Easy German Currywurst Recipe with Oma's Homemade Ketchup (2024)

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Easy German Currywurst Recipe with Oma's Homemade Ketchup (1)

by: Gerhild Fulson / Cookbook Author, Blogger, German Oma!

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This authentic currywurst recipe is so quick and easy to make. And so delicious! If you've ever been to Germany, then you probably already know that currywurst is the ultimate German street food.

Currywurst is a German name for curry sausage. Although currywurst is not really a type of sausage, but a fast food dish made with sliced German bratwurst topped with a flavorful curry-tomato sauce and served with French fries.

It is incredibly popular with over 800 million currywursts sold each year in Germany.

Easy German Currywurst Recipe with Oma's Homemade Ketchup (4)You can easily make currysauce ketchup, so you can enjoy currywurst at home.

How the currywurst became an icon of German popular culture

As the story goes, the currywurst came into existence in 1949 when Herta Heuwer, the creator of currywurst, obtained ketchup and curry powder (and possibly Worcestershire sauce) from some British soldiers who were stationed in Berlin after the Second World War.

Using those ingredients, along with other spices, she concocted her currywurst sauce recipe which she then poured over grilled pork sausage (bratwurst) for a winning combination.

She started selling her currywurst from a street stand in the Charlottenburg district of Berlin to the construction workers who were busy rebuilding the devastated city. At one point she was selling 10,000 servings per week. She eventually opened a small restaurant which ran till 1974.

Today, currywurst is sold all over Germany, from fast-food stalls to diners to restaurants. The flavorful spicy sauce differs slightly from place to place since Herta Heuwer never shared her currywurst recipe with anyone, not even her husband.

There was even a museum dedicated to the currywurst, called the Deutsches Currywurst Museum. It received approximately 350,000 visitors each year. The museum closed permanently December 21, 2018.

Oma Says,

When I first heard about currywurst being a popular street food in Germany, I couldn’t believe it. We NEVER EVER used curry for anything.

However, on my first trip back to Germany in 2006 (having emigrated to Canada in the 1950s), I had my very first currywurst. I was hooked.

Easy German Currywurst Recipe with Oma's Homemade Ketchup (5)Enjoying my first ever currywurst at a fast-food imbiss in Frankfurt on my first trip back to Germany.

How to make currywurst

For the perfect currywurst sauce, I like to use my delicious homemade ketchup recipe as the best base. We don’t like ours too salty or too sweet. Making it oneself, one can control that.

Need that “all’s good with the world” feeling? Comfort food will do that. Get your copy of Oma's German favorites in herComfort Foods e-Cookbook.

Easy German Currywurst Recipe with Oma's Homemade Ketchup (6)

Take a peek at all Oma's eCookbooks. They make sharing your German heritage a delicious adventure!

Plus, it's so quick and easy to make, and I can easily make a vegan batch to make vegan curry sauce. You can, of course, use store-bought ketchup, but nothing tastes quite as good as homemade.

How to make homemade ketchup

Mix a can of tomato paste, honey (or maple syrup to make it vegan), white wine vinegar, salt, onion powder, and some water together in a small saucepan.

Easy German Currywurst Recipe with Oma's Homemade Ketchup (7)

Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly.

Easy German Currywurst Recipe with Oma's Homemade Ketchup (8)

Simmer for about 5 minutes or until it is as thick as you like.

Easy German Currywurst Recipe with Oma's Homemade Ketchup (9)

Let cool. Either store in the fridge in a covered container or continue with the currywurst ketchup.

The images above show me making a double batch. That way I have just over one cup of regular ketchup and one cup to make the spiced ketchup below.

How to make my easy currywurst sauce recipe

Currywurst sauce is possibly available in most grocery stores, but why bother? Made with simple ingredients, nothing beats making your very own currywurst sauce which you can easily adjust to your tastes.

First, just gather your ingredients.

Easy German Currywurst Recipe with Oma's Homemade Ketchup (10)

In a bowl, mix a cup of tomato ketchup together with some mild curry powder, chili powder, onion powder, ground cloves, smoked or sweet paprika, honey, Worcestershire sauce, and water.

Easy German Currywurst Recipe with Oma's Homemade Ketchup (11)

Easy German Currywurst Recipe with Oma's Homemade Ketchup (12)

Cover and let sit in the fridge for at least 12 hours to meld the flavors. Easy-peasy!!

Easy German Currywurst Recipe with Oma's Homemade Ketchup (13)

How to make the best currywurst

Using the right sausage is important. If possible, use Bavarian Bratwurst, Weisswurst, Knackwurst, or Bockwurst.

If the sausage is already pre-cooked, all you need to do is pan-fry it. If raw, they should be gently simmered in a large pot of water for a several minutes before pan-frying in olive oil. Be sure to use enough oil so that the skins get very crispy.

For detailed instructions on how to cook German sausage, click here.

Alternatively, if you have an air fryer, use that. I use the MAXX air fryer oven and air fry the raw bratwurst in the upper grill position at 400°F for 12 minutes, turning once. Perfection!

Cut the cooked sausage into bite-sized pieces. Pour the delicious homemade curry ketchup over the sliced sausages and sprinkle with curry powder.

Serve this either with Brötchen (German bread rolls) or Pomme Frites (French fries). Make this a total German dish by serving mayo with those fries.

Enjoy currywurst as an easy dinner any night of the week or make it to share with friends at your next Oktoberfest celebration. Lecker!

Looking for more German sausage recipes?

  • Oma's Grilled Bratwurst
  • Lydia's Easy German Brats
  • Oma's Baked Sausage
  • Oma's Kale and Sausage Soup

Ready to make delicious currywurst?

Is the recipe below locked?Here'swhy.

Easy German Currywurst Recipe with Oma's Homemade Ketchup (15)

Easy German Currywurst Recipewith Oma's Homemade Tomato Ketchup

This authentic currywurst recipe is so quick and easy to make. And so yummy! The delicious sauce made with homemade ketchup is a bit spicy, with a touch of sweetness and an interesting mix of spices, including curry, of course. It makes plain fried bratwurst something to shout about.

Prep Time

5 minutes

Cook Time

20 minutes

Total Time

25 minutes

Servings:

Makes 4 servings

HOMEMADE KETCHUP RECIPE:

Ingredients:

  • 6 oz can tomato paste
  • ¼ cup honey
  • ½ cup white wine vinegar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon onion powder
  • 3 tablespoons water

Instructions:

  1. Mix everything together in a small saucepan.
  2. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly.
  3. Simmer for about 5 minutes or until it is as thick as you like. Let it cool.
  4. Either store in the fridge in a covered container or continue with the curry sauce.

CURRYWURST RECIPE:

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup of tomato ketchup (from above or purchased)
  • 4 - 5 teaspoons mild curry powder
  • ½ - 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • pinch ground cloves
  • 2 teaspoons sweet or smoked paprika powder
  • 2 teaspoons honey
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon water
  • cooked German bratwurst

Instructions:

  1. Put ketchup in a bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients (except bratwurst) and mix well.
  2. Cover and let sit in the fridge for at least 12 hours to allow the flavors to meld.
  3. Cut the sausage into thick slices. Pour the curry ketchup sauce on top and sprinkle with additional curry powder.
  4. Serve with Brötchen (crispy bread roll) or Pommes Frites (French fries).

Notes/Hints:

  • Homemade curry ketchup should be made at least one day ahead to allow flavors to meld.
  • If your sauce is too thick, thin it with a bit of water.
  • Adjust the chili powder according to the amount of spiciness you prefer. You can omit it totally if you’re wanting a really mild curry sauce.
  • For more heat, try adding some cayenne pepper or hot paprika to the curry sauce, or have fun experimenting with different spices.
  • Use the best German sausage available, such as Bavarian Bratwurst, Weisswurst, Knackwurst, or Bockwurst.
  • Whichever cooking method you use, you wanna make sure the skins get very crispy.
  • Vegan Currywurst: simply substitute maple syrup or brown sugar for the honey, use a vegan Worcestershire sauce, and fry up some vegan bratsfor a vegan version of this popular German street food.

* * * * *

Unless otherwise noted recipe, images and content © Just like Oma | www.quick-german-recipes.com

04.13.2022

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Easy German Currywurst Recipe with Oma's Homemade Ketchup (2024)

FAQs

What is currywurst sauce made of? ›

Combine tomato sauce, cider vinegar, curry powder, paprika, sugar, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper together in a saucepan over medium heat; cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce is warmed and smooth, 5 to 10 minutes.

What is German ketchup? ›

Gewürzketchup is found at every German barbecue (yes, Germans barbecue!). It is only mildly hot, packed. full of curry spices and other spices, and has a distinct sweetness owing to the addition of red capsicum, pineapple, tomato paste and a moderate amount of brown sugar.

What is the famous German food currywurst? ›

Currywurst (German: [ˈkœʁiˌvʊɐ̯st]) is a fast food dish of German origin consisting of steamed, fried sausage, usually pork (German: Bratwurst), typically cut into bite-sized chunks and seasoned with curry ketchup, a sauce based on spiced ketchup or tomato paste topped with curry powder, or a ready-made ketchup ...

What's the difference between bratwurst and currywurst? ›

The currywurst isn't so much a type of sausage but more so a dish made with bratwurst that's first boiled, then fried, and finally doused in a sauce of tomatoes and Worcestershire and dusted with curry powder. It deserves a special mention because it's an icon of German popular culture.

Why do Germans eat currywurst? ›

The currywurst's origins are attributed specifically to the German capital. In 1949, a resourceful German housewife, Herta Heuwer, traded some spirits with British soldiers for ketchup. The trade created the dish - composed of German sausage, or wurst, sliced and doused in ketchup and sprinkled with curry powder.

What is the name of currywurst in English? ›

curried sausage (kulin., Zssng.)

What do you eat with currywurst? ›

It is typically served with a roll (Brötchen) or french fries. Pan-fry a boiled wurst or bratwurst in a little hot oil until slightly browned. Cut the sausage into 1 inch pieces. Arrange the pieces on a plate.

Do Germans eat sausage with ketchup? ›

Currywurst was created in the late 1940s in Berlin. 'They had only very cheap sausages then, so they decided to camouflage them by sprinkling curry powder on them,' says Harald Scholl of the Munich Slow Food Convivium. The Currywurst has become an essential Berlin experience, served sliced with ketchup.

What are the 5 tastes of ketchup? ›

It is probably the only ingredient in the world to have all five taste sensations—sweet, salty, bitter, sour and umami; all five tastes combined in the perfect proportions make for the most delicious taste experience. That's how a squirt of ketchup makes any bland food instantly palatable.

What are the 3 most widely used spices in German cuisine? ›

Ginger is by far the most imported spice in Germany, with around 35,700 tons annually. It is closely followed by pepper and, with around 17,000 and 12,000 tons respectively, bell pepper and star anise with caraway. Coriander and cinnamon round off the list with around 5,000 tons each annually.

What is currywurst usually served with? ›

Hamburg currywurst is often served with a mustard or mayonnaise sauce. It is also usually served with bread or potatoes, and sometimes topped with fried onions. Cologne currywurst is often served with a milder sauce than the other variants, with the usual bread or fries.

Is currywurst red or white? ›

“red” or “white”? “With” or “red” means a sausage with skin, that is a red, smoked, and fried boiled sausage whereas “without” or “white” means a sausage without skin (a white sausage without casing). I like both, but prefer the red bratwurst for Currywurst.

What kind of sausage for currywurst? ›

"Curry Sausage (Curry wurst) is a very popular German snack/fast food on the go. Its easy to make, kids love and its cheap! I'm using hotdogs in this recipe but any type of brats, breakfast sausages and franks will work great with this sauce."

How do you order currywurst in German? ›

To order a currywurst, ask for it skin on by saying "currywurst mit darm" or without skin by saying "currywurst ohne darm". I recommend with skin as it adds a delightful crunchy layer. If your taste buds are craving heat, ask for the sauce to be "scharf" (spicy).

What does currywurst taste like? ›

What it does taste like, is meaty sausage in spiced ketchup, unlike anything you've had before—unless you're in the habit of routinely mixing curry powder into your ketchup. What is this? So the predominant tastes are of sausage, and of ketchup—but a spiced ketchup. This makes currywurst quite kid-friendly.

How was currywurst made? ›

The history of currywurst

She came up with special sauce to top her grilled sausages. Herta Heuwer's recipe was simple but original. She mixed ketchup, curry powder, paprika, cinnamon and other spices to create a tasty and spicy sauce that quickly won over the palates of customers at her stand. Currywurst was born.

How to make currywurst sauce reddit? ›

1 cup of Tomato Ketchup. 1/4 teaspoon of Baking Soda (Bicarbonate of soda works just as well) 4 – 5 teaspoons of Mild Curry Powder. 2 teaspoons of Smoked Paprika.

What are the ingredients in Knorr currywurst? ›

21% tomato powder***, sugar, starch, 11% curry (turmeric extract, coriander, cumin, fenugreek seeds, garlic, fennel seeds, cayenne pepper, parsley, pepper, cardamom, MUSTARD SEEDS), apple powder, palm oil, 3.5% iodized sea salt*, maltodextrin, 3% roasted onions***, flavors (with WHEAT and BARLEY), rice flour, salt ...

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