Currywurst (Berlin Sausage with Curry Tomato Sauce)
In short: Pan-fried pork sausage cut into rounds and covered in a warm, sweet-tangy tomato sauce spiced with curry powder and paprika. It takes about 40 min in total and makes 4 servings.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total
- 40 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 540 kcal
Currywurst is Berlin's snack-stand favorite: a fried pork sausage cut into rounds under a warm, sweet-tangy tomato sauce flavored with curry powder. People eat it standing up, with fries or a bread roll, from lunchtime into the small hours. The sauce takes 25 minutes at home and tastes better than anything from a bottle. Keep the sauce smooth and the sausage plain, and you get the real thing.
Instructions
- Warm 1 tablespoon of oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook the onion for 5 minutes until soft and just starting to color.
- Stir in the tomato paste, curry powder and paprika and cook for 1 minute until fragrant, stirring so the spices do not scorch.
- Add the passata, water, sugar, vinegar and salt. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring now and then, until glossy and thick enough to coat a spoon.
- Blend the sauce smooth with a stick blender. Taste and add cayenne for heat, or a little more sugar if it is too sharp.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a skillet over medium heat. Brown the sausages for 12 to 15 minutes, turning often, until deep golden and cooked through to 71°C (160°F).
- Slice the sausages into thick rounds, pile them on plates and spoon over plenty of warm sauce. Dust with curry powder and serve with fries or a roll.
Tips
- Berlin stands often use a skinless pork sausage, fried until crisp and then cut up. Any good fresh bratwurst works at home.
- The sauce keeps for a week in the fridge and tastes better on day two. Use hot paprika for more heat, or leave out the cayenne for children.
Questions and answers
Is currywurst spicy?
Usually mild to medium. The warmth comes from curry powder and paprika, and stands offer mild, medium and hot sauces. Add cayenne at the end if you want more heat.
Can I make the sauce ahead?
Yes. It keeps for 7 days in a jar in the fridge and freezes for 3 months. Warm it gently with a splash of water before serving.
What do you serve with currywurst?
Fries with a spoon of mayonnaise are the classic pairing, and a plain bread roll is good for mopping up the sauce. A cucumber salad works well at home.
How long does it take to make Currywurst (Berlin Sausage with Curry Tomato Sauce)?
About 40 min in total: 10 min of preparation and 30 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Currywurst (Berlin Sausage with Curry Tomato Sauce)?
About 540 kcal per serving, with 20 g of protein, 45 g of carbohydrates and 31 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 540 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 20 g |
| Carbohydrates | 45 g |
| Fat | 31 g |
| Fiber | 4 g |
| Sugar | 12 g |
| Sodium | 1450 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
