Easy Nakkikastike (Finnish Hot Dog Sauce)

Nakkikastike is a comforting, homestyle meal from Finland that features sliced sausages simmered in an ultra-creamy sauce and served with mashed or boiled potatoes. The meal is ready in 30 minutes, making it a perfect quick dinner idea for when you’re in a pinch.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Nakkikastike is a simple weeknight meal, making it a popular choice for busy families. Plus, the one-pot dish won’t break the bank. With affordable and easy-to-find ingredients, you’ll have dinner on the table in no time.

History of Nakkikastike

Nakkikastike (Finnish for “sausage sauce”) is a dish made with sausages, called nikki, stewed in a creamy sauce that begins with a flavorful blonde roux. Pair the tasty comfort food with boiled or mashed potatoes and pickles like they do in homes all over Finland. This staple in Finnish cuisine is also served regularly in school cafeterias, making it a kid-friendly dish everyone can enjoy.

What You Need to Make This Recipe

• Olive Oil: Saute the onions, garlic, and sausage in a small amount of olive oil.
• Onion: Incorporate white or yellow diced onions into the savory hotdog sauce.
• Garlic: I use two garlic cloves, but measure with your heart.
• Sausage: Bite-sized hot dogs or Finnish nakki simmer in the homemade hotdog sauce.
• Butter: Create a roux and build flavor using unsalted butter. Avoid salted butter unless you reduce or eliminate the added salt, especially since most American sausages (like hotdogs) contain a good amount of salt.
• Flour: Build a roux and thicken the sauce with all-purpose flour.
• Broth: Control the saltiness of the dish using low-sodium beef broth. If you use regular beef broth, reduce or eliminate the salt you include.
• Brown Mustard: Most Finns use Turun Sinappia but use brown or Dijon mustard as a replacement. 
• Tomato Paste: Tomato paste isn’t a traditional ingredient, but I find that adding a spoonful of tomato paste intensifies the flavor and deepens the color of the sauce.
• Spices: Season the creamy sauce with salt, black pepper, whole allspice berries, and a pinch of ground nutmeg.

Additions and Substitutions

• Dairy: Consider adding grated cheese, such as emmental or gouda for richness.
• Vegetables: Some recipes include mushrooms, carrots, and celery.
• Traditional Add-Ins: Some traditional versions of the dish incorporate pickles into the creamy sauce.

How to Make Nakkikastike 

The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.

Step 1: Warm the olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until they soften, for about 5 minutes. Then, stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute.

Step 2: Add the sausage pieces and cook until they change color. Transfer them to a plate and set it aside.

Step 3: Lower the heat and add butter to the same pan. Warm until the butter melts. Then, stir in the flour. Whisk continually to form a blonde roux (beige to light brown) for 10-15 minutes.

Step 4: Pour the beef broth over the roux and whisk to combine – careful to scrape up any bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.

Step 5: Increase the heat and bring the mixture to a boil. Stir in the mustard, tomato paste, salt, pepper, allspice, and nutmeg.

Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until the sauce thickens.

Step 6: Return the sausage to the pan and stir to combine.

Expert Tips

• It’s easy to overdo the salt with this dish. The first couple of times I made it, I didn’t think about the salt in the butter and broth and slightly overdid it. I recommend using low-sodium beef broth and unsalted butter to control how much salt you include.

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Serving Suggestions

Serve nakkikastike traditionally with boiled potatoes or plate it with pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes. You can also spoon the hotdog sauce over mashed cauliflower for a low-carb option. This dish pairs nicely with a bright cabbage salad called kaalisalaatti or tangy cucumber beet salad.

Although Finns eat nakkikastike with suolakurkut, it also tastes delicious with Swedish pressgurka. Finish the meal by soaking every last bit of the creamy sauce with a slice of hearty rye bread.

What to do With the Leftovers

• Refrigerate – Store the leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days. 
• Freeze – Freezing can alter the texture of creamy sauces like nakkikastike, but the flavor will be the same. Let the dish cool and transfer it to a freezer-safe container or bag. Finnish hotdog sauce freezes for three months.
• Thaw – Defrost the dish in the refrigerator overnight.
• Reheat – Warm the leftovers on the stovetop over medium heat.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Sausage Recipes:

• Air Fryer Chicken Sausage
• Kielbasa and Potatoes
• Zuppa Toscana Instant Pot Copycat