Swiss Wurst-Käse-Salat — the Pub Original in 15 Minutes
Cervelat and Gruyère in strips, onion in rings, gherkins in slices. Dressing of 3 tbsp vinegar, 4 tbsp oil, 1 tsp mustard and a little gherkin brine. Toss, let stand 15 minutes, eat with bread. Without cheese it is a Wurstsalat.
On hot days every Swiss pub has Wurst-Käse-Salat on the menu, and at home it is the fastest supper there is: nothing to cook, just slicing. What makes it good is the dressing — sharp, with mustard, and a spoonful of gherkin brine. And Cervelat, not just any sausage.
Ingredients
- 4 pieces Cervelat sausages
- 250 g Gruyère (in one piece)
- 1 piece Onion (red)
- 8 pieces Gherkins
- 200 g Cherry tomatoes
Dressing
- 3 tbsp White wine vinegar
- 4 tbsp Rapeseed oil
- 1 tsp Mustard
- 2 tbsp Gherkin brine
- ½ tsp Salt
- Pepper
- ½ bunch Chives
Method
- 1
Slice sausage and cheese
Peel the Cervelats, halve lengthways and cut into thin half-moons or strips. Cut the Gruyère into equally thin strips — from a piece, not grated.
- 2
Prepare the vegetables
Slice the onion into thin rings, the gherkins into slices, halve the tomatoes. Soak the onion rings briefly in cold water if you want them milder.
- 3
Dressing
Whisk the vinegar, mustard, gherkin brine, salt and pepper, then beat in the oil. It should be distinctly sharp — the sausage and cheese are rich and need it.
- 4
Toss and rest
Toss everything with the dressing and let stand 15 minutes. Scatter with chives and serve with bread — dark farmhouse bread or Bürli rolls.
Tips
- The salad improves after an hour and keeps in the fridge until the next day. Add the tomatoes only just before serving or they water it down.
- Cervelat is a given, but a piece of Fleischkäse or a Landjäger adds variety. In pubs it also comes 'garniert': with egg, tomatoes and radishes.
- For children, dice the cheese instead of cutting strips and leave out the onions — then it passes as picnic food.
What can I substitute?
All three are mild cooked sausages and work. Cervelat remains the original — it is smokier.
Emmentaler is milder and the pub version in eastern Switzerland, Appenzeller stronger. Leave it out for a classic Wurstsalat.
Cider vinegar is milder, herb vinegar more aromatic. Balsamic does not work — too sweet.
Nutrition per serving
Estimated from the ingredients.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Wurstsalat and Wurst-Käse-Salat?
The cheese. Wurstsalat is just Cervelat, onions and dressing; Wurst-Käse-Salat adds Gruyère or Emmentaler. Both belong on the table with bread, not potatoes.
Do you have to peel the Cervelat?
Yes, always for the salad. The skin is tough when the sausage is cold. Score lengthways with a knife and pull it off.
Can I make the salad ahead?
Yes, up to a day. Mix the sausage, cheese, onions, gherkins and dressing and refrigerate; add the tomatoes and chives just before serving. It only improves with time.
How much does it cost per person?
About 3.50 CHF per person with bread. Cervelats are almost permanently on promotion at Migros and Coop in summer, then even less.
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