Currywurst

Sliced bratwurst sausage smothered in ketchup-based curry sauce and dusted with curry powder; often served with a bun as a 'hotdog style' variant.

Berlin’s currywurst—credited to Herta Heuwer in 1949—features sliced sausage in a spiced curry‑ketchup sauce, usually served with fries or a roll. When served in a bun as a handheld, it becomes a practical hot‑dog‑adjacent form recognized by Berlin snack stands.
Authentic Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 German bratwurst (Finely ground, pre-cooked preferred)
- 1 cup Tomato ketchup
- 2-3 tablespoons Curry powder (Mild, yellow variety)
- 1 Small onion (Finely diced)
- 2 Garlic cloves (Minced)
- 1 tablespoon Tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1-2 teaspoons Brown sugar (Or honey)
- 1 tablespoon White wine vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon Baking soda (Reduces acidity)
- 4 Crusty bread rolls (Brötchen preferred)
Instructions
- Heat ketchup in saucepan over medium-low heat.
- Add baking soda and stir until foaming subsides.
- Sauté diced onion in olive oil until translucent.
- Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.
- Add tomato paste and cook briefly until fragrant.
- Add curry powder and cook 30 seconds to release flavors.
- Combine with warmed ketchup, add Worcestershire, sugar, and vinegar.
- Simmer 5-15 minutes to meld flavors.
- Grill bratwurst until crispy and browned outside.
- Slice bratwurst into bite-sized pieces.
- Pour curry sauce over sliced sausage.
- Sprinkle additional curry powder on top.
- Serve with crusty bread rolls. This is authentic Berlin street food!
Related Styles (kinda)
4 similar styles
Bockwurst, heated and dunked in hot ketchup, then slid into a pierced long roll to create a tunnel; a classic East German snack-stand/fair staple.

Three small Nürnberger bratwursts served in a bun with mustard, a specialty from Nürnberg, Germany.

Char-grilled Thuringian bratwurst in a roll with sharp mustard, a specialty from Thuringia, Germany.

Bacon-wrapped sausage served in bread with shredded lettuce, onions, horseradish, and pumpkin-seed-oil mayonnaise, an Austrian style.