My 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.

3 whole sausages and 1 cut into slices covered with currywurst sauce
5 from 10 reviews

Curry Ketchup (Currywurst Sauce)

Janette
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
Servings: 4 servings 1 cup/236ml
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Video

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 passata
  • 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons honey OR 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • Water if needed

Instructions
 

  • 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.
  • 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
 
Serving: 1, Calories: 93kcal, Carbohydrates: 15g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Sodium: 284mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 12g
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