Homemade Currywurst Recipe

Homemade currywurst or bratwurst served with a simple curry ketchup made from store cupboard staples a true German street food legend!

Whilst you are cooking your brats the sauce can be pulled together in a single pan meaning that this whole recipe is done and dusted in well under 30 minutes.

German Curry Sausage

Street food is pure magic, it is designed to be quick to cook and easy to eat on the move.

This homemade currywurst recipe joins other delights like Langos from Hungary and of course British chippy chips.

Currywurst hails from Germany and more specifically Berlin, we even know the name of the person credited with coming up with it.

Her name was Herta Heuwer and she apparently traded some booze for some ketchup and curry powder and some other sundries and the phenomenon was born.

Her curry ketchup recipe remained a closely guarded secret and as a result, there are thousands of versions kicking around.

My recipe sticks to the idea of using ketchup and curry powder as a base. I add apple juice, Worcestershire sauce, which is a hotly debated addition and some hot mustard.

It is simply delicious and I adore this currywurst recipe. You could of course use my British chip shop style curry sauce as an alternative sauce.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are Bratwurst?

Bratwurst is a type of German sausage that vary greatly by region in Germany and are traditionally made from veal or pork or a combination of both.

Outside of Germany you will likely get a pork variant that has been pre-cooked. They are very pale in colour and just need heating through and browning.

Can I use different sausages?

Yes absolutely! This recipe is born of local ingredients combined with some “new found” ingredients and I firmly believe cooks should continue that tradition.

Food purity is not something that I treasure and I firmly believe you should embrace local ingredients.

Currywurst is great with a traditional British breakfast sausage and rocks a good beef sausage too, you could also add the curry ketchup to hotdogs. Speaking of hotdogs, you must try my wonderful hot dog pasta recipe!

What sort of curry powder is best?

I tend to opt for a pretty generic medium Indian curry powder, so nothing special. Curry powder is an ingredient that I rarely use despite cooking lots of curry recipes.

As a result, I tend to ensure that I buy the smallest packet of curry powder that I can.

What does the Bicarbonate of Soda do?

When you add the Bicarbonate of soda to the acidic sauce it produces carbon dioxide, hence the fierce bubbling.

The alkaline nature of the bicarb which is also known as baking soda neutralises some of the harsh acidic nature of the sauce and gives it a wonderfully rounded flavour.

Serving Suggestions

Currywurst is typically served over French fries, and I like to cook mine in the air fryer.

It is a wonderfully clean and energy-efficient way of creating perfectly crispy fries that is much cheaper than firing up the oven.

However, it is great with all sorts of crispy potatoes.

If frying is your mojo then you can give it a British twist by adding some chip shop style chips or air fryer chunky chips complete with salt and vinegar. It works surprisingly well.

I have also served currywurst with my crispy fried potatoes and straw potatoes.

Don’t get tunnel-visioned though, because this dish makes a great sandwich, I particularly like serving it as a hotdog with some crispy onions.

Equipment Used

I only recommend specific brands of equipment if I think that it makes a material difference to a recipe. If you have any questions feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.

• Stovetop.
• 24-28cm or 8-11″ frying pan.
• 15cm or 6″ saucepan.
• Sharp kitchen knife.
• Chopping board.
• Measuring Spoons.