Cervelat is the most popular Swiss sausage, made with pork or a combination of pork and beef. In Switzerland, it is typically mildly seasoned with mustard, garlic, and selected herbs and spices, while the German variety of cervelat is prepared with a combination of pork, beef, and bacon.

The sausage is cured, dried, and smoked, and is then served either uncooked or boiled, although it can also be grilled over an open fire, when its ends are cut and expanded.