How to Make Curry Ketchup – A Beloved German Condiment
Curry ketchup is a tangy, spiced tomato sauce that’s famous for topping currywurst in Germany—but it’s also one of the most versatile condiments you can make at home. This was one of my earlier videos, filmed while I was still going by “Lee’s Camp Cooking,” and although it’s a little less polished, the recipe is a keeper. While you can find curry ketchup in Australia, it’s expensive—so we’ve been making our own for years and honestly prefer it. It’s brilliant with sausages, burgers, chips, and especially paired with mayonnaise. And this curry ketchup is so good drizzled over Fleischsalat, another German favourite snack. P.S. I’ll be sharing my go-to double-fry chip method soon in an upcoming fish & chips recipe, using a wonderful two-ingredient batter that just works so well. Stay tuned!
Curry Ketchup & Currywurst – Germany’s Favourite Fast Food
Ingredients
Curry Ketchup
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp neutral oil e.g. mild olive oil, vegetable oil
- 1 cup tomato sauce (ketchup) 250ml
- 2 tbsp sugar or honey I like using honey
- 1 tbsp curry powder
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 2 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- Pinch of salt
- Pinch of black pepper
Serving Suggestion
- bratwurst knackwurst, or kransky sausages
- potatoes for chips
- Neutral oil for frying
- Salt to season
- Mayonnaise for topping
- Extra curry powder for sprinkling
Instructions
Make the curry ketchup
- In a small saucepan, add water, oil, and tomato ketchup. Place over medium heat and whisk to combine.
- Once it starts to simmer, reduce heat to low and add sugar (or honey), curry powder, chili powder, onion powder, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper.
- Whisk well to combine. Turn off heat and let cool. Transfer to a clean jar.
Currywurst
- Peel and cut potatoes into chips.
- Place in a saucepan, cover with cold salted water, and bring to the boil.
- Boil for 5 minutes, drain well, and spread on a tea towel to dry completely.
- Heat oil in a frying pan and fry chips in batches until golden and crisp. Drain on paper towel and season with salt.
- Cook the sausages
- Heat a little oil in a pan over medium heat.
- Add bratwurst, knackwurst, or kransky sausages and cook, turning often, until browned and heated through.
- Slice into bite-sized pieces.
Assemble the currywurst
- Divide chips into bowls, top with sausage slices.
- Spoon over curry ketchup and mayonnaise.
- Finish with a light sprinkle of curry powder.
Notes
- Chip Method:
In this video, I preboil the chips before frying — not my usual method! I normally prefer double frying raw potatoes with no preboiling. But I was outdoors using a 2-burner stove, and this option worked best. Still crispy, still delicious. - Make-Ahead Tip:
The curry ketchup keeps well in the fridge for a couple of months in a sealed jar. - Serving Suggestion:
This curry ketchup is delicious on eggs, burgers, chips, and meats — and especially good paired with mayonnaise. It’s a versatile condiment we always keep on hand. - Sausage Choices:
Bratwurst is traditional, but kranskys or knackwurst work beautifully — especially when cooking with what’s available.
