Germany By Food Enthusiasts · 7 min read

National Dish Germany: Vienna Sausage Salad (Recipe)

Vienna sausage salad with sliced frankfurters, onions and gherkins in a mustard dressing

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There is something wonderfully unfussy about a good Vienna sausage salad, the kind of hearty supper that once graced kitchen tables right across the former East Germany. Sliced frankfurters meet sharp gherkins, crisp onion and a tangy mustard dressing, then rest just long enough for the flavours to settle into one another. It comes together in minutes yet tastes like proper home cooking, making it the ideal answer for those evenings when time is short but appetites are not.

About Vienna Sausage Salad

Vienna sausage salad is a straightforward, savoury dish that was a firm favourite in many GDR households, served as a quick meal or a satisfying cold supper. Its signature is the combination of Vienna sausages, onion, gherkins and a punchy dressing that gives the salad its lively, aromatic character. Because it takes so little time to prepare, the recipe is perfect for those moments when you want something hearty without the wait. It also keeps beautifully, and after a short resting time the flavours often taste even rounder and more harmonious.

Ingredients (serves 1–2)

4 Vienna sausages (or frankfurters)
1 small onion
3–4 gherkins plus 2 tbsp of the pickling liquid
2 tbsp oil (sunflower oil works well)
1 tbsp vinegar (white wine or spirit vinegar)
1 tsp mustard (medium-hot)
Salt and pepper
1 pinch of sugar (optional, to balance)
1–2 tbsp chives or parsley (optional)

Shopping for the ingredients

When shopping, the Vienna sausages are the most important choice of all, as they shape both the flavour and the texture of the salad. Look for good-quality sausages with a pleasant smoked or brine-cured aroma, so the finished dish never tastes flat. The gherkins should be crisp, since they bring freshness and acidity that balances the rich, savoury sausage. For the most authentic result, reach for classic jarred gherkins and use a little of their pickling liquid in the dressing too.

Preparing the dish

For a pleasing texture it is important to cut all the ingredients to a similar size, so that every forkful tastes balanced. The sausages are usually cut into fine slices, while the onion is nicer to eat in thin half-rings or very small dice. The gherkins should not be too chunky, otherwise their bite dominates and the sausage is lost. Have a roomy bowl ready in which you can combine the dressing and ingredients thoroughly, as the salad will then need a short while to rest and mingle.

Step-by-step instructions

Slice the Vienna sausages thinly and tip them into a bowl.
Peel the onion and finely dice it, or cut it into very thin half-rings.
Cut the gherkins into small cubes or slices and add them, along with the onion, to the sausages.
For the dressing, whisk together the oil, vinegar, mustard and pickling liquid, then season with salt, pepper and an optional pinch of sugar.
Pour the dressing over the ingredients and fold everything together carefully until evenly coated.
Leave the salad to rest for at least 10–20 minutes so the flavours can come together.
Scatter over chives or parsley if you like, then serve.

Gluten-free / lactose-free version

This dish is naturally easy to make gluten-free, provided you check the ingredient list on the sausages. Some sausages contain binders or spice blends that may carry traces of gluten, so it is worth looking for products clearly labelled gluten-free. The same applies to a lactose-free version: most Vienna sausages are lactose-free, though not always, particularly cheaper products with added ingredients. With clearly declared sausages, plain oil, vinegar and mustard, the dressing usually stays trouble-free.

Tips for vegans and vegetarians

For a vegetarian version, swap the Vienna sausages for vegetarian sausages that slice neatly and are not too soft. To make it vegan, use plant-based sausages and check that the mustard contains no animal products, though standard mustard is generally fine. A touch more pickling liquid and a little extra mustard help to mimic the savoury depth of the meat version. If you like, a pinch of smoked paprika or a good grind of pepper adds even more character.

More tips and tricks

The salad is at its best when served lightly chilled rather than ice cold, as that lets the mustard and seasonings shine. If the onion is too sharp for your taste, rinse it briefly under cold water or steep it for five minutes in a little vinegared water. A small pinch of sugar is by no means essential, but it can soften the acidity of the gherkins and vinegar. For extra juiciness, loosen the dressing with an additional tablespoon of pickling liquid without making it watery.

Adapting the recipe to your taste

If you like things really punchy, increase the amount of mustard or add a knife-tip of horseradish, which goes beautifully with sausage. For a milder version, ease back on the vinegar and pickling liquid and add a splash more mild oil so the dressing feels gentler. If you prefer more crunch, fold in finely chopped peppers or extra gherkin without losing the salad’s essential character. The resting time is another lever to play with: a short rest tastes fresher, a longer one turns the whole thing more intense.

Ingredient substitutions

In place of Vienna sausages, frankfurters or bockwurst also work well, though bockwurst is often stronger and a little softer. If you have no gherkins to hand, milder pickled cucumbers make a reasonable stand-in, but go easier on the vinegar so the salad does not turn too sharp. For the oil, neutral varieties such as sunflower or rapeseed are ideal, while olive oil noticeably shifts the flavour towards something more Mediterranean. Should you run out of mustard, a little horseradish or a dash of Worcestershire sauce (where it suits your diet) can bring a similar savoury kick, much as it would in a Saxon Pot Roast.

Drink pairing ideas

A hearty sausage salad calls for drinks that balance its acidity and spice, such as a refreshing apple spritzer or a sparkling mineral water with a squeeze of lemon. If you enjoy beer, a pilsner or a pale lager is a fine match, as the bitterness pairs neatly with the mustard dressing. A dry white wine such as Riesling can also work, especially when the salad carries a little more pickling liquid and vinegar. For an alcohol-free option, an unsweetened iced tea or a chilled herbal tea is pleasantly refreshing.

Serving and presentation ideas

Serve the salad in a shallow dish so the sausage slices and gherkins are spread out evenly and the dressing does not simply pool at the bottom. A topping of chives instantly adds colour and signals freshness without overpowering the flavour. It looks especially appetising if you arrange a few cucumber slices and onion rings on top and mix the rest underneath. A side of dark bread or fresh rolls works beautifully, served separately so they stay crisp, much like the crusty bread alongside Dripping Bread with Onions.

A bit of history

Salads made with sausage, gherkins and onion were popular across many regions of Germany, precisely because they rely on simple store-cupboard ingredients and fill you up quickly. In the GDR, practical recipes played an important role, as they suited everyday life and adapted easily to whatever happened to be available. Gherkins and mustard were typical flavour-givers that reliably brought even plain ingredients to life. The character of this salad is therefore still closely tied to honest home cooking, quick preparation and a boldly savoury result, in the same spirit as classic German cuisine.

More recipe ideas

Summary: Vienna Sausage Salad

Vienna sausage salad is a quick, savoury classic that comes together reliably from just a handful of ingredients. The key lies in good sausages, crisp gherkins and a well-balanced dressing of oil, vinegar, mustard and a little pickling liquid. A short resting time lets the flavours marry, so the salad tastes more intense and rounded. With a few easy tweaks it can also be made gluten-free or lactose-free, as well as vegetarian or vegan, making it a dependable favourite for any table.