German Wurstsalat (Bavarian Sausage Salad)

This hearty Bavarian Wurstsalat is the perfect beer garden snack on a warm day. This German sausage salad is made from sliced bologne (Fleischwurst), onions, pickled gherkins (affiliate link), and a tangy vinaigrette. Pair this up with a German pretzel and a cold beer and relax! 

German Sausage Salad 

This particular salad originates from Bavaria and is as much a regional delicacy as the Munich Weisswurst or cabbage salad. It is the perfect dish to serve as a starter or a light meal. It has a fresh, tangy taste, and harmonizes perfectly with beer. You will find it on almost every beer garden menus in Southern Germany, but it is also easy to make at home for Brotzeit. 

Wurstsalat is translated as sausage salad. "Wurst" is the word for Sausage in German. This salad is known in Germany as "Bayerischer Wurstsalat, 

Fleischsalat vs Wurstsalat - what is the difference?

The ingredients may remind you of the German "Fleischsalat". Both are made with sausage and gherkins, but Fleischsalat is made with mayonnaise (affiliate link), whereas Wurstsalat is made in an oil and vinegar dressing. 

Another regional difference variation of this salad is the Swiss sausage salad. The only difference between the Bavarian and Swiss sausage salad is, that it contains cheese. 

Key Ingredients: 

• Sausage (use Fleischwurst, lyoner Sausage USA - German Bologna, Mortadella, UK Mortadella, Matteson Smoked Sausage, Australia Fritz Sausage)
• red onion - you can also use white onion, but the red onion has a sweeter note
• radishes
• chives or fresh parsley 
• German pickled gherkins (affiliate link) (if possible use German pickles otherwise dill pickles will do)

For the oil and vinegar dressing 

• liquid from the gherkin jar (This will help the salad get a sweet and sour flavor) 
• apple cider vinegar (can be replaced with white wine vinegar, but cider vinegar has a fruitier undertone)
• neutral oil such as sunflower oil or avocado oil 
• pepper, salt and sugar 
• you can use Bavarian mustard (affiliate link), which is sweeter, or German mustard (affiliate link), which has a sharper taste. If no German mustard (affiliate link) is available use Dijon Mustard (affiliate link). 

Wurstsalat Recipe Steps 

It's super fast to make this German bologne salad. However, I think it's better to leave it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes- or even better a couple of hours before serving. This will allow for the flavors to infuse. 

Step one: 

If necessary remove the skin of the sausage. Then slice the sausage and pickles very thinly. Another popular way of slicing it is to slice the sausage and pickled gherkins (affiliate link) into thin stripes. Peel the onions and slice into thin rings. Optional slice the radishes, if you are using them. 

Step Two

In a separate small bowl add the water from the gherkin jar, vinegar, mustard (affiliate link), and oil. Season with salt, pepper, and sugar and mix well. 

Pour the vinaigrette over the salad ingredients, and place it in an airtight container in the fridge. Allow it to rest for at least 30 minutes for the flavors to infuse. Just before serving, sprinkle it with freshly cut chives or parsley. 

Variation

Turn this Bavarian sausage salad into a Swiss wurstsalat (Schweizer Wurstsalat) salad by adding 100 g of sliced Emmental Cheese. 

What to serve with Wurstsalat 

This German sausage salad goes will with German bread, such as fresh bread rolls, rye bread or of course soft pretzels. You can also serve a boiled egg on the side. 

Prepare in advance

You can prep the ingredients up the day before, but best only to assemble 1-2 hours before your guests arrive. Make sure to keep it in the fridge until serving. 

Storage

Leftover Wurstsalat keeps in the fridge for up to 2 days. The problem is that the onions may start to ferment. It can last up to 3-4 days without the onions. If the salad begins to smell and tastes sour it is better to get rid of it. 

Recipe