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This curry ketchup (currywurst sauce) comes with a little spicy kick. A from scratch, tomato based condiment flavored with curry powder and served over sausage, usually with fries. Simple German street food.

A closeup of slices German sausage covered with curry ketchup

Curry gewürz ketchup, originates in Berlin Germany from a lady named Herta Heuwer. In 1949, she  traded some items with British soldiers in return for tomato sauce and curry powder and this was how currywurst sauce was born.

Dipping a French fry into a bowl of curry sauce

What is German currywurst made of? A simple combination of onion, curry powder, tomato puree, Worcestershire sauce and vinegar.

You may be thinking, why do I have to use all these ingredients when I can just mix curry powder with tomato ketchup? Well, you could, but ‘uncooked’ curry powder has a raw flavor that you can only fix by cooking it.

A slice of sausage and currywurst sauce on a fork

This was literally one of the first things I ate when I first stepped of the train in Frankfurt Germany. People were standing around eating curry sauce coated sliced sausages just walking around. I had to have some of this street food, and have been hooked ever since.

Serving suggestions: This homemade curry sauce is also delicious for dipping fries into (my favorite). I also like to serve it with my Mini Pork Apple & Sage Sausage Rolls, which go over really well when entertaining and game day.

What does wurst mean? Wurst is German for sausage.

If you’ve made this Curry Ketchup (Currywurst Sauce) please leave a comment below. You can also ask a question.

Yield: 4 servings 1 cup/236ml

Curry Ketchup (Currywurst Sauce)

3 whole sausages and 1 cut into slices covered with currywurst sauce

A from-scratch curry flavored ketchup that is famous in Germany served over sauce.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 6 tablespoons yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons spicy curry powder, plus a little more for garnish
  • 1 cup (236 ml) tomato puree/passata
  • 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons honey OR 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • Water if needed

Instructions

  1. To a pan, add the oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook slowly, don’t brown, just to soften. Stir in the curry powder and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomato puree, vinegar, honey or sugar, Worcestershire sauce and salt. Bring to a low simmer for 10 minutes. If it gets too thick add some water.
  2. Taste for seasoning, you want a good blend of spicy and sweet. If the sauce is too acidic, you can add a little baking soda/bicarbonate soda. Blend until smooth. Serve over sliced German sausage sprinkle over a little more curry powder.

Notes

Recipe yields: 1 cup/236 ml

Nutrition Information

Yield

4

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 93Total Fat 4gSaturated Fat 0gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 3gCholesterol 0mgSodium 284mgCarbohydrates 15gFiber 2gSugar 12gProtein 1g

This nutrition calculation is provided by Nutronix that is only a guideline and not intended for any particular diet.

© Janette
Cuisine: German / Category: Sauces