German Potato Casserole with Sausage Bauernauflauf Recipe
A hearty, rustic casserole made with potatoes, sausage, and onions, often prepared in Germany as a simple family lunch. It’s something between a Polish potato bake and a Spanish tortilla, only baked in a dish. Ideal when you have some cooked potatoes and a piece of sausage left in the fridge.
Such potato casseroles are especially popular in Bavaria and Swabia, where they are traditionally used to turn leftover potatoes and sausage from previous days into a new meal. It’s a typical “Bauernessen” – a hearty, filling dish for people doing physical work.
This Bauernauflauf is a true comfort classic: simple ingredients, minimal prep, and a deeply satisfying result. Parboiled potatoes, browned sausage, and sweet onions are bound together in a creamy egg mixture and topped with cheese, creating a crispy top and soft, flavorful interior.
Why this version works
- Thin, briefly parboiled potato slices bake evenly and don’t stay hard in the middle.
- Deep browning of the sausage and onions creates a meaty, rich flavor without needing lots of extra spices.
- A well‑balanced cream-and-egg mixture makes the bake creamy but still firm enough to slice cleanly.
- Layering the ingredients ensures that every piece has potato, sausage, and cheese in each bite.
Chef's tips
Slice the potatoes as evenly as possible so they cook at the same rate. Season each layer lightly with salt and pepper if your sausage is not very salty. Letting the casserole rest after baking is important – it will slice more neatly and the flavors will settle.
How to serve
Serve straight from the baking dish at the table, with a big bowl of salad to share. A spoonful of mustard or a dollop of sour cream on the side works very well. It’s also delicious at room temperature, cut into squares and packed for a rustic lunch.
Watch out for
- Don’t cook the potatoes until fully soft – they will fall apart in the oven and turn into a mash.
- Be careful with salting the custard mixture – the sausage and cheese are already salty, so it’s easy to oversalt the dish.
- In a dish that’s too deep, the center takes longer to cook; if in doubt, test with a knife to check that the potatoes in the middle are tender.
Substitutions
- You can replace the sausage with fried bacon or smoked ham, keeping a similar amount of fat.
- You can swap 30% cream for 18% cream or milk with a spoonful of cream; the casserole will then be lighter.
- You can replace the yellow cheese with Gouda, Emmental, or a mix of well-melting cheeses.
- You can substitute thyme with marjoram or rosemary, but use less of it because the flavor is more intense.
Ingredients
- potatoes - 800 g
- sausage - 300 g
- onion - 2 pieces
- oil - 2 tablespoons
- cream - 200 ml
- eggs - 3 pieces
- yellow cheese grated - 120 g
- garlic - 2 pieces
- thyme dried - 1 teaspoon
- salt
- pepper
- butter - 10 g
Preparation
- Peel the potatoes and slice them into thin rounds (about 3 mm). Put them into a pot with cold, lightly salted water, bring to a boil, and cook for 5–7 minutes until slightly tender but not falling apart. Drain and set aside to cool.
- Cut the sausage into half-moons. Peel the onion and slice it into thin wedges. Peel the garlic and finely chop it.
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Add the sausage and fry for 4–5 minutes over medium heat until lightly browned and it releases some fat. Add the onion and fry for another 5–7 minutes, stirring, until it softens and lightly caramelizes. Add the garlic at the end and fry for 1 more minute. Remove from the heat.
- Grease a baking dish with butter. Preheat the oven to 190°C (top and bottom heat).
- In a bowl, mix the cream, eggs, thyme, a pinch of salt, and pepper. Briefly whisk with a fork until combined.
- Arrange a layer of potatoes on the bottom of the dish, slightly overlapping the slices. Spread half of the sausage and onion mixture on top. Repeat with another layer of potatoes and the remaining sausage, then finish with a final layer of potatoes on top.
- Pour the cream and egg mixture evenly over the casserole, making sure the liquid is distributed throughout. Sprinkle with grated cheese.
- Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for 30–35 minutes, until the top is golden and the edges are bubbling slightly. If the cheese browns too quickly, cover the dish loosely with aluminum foil.
- After removing from the oven, let the casserole rest for 10 minutes so it can set slightly and be easier to slice. Serve hot.
Storage
Store leftover casserole covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat individual portions in the oven or in a frying pan with a lid so the bottom crisps up slightly. You can also freeze cooled portions for up to 2–3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. If the top looks dry after reheating, cover loosely with foil for part of the time.
This dish is perfect for using up leftover boiled potatoes or bits of different sausages you might have in the fridge. It’s the kind of no-fuss, filling meal that feels like home, especially on colder days.
