When an Oktoberfest spread has a lot of people to feed, one platter of brats only gets you so far. These 19 recipes cover sausages, pork, pretzels, sauerkraut, warm potato sides, vegetables, and slow-cooked mains that can stay in rotation while the drinks keep moving. The strongest German and German-inspired dishes set the theme, while a few hearty Central and Eastern European picks add more ways to fill out the table. It is a lineup built for passing plates, second helpings, and long evenings around a crowded table.
Chef Jenn’s Sheet Pan Bratwurst & Potatoes
Roasted together on one pan, Chef Jenn’s Sheet Pan Bratwurst & Potatoes serves four in 55 minutes with bratwurst, baby potatoes, carrots, onions, and bell peppers. German mustard, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder season the vegetables and sausages as they cook. This is an easy centerpiece for an Oktoberfest table because the meat and sides arrive together, leaving only mustard, bread, or sauerkraut to add before everyone starts filling plates.
Get the Recipe: Chef Jenn’s Sheet Pan Bratwurst & Potatoes
German Kohlrabi
Ready in just 15 minutes, German Kohlrabi turns one pound of diced kohlrabi into four servings coated in a simple cream sauce. Butter and flour form the base, while milk, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper finish it. The mild vegetable gives a sausage-heavy Oktoberfest spread a softer side dish without taking much time at the stove. It can also be made ahead and reheated when the rest of the food is ready.
Get the Recipe: German Kohlrabi
Sauerkraut with Apples & Bacon
Sweet apple and smoky bacon soften the tang of Sauerkraut with Apples & Bacon, which makes six servings with 15 minutes of prep and an hour of cooking. Onion, sauerkraut, apple, bacon, bay leaf, salt, and pepper keep the ingredient list straightforward. Spoon it beside bratwurst, pork, or meat patties when the table needs something tangy enough to cut through richer dishes. The baked format also makes it easy to prepare while other mains cook.
Get the Recipe: Sauerkraut with Apples & Bacon
Roast Pork with Apples
Built as a full one-pan main, Roast Pork with Apples serves eight with a five-pound bone-in pork roast, potatoes, carrots, shallots, garlic, and apples. The pork cooks for about two hours, while apple juice, whole-grain mustard, and apple cider vinegar help form the pan gravy. This works well for a larger Oktoberfest-style dinner when sausages alone will not feed everyone. Slice the roast at the table and pass the roasted vegetables and apples alongside.
Get the Recipe: Roast Pork with Apples
Oma’s Knackwurst & Sauerkraut Skillet
One skillet holds nearly the whole meal in Oma’s Knackwurst & Sauerkraut Skillet, a four-serving German dish that takes 1 hour 10 minutes. Knackwurst cooks with potatoes, Granny Smith apple, sauerkraut, onion, and chicken broth before buttery breadcrumbs go over the top. Whole-grain mustard and cream finish the sauce. Set this out when you want sausage, potatoes, and sauerkraut in the same serving dish instead of managing several separate pans.
Get the Recipe: Oma’s Knackwurst & Sauerkraut Skillet
Chef Jenn’s Borscht (Beet Soup)
For a warm bowl between heavier plates, Chef Jenn’s Borscht (Beet Soup) serves six in 50 minutes with beef broth, beets, potatoes, carrots, onion, garlic, and cabbage. Sour cream and dill finish each serving, while a little vinegar brightens the vegetables. Borscht is Eastern European rather than a traditional Oktoberfest dish, so it works here as a hearty supporting soup. Serve it with rye or pumpernickel when the table needs something spoonable.
Get the Recipe: Chef Jenn’s Borscht (Beet Soup)
Bacon Fried Corn
Fast enough to cook while the mains rest, Bacon Fried Corn serves four in 15 minutes on a flat-top griddle. Bacon and corn make up the base, with garlic, green onions, paprika, parsley, salt, and pepper adding the rest. It is not a traditional Oktoberfest side, but the bacon and quick griddle cooking make it useful for feeding a crowd without tying up the oven. Pair it with brats or pork when you want another hot side ready quickly.
Get the Recipe: Bacon Fried Corn
German Meat Patties (Frikadellen)
Juicy beef and pork come together in German Meat Patties (Frikadellen), which makes six patties in 25 minutes. Soaked white bread, grated onion, egg, parsley, German mustard, marjoram, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper season the mixture before the patties fry in a skillet. These are easy to serve with German potato salad or boiled potatoes, and they also work tucked into crusty rolls with mustard and pickles when people would rather eat standing up.
Get the Recipe: German Meat Patties (Frikadellen)
Homemade Soft Pretzels
Nothing fills out an Oktoberfest snack table quite like Homemade Soft Pretzels, which makes 16 servings in 1 hour 40 minutes including rise and bake time. The dough uses milk, yeast, flour, brown sugar, salt, and butter, then baking soda goes into the hot-water bath before baking. Coarse salt finishes the tops. Put out mustard or warm cheese sauce for dipping so guests have something substantial to grab between brats, beer-braised dishes, and refills.
Get the Recipe: Homemade Soft Pretzels
Roasted Kohlrabi with Parmesan
Roasting gives Roasted Kohlrabi with Parmesan browned edges and a simple savory finish in 35 minutes. The four-serving side needs fresh kohlrabi, olive oil, salt, black pepper, and grated Parmesan, keeping prep short while the oven does most of the work. It is less traditional than creamed German kohlrabi, but the vegetable still fits the Central European feel of the table. Serve it beside pork, pot roast, or sausages when you need another vegetable option.
Get the Recipe: Roasted Kohlrabi with Parmesan
Sauerkraut Balls
Crisp on the outside with a rich sausage-and-cheese center, Sauerkraut Balls combine sauerkraut, bratwurst, Swiss cheese, cream cheese, breadcrumbs, eggs, and flour. The recipe makes four servings, with 15 minutes of prep, 15 minutes of cooking, and 30 minutes of chilling before frying. A mustard sauce made with mayonnaise, sour cream, coarse mustard, whole-grain mustard, and Dijon goes alongside. These make an easy passed appetizer before the larger Oktoberfest mains reach the table.
Get the Recipe: Sauerkraut Balls
Homestyle Hamburger Stew
A big pot goes a long way with Homestyle Hamburger Stew, an eight-serving main that takes 1 hour 5 minutes. Ground beef cooks with carrots, celery, onion, garlic, potatoes, diced tomatoes, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, and thyme for a thick, hearty bowl. It is more American homestyle than Oktoberfest, so it works best as backup food for a large group. Keep it warm for later arrivals or anyone wanting something beyond sausages and pork.
Get the Recipe: Homestyle Hamburger Stew
Cabbage Roll Casserole
Layered instead of rolled, Cabbage Roll Casserole serves eight in 1 hour 10 minutes with cabbage, ground beef, onion, garlic, diced tomatoes, cooked rice, butter, and fresh dill. The casserole format takes the work out of forming individual cabbage rolls while still delivering the beef, cabbage, tomato, and rice combination. It is a looser Oktoberfest fit, but it earns space when the priority is feeding a crowd with a substantial baked main that can be portioned quickly.
Get the Recipe: Cabbage Roll Casserole
Authentic Hungarian Goulash
Low and slow cooking makes Authentic Hungarian Goulash a six-serving beef main that spends about 6 hours in the slow cooker. Stewing beef, onions, garlic, beef broth, tomato paste, paprika, smoked hot paprika, thyme, and bay leaves build the sauce. Hungarian rather than German, this dish still fits a Central European spread and gives the table a deep, paprika-heavy option beside the sausages. Serve it with spaetzle or crusty bread for soaking up the broth.
Get the Recipe: Authentic Hungarian Goulash
Chef Jenn’s Warm German Potato Salad
Served warm instead of chilled, Chef Jenn’s Warm German Potato Salad makes six servings in 35 minutes with Yukon Gold potatoes, bacon, red onion, and parsley. Apple cider vinegar, vegetable broth, grainy German mustard, sugar, and black pepper form the tangy dressing. This is one of the strongest side dishes for the Oktoberfest theme because it pairs naturally with brats, pork, and meat patties. Make enough for seconds since it can sit alongside nearly every savory main here.
Get the Recipe: Chef Jenn’s Warm German Potato Salad
German Pork Loin
Once the initial sear is done, German Pork Loin spends most of its 4 hour 10 minute cooking time in the slow cooker and yields eight servings. A two-pound pork loin cooks with German mustard, onion, garlic, white wine, chicken broth, thyme, and bay leaves before the liquid becomes gravy. It is useful for a party because the slow cooker handles the long stretch of cooking, leaving the stovetop and oven free for pretzels, sides, and sausages.
Get the Recipe: German Pork Loin
Classic German Beer Braised Brats
Beer is part of the cooking liquid in Classic German Beer Braised Brats, which serves six in 50 minutes. Bratwurst simmers with yellow onions, garlic, butter, pilsner or another German beer, chicken broth, and German mustard until the sausages and onions are ready to serve. Few recipes fit the title more directly, especially when cold drinks, pretzels, and sauerkraut are already on the table. Bring the pot out family-style and let everyone build their own plate.
Get the Recipe: Classic German Beer Braised Brats
Slow Cooker German Pot Roast
With six servings and more than six hours of cooking time, Slow Cooker German Pot Roast is built for a long meal rather than a last-minute dinner. Chuck roast cooks with bacon, onions, celery, dill pickles, and German beer, creating a beefy main that can stay warm while the party keeps going. It fits the Oktoberfest table especially well when you want something beyond sausages. Add potatoes or another simple side and let the slow cooker handle the centerpiece.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker German Pot Roast
Oma’s Sauerkraut Soup with Kielbasa
Smoky sausage and tangy cabbage meet in Oma’s Sauerkraut Soup with Kielbasa, a six-serving German soup ready in 55 minutes. Kielbasa simmers with onion, garlic, chicken broth, sauerkraut, potatoes, carrots, caraway seeds, and a bay leaf. The broth gives guests a lighter way to get the same sausage-and-sauerkraut flavors running through the rest of the menu. Keep it hot on the stove and ladle bowls as people settle in for a longer Oktoberfest evening.
Get the Recipe: Oma’s Sauerkraut Soup with Kielbasa