When I need a dinner that practically cooks itself, slow cooker bratwursts are one of my favorite back-pocket meals. Using raw bratwursts gives you that juicy, flavorful sausage texture without much effort, and the simple combination of sausage, peppers, onions, and beer turns into a hearty dinner with almost no prep. It is the kind of recipe that works especially well on a busy weekday when you want something warm and satisfying waiting at dinnertime.
Serve these bratwursts on toasted buns with plenty of the softened peppers and onions piled on top, or skip the bun and plate them with mashed potatoes, roasted potatoes, or buttered egg noodles. A little whole grain mustard on the side is always a good idea, and if you want to round things out, a crisp slaw or simple green salad balances the richness nicely.
4-Ingredient Slow Cooker Bratwursts
Servings: 6
Ingredients
6 raw bratwursts
Directions
1. Place the raw bratwursts in the bottom of your slow cooker in a single layer as much as possible.
2. Scatter the diced bell peppers and diced onion over the bratwursts.
3. Pour the beer over everything, then cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours, until the bratwursts are fully cooked and the vegetables are tender.
4. Serve the bratwursts hot with the peppers and onions spooned over the top, either on buns or plated with your favorite sides.
Variations & Tips
Make it sweeter: If you like that classic sweet-and-savory brat flavor, use one red bell pepper and one yellow bell pepper. The sweeter peppers mellow even more as they cook and make the whole dish taste a little richer.
Use a different cooking liquid: If you do not want to cook with beer, you can swap in chicken broth or even apple cider for a different flavor profile. Broth keeps it savory, while cider adds a subtle sweetness that works really well with pork bratwursts.
Brown for extra flavor: The recipe is designed to be easy enough to dump and go, but if you have 10 extra minutes, browning the bratwursts in a skillet before adding them to the slow cooker will give you deeper color and a more grilled-style flavor.
Meal prep tip: I like to dice the peppers and onion the night before and store them in the fridge, so in the morning all I have to do is add everything to the crock. That tiny bit of prep makes this feel especially doable on a workday.
Serving idea: Leftover bratwursts slice up really well for next-day lunches. Tuck them into hoagie rolls, add them to breakfast potatoes, or serve them over rice with some of the cooking juices spooned on top.
