MAIN INGREDIENTS
Nürnberger Bratwürste are small, thin sausages originating from the city of Nürnberg in the Franconia region of Bavaria, Germany. They are typically about 7 to 9 centimeters (2.75 to 3.5 inches) long and weigh around 20 to 25 grams each, making them much smaller and thinner compared to other types of German sausages.
The sausages are made from finely ground pork, often mixed with a blend of spices that typically includes marjoram, salt, pepper, and sometimes a hint of ginger or nutmeg, with marjoram being a signature ingredient that gives them their distinctive flavor.
Kiełbasa wędzona is a type of traditional Polish smoked kiełbasa. It is prepared with ground pork meat which is cured before it is seasoned with salt, pepper, sugar, garlic, and (optionally) marjoram. The ground meat mixture is then placed into a large ring-shaped casing and cold-smoked for 1 to 1.5 days, even though these days it is usually hot-smoked as the hot smoking allows for easier and faster cooking of the sausage.
Smoked Polish kiełbasa is originally prepared only with pork, but there’s another version of this authentic sausage that the Polish Government introduced in 1964, which consists of 80% pork and 20% beef. This classic kiełbasa is usually baked, grilled, or added to traditional Polish soups, including kapusniak cabbage soup.
MAIN INGREDIENTS
St. Galler bratwurst is a traditional sausage that's eaten throughout the country, but it's especially popular in the city of St. Gallen. The sausage is made with a combination of veal, pork, milk, salt, white pepper, and mace. The combination can be enriched with celery, ginger, cardamom, lemon, onion, and coriander, but it's not mandatory.
It is stuffed into pig intenstines, cooked (not smoked), then grilled or pan-fried. These sausages date back to the 15th century, and nowadays there are four distinctive types – the classic version, the one made with more than 50% veal, the OLMA (agricultural trade fair) version, and the largest one, called St. Galler Kinderfest-Bratwurst.
MAIN INGREDIENTS
What was once an item for survival during the cold winter months and a technique of not wasting meat scraps is nowadays a delicacy consumed throughout Germany and abroad. Bratwurst stems from two words, an Old High German word brat, meaning meat without waste, and wurst, which means sausage.
Bratwurst has origins with the Celtics, but the Franconians developed it further. It dates back to the 1300s in a region that would eventually become Eastern Germany. Bratwurst is usually consumed for breakfast, due to the tradition of farmers who would make the sausages in the morning and eat them by noon, as they would otherwise spoil.
VARIATIONS OF Bratwurst
MOST ICONIC Bratwurst
View moreMAIN INGREDIENTS
Thüringer Rostbratwurst is a product with centuries of tradition. The oldest known recipe, held at the Weimar State Archives, dates back to 1613. Martin Luther and Goethe both appreciated it, and it was often praised in literature.
Only finely minced pork (sometimes mixed with beef or veal) is used to make this sausage, and the spice mixtures that are added vary depending on the recipes and regional characteristics. These sausages are easily distinguished from other German sausages by their low fat content and a distinctive combination of spices and seasonings – salt, pepper, caraway, marjoram, and garlic.
Due to its unique and delicious flavor, Thüringer Rostbratwurst is still very popular in Germany and beyond, and it can be found at most sausage stands in Thuringia.
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Regensburger wurst is a German sausage originating from Regensburg, where it was invented in the late 19th century. The sausages are made from fine or coarse pork and they're smoked and boiled before being sold or consumed. The pork is usually finely ground without fat, then mixed with spices, salt, and small chunks of pork.
Once cooked, they can be served hot or cold, or used in dishes such as salads or sandwiches.
MOST ICONIC Regensburger Wurst
Kiełbasa Polska is one of the most traditional Polish sausages that is made following an age-old method of sausage making. This variety of sausage consists of lean pork, semi-fat pork, sugar, garlic, and spices such as pepper, marjoram, ground mustard seeds, and thyme, which are combined and then chilled before they are stuffed into pork casings.
These pork sausages are then often smoked lightly and allowed to dry and mature for a few days. This type of sausage is also commonly referred to as kiełbasa starowiejska or old countryside sausage, and it can be eaten raw or cooked, served with some pickled vegetables, onions, beetroot, horseradish, mustard, and bread on the side.
Among the broad group of Polish sausages, the smoked wiejska kielbasa stands out as the most traditional and popular variety of them all. The sausage is usually prepared with fat trimmings and a combination of ground pork and veal, and then it is generously seasoned with garlic and marjoram.
Wiejska is one of the most versatile Polish sausages that can be enjoyed on its own, preferably thinly sliced, but it can also withstand frying, cooking, or grilling. This flavorful sausage is commonly added into soups, stews, and casserole dishes.
Spišské párky is a smoked sausage that comes in sheep intestine casings which have been separated by twisting. It has been produced for more than a century in the Slovak Republic and was first made during the visit of the Hungarian nobility to the grand fair held by Spiš Castle, where a local butcher sold them and attracted significant attention with this specialty.
According to a traditional recipe, it is made with a mixture of fresh beef, fresh pork, pork rind, and spices such as sweet and hot paprika that give the sausage its pinkish-red color. The finished product is hung in a smoke room to dry and smoke and, therefore, has a unique aroma and flavor.
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Debreceni kolbász is a Hungarian sausage made with pork and spices such as garlic, paprika, pepper, and marjoram, which account for the reddish-orange color of the sausage. It is named after the Hungarian town of Debrecen. These sausages are typically unsmoked or lightly smoked, and the flavor is strong and slightly pungent.
They can be broiled, baked, or fried. Some use them as an ingredient in various aromatic stews or bake the sausages with beans. Nowadays, Debreceni kolbász is popular throughout the former Austro-Hungarian Empire.
MOST ICONIC Debreceni kolbász
TasteAtlas food rankings are based on the ratings of the TasteAtlas audience, with a series of mechanisms that recognize real users and that ignore bot, nationalist or local patriotic ratings, and give additional value to the ratings of users that the system recognizes as knowledgeable. For the “Top 66 Central European Cooked Sausages” list until April 15, 2025, 4,505 ratings were recorded, of which 3,679 were recognized by the system as legitimate. TasteAtlas Rankings should not be seen as the final global conclusion about food. Their purpose is to promote excellent local foods, instill pride in traditional dishes, and arouse curiosity about dishes you haven’t tried.