It takes only a few minutes to make perfect Instant Pot Brats, so why not do it the easy way by cooking your brats in the Instant Pot!

The Instant Pot Brats turn out perfectly tender and juicy, with no flavor lost to the grill. You can even brown them in the Instant Pot on sauté mode before cooking, so they have that browned, crispy exterior you expect.
When we’re grilling in the summer, especially for a big family barbecue, cooking brats in the Instant Pot is a great way to get more food on the table quickly, without the need to cook them forever on the grill.
Susan says: While I’m sauteing the brats I throw in fat slices of onion. I keep the onions in a bowl while the brats cook under pressure then load up the rolls with yummy caramelized onions!! This is a super easy way to make brats, thanks!
Cinda Stocks says: VERY good; it beat standing outside on the grill (32º now) I grilled some fresh veggies while the brats cooked and served them together. YUM!
» You might also like Easy Instant Pot Baby Back Ribs.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Brats – We use Johnsonville brats.
- Water or beer – Beer will impart more flavor to the brats but water works just as good.
There are many kinds of brats to choose from. We almost always use Johnsonville brats because they’re plump and tasty, and they come in many different flavors. The cheddar ones are a family favorite because you get a burst of cheese in every bite.
Equipment Needed
- Instant Pot – I use a 6-quart Instant Pot Plus to make all of my recipes. If you’re using an 8-quart pot, you will need to adjust the amount of liquid accordingly, as it requires more than the 6 quart to build steam.
- Trivet – If you don’t have a trivet, you can use a steamer basket. It just needs to be raised up out of the water.
- Kitchen tongs: It’s very easy to remove food from your air fryer with kitchen tongs. I use these kitchen tongs that are silicon coated so they don’t scratch the interior.
- Meat thermometer: The only way to tell if meat is fully cooked to the right temperature is to use a meat thermometer. I use this Instant Read thermometer.

Possible Toppings
You can eat the brats on their own with a little stone ground mustard on the side, or you can put them in buns with some toppings. Everyone loves the toppings.
Brats really are a blank slate for great flavor. Here are some ideas to spruce up your brats.
- Sauerkraut
- Cole Slaw
- Ketchup & mustard
- Sautéed onions & peppers
- Air Fryer onions
- Chili
- BBQ Sauce
- Cooked cabbage
How to Cook Brats in the Instant Pot
As you can imagine, it’s a pretty easy operation. Here are the steps to take:
- Sear the brats on sauté mode for about 2 minutes per side. You can skip this step if you plan to grill the brats after cooking them.
- Remove the brats from the pot. Pour a cup of water into the inner pot and deglaze the browned bits off the bottom.
- Insert the trivet. Set the brats on the trivet.
- Press the pressure cook button (on high) and set the time to 6 minutes.
- Manually release the pressure and check that the brats reached 165° F internal temperature.
- Serve hot.
Brats should have an internal temperature of 165° F to be safe to eat. It is okay for there to be a slight pink inside as long as they are up to the correct temperature. They should be a light golden brown when done. If they are leathery and wrinkled then they are overcooked.

Can I Cook Frozen Brats?
Yes, you can cook the brats from frozen in the Instant Pot. You won’t be able to sauté them beforehand because they’re frozen, so skip the sauté step and go directly to cooking for 6 minutes. When the brats are done, pour out the water and sauté the brats to brown them.
It will take an additional 2 minutes to cook frozen brats in the Instant Pot, so be sure to set the time to 8 minutes instead of 6.
Helpful Tips
- You can cook as many brats in the Instant Pot as you want at a time, as long as you don’t go above the fill line. Stack them on top of each other, or stand them up.
- If you want to add a bit of additional flavor, try using a cup of beer instead of water in the Instant Pot. The beer imparts a unique flavor into the brats as they cook. I suggest using a lager for this.
- Try other cooking liquids like broth or apple juice.
- Don’t poke holes in the brats before putting them in the Instant Pot. If you’re used to doing this so the brats don’t split open when being cooked on the stove top or grill, you don’t need to do that in the Instant Pot. If you do, they’ll lose some of their juices while cooking.
- Be careful when pouring water into the Instant Pot after having sauté mode on. Hot steam will rise up and can burn you. I recommend turning off sauté mode as soon as the brats are browned, wait a minute for heat to dissipate, then pour in the water.

What To Serve With Instant Pot Brats
You can serve this dish with any side dish you like. That’s the best part – they go with everything.
Try serving them with these sides that you can also make in the Instant Pot:
Questions About the Recipe
What beer is best for cooking brats?
The beer imparts a unique flavor into the brats as they cook. I suggest using a lager for this, something with a fresh mild flavor. Experiment and try other kinds of beer to see what you enjoy the most.
What can I use in place of the beer?
Try other cooking liquids like broth, water, or apple juice.
Do I have to use a trivet?
You don’t have to but we highly recommend that you do. You really want the brats to steam not boil.
Do I have to brown the brats before cooking?
No you don’t. If you are running behind you can just pressure cook them. But keep in mind that sautéing them until brown does add a lot of flavor.
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Instant Pot Brats
Note: Made in a 6-qt Instant Pot
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon (14 g) butter
- 5 Brats 1 package
- 1 cup (236.59 ml) water or beer
Instructions
- Turn on sauté mode. Add butter to the Instant Pot and saute the brats for 2 minutes per side.
- Turn off machine and remove the brats. Pour the water into the bottom of the pot and deglaze any browned bits. Insert the trivet.
- Place the brats on the trivet. Lock the lid and set the vent to seal.
- Set the Instant Pot to Pressure Cook on high for 6 minutes then manually release the pressure.
- Test the internal temperature of the brats to make sure it reached 165° F (74° C).
Notes
- Be careful when pouring water into the Instant Pot after having the sauté mode on. Hot steam will come up and can burn you.
Nutrition
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Angela is a talented home cook and an expert at creating delicious, nutritious meals that can be prepared quickly and easily using an Instant Pot.
While I’m sauteing the brats I throw in fat slices of onion. I keep the onions in a bowl while the brats cook under pressure then load up the rolls with yummy caramelized onions!! This is a super easy way to make brats, thanks!
Love that tip, thanks Susan!
Worked pretty good. Trying to figure out what peppers I’m supposed to check the internal temperature on.????
Hi Brian, thanks for pointing out the typo. Hope you enjoyed the brats!
VERY good; it beat standing outside on the grill (32º now) I grilled some fresh veggies while the brats cooked and served them together. YUM!
So glad you enjoyed them, Cinda!
any ideas on what to do with the beer liquid at the end? I threw in two cans of beer and it’s a lovely savory smell that could be turned into soup.
Use as broth to make a beer potato soup! Yum!
That sounds like a great idea!
Quick and easy it is to make. Perfect for busy weeknight dinners!
This recipe has definitely become a family favorite!
Do I need to brown the brats before placing them in the Instant Pot, or can I skip that step?
If you are in a hurry you can definitely skip that step. They will taste great either way.
So easy, I love this recipe!
Mine came out with a little bit of pink on the inside. Is that ok?
It is okay for there to be slightly pink inside as long as they are up to the correct temperature. Brats should have an internal temperature of 165° F to be safe to eat.
I love cooking brats with beer. Great combination.
We agree!
Love brats in the IP! If I want to do the Johnsonville cooker stadium beats, how long would I do them for?
Rachel, you can use the same cooking time. Sauté them and then cook on high for 6 minutes.
Love my Instapot, but will stick with my electric Johnsonville Sizzling Sausage Grill.
Fully automatic and fast!
Grilling brats is great too.
Love bratwurst in the Insta pot. My first time this morning and there’s not a bunch of splatters everywhere on the stove top of it and they looked delicious. Thank you.
I absolutely agree! Enjoy!