Lithuanian Potato Sausage (Vedarai) Recipe

By
Barbara Rolek
Barbara Rolek
Barbara Rolek is a former chef who became a cooking school instructor and award-winning food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 07/10/21
Potato Sausage served on a plate

Dar1930 / Getty Images

Prep: 40 mins
Cook: 60 mins
Total: 100 mins
Servings: 8 servings
Yield: 2 pounds
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
669 Calories
36g Fat
61g Carbs
25g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories 669
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 36g 46%
Saturated Fat 14g 71%
Cholesterol 134mg 45%
Sodium 1036mg 45%
Total Carbohydrate 61g 22%
Dietary Fiber 6g 23%
Total Sugars 6g
Protein 25g
Vitamin C 23mg 117%
Calcium 100mg 8%
Iron 4mg 20%
Potassium 1924mg 41%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This recipe for Lithuanian potato sausage, or vedarai, can be made entirely meatless or with the addition of chopped, cooked bacon.

Lithuania is a largely agrarian society and it has relied on the potato in its cuisine, using it in sausage, savory puddings like kugelis, pancakes, dumplings like cepelinai, breads, and more.

Serve vedarai with sour cream alone for a vegetarian meal, or with bacon-sour cream gravy if not fasting.

The sausage can be cooked by boiling, boiling and browning in the oven, or simply cooked in the oven. Check out this tip for keeping grated potatoes from turning dark.

Ingredients

For the Sausages:

  • 12 medium russet potatoes, peeled, finely grated

  • 1 large onion, finely chopped

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, or 3 strips chopped bacon

  • 2 large eggs

  • 1/2 teaspoon marjoram, optional

  • Salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • 3 tablespoons all purpose flour, optional

  • 4 to 6 feet hog casings, rinsed three times

For the Bacon-Sour Cream Gravy:

  • 1/2 pound bacon, diced

  • 1 large onion, chopped

  • 1 cup sour cream

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • 2 tablespoons milk, optional

Steps to Make It

The Sausage

  1. Sauté 1 large finely chopped onion in 3 tablespoons butter or omit the butter and sauté the onion in 3 strips chopped bacon. Let come to room temperature.

  2. In a large bowl, combine 12 medium finely grated russet potatoes, onion with or without bacon, 2 large eggs, 1/2 teaspoon marjoram, if using, salt and pepper to taste. If the mixture is too loose, add a few tablespoons of flour.

  3. Stuff mixture into cleaned hog casings. Prick the casing in several spots so it doesn't explode while cooking. Boil in salted water for about 1 hour or boil 45 minutes and brown in a 350 F oven in a greased pan for 15 minutes.

  4. Alternatively, place uncooked potato sausage in a greased pan with 1/4 cup water and bake about 1 hour or until golden brown in a 350 F oven. Serve with either sour cream or bacon-sour cream gravy.

The Bacon-Sour Cream Gravy

  • Fry 1/2 pound diced bacon and 1 large chopped onion until tender. Drain off all fat and combine bacon-onion mixture with sour cream and black pepper. Thin with 1 to 2 tablespoons milk, if necessary.

A Word about Hog Casings

Ask your butcher for the correct amount of hog casings you will need to make 2 pounds of sausage. Since most packages come in packages that will make 10 pounds or more, you undoubtedly will have leftover casings after making this recipe. But, that's not a problem. Natural hog casings stay fresh up to 2 years when left in its salt and tightly sealed in your refrigerator.