Currywurst Recipe: Germany's Iconic Street Food Classic 2026

Currywurst is a German street food icon you'll find at every corner stand in Berlin and beyond. Sliced bratwurst gets doused in a thick, glossy tomato sauce with a sweet-and-spicy kick, then showered with curry powder. It's simple, bold, and completely addictive.

This homemade version comes together in just 25 minutes with pantry staples like ketchup, honey, balsamic vinegar, and curry powder. The sauce simmers while the sausages sizzle, so everything is ready at once with minimal fuss.

Serve it piled on a plate with extra curry powder dusted on top, or tuck the saucy slices into a crusty roll. Either way, it's the ultimate informal snack or appetizer that delivers big flavor with almost no effort.

Ingredients for Currywurst

For 2 servings

• 100 g onion
• 2 tablespoons olive oil (1 for the sauce and 1 for browning the sausages)
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 50 ml water
• 100 g ketchup
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• ½ teaspoon cayenne powder
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 2 Bratwurst sausages

How to Make Currywurst Step by Step

1. Sauté the onion

Peel and finely chop 100 g of onion. Sauté it in a skillet with 1 tablespoon of olive oil over low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until soft and translucent.

2. Build the curry sauce

Add 1 tablespoon of tomato paste and stir — this helps mellow the acidity — then pour in 50 ml of water. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and stir in 100 g of ketchup, 1 tablespoon of honey, and 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar. Cook for 5 minutes over low heat, then add 1 teaspoon of soy sauce, ½ teaspoon of cayenne powder, and 1 tablespoon of curry powder. Stir and cook for 1 more minute.

3. Brown the sausages

While the sauce simmers, brown 2 Bratwurst sausages in a separate skillet with 1 tablespoon of olive oil until golden on all sides.

4. Slice and combine

Cut the sausages into 1 cm thick slices and add them to the sauce. Stir so the sausage slices are well coated in the sweet and spicy curry sauce.

5. Serve with extra curry

Plate the currywurst and sprinkle with more curry powder. Optionally, serve with French fries or inside a bread roll.

Tips for the Best Currywurst

Balance the sauce

The tomato paste tames the ketchup's sweetness, while honey and balsamic add depth. Taste after simmering and adjust cayenne for more heat or honey for a sweeter profile.

Don't skip the sear

Browning the bratwurst in a hot skillet gives the casing a snappy texture and deep flavor that holds up against the bold sauce. Keep the heat moderate so they cook through without bursting.

Serve it right

Currywurst is traditionally enjoyed with French fries or tucked into a crusty roll. A final dusting of curry powder just before serving adds an aromatic finish.

30 Top Recipes I Keep Coming Back to at Home

Like a lot of home cooks, I like having a go-to rotation that covers cozy comfort plates, well-known dishes from around the world, and sweets that please a crowd.

When a rich, indulgent treat is what I'm after, my picks are usually this La Viña Molten Cheesecake recipe, this refined Original French Crème Brûlée recipe, or a luscious Chocolate Mousse Cake recipe. And on days when I want something fruity and cozy, this timeless French Tarte Tatin recipe is the one I reach for.

Mornings and lighter plates call for these airy Oatmeal and Banana Pancakes recipe, a hearty Stuffed Sweet Potato recipe, or these bright Eggs Stuffed with Avocado and Salmon recipe. And for a gluten-free staple I can keep on hand, this no-fuss Gluten-Free Rice Flour recipe does the job.

Tapas and Mediterranean cooking are a mood I return to often, and I tend to cycle through this punchy Basque Tuna with Tomato recipe, these crackly Patatas Bravas Air Fryer recipe, a velvety Tirokafteri Greek Dip Sauce recipe, and a cool Burrata Salad with Tomato and Pesto recipe. This chilled Italian Vitello Tonnato recipe also makes the table when I feel like something a bit more elevated.

Come lunch or a slow dinner at home, I'm quick to suggest this warming Meatballs in Spanish Sauce recipe, a time-honored Meatballs in Almond Sauce recipe, a deep-flavored Italian Bolognese Sauce recipe, and silky Chicken Croquettes in Thermomix recipe. When hunger runs bigger, I'll bake this Greek Pastitsio Pie recipe, a homey Potatoes and Squid Stew recipe, or the deeply comforting French Boeuf Bourguignon recipe.

Street-food cravings and party spreads usually mean this saucy Homemade Chicken Doner Kebab recipe, golden Salchipapas recipe, a punchy Mexican Pork Carnitas recipe, or these crisp Korean Hobak Jeon recipe. These simple Air Fryer Zucchini Rings recipe also work nicely as a light starter or snack.

And when guests are coming and drinks are part of the plan, dinner often gets paired with a cool Original Cuban Mojito recipe, a strong Long Island Iced Tea recipe, or a jug of this fruity Bleeding Spanish Sangria recipe. To fill out the spread, I like setting out this zesty French Remoulade Sauce recipe alongside, or ending with this eye-catching Mediterranean Black Rice with Squid recipe.

Even More Tasty Recipes the Whole Family Will Enjoy

After years of trying, tweaking, and remaking dishes in my own kitchen, I've come to see that the ones that stick around are built on straightforward steps, methods you can trust, and serious flavor.

What follows is the set of recipes I keep circling back to—whether it's a fast plate just for me or a bigger spread for the people I love.

On the sweet side, the rich, silky Orange Chocolate Mousse Recipe is one I turn to when I want something that feels fancy without much fuss. Another dessert I adore is the caramelized Trdelnik Slavic Pastry Recipe, modeled on the well-known Central European chimney cake. If baking is your thing, knowing how to make syrup for better texture in desserts comes in handy, and my Inverted Sugar Recipe walks through exactly how I do it at home.

For something light and uncomplicated, I'll usually reach for the timeless Italian Caprese Salad Recipe or a flawlessly cooked Simple Poached Egg Recipe. And for heavier comfort plates, my usual picks are the filling Meatball Sandwich Recipe, the velvety Russian Stroganoff Beef Recipe, and the speedy weeknight go-to One Pot Pasta Recipe.

I'm just as happy sharing dishes with roots in other countries, like the genuine Sorropotún de Bonito Fish Stew Recipe, crunchy Chilean Pumpkin Sopaipillas Recipe, and Spain's own Cochifrito Segovian Fried Pig Recipe.

Air fryer cooking is another area I use all the time, since it cuts down on effort while still giving you excellent results. The ones I make most are Air Fryer Pork Ribs Recipe, Air Fryer Chicken Thighs Recipe, Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes Recipe, Air Fryer Baked Potatoes Recipe, Air Fryer Peppers Recipe, Air Fryer Mixed Sandwich Recipe, Air Fryer Toasted Bread Recipe, and Air Fryer Hard-Boiled Eggs Recipe.

And for those steering clear of wheat, my cozy Gluten-Free Lasagna Recipe shows that a baked pasta classic can still be creamy, cheesy, and completely satisfying without any gluten.

Gluten free Empanada Dough Recipe 🍕 Fluffy Apple Cake Recipe 🍔 Langos Hungarian Fried Bread Recipe 🌭 Gluten Free French Brioche Recipe 🍟 Madeira British Sponge Cake Recipe 🌮 Chocolate Argentinian Cookies Alfajores Recipe 🌯 Barmbrack Irish Sweet Bread Recipe 🥙 Gluten free Cookies Recipe 🥗 Homemade cream Maruxas Galician Biscuit Recipe 🍝 Japanese Dumplings Gyoza Dough Recipe

American Gluten Free Cookies Recipe 🍜 Gluten Free King Cake Recipe 🍲 Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Recipe 🍛 Extremadura Style Chard Recipe 🍣 Keto Sliced Sandwich Bread Recipe 🍱 Gluten Free Waffles Recipe 🍤 Low Carb Keto Pizza Recipe 🍗 Gluten Free Bread Rolls Recipe 🍖 Flourless Gluten Free Bread Buns Recipe 🥓 Protein Ice Cream Recipe 🥞 Chia Pudding Dessert with Seeds Recipe

Fluffy Cloud Bread Pan Nube Recipe 🧇 Quinoa Bread Recipe 🍞 Schiacciata Tuscan Focaccia Flat Bread Recipe 🥐 Shokupan Japanese Milk Bread Recipe 🥨 Potato Sandwich Bread Recipe 🧀 Homemade Breadsticks Recipe 🍳 Stollen German Dried Fruits Cake Recipe 🥚 French Gingerbread Spiced Cake Recipe 🍰 Gluten Free Pancakes Recipe

🥔 Potato-omelet-in-Thermomix 🍓 Smores-Sandwich-Dessert 🍰 Womens-Day-Mimosa-cake ☕ Coffee-Sorbet 🍆 Eggplant-pizza 🍋 Ciambella-Italian-Lemon-Cake 🥖 Zapiekanka-Polish-Snack 🌰 Dukkah-Egyptian-Nuts-Mix 🧆 Best-Hummus 🥑 Best-Avocado