Authentic recipe for Swabian sausage salad from Bavaria – just like it is served in biergartens and at the Oktoberfest.
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Read on for a few relevant tips and process pictures (1 min)
What is Bayerischer Wurstsalat?
Bayerischer Wurstsalat translates to Bavarian sausage salad. At its core it is a type of meat salad (the broader category of Fleischsalat is a popular preparation across all of Germany), but in the south the Bavarians, especially in Swabia, use local Lyoner sausage (a German bologna) to make it and prefer to dress it in a very simple vinaigrette – no mustard or mayonnaise are required.
The salad is a staple on beer garden menus (perfect for Brotzeit or as a topping on Butterbrot) and is also one of the dishes offered on the Wiesn during Oktoberfest. It is incredibly simple to put together – all you have to do is secure a good quality pork deli sausage and have German beer to enjoy with it.
Ingredients for Wurstsalat & What Type of Sausage to Use
- Deli pork sausage. The classic version of the salad is made with a boiled, smoked sausage known as Regensburger Wurst which is not easy to find in the US. Alternatives for the pork sausage include bologna, kielbasa, mortadella or cooked beerwurst or bratwurst. We love to make it with the bratwurst you see above sold at Trader Joe’s – it is delicious and has a great consistency.
- Onion, dill pickles and herbs. Red onion is traditionally used for its milder flavor and also for the visual contrast. You can use dill pickles or gurken (gherkins) and as far as herbs are concerned parsley, chives and occasionally dill are added.
- Dressing ingredients. A mild vinegar such as sherry, apple cider or white wine vinegar; a neutral cooking oil (ex. vegetable or sunflower oil); a bit of pickle juice and salt and pepper to taste.
Method of Preparation
- Prep. Remove the casings from the sausage links and slice them thinly into circles, semi-circles or lengthwise into thin strips (julienne). Thinly slice the onion and dill pickles. Finely chop the parsley/chives.
- Mix. Add the ingredients for the dressing to a small bowl and whisk to combine. Place the sausage, onions and pickles in a deep bowl and drizzle the dressing over them. Sprinkle with chopped herbs, reserve a small amount of the herbs for garnish.
- Marinate. Combine everything and let marinate for about 15 minutes. Transfer to a serving plate/bowl and sprinkle with the reserved chopped herbs.
Serving Tips
- Serve Wurstsalat with fresh German bread/bread rolls or soft Bavarian pretzels. It also goes great with pan-fried potatoes or basic Bavarian potato salad.
- Being on the menu of beer gardens this hearty sausage delicacy definitely has a strong affinity for most German beers. Pair it with those traditional to Bavaria – hefeweizen, Munich helles, Munich dunkel, pilsner, bock and in Fall with Marzen or Festbier.
- Even though best eaten shortly after prepared Bavarian sausage salad will keep well for a day or two, stored refrigerated in an airtight container. The red onions acquire a pickled taste and give up some of their crispness, but overall the salad retains enough crunch to be enjoyable.
Variations of Sausage Salad
- Add cherry tomatoes or thinly sliced radishes.
- Add cheese sliced in thin strips. Suitable options are Emmentaler, regular Swiss cheese, Gouda.
- Make a mayo based vinaigrette and to pour over the salad. Simply fold in two or three tablespoons of mayo into the prescribed recipe below.
Other Recipes You Might Like
Bavarian Potato Salad
German Food Ideas for Oktoberfest
Bratkartoffeln German Fries
German Onion Pie
Wurstsalat - Bavarian Sausage Salad
Yield: 4-6 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Inactive Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Traditional sausage salad from the region of Bavaria. Prepared with thinly sliced deli sausage, dill pickles and red onion it is hearty, flavorful and packs a pleasant crunch.
Ingredients
- 12 oz deli pork sausage*
- 3-4 medium dill pickles
- 1 small to medium red onion
- fresh parsley, chopped, to taste
- chives, chopped, to taste
- 1 tbsp sherry vinegar**
- 1 tbsp pickle juice
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- salt, a pinch
- pepper, a pinch
Instructions
1. Remove the casings from the sausage links then slice them into thin circles or semi-circles (alternatively you can julienne them i.e slice them into thin strips). Thinly cut the onion into circles or semi-circles. Slice or julienne the dill pickles. Finely chop the parsley and chives.
2. In a small bowl whisk together the vinegar, pickle juice, vegetable oil and salt and pepper.
3. In a deep bowl place all the ingredients from step 1 (reserve a bit of parsley and chives for garnish). Add the dressing from step 2 and gently mix everything together. Let marinate for 10-15 minutes.
4. Transfer the sausage salad to a serving plate/bowl and garnish with the reserved chives and parsley. Enjoy with soft pretzels or fresh bread rolls.
Notes
*boiled or smoked; traditionally Bayerischer Wurstsalat is made with Regensburg sausages, try it with kielbasa, precooked German beerwurst or bratwurst, bologna or mortadella.
**substitute with apple cider or white wine vinegar
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 5Serving Size: 1 grams
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 281Total Fat: 24gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 59mgSodium: 896mgCarbohydrates: 4gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 13g
Nutritional values are calculated based on the average servings of 5.
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