Name: Currywurst Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 3-4 medium pickles (German-style); 1 medium onion (or 2 shallots); 4 tablespoons unsalted butter; 1 tablespoon sugar; 4 tablespoons curry powder; ¼ cup tomato paste (70g); 3 ½ cups passata (or crushed tomatoes); 2 cups tomato ketchup; 2 teaspoons salt; 2 teaspoons better-than-bouillon beef; 1½ tablespoons apple cider vinegar; 16 sausages (bratwurst or cooked sausages); curry powder (to sprinkle on top)

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Currywurst is one of Germany’s most popular street foods. Our homemade recipe has a secret ingredient in the sauce, and we have been making it for over 13 years.

A plate of German Currywurst with sliced bratwurst, fries, and a dusting of curry powder.

Growing up in Germany, Currywurst was everywhere. You can get it at every festival, Christmas market, Imbissbude (snack stand), and sports stadium. It’s one of the most popular street foods in the country, but it’s also very easy to make from scratch! Perfect for when you get a craving for simple German food.

We’ve been making and perfecting this recipe for over 13 years. It originally came from a Thermomix cookbook that we got for our wedding. Years later we sold the Thermomix but kept making this recipe because it makes the best curry sauce we have ever tried.

The secret ingredient, which most other recipes don’t use, makes this sauce so much tastier than a packet version or recipes that are essentially just flavored ketchup with a sprinkle of curry.

Why Our Recipe

Authentic recipe: We are Germans, and we’ve been cooking this recipe for more than 13 years.
Batch recipe: This recipe makes four jars of sauce, each of which is enough for six sausages. Make it once, put them in the fridge or freeze them, and you’re set for weeks.
Secret ingredient: German pickles add depth of flavor that no ketchup-only recipe can replicate. It’s not too sweet and not too sour. This recipe doesn’t just taste like Gewürzketchup.

What is currywurst?

Currywurst is a grilled or pan-fried pork sausage, sliced into bite-sized pieces, smothered in a spiced tomato curry sauce, and finished with a dusting of curry powder on top. It’s sold at Imbiss stands all over Germany, usually with fries or a crispy bread roll on the side. The dish was invented in Berlin in 1949 and has been a German street food staple ever since.

Key Ingredients (& Swaps)

Here is an overview of the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe. Scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom for quantities.

Ingredients for homemade currywurst sauce including passata, curry powder, and the secret ingredient: German pickles.

German-style pickles. The secret ingredient that sets this sauce apart. Tangy and snappy, they melt into the sauce and add depth you can’t get from vinegar alone. Look for Kühne Barrel Pickles, Hengstenberg Cornichons, or Aldi German-style pickles. American dill pickles taste too different and will throw off the sauce. As a last resort, use dill pickles without added garlic and add a little bit more sugar.
Onion. The savory base. Yellow or white both work fine. You can also use shallots. Aim for about 1 cup of finely chopped onions or shallots.
Butter. Use unsalted butter. Adds a richness the sauce needs. You can swap in a neutral oil, but butter is noticeably better.
Curry powder. The defining flavor of the whole dish. Use standard yellow curry powder from the spice aisle, nothing fancy, no Madras or special blends.
Passata. (crushed/strained tomatoes) The tomato foundation. Gives the sauce body and a fresh, full tomato flavor. If you only have crushed tomatoes, strain or briefly blend them for a smoother result.
Tomato ketchup. Adds sweetness and the tangy, slightly sweet base that is genuinely part of what authentic currywurst sauce tastes like.
Tomato paste. Concentrated tomato flavor and extra richness. If you have double-concentrate paste, use half the amount.
Bouillon paste. I use Better-than-bouillon beef base. It adds depth without having to make stock. A beef bouillon cube works as a substitute. Just dissolve it in the sauce. For a vegetarian version, use vegetable bouillon.
Apple cider vinegar. Brightens the sauce and cuts through the richness. White wine vinegar is a good substitute. Avoid balsamic, it’s too sweet and heavy here.
Sausages. We use knackwurst or German-style bratwurst. See the sausage section for the full breakdown.

What sausage to use for currywurst?

In Germany, currywurst is traditionally made with Bratwurst or Brühwurst, a cooked sausage. Knackwurst and bockwurst are cooked sausages that work well with the sauce. Both have a firmer texture and a more pronounced pork flavor than the “bratwursts” you typically find in North American grocery stores.

What we use: We use German-style bratwurst from a European butcher or the European deli or a type of cooked sausage called Knackwurst, which is a fully cooked pork sausage available at most grocery stores and Costco here in Canada. It pan-fries beautifully and has the right texture and flavor.

What to avoid: standard North American bratwurst, hot dogs, or pre-seasoned breakfast-style sausages. The flavor profile is too far off, and they don’t hold up as well to the sauce.

Whatever you use, cook them until they’re deeply browned on all sides. Color equals flavor; don’t just warm them through. We usually throw them on the BBQ or pan-fry them until they get a nice char.

My Top Tips Before You Start

Toast the curry powder. Two minutes in the butter before adding the liquids makes a noticeable difference. Raw curry powder tastes flat and powdery.
Don’t use American pickles. American dill pickles have a very different flavor profile and will throw off the balance of the sauce. German pickles are worth seeking out. Kühne barrel pickles (affiliate link) are easy to find and make a real difference.
Mince the pickles finely. They should disappear into the sauce and add flavor, not texture. If you can see large chunks, keep chopping.
Brown your sausages properly. Medium-high heat; give them time. Color equals flavor, and a pale sausage is a sad sausage.
Adjusting the heat. The curry sauce has some heat from the curry powder. Add some sambal oelek or other hot sauce if you want it spicier. Leave it out entirely for a milder sauce.
Adjusting seasoning. The apple cider vinegar adds brightness and is intentional, but you can reduce it slightly if you prefer a less tangy sauce. It’s important that the sauce has some acidity to cut through the richness of the sausage.
Smaller batch. If you want to make a smaller batch, the recipe halves easily and makes 2 jars. Cooking time stays the same.

Three white serving dishes filled with currywurst and fries.

How to make Currywurst

Finely chopped onions and pickles in two glass bowls.

Chop the onions and pickles: Finely chop the pickles and onions by hand. You want them small. They should blend into the sauce rather than create chunks.

Sauté the onion: Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sugar and sauté for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until softened. The sugar helps the onion caramelize slightly. Don’t skip it.

Toast the curry powder: Add the curry powder and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until fragrant. This removes the raw powder taste. It’s only 2 minutes, but it makes a real difference. Then add the tomato paste and sauté it for a few more seconds.

Finish the sauce: Add the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

Serving Suggestions

Pan-fry or grill the sausages over medium-high heat until deeply browned on all sides. Fully cooked sausages like knackwurst take about 8–10 minutes in a pan or on the BBQ; raw bratwurst will need to be cooked through, which takes a bit longer. Don’t rush the browning; the crust is flavor.

Slice the sausages into rounds, spoon the currywurst sauce generously over the top, and finish with a dusting of curry powder. That final sprinkle is part of the dish. Don’t skip it.

Currywurst is a street food, so keep the sides simple. French fries are the classic pairing, and they’re ready in minutes. A crusty bread roll (Brötchen) is equally traditional and great for scooping up any extra sauce on the plate. Curry sauce is never served as a side dipping sauce; it’s always served on top of the sliced sausage.

Storage & Freezing

Make-ahead: You can make the sauce ahead of time and refrigerate it overnight. Reheat before serving. The flavors will blend.

Store: Leftovers keep stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. When ladled hot into clean mason jars and sealed immediately, the sauce keeps for 3–4 weeks in the refrigerator.

Freeze: Let the sauce cool slightly, then transfer to freezer-safe containers or silicone cube molds (supper cubes are great for individual portions). Don’t fill jars all the way to the top because the sauce expands as it freezes. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently before serving.