Weisswurst Salad with White Sausage Recipe
Weisswurstsalat is a salad made with Bavarian white sausage, pickles and onion in a light mustard dressing. In Bavaria, white sausage is traditionally eaten in the morning with pretzels, but in salad form it works perfectly as a cold supper or a snack to go with beer. The flavours are bold, yet the dressing is light, so the dish doesn’t feel heavy.
Weisswurstsalat is a Bavarian take on sausage salad: a light mustard dressing, pickled cucumbers and onion highlight the delicate flavour of white sausage. It’s a great way to serve Weisswurst beyond the classic morning combo with pretzel and sweet mustard. The flavours are bold and refreshing, making the salad an ideal cold snack with beer or a light dinner on a warm evening.
Chef's tips
Cook the sausages gently (don’t let the water boil hard) and only then slice them – this way they keep their springy texture and don’t burst. It’s worth soaking the onion in cold water for a few minutes or salting it lightly to mellow its sharpness, especially if the salad will sit in the fridge. Make the mustard dressing fresh, tasting as you go – Bavarian mustard is sweet, so it’s easy to overdo the added sugar or honey.
How to serve
Serve well chilled with pretzels, a slice of dark bread or baked potatoes in their skins – a complete set for an evening with beer. It pairs perfectly with pale lager, wheat beer or a homemade shandy. It’s a great option for a balcony dinner on a hot day when you don’t feel like standing over the stove.
Ingredients
- white Weisswurst sausage raw, Bavarian, mildly seasoned - 6 pieces
- pickled cucumber medium-sized, crunchy - 3 pieces
- red onion small - 1 piece
- chives fresh - 0.5 bunch
- Bavarian mustard slightly sweet, coarse-grain - 2 tablespoons
- white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar - 2 tablespoons
- rapeseed oil or another neutral oil - 3 tablespoons
- water to thin the dressing - 2 tablespoons
- sugar to balance the acidity - 0.5 teaspoons
- salt to taste
- ground black pepper to taste
Preparation
- Place the white sausages in a pot with hot but not boiling water. Heat over low heat for about 10 minutes, so that the water only trembles slightly and doesn’t boil vigorously. This way the sausages will stay juicy.
- After cooking, remove the sausages from the water and set aside for a few minutes to cool slightly. Then remove the casings by slitting them lengthwise with a knife and gently peeling off the skin.
- Slice the peeled sausages into rounds about 0.5 cm thick. Slice the pickled cucumbers into thin half-moons. Peel the onion and slice it into very thin slivers. Finely chop the chives.
- In a small bowl, prepare the dressing: mix the mustard, vinegar, oil, water, sugar, a pinch of salt and pepper. Whisk vigorously until the dressing is smooth and slightly creamy.
- In a large bowl, combine the sausage slices, cucumbers, onion and most of the chives. Pour the dressing over and gently toss so all the ingredients are evenly coated.
- Let the salad rest for at least 15 minutes at room temperature or in the fridge so the flavours can meld. Before serving, sprinkle with the remaining chives and season with more salt and pepper if needed.
Storage
Store the salad covered in the fridge and eat within 1–2 days. Stir before serving and, if needed, refresh with a little extra mustard and vinegar.
