just peppers, onions, bratwurst, and beer these Slow Cooker Beer Brats are one of the easiest bratwurst recipes around. Serve these tender, juicy brats on a bun with your favorite toppings for an easy dinner or put out a toppings bar for game day with friends!
We like to enjoy these with a refreshing moscow mule. Easily whip up one or a big batch for a group.
An Easy Beer Brats Recipe
Crockpot beer brats are the definition of a “dump and go” dinner – add everything to the crockpot, turn it on, and come back hours later to a meal ready to be served. This easy beer brats recipe is truly one of the easiest slow cooker recipes around.
Cooking brats in a lot of liquid for a lengthy amount of time will slightly change up the texture, but not in a bad way. You won’t get that crisp bite like if they were grilled, but the brats will be super tender and taste wonderful from absorbing the flavors of the liquid.
These are great for a casual dinner with friends, game day get-togethers, or small gatherings. Quick, easy, and everyone loves them!
Ingredients Needed
This beer brats recipe requires just 4 ingredients, plus seasonings.
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for details and measurements.)
- Bratwurst – These can be found in the meat section of most stores. Johnsonville is a popular brand but there are others.
- Onions – Either sweet or yellow onions are great for this.
- Peppers – I use both yellow, red, and green peppers to add some color to the dish and a little depth to the flavor.
- Seasonings – Salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- Beer – See below for notes on the best beer to use.
What’s The Best Type of Beer to Use?
Honestly, just use whatever beer you enjoy drinking. I wouldn’t use a fancy microbrew that costs an arm and a leg, as it won’t make that much difference in flavor. I like using something I wouldn’t mind drinking but on the lighter side. Any ale would work great in this recipe.
Recipe Variations
There’s not much to making this super easy slow cooker recipe but here are a few ways to change it up.
- Can I make these without beer? While they technically won’t be beer brats anymore, yes, you can make this recipe without beer. Just use chicken broth instead of beer. You may also want to add some extra seasoning as the beer does give the brats lots of flavor.
- Add more garlic. If you’re a big fan of garlic, in addition to the garlic powder, you can go ahead and add some whole cloves or minced to this recipe.
- Add some heat. If you want, you can add some sliced jalapenos in with the other peppers to kick up the heat just a bit.
How to Make Beer Brats
Making crockpot beer brats could not be easier.
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for details and measurements.)
- Add ingredients to the slow cooker. Add the bratwurst then dump the peppers and onions on top. Pour the beer over everything.
- Cook. Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours.
- Serve. Enjoy at is or with buns and your favorite hot dog spreads.
Topping Ideas
Beer brats are typically served on a bun with the peppers and onions they were cooked with, plus your favorite toppings. You could also cut them in thirds and serve on dinner rolls as sliders. Or forget the bread entirely and keep it a low carb meal.
My favorite topping for these brats is good-quality mustard but you can use ketchup, relish, cheese, or even wasabi mayo. Basically anything you would top a hot dog with works for these brats. I tend to put a few different things on the table and let everyone choose what they prefer.
How to Store & Reheat Leftovers
- How to store leftovers. Remove the extra beer from the pot then place the brats and onion mixture in an airtight container in the fridge. They’ll last for up to 4 days.
- How to reheat. You can easily reheat these in the microwave. You could also throw them on the grill, though be sure to just heat them through and not overcook them.
More Easy Crockpot Recipes:
- Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas
- Pulled Pork
- Honey Garlic Chicken
- Grape Jelly Meatballs
- Little Smokies Recipe
- Slow Cooker Beef Stew
- Taco Soup
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
Beer Brats
Ingredients
- 10 brats
- 2 medium onions (sliced)
- 1 yellow bell pepper (seeds and ribs removed, sliced)
- 1 red bell pepper (seeds and ribs removed, sliced)
- 1 green bell pepper (seeds and ribs removed, sliced)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 36 ounces beer
Instructions
- Spray a 6-quart slow cooker with nonstick spray.
- Place all the ingredients into the slow cooker.
- Put the lid on and cook on low for 8 hours (or high for 4 hours.)
- Enjoy as is or with buns and your favorite toppings.
Love the idea of cutting them in thirds and serving as sliders. I’m going to do this for the super bowl. Thank you!