Old Fashioned Curried Sausages NZ Recipe – Kiwi Classic

Anyone who grew up in New Zealand in the 70s or 80s remembers the gentle curry aroma drifting from the kitchen on a busy weeknight. This old fashioned curried sausages dish — sausages simmered in a mild curry gravy — has been a Kiwi staple for decades. You’ll learn how to make it the traditional way, with tips from the country’s most trusted food sources, including RNZ and the NZ Herald.

Prep Time: 15 minutes · Cook Time: 30 minutes · Total Time: 45 minutes · Servings: 6 · Calories per Serving: 450 kcal

Six essential details, one pattern: old fashioned curried sausages is a simple, forgiving dish built on a few core ingredients and endless variations.

This table captures the dish’s DNA: simple ingredients, NZ origin, and a curry powder base that defines the flavour.

Do you boil sausages for curried sausages?

Why boiling was common in older recipes

• Traditional NZ recipes, including early versions from the Food.com community (user-generated collection), often boiled sausages before adding them to the curry gravy. This method was considered quick and foolproof.
• The NZ Herald (national daily newspaper) notes that older cookbooks, like the classic Edmonds Cookbook, sometimes instructed cooks to simmer sausages directly in the sauce.

Modern preference for browning sausages

• RNZ (New Zealand public broadcaster) explicitly recommends browning sausages first in a hot pan, stating they do not need to be cooked through before simmering in the sauce. The browning adds a deeper, savoury flavour.
• The NZ Herald’s curried sausages recipe goes further, advising cooks to remove sausages from their casings, brown the meat, and shape it into freeform pieces for maximum caramelisation.

Bottom line: Browning sausages is the clear winner for flavour and texture. Home cooks who want a shortcut can boil, but expect a less satisfying result.

How to give curried sausages more flavour?

Adding apple, chutney, or Worcestershire sauce

• NZ Herald’s Old-Fashioned Curried Sausages calls for a grated apple, along with sultanas or raisins, to introduce natural sweetness and balance the curry’s bitterness.
• New World (supermarket chain) suggests adding tomato sauce, soy sauce, and Worcestershire sauce for a savoury-umami punch, plus a spoonful of brown sugar to round out the flavours.
• Barker’s of Geraldine (gourmet food producer) markets a dedicated “Classic Kiwi Curried Sausages Meal Sauce” that includes fruit chutney as a key ingredient.

Using fresh spices and aromatics

• NZ Herald’s curried sausages recipe builds the base with sautéed onion, garlic, and ginger, then cooks the curry powder in oil for a minute to bloom the spices before adding liquid.
• RNZ uses butter to fry the onion and garlic, then adds curry powder and flour as a roux — a technique that ensures the gravy is smooth and deeply flavoured.

Bottom line: Apple or chutney add sweetness, Worcestershire brings umami, and blooming curry powder in fat unlocks its full aroma. Any one of these will noticeably lift a basic recipe.

What can I use in replacement of curry powder in curried sausages?

Homemade curry powder blends

• Mix ground cumin, coriander, turmeric, and chili in a 2:2:1:0.5 ratio as a substitute. This combination is widely suggested by spice guides; for a trusted New Zealand source, see RNZ’s Easy Eats recipe which uses a standard curry powder blend.
• New World adds chilli paste to their recipe, showing that heat can be adjusted independently of the curry powder base.

Alternative spice combinations

• Garam masala can replace curry powder but yields a milder, sweeter flavour — it lacks the turmeric that gives traditional curried sausages its signature golden colour. NZ Herald’s recipe uses curry powder as the primary spice, not garam masala.
• Curry paste (e.g., Thai red or yellow) works but changes the liquid content; start with one tablespoon and add stock accordingly. No NZ source notes this specifically, but it’s a common adaptation.

How to make traditional curried sausages?

Step-by-step classic recipe

1. RNZ method: Brown 8 sausages in a pan, remove. Sauté onion and garlic in butter, add 2 tablespoons curry powder and 2 tablespoons flour to form a roux. Gradually whisk in 2 cups beef stock, add carrots and soy sauce. Return sausages, simmer 20 minutes, add peas, cook 5 minutes.
2. NZ Herald’s old-fashioned version: Lightly fry 6 sausages on low heat, cut each into thirds. Sauté onion and garlic, add 1 tablespoon curry powder, 1 can condensed tomato soup, grated apple, ½ cup water, stock powder, and pepper. Simmer 30 minutes, add peas and sultanas, cook another 10 minutes.

Ingredients and method

• New World’s ‘Poppa’s’ recipe includes apple, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, and cornflour as a thickener — reflecting many home-style variations across the country.
• All three major recipes (RNZ, NZ Herald old-fashioned, New World) serve the dish with mashed potatoes or rice — never pasta.

Bottom line: The traditional method is simple: brown, build a curry roux or soup base, add fruit for sweetness, and simmer until the sausages are tender. Mashed potatoes are the non-negotiable side.

What can I add to curry to make it taste better?

Acid and sweeteners

• A squeeze of lemon juice or a tablespoon of yogurt brightens the gravy and cuts through the fat. NZ Herald’s curried sausages recipe suggests optional chutney, which serves the same sour-sweet role.
• Brown sugar, honey, or a dollop of apricot jam can balance bitterness if the curry powder is robust. New World uses brown sugar explicitly.

Dairy for creaminess

• Coconut milk or cream adds richness and mellows the spice. Food.com (community recipe from 2009) includes coconut cream and coconut for a creamy, tropical variation.
• Fresh herbs like parsley or coriander (cilantro) finish the dish with brightness — Barker’s of Geraldine recommends garnishing with chopped parsley.

“Browning the sausages first is the key to a richer, more savoury curry gravy.”

– RNZ (New Zealand public broadcaster)

“The addition of grated apple or a spoonful of mango chutney brings a touch of sweetness that cuts through the spice.”

– NZ Herald (national daily newspaper)

Old fashioned curried sausages is a dish that rewards small, deliberate choices. Brown your sausages. Add something sweet — apple or chutney. Use real stock, not water. For New Zealand families wanting a reliable weeknight dinner, the decision is clear: build the gravy with care, serve with creamy mashed potatoes, and you’ll have a meal that tastes like home. When you nail these steps, you get a dinner that anchors a Kiwi weeknight.