German currywurst — grilled sausage with tomato-curry sauce

Currywurst is one of Germany’s most famous street foods. It was born in Berlin in 1949, when Herta Heuwer combined grilled sausage with a warm, sweet-spicy tomato sauce rich in curry — and it has never left the city’s menu since. Today this recipe is as easy to make at home as at the street stalls, and its warm taste, with aromatic notes of spices, makes it irresistible for any street-food lover.

Ingredients (4 servings)

• 4 Bratwurst sausages (about 400 g)
• 2 tbsp oil, for frying
• 400 g crushed tomatoes (passata)
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 2–3 tsp curry powder (plus for dusting)
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 1 tsp honey or brown sugar
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce (optional)
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• A little water, as needed

Preparation steps

1. In a deep pan, heat the oil and sauté the onion for 4–5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic, tomato paste, curry powder and paprika; stir for 1 minute until the spices release their aroma.
2. Add the crushed tomatoes, honey, vinegar and Worcestershire sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer gently for 12–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens. If it is too thick, add a little hot water.
3. Meanwhile, in another pan (or on the grill) fry the sausages on all sides until golden-brown, about 8–10 minutes.
4. Cut the sausages into 2–3 cm pieces and arrange on plates or in paper trays. Pour the hot sauce over and dust with curry powder.
5. Serve immediately with French fries, roasted potatoes or fresh bread — and with wooden forks, as they do in Berlin.

Time and servings

• Prep: 10 minutes
• Cooking: 25 minutes
• Total: about 35 minutes
• Servings: 4