Is Bratwurst Vegetarian? (Sausage, Explained)

Bratwurst is a German grilled sausage, and the name is specific about what is inside: pork. The casing can be animal-derived too. Here is how to order the plant-based version.

Key Takeaways

• Bratwurst is not vegetarian: it is a pork (or veal-and-pork) sausage.
• The casing is often animal intestine, another animal product.
• Plant-based bratwurst is common in German supermarkets and at BBQs.
• Look for the explicitly vegan or vegetarian bratwurst.

TL;DR: Bratwurst is not vegetarian: it’s a German sausage made from pork (or a veal-pork mix), seasoned and grilled. Plant-based bratwurst is widely available in German supermarkets and restaurants.

What’s in bratwurst

• Pork (or pork + veal): the main ingredient.
• Spices: marjoram, nutmeg, caraway, ginger (vegetarian).
• Casing: traditionally natural (animal intestine), sometimes synthetic.

So the sausage itself is meat, and the casing is often animal-derived too.

The vegetarian version

“Vegetarische Bratwurst” / vegan bratwurst use soy, wheat or pea protein with the same spices. Most German BBQ stands now offer a plant-based bratwurst alongside the classic.

The bottom line

• Vegetarian? No: order the plant-based bratwurst.
• Vegan? The explicitly vegan bratwurst.

See our Bratwurst dish guide for the full breakdown.

Check before you eat. The Verify Veg app scans a barcode or reads an ingredient list from a photo and flags ingredients against your diet (vegan, vegetarian, halal, kosher, Jain and more). Download on the App Store - Android is coming soon.

Written by Samir Narain, founder of Verify Veg. Verify Veg helps people check packaged food against their diet by scanning barcodes and reading ingredient lists from photos.

Note: Verify Veg provides ingredient-based compatibility checks, not certification. Recipes and preparations vary by restaurant, region and cook, so always confirm with the restaurant, brand or vendor.