Air Fryer Cheddar Brats

This was a very busy week for me. I had so much homework to get done that I didn’t have the time to cook. With college classes being virtual due to Covid, it seems like teachers think they can give us all this extra busy work as if our schedules aren’t hectic enough. I decided to make an incredibly easy and low maintenance meal this week for those who are struggling to balance their packed schedules.

When it comes to the debate of brats vs hamburgers, I am most definitely a brat person. There's something about a juicy brat that makes hamburgers seem bleh. I found this Air Fryer Brat recipe on Pinterest that I knew I just had to try. I, however, put a twist on this recipe and used cheddar brats instead (so much better). Making brats in the air fryer is way easier than I thought!

Cheddar brats surprisingly cook super fast - it only took 15 minutes! These brats came out nice and golden on the outside and full of juice and melted cheddar on the inside. There was no mess with this recipe unlike cooking brats on the stove top.

Ingredients:

• A 5 pack of cheddar brats - $4.48 from Walmart

• Hotdog buns - $1.66 from Walmart

• Mustard (or ketchup) - $1.00 from Walmart

Directions:

1. Line the bottom of your air fryer with aluminum oil (this prevents the cheese from the brats from getting all over the bottom of your air fryer)

2. Poke 3-4 holes in each brat with a toothpick

3. Place the brats on the aluminum foil and cook for 15 minutes on 350 degrees, flipping the brats at about 7 minutes

4. Check the temperature of the brats with a thermometer. Brats should be 160 degrees or higher when fully cooked.

Prep Time: 2 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Wa-la! This recipe is as simple as that. Once the brats are done, put them on a hotdog bun with your choice of condiment and enjoy! I choose french fries as my side since they didn’t require much work, but if you have the time and want a healthier side, I recommend trying this pasta salad recipe. I tried this pasta salad recipe over the summer last year for a pool party and everyone loved it!

The best thing about this recipe is that the brats only take 15 minutes to cook, so lunch or dinner is ready in a flash! I feel silly calling this a “recipe” since it’s so easy, but it is helpful to know how long to cook brats in the air fryer and what temperature to cook them. The good thing about brats is that you can put a variety of different toppings on them like onions, peppers, chili, nacho cheese, etc.

Another great thing about this recipe is that you have leftovers for the rest of the week. You can even reheat leftover brats in your air fryer. I love cooking meals where I have leftovers because it's basically like I meal-prepped for the week. If you’re a college student and come across this recipe, I understand that it's not always easy worrying about your nutrition.

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