This post may contain affiliate links.
The best and easy way to cook brats is in the air fryer. Our Cheddar Brats in the Air Fryer recipe uses just 1 ingredient and are ready in about 12 minutes!
If you are looking for the best way for cooking cheese brats, then you have come to the right place. All you need is a package of brats for today’s recipe for Cheddar Brats in the Air Fryer.
We love bratwurst. I’m always thinking up new cooking methods, speedy ones for when I’m in a pinch, and air frying just gets the job done.
Lily loves cheddar brats, as do Jeremy and I, so we almost always have a package on hand.
I’ve found that the fastest and easiest way, by far, to cook them is in the air fryer.
I mostly love the hands-off approach; you place the raw brats in the basket, turn them once while cooking, and they’re done.
This recipe works for different flavors of brats, but we really love the cheddar brats! Air frying helps to crisp up the outside, making them extra delicious, similar to a hot grill char.
Our Air Fryer Brats recipe is so easy, you will wonder why you never cooked them this way before!
Some of our other favorite air fryer recipes we have on our site include: The Best Air Fryer Bubba Burgers, Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Tenders, and Air Fryer Salmon Recipe.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
- Only 1 ingredient is needed!
- Ready in 12 minutes or under.
- Perfect for a snack or quick meal, or use in your favorite recipes that call for cooked brats
INGREDIENTS NEEDED (SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST FOR THE FULL RECIPE CARD):
- Johnsonville Cheddar Brats (or your favorite brats brand)
HOW TO MAKE JOHNSONVILLE CHEDDAR BRATS IN THE AIR FRYER:
- Preheat the air fryer to 390°F for 5 minutes.
- Arrange the uncooked brats in a single layer, not touching to the air fryer basket, depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to cook in batches.
- Cook for 10-12 minutes, until an internal temperature reaches 160°F, flipping halfway through.
- The brats may split open slightly, but that’s okay. Add the Johnsonville brats to your favorite recipes or in hot dog buns with your favorite toppings and serve.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS RECIPE:
DO I HAVE TO USE COOKING SPRAY?
With this recipe, you do not need cooking spray or olive oil spray that we normally use.
The fat in the brats helps them not stick to the basket, so we can skip that step.
WHAT CAN I TOP THESE WITH?
So many things! Some of our favorite great toppings are:
- Grilled onions
- Yellow mustard or spicy mustard
- Green bell peppers, we like to char them or roast peppers in the oven
- More cheese – shredded cheddar or process cheddar cheese like cheez whiz will work.
Any toppings that you put on hot dogs would also be great! You can’t go wrong with these delicious brats.
WHAT TO SERVE THESE WITH?
Again, we keep it pretty simple. Most of the time we just serve them with chips that we almost normally have on hand in the pantry.
Some other yummy side dishes would be:
- French Fries
- Tater Tots
- Potato Salad
- Pasta Salad
- Baked Beans
- Cole Slaw
HOW DO I KNOW WHEN THEY ARE READY?
You will know the brats are ready when they are golden brown and a digital meat thermometer inserted into the center registers 160 degrees F.
This is the air fryer I use and love:
HOW TO STORE:
Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in the air fryer or microwave until warm.
Freeze for up to 3 months.
Place leftovers in the freezer in a freezer-safe container. To thaw, place the dish in the fridge overnight.
DANA’S TIPS AND TRICKS:
- There is no need for cooking spray, the brats will not stick to the air fryer basket.
- Use as-is in hoagie rolls with toppings or in recipes that need cooked bratwurst sausage.
- These freeze well, see tips above on how to store.
- Remember to flip halfway through to ensure even browning.
Looking for the perfect brats? Try our Easy Johnsonville Cheddar Brats in the air fryer recipe and be amazed at how easy they are to cook!
If you like this recipe, you might also like:
If you’ve tried these JOHNSONVILLE CHEDDAR BRATS IN THE AIR FRYER, let me know how it turned out in the comments! You can follow me over on PINTEREST, INSTAGRAM OR FACEBOOK to find some more of our mouthwatering recipes!
Cheddar Brats in the Air Fryer
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 package cheddar brats
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 390°F for 5 minutes.
- Arrange the uncooked brats in a single layer, not touching to the air fryer basket, depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to cook in batches.
- Cook for 10-12 minutes, until an internal temperature reaches 160°F, flipping halfway through.
- The brats may split open slightly, but that’s okay. Add the Johnsonville brats to your favorite recipes or in hot dog buns with your favorite toppings and serve.
Video
Notes
- There is no need for cooking spray, the brats will not stick to the air fryer basket.
- Use as-is in hoagie rolls with toppings or in recipes that need cooked bratwurst sausage.
- These freeze well, see tips above on how to store.
- Remember to flip halfway through to ensure even browning.
Nutrition
Love This Recipe?
Follow @ThisSillyGirlsKitchen on Instagram and @danadevolk on Pinterest for more!
Followed these instructions. These were very over cooked. When temped, they were well over 200 degrees. They were so chewy, and overdone. It wasn’t the brats either, because they were Johnsonville brand. I’ll find different directions with a lower temp next time!!’
How long did you leave them in at 390°F? Did you flip halfway? When did you temp them?
10 or 12 minutes cooking time is way too long for these Brats. It’s more like five or six minutes total. Perhaps three minutes a side at 390 degrees.