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Overview

Weisswurst

Munich white sausage, Bavarian breakfast sausage

This weisswurst recipe shows how to cook Munich's pale veal and pork sausages the Bavarian way: simmered gently in hot, never boiling, water with onion, parsley and lemon until plump and juicy, then peeled and eaten with sweet mustard and a warm soft pretzel. Two sausages per person make a proper Bavarian breakfast or light lunch. One serving is about 218 g.

According to tradition, Weisswurst was invented on 22 February 1857 by the Munich innkeeper Sepp Moser at the inn Zum Ewigen Licht on Marienplatz, when he ran short of sheep casings and used thinner pork casings instead, poaching the sausages gently so they would not burst. Because the fresh, unpreserved sausage spoiled quickly, the old rule says it must not hear the noon bell — it was eaten in the morning, with sweet mustard, pretzels and wheat beer. Today Münchner Weisswurst holds EU Protected Geographical Indication status, and the pale sausage remains Munich's signature breakfast.

Pairs well with: Serve with sweet mustard, a warm soft pretzel and a wheat beer or a glass of apple juice.

Provenance

Germany flag Germany

Munich Breakfast Classic

Nordic & European

Time Dedication

25m

10m prep • 15m cook

Batch Yield

4 Servings

634 kcal per serving

1 serving ≈ 218 g

Technical Skill

Easy

Easy (Gentle Simmer)

Meal Timing & Digestive Fit

Breakfast

Not Advised

Lunch

Prime Metabolic Fit

Dinner

Ideal Hearty Main

Snack & Tea

Inappropriate

High Protein Occasions: Bavarian breakfasts, Oktoberfest mornings, weekend brunches, Munich-themed lunches Cost: Moderate — about $4–5 per serving at home
Tags: Pork Beef Savory Mild High-protein Steamed
One pale Weisswurst sausage with sweet mustard and parsley beside a soft pretzel on a wooden table

Munich Breakfast Classic

Photo: Gerda Arendt, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Heritage Formulary

Measured Ingredients

Estimated cost: Moderate — about $4–5 per serving at home (USD)

A true Weisswurst is judged by its skin and its juice: a smooth, pale casing that peels away cleanly and a soft, moist filling.

Execution Methodology & Culinary Technique

Step-by-Step Cooking Guide

Active 25m
P

Prep Stage: Water, Aromatics & Mustard

10 Mins

Put the water in a wide pot with the halved onion, parsley stems and lemon slices and the salt. Set out four small dishes of sweet mustard and warm the pretzels in the oven at 180°C (350°F) for 3-4 minutes. Keep the sausages refrigerated until the water is ready — they go in cold and cook gently.

Maestro Tip: Never let the water boil once the sausages are in: boiling bursts the thin skins and turns the filling rubbery.

  1. 1

    Heat the Simmering Water

    8 Mins 80°C (175°F)

    Put the water, onion, parsley stems, lemon slices and salt in a wide pot and bring it just to a boil over medium-high heat, then turn the heat down until the water is steaming and still, at about 75-80°C (167-175°F). Small bubbles may rise at the edges, but the surface should not be rolling.

    If you have no thermometer, take the pot off the boil and wait 2 minutes: the water is ready when it steams hard but no longer bubbles.

    Done when: The water is steaming and still, with no rolling boil.

  2. 2

    Simmer the Weisswurst Gently

    12 Mins 75-80°C (167-175°F)

    Slide the 8 Weisswurst into the hot water, put the lid on and leave the pot off the heat or on the lowest flame for 10-12 minutes. The sausages are done when they feel plump and firm and the skins look taut and glossy; the centre should reach at least 71°C (160°F) on a food thermometer.

    Do not prick the sausages and do not let the water boil — both split the skins and dry out the filling.

    Done when: Plump, firm and glossy, with a hot centre of at least 71°C (160°F).

  3. 3

    Warm the Pretzels

    4 Mins 180°C (350°F)

    While the sausages simmer, warm the pretzels in the oven at 180°C (350°F) for 3-4 minutes until the crust is crisp and the inside is soft and warm. Put a spoonful of sweet mustard on each plate.

    Warm pretzels, not hot ones: they should be soft enough to tear, not crunchy all the way through.

    Done when: Pretzels warm and crisp outside, soft inside.

  4. 4

    Peel and Serve

    3 Mins 20°C (68°F)

    Lift the sausages out with tongs and put two on each plate with a pretzel and mustard. To eat them the Bavarian way, slit the skin lengthways with a knife and peel it back, or cut the sausage open and lift the meat out with a fork — the skin is not eaten. Eat at once, while the sausages are hot and juicy.

    Serve the sausages in their hot water at the table if people are eating slowly: they stay warm without cooking further.

    Done when: Sausages steaming hot, skins peeled, mustard and pretzel alongside.

Finishing Touches & Plating

Serve the Weisswurst straight from the hot water with sweet mustard and warm pretzels, and eat them hot while the skins peel easily and the filling is soft and juicy.

Nutritional Physiology & Benefits

Nutrition

Energy

634

kcal / serving

Protein

23g

Complete AA

Carbs

59g

Complex

Fats

33g

Healthy

Per serving (4 servings · 1 serving ≈ 218 g)
Energy634 kcal
Protein23 g
Carbohydrates59 g
Fat33 g
Fibre2.8 g
Sugar3.1 g
Sodium1671 mg
Per 100g
Energy292 kcal
Protein10.7 g
Carbohydrates27 g
Fat15.1 g
Fibre1.3 g
Sugar1.4 g
Sodium768 mg

Nutrition values are estimated — calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients.

Vitamins & minerals: Vitamin B1, B6 and B12 (veal and pork), zinc and selenium (pork), vitamin C (parsley). Nutrition values are estimated.

High in Protein

Two sausages with a pretzel give about 23 g of protein per serving, so the plate is filling without being heavy.

Gentle, Simple Flavour

The flavour comes from veal, pork, parsley, lemon and mace — no smoking, no curing and no packet mix.

Lightly Cooked, Not Fried

Simmering in water keeps the sausages moist and pale, with no added frying fat and no browned crust.

Food Pairings

What to Eat With

To optimize nutrient absorption and elevate the sensory depth, pair with these authentic accompaniments:

Sides

Soft Pretzels

A warm pretzel is the classic partner: its salty crust and soft crumb are made for tearing and dipping in sweet mustard.

Sauces

Sweet Bavarian Mustard

Sweet mustard is the only traditional partner — its mild sweetness lifts the delicate veal and parsley without overpowering them.

Drinks

Wheat Beer

A cold wheat beer is the Munich breakfast drink: light, cloudy and refreshing against the rich sausage.

Vegetables

Cucumber Salad

A sharp cucumber salad with vinegar cuts through the richness of the pork fat and refreshes the palate.

Complete menu

Serve two simmered Weisswurst per person with sweet mustard, a warm soft pretzel and a cucumber salad, and a cold wheat beer.

Digestive Guardrails

What NOT to Combine

To prevent digestive distress, sluggishness, or palate clash, avoid pairing the dish with these elements:

Boiling the Sausages

Boiling bursts the thin skins and makes the filling rubbery and dry, so the sausages lose the soft, juicy texture that defines Weisswurst. Keep the water at 75-80°C (167-175°F). This is general cooking advice, not medical advice.

Eating the Skin

The natural casing is tough and chewy and is traditionally peeled off before eating; eating it whole gives a rubbery bite. Slit it lengthways and peel it back. This is general information, not medical advice.

General information only, not medical advice — consult a doctor for personal dietary decisions.

Who Should Eat It

Who Should Eat

  • General adultsA light, protein-rich breakfast or lunch — best eaten hot, two sausages with mustard and a pretzel.
  • ChildrenChildren enjoy the mild, pale sausages peeled and cut into pieces; go easy on the mustard and serve a smaller pretzel.
  • ElderlyThe filling is soft and easy to chew once peeled; serve a smaller portion, as the sausages are salty.
  • Pregnant womenPork and veal cooked to at least 71°C (160°F) and served hot is fine; keep portions moderate and ask your clinician about salty foods if unsure.
  • Breastfeeding womenA filling, protein-rich meal that suits breastfeeding; the sausages, pretzel and mustard together make a complete light meal.
  • AthletesHigh in protein, so it refuels well after training — eat it with the pretzel for the carbohydrate to go with it.
  • Weight gainEnergy-rich from the pork fat and pretzel, so it suits people who need extra calories.
  • Weight lossEnergy-dense at about 634 kcal a plate, so keep to one sausage, eat more of the cucumber salad and skip a second pretzel.

Health Conditions — Adjust or Avoid

Conditions

  • DiabetesThe sausages themselves are low in carbohydrate, but the pretzel adds a lot — keep the bread portion modest; ask your clinician about portions.
  • High blood pressureContains sodium from added salt, the sausages and the pretzel; use less salt in the water if you need to limit sodium, and ask your clinician.
  • Kidney diseaseHigh in protein from the veal and pork; people with kidney disease should watch portion size and ask their clinician.
  • GoutVeal and pork are moderate in purines; a large portion may not suit people prone to gout — ask your clinician.
  • Stomach issuesThe sausages are rich and the mustard can irritate a sensitive stomach; eat a small portion and skip the mustard if your stomach is sensitive.
  • Cardiovascular diseaseHigh in saturated fat from the pork, so people with cardiovascular disease should eat a smaller portion with plenty of salad; ask your clinician.
  • Fatty liverRich and high in fat, so keep portions modest and balance the plate with cucumber salad; ask your clinician.
  • Food allergiesContains wheat (gluten) in the pretzels and pork and veal casings. Mustard is an allergen for some people. If you have any food allergy, check every ingredient and ask your clinician.
  • Special therapeutic dietsNot suitable as a low-fat, low-sodium or low-purine therapeutic diet without changes (leaner sausage, less salt, gluten-free roll); discuss adaptations with your clinician or dietitian.

If you have a medical condition, consult your doctor before changing your diet.

Storage & Use

Storage & Use

How to store
Cool quickly and store in airtight containers in the fridge.
In the fridge
Cooked sausages 2 days, in their cooking water; uncooked fresh sausages use the same day.
In the freezer
Not recommended — freezing makes the skins split and the filling crumbly.
How to reheat
Reheat gently in hot water at 75°C (167°F) until steaming hot throughout, to 74°C (165°F); never boil or microwave.
Freezing recommended
No — Weisswurst is made to be eaten fresh the same day.
Signs it has spoiled
Sour smell, slimy skin, or grey colour.

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