Bratwurst Pasta with Spicy Cream Sauce (Easy Recipe)
Use extra or leftover grilled bratwurst to make this creamy, easy bratwurst pasta. This pasta dish is ready in about 30 minutes and perfect for an easy weeknight dinner!
Bratwurst is a type of German sausage that I did not grow up eating, which is surprising considering my German heritage! It just wasn’t something that my Mom fixed, whether it was a grilled bratwurst on a bun, or a more creative recipe like this bratwurst pasta.
When I married my husband, he quickly discovered that brats weren’t in our regular summer grilling rotation and petitioned me to start buying them!
“Thank you for this!! I made it tonight and it was a huge hit. Easy, quick, and tasty. I think this will be a household staple recipe now.” – Sally
My husband’s family boils brats in beer to keep them nice and juicy and then throws them on the grill to finish them. This method keeps them nice and juicy.
“Turned out amazing! Used whole wheat spaghetti noodles as that’s what I had on hand and added some southwest chipotle seasoning to it to add more of a kick! Possibly one of my new favorites!” – Lacey
“5 stars. Simple to make and very pleasant flavor. Will make again.” – Valerie, Pinterest
Sometimes, I have leftover brats in the fridge from grilling them or making Oven Roasted Bratwurst or Beer Brats. You can always reheat a leftover brat and put it on a bun, but we wanted to do something different with them.
And sometimes, we buy a pack of brats and then we get rained on, so we can’t grill them like we had planned! I created this easy bratwurst pasta recipe to make good use of those extra leftover brats.
“So good! Spicy and delicious! Will definitely make again.” – Lisa
Brats are made for grilling, but all good cooks need a backup plan! This pasta is slightly reminiscent of my creamy Cajun pasta, using many of the same spices you find in creole pasta dishes.
I used rigatoni pasta, but you could truly use whatever pasta you had on hand. But, if you find yourself with more rigatoni in your pantry, I love this Rigatoni al Forno recipe, and my Pasta alla Norma recipe uses rigatoni pasta, too!
Recipe Ingredient Addition Ideas
As always, treat this recipe as a base for your creativity! Here are some suggestions for additions:
- Add mushrooms to the skillet along with the cooked, sliced bratwurst.
- Add fresh herbs towards the end of the cooking time; oregano, basil, parsley and thyme are wonderful additions.
- Add diced vegetables (zucchini and yellow squash are great) when you return the cooked bratwurst to the pan. I have even added leftover brussels sprouts, peas and diced broccoli!
- Add 1/2 of a diced yellow onion and/or bell pepper. Allow to sauté for 2-3 minutes before returning the cooked bratwurst to the skillet.
- Add a handful of fresh spinach towards the end of the cook time.
- Garnish with shredded mozzarella or grated parmesan cheese.
- Substitute pasta water for chicken broth.
“This recipe is so delicious. I added zucchini, yellow squash and onions, plus a bit of heavy cream.” – Alejandra
Recipe Ingredient Substitutions
If you don’t have chicken broth, don’t stress! Save a cup of salted pasta water to use in its place.
Substitute heavy cream for the cream cheese, but you’ll want to go lighter or omit the chicken broth entirely.
Remember, I used rigatoni pasta for this recipe, but using whatever type of pasta you have on hand is a GOOD idea and great way to manage your pantry!
I love using a tube pasta like penne pasta because the sauce gets in the empty cavities, but this will work just fine with any shape.
“Very tasty! A bit spicier than I expected (but I like heat!) and I used smoked sausage instead of brats like she said in the notes.” – Emily, Pinterest
Bratwurst Pasta Serving Suggestions
I think this is one of those easy recipes you can keep on hand for busy weekdays when you’re short on time! Add diced veggies to make it a complete meal.
Or consider serving it for Sunday Supper alongside a side salad and garlic toast.
Storing Leftover Brat Pasta
Leftover pasta can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator! Reheat gently. You may want to add a splash of water or chicken broth before reheating to help the spicy cream sauce loosen up.
I hope that you give this bratwurst pasta recipe a try! It’s truly a reader favorite here. If you do make it, let me know how it went in the comments below.
Easy Bratwurst Pasta
Ingredients
- 16 ounces rigatoni pasta
- 1 pound bratwurst, uncooked
For the creamy sauce:
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes with garlic and onion
- 3/4 cup chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional, see notes below
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook pasta to al dente, according to package instructions.
- In a large skillet, sauté the bratwurst sausage on medium high until cooked through, about ten minutes.
- Slice the cooked sausage into bite-sized pieces and return to the skillet.
- To the skillet, add cream cheese and diced tomatoes, then reduce heat to low. Stir constantly until cream cheese melts.
- Add chicken broth and spices into skillet, stir until well combined.
- Add cooked pasta to skillet, stir to coat the pasta with cream sauce.
- Serve warm.
Video
Notes
If you love this Easy Bratwurst Pasta recipe, I think you’ll also enjoy these easy recipes.
- Creamy Pasta Salad with Burgers Smokehouse Summer Sausage
- Sun Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta
- Healthier Greek Pasta Salad (21 Day Fix Friendly)
- Spicy Cajun Pasta Skillet with Sausage and Tomatoes
- Easy Chicken and Mushroom Pasta with Tomato Cream Sauce
- Crab Linguine Carbonara Pasta
- Amazing Bay Scallops Pasta
- Deep Fried Cajun Turkey
- How to Smoke a Whole Turkey
East Bratwurst Pasta Recipe made with Rigatoni Pasta
I’ve made this before using smoked sausage and it is great. Today I’m trying it with my homemade Italian sausage links.
Now that sounds delicious! I know it’ll be good!
I made this recipe and it was delicious. Will definitely make this again.
I’m so glad you liked it! Thank you.
I cut the bratwurst up before cooking it, used linguine because it’s what I had. Diced half an onion and added minced garlic to diced tomatoes and omitted the cayenne because of kids. It was delicious!
The additions sound great! Thanks Taylor.
My family of 6 loves this recipe which I found searching for a recipe to make with left over bratwurst. I think adding any veggies like broccoli or spinach would be easily incorporated as there is enough sauce. Definitely needs tube pasta!
So glad your family loves it! Thank you!
This for sure is in our regular rotation. We are from Wisconsin so always have brats on hand & nice to have a different recipe for them rather than just having grilled brats ( which are also delish).
So glad you like it Tracy! Definitely on rotation at our house too! 🙂
Delicious and super easy. However, what is considered a serving the nutrition fact are broken down per serving, but there is no clarification on how much a serving is. Is it one cup and a half a cup?
Hi Sam! The nutrition on this recipe is calculated assuming the recipe makes 5 servings. A pound of rigatoni yields about 8 cups of cooked pasta, so just over 1.5 cups per serving would be a good estimate!
Thank you for sharing this! Both the teens love it! I add some spinach in there to get some veggies in there. Other than that, awesome! Easy and QUICK, and pretty cheap 🙂
So glad everyone liked it! Thanks for letting me know.
Awesome! I’m not a brats fan either! Two picky teens LOVED this! It was simple and quick. Thank you so much!
So glad you loved it! This pasta is always a hit (second helpings) with teenagers. I’m not sure why, but I love that they love it! 🙂
My dear wife has a passionate dislike for bratwurst. I had a pack in the freezer and decided to try this recipe. Two helpings later she decided that I should put this into my cookbook. Thanks. Your readers should give this a try, my wife recommends it and so do I!
Pete, you made my day! I have to admit that bratwurst is not my favorite thing either, but I sure do love it in this pasta recipe. I would be so honored if it got a place in your cookbook! 🙂 – Michelle
Hi, I’m getting ready to try this recipe (easy Bratwurst Pasta) I have a question; Do I drain the juice from the 14.5 oz diced tomatoes w/garlic & onions.. Can you e-mail me answer please.
Respectfully requested, John
Hi John! No, you do not need to drain the canned tomatoes. Thanks for asking!
Made this for dinner tonight – it was excellent! I used five cheese tortellini pasta and fire roasted tomatoes with garlic, but otherwise followed the recipe. Will definitely make this again but will add mushrooms and maybe other veggies.
Okay, that sounds amazing! Just added tortellini to my grocery pickup order so I can try it. So glad you liked it!
This easy bratwurst pasta recipe looks like a delicious and comforting meal perfect for a quick dinner!
Thank you Sheenu! I think you’ll enjoy it for sure.
This was a delicious dish. I had leftover grilled brats, added sliced onion and wow! So tasty!
So glad you liked it Maria! It’s a favorite for us for sure!
What a great recipe. This was awesome. Thank you.
I’m so glad you loved it! Thank you! It’s one of our favorites.
This recipe is a family favorite! We make it frequently. Thank you.
This makes my day! So glad you family loves it. Thank you!
First time incorporating bratwurst into a pasta dish and I’m so happy with how the dish turned out. The flavor of the sausage added a unique richness to the dish that I really really enjoyed.
It never occurred to me to make a pasta with bratwurst…such a clever idea. I always have leftover sausage after a grill night. This is the perfect way to put it to use.
Definitely! It’s good with another leftover sausage you need to use up. Glad you enjoyed it Michael!
So delicious! I really loved the creamy sauce! I loved how easy this was to cook as well!
I substituted heavy cream for cream cheese, and the sauce turned creamy without being too heavy. It paired perfectly with the smoky bratwurst.
This was so easy to prepare and made a great weeknight meal! I added mushrooms, which we adore, and it added more texture. Loved this.
The mushrooms sound delish! Great addition, thanks for letting me know how it turned out!
Delicious and very easy. Used bowtie pasta, since this is what I had. The brot. Was made from Venison. Also added diced zucchini and fresh basil, parsley and thyme as suggested.
Donna, I’m so glad it turned out great for you! Your additions sound fantastic, and so does that venison brat!
What a great recipe and so easy to make. Thanks so much. I will definitely be making this again!
Im so excited to make this!!!!! Thank you for the recipe.
Do you think dairy free sour cream would work in place of the cream cheese (my hubbie has dairy allergy)
Hi Kristen! Yes, I do think it would work! I would just add it at the very end of the cook time, maybe over low heat (or no heat) to make sure it doesn’t separate on you!
I make this with Italian sausage and it’s SO SO good!!!!!
That sounds amazing!!! Will try out italian sausage next time we make it!
I had some frozen Costco brats that needed to be eaten and this recipe came up on a quick search. I left out the cayenne since my 5yo doesn’t like spicy things (I worried even the paprika might be too much!) and couldn’t find tomatoes with garlic and onions (only basil, garlic & oregano). I thought about adding some dried minced onion while in the grocery store (but completely forgot when I cooked it).
This turned out fantastic! My 5yo said the sausage (or probably the paprika) was “a little bit spicy” but she still liked it and ate a whole bowl! Even my 3yo ate nearly a whole bowl of it! Definitely printing this out to make again!!
Keith, thank you for the awesome feedback! I’m so glad your family enjoyed the brat pasta! 🙂
Added this new recipe to my all-time favorite pasta recipe collection. So yummy and easy to make. The kids loved it my husband loved it too!
I added crushed red peppers. Red and yellow bell peppers. I think I’ll add mushrooms and fresh basil next time. Very flavorful. Will definitely make again. Made with hearts of palm noodles to keep it low carb. Thanks for the receipt!
make a double batch! My two teenage grandsons will eat the entire pan an ask for more. This is delicious!
Great recipe!!! I used a 1/2 tsp of cayenne pepper. I will cut it back to a 1/4 next time. This is a very flavorful dish and having brats already cooked made it even easier. A definite keeper!
This is absolutely fantastic! Thank you so much for the recipe 😁
I’m not a big fan of leftover grilled brats, or at least I wasn’t before. But this is a game changer (or after-game changer). Delicious!!!
Loved this recipe! We didn’t have any cream cheese, but had half a tub of left-over, shredded parmesan and a couple slices of pepperjack that we used instead. Also added spinach. Served over gluten free penne. Delicious!
Was looking for something to do with left over brats. DELICIOUS!! Used rotelle tomatoes and bow tie pasta. Will definitely make this again!
Yay! I’m so glad you loved it! It’s one of our faves.
Making this right now yummy
I made this with gluten free pasta and cashew milk cream cheese. It was delicious and very filling.
Left a prior comment and forgot to rate…we love this! Has become a favorite of ours and also my four adult children.
I do not typically comment on recipes, but because this one has become such a family favorite I wanted to compliment you on it. The recipe is easy, with few ingredients and is a fantastic comfort food!! I make it as written. My adult children request it routinely (easy to make, but not easy enough for them to make it!! LOL…”never as good as Dad’s!”). In fact, I am making a double batch today to drop for two of them and their families locally. Thx again for sharing!
I added velvetta cheese with the cream cheese and Tony’s seasoning it was awesome. I couldn’t find tomatoes with onions so I sautéed some with butter and garlic. Thank you for this recipe
Hi Amanda! So glad it turned out for you! Your additions sound delish.
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I am making up a bunch of freezer meals for my son and wife who are expecting their first child soon. My son LOVES brats and I was going to try this. Has anyone froze this recipe for reheating?
That is so kind of you! I think it would work since you can freeze cream cheese – I would guess they may want to add some liquid (chicken broth, water) when reheating to help it loosen back up!
I’ve made this several times and all a big hit. Has anyone tried this with sour cream instead of cream cheese?
Deanna, I’m so glad you loved this! I haven’t tried it with sour cream but generally sour cream can be a 1 to 1 sub for cream cheese. I would worry a little about the sour cream separating if you get the heat up super high, so maybe heat on low instead, or add towards the end of the cooking process?
It was a big hit but a little too spicy. I think next time I’m going to cut the cayenne in half or add more cream cheese to cut the heat.
Thanks for the feedback, DeAnna! Yes, cutting the cayenne in half or omitting totally should get that spice level down for you.
I’m getting ready to make this and the “brats” my husband took out for me this am are actually mild Italian sausages….do you think this will work???
Hi Deborah- Oh yes, definitely! It will be delicious with Italian sausage. Good luck!
Looks good. We have brats left over from a brat fry that I need to use.
Side note: Fridays in Wisconsin are Fish Fry’s not brat fry’s. 😉
Hope you enjoy it!
And, thanks for setting me straight! 🙂 I’ve fixed.
This was amazing! We had a whole deer processed into brats and they are so dry they are almost inedible by themselves. I mixed them into this recipe and it made them delicious!
This is high praise! 🙂 Thank you Julie!
This has become a family favorite Thank you!!
Excellent dish! Spicy cream sauce is perfect! I’ll make it all the time!
Drew, I’m so glad you loved it. Thanks for letting me know!
This brat pasta is really flavorful. It has some heat (but not too much) The recipe states that it yields 4 servings but depending on how much you can eat it’s more realistically 6 servings and that’s with larger portions. It’s been in our meal rotation for a while now but I just got around to leaving a review
Hey Deanna- Thanks for letting me know! My husbands a big eater, so I think my portions are always a little skewed. 😉 Glad you all love it and work it into the rotation!
Okay this was a hit! My hubby and son LOVE brats and they both loved this dish equally. I ended up caramelizing half an onion, and braising it with the brats with a can of beer (in true Wisconsinite fashion). When I added the sliced brats back into the pan, I added 3 minced cloves of garlic instead of the called for garlic powder- and I subbed out a whole fresh tomato for the can of diced tomatoes. This was soo delicious!!
Talk about an easy, delicious dinner!! It is a little spicy so cut back on the cayenne if you don’t like spice! Even our 7 month old couldn’t get enough. We added black beans too which was delicious!
Love it! Hubby likes very spicy dishes so I added half a brick of pepper jack cheese and he was in heaven! Thanks so much for this recipe. It’s a keeper!
Lucy, thanks so much for letting me know! Glad you loved it!
It was quick and easy! The WHOLE family loved it! Thanks for making a delicious dinner easy!
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should I drain the tomatoes?
No! No need to drain them, add them juice and all!
This was fantastic, thank you!
So glad you liked it! 🙂 Thanks for letting me know.
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I am so excited to finally find recipes from someone who actually has a spice rack!!! I cook with no less than 6 herbs and spices ever. Can’t wait try this recipe. I will let you know how it turns out.
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WOW, this is a terrific dish. Made it for the first time about six months ago, and it went over so well it’s now a staple. We’re also convinced we could do this as a seafood dish, with crawfish and/or shrimp. Thanks for putting it out there for us to find!
I have to say, as easy as the bratwurst in pasta recipe was it was mighty, mighty tasty. The only issue, I have light weights in my family who can’t handle the spice. I’m going to really enjoy my meal and left overs!!! Thank you!
Haha!!! You can always douse yours with red chili pepper flakes after it’s done! So glad you liked it! 🙂
Thanks for the recipe it is delicious! I used tomatoes with green chiles because that’s all I had on hand. I also added grilled asparagus. It turned out great!
Ooo, thank you for letting me know it worked great with tomatoes with green chiles! That will definitely help other readers that have those on hand! Glad you loved it!
Trying this for dinner. My sauce was a little thin so added some corn starch to thicken it.
This was an easy, excellent dish. Family loved it and we have put the recipe in the keep file. I made it with bow tie pasta since it was what I had. Very good!
Wonderful! Thank you for letting me know, Meg!
Thank you for this!! I made it tonight and it was a huge hit. Easy, quick, and tasty. I think this will be a household staple recipe now.
Sally, this is awesome feedback! Thanks so much for taking the time to let me know. So glad your family loved it.
I have a big family to cook for and me and my daughter found this when looking for a easy bratwurst recipe to make one night . And ever since we have made it part of our family meals. They love it so much we never have any leftovers .
Rosailia, you made my day! I’m so glad this recipe has become part of your family meals!
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I’m going to try this! We are quarantining and bought fresh brats from a local restaurant. I was googling easy brat recipes and found this. It sounds delicious and I’m sure it will be! Thanks for sharing!!
Maria
I hope that you enjoy this pasta! It’s always one of my top recipes, good luck!
Wow…. incredible dish! Will definitely make again
Hooray! So glad you liked it. Thanks for letting me know!
Made this for supper – rates a 12! I precooked brats. Cooked chopped onions, fresh mushrooms and garlic in butter. When brats cooked – slice and add to other pan along with can of Rotel tomatoes with chilis. Cube cream cheese into that pan an DC add chx broth. Cook rotini in hot water from brats – drain add to skillet. Top with mozzarella. Yum
This recipe is awesome. I made it tonight but added some changes. I added steamed broccoli and green chili (I’m from New Mexico green chili in everything) to the sauce, sprinkled with cheese and baked at 350 for 30 minutes. Make sure your noodles are al dente because they cook more in oven. Yummy and easy…
Teresa- LOVE this adaptation! I spent a few weeks in Santa Fe for work and I now love green chiles in everything too. Sounds AMAZING!
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Just threw this together with some leftover brats at 11 at night to take for lunch at work tomorrow. It came together crazy-fast and it’s delicious! Can’t wait for lunchtime!
Oh, you made my day! So glad it came together easy for you and will be a yummy lunch! 🙂
Johmsonville should love you! Made this( ‘did leave out the cayenne pepper-we’re sissies!)and it was TERRIFICLY TASTY!!
LOL okay you are amazing! Thanks for the awesome feedback and making me laugh today!
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This stuff is great! Thanks for the recipe!
So glad you liked it! Thanks for taking the time to let me know!
Oh wow we would all love this – thanks for the recipe!
I made this but used teaspoons instead of tablespoons for the seasonings and it was perfect! Everyone wanted more! Will have to double it next time!
Thanks for letting me know, Candi!
I have to share this and laugh at myself some more. Using my major reading skills, as I looked over the comments fairly quickly, I had to read this one twice because I thought that it said “I made this but used tampons instead of….”! For someone who had early menopause over 12 years ago, the tampon thing was really alien to me! I’m glad that I reread!
I’m thinking about using this recipe tonight and using seasonings minus tampons ( I don’t have any anyway!) It looks good, and right now there’s not much in the way of food that looks appetizing to me. I hope to finish my whole serving. I don’t know if anyone sees this since it’s been four years since the first post.
LOL! Candi! You made my day. I’m literally laughing out loud in my kitchen right now. I hope that you enjoy a whole serving of this pasta! It’s definitely a fav favorite. 🙂 🙂 🙂
Looks delicious! I was wondering if I can use leftover grilled brats in this recipe. Have you tried this and does it taste ok? Would I just microwave them before adding to pasta? Thanks for sharing!
Yes, you can! I would just add them to the skillet for a few minutes at first, remove them, then add them again to the pasta at the end to make sure they’re still warm! Microwave is fine too if it speeds things up for you! This pasta is so good, I hope you enjoy!
@Christina,
So, I’m a few years late 😆, but yes! I’ve used grilled brats for this recipe. Still delicious!
Yes, grilled brats are awesome in this recipe!
If I made this early, would it heat up okay in the oven or dry out? I want to make this for a church potluck but am not sure if it can be made in the morning and kept warm in the oven? Any advice is appreciated, thanks!
I think it’d be fine! I would mix in a bit of water or chicken stock before you reheat to be sure.
@Heather, hey! What about trying it in a crockpot? Should do the trick even if you made it on your stovetop, and keep it warm, for several hours, or even overnight
I loved this. So easy and delicious. My kids even ate it!!
That makes me SO happy! Thanks Dee!
This looks so hearty and delicious!
Living in Wisconsin for seven years, we always looked forward to Brat Fest each Memorial Day – delicious!
I’ve got a package of bratwurst in my fridge right now, what a great way to enjoy it.
My Dad loves brats, so I’ll have to make this for him!
What an amazing weeknight meal especially with back to school coming up.
That looks like a fun event for foodies and your pasta made me soooo darn hungry! hahah
Looks damn good. We always make a whole package because we love the leftovers (brats and eggs after a night of beers is amazing)