Traditional German Spaetzle

Spaetzle is a unique, fun, and easy German dumpling that everybody should learn how to make. Done in just minutes, these are great on their own, as part of a traditional German meal, or perfect for any dish that might use macaroni pasta. Give this Traditional German Spaetzle recipe a try today!

🇩🇪 What makes this recipe special?

Spaetzle tastes great and is one of the easiest fresh noodles to make. I think of it as somewhere between pasta and a dumpling, and I use it much the same way I would use pasta.

You get some of the comfort and flavor of fresh pasta without rolling or cutting a stiff dough. The batter comes together quickly, and once the water is boiling, the spaetzle cooks in just a few minutes.

It is also versatile. This fits the bill if you are looking for a quick homemade lunch, but it can just as easily be part of a hearty and comforting dinner.

Finally, I love foods from my German heritage. Check out one of my favorite dishes in the world, Knoephla soup, which has a dumpling that is a close cousin to Spaetzle. You can also serve this as a side to this delicious Rouladen recipe or this Easy Pork Schnitzel recipe. We love German recipes!

They can also be the base for other recipes, much like pasta. I have been known to use them much like macaroni in a macaroni and cheese dinner.

🥚 Ingredients

The spaetzle itself is super simple and uses just four basic ingredients:

• All-purpose flour
• Salt
• Eggs
• Whole milk

I also include butter, thyme, Parmesan, salt, and pepper for an optional pan-fried serving preparation. Those ingredients are not required to make the spaetzle itself.

See the recipe card for quantities.

🍲 Instructions

The batter is simply flour, eggs, whole milk, and salt. These spaetzle dumplings are made from a batter similar to pasta dough but not quite as thick. Instead, the consistency of uncooked Spaetzle is more like a very heavy pancake batter.

Traditionally, the batter is placed on a flat board, referred to as a spaetzle board, but it could be anything. Then, using a straight edge, cut small pieces of the batter from the board directly into boiling water.

Today, however, a few kitchen tools can make the process easier. I use a Spaetzle Maker [Affiliate Link] that appears much like a cheese grater with a hopper. I place the batter in the hopper over boiling water and move it back and forth.

The dumplings will float to the top when they are cooked. It shouldn’t take more than a few minutes. Once the dumplings start floating, immediately start removing them with a slotted spoon.

If you are working through a large batch, remove the cooked spaetzle as they float instead of waiting until all of the batter has been pressed through the maker. You can simply set the hopper aside for a moment while you scoop out the finished dumplings.

Spaetzle can be served straight from the pot, but I like to finish them in butter for extra flavor. I am sharing a simple buttered spaetzle preparation to get you going.

Once all your dumplings are done, place them aside in a covered dish. Heat the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Once melted, add your Spaetzle to the pan, add just a little thyme, and fry for about three to five minutes, or until they reach your desired texture.

Finally, top with salt, pepper, and Parmesan cheese to your taste.

🤷 Substitutions and variations

• Fried Spaetzle – I use thyme and Parmesan here, but other herbs, cheeses, and seasonings can work well too. Think of spaetzle much like a simple dumpling or pasta and season it to suit the rest of your meal.
• Nutmeg – Many spaetzle recipes call for nutmeg. I just don’t like it in this dish, so I don’t add it.
• Cheese Spaetzle – I use Parmesan, but you can use all sorts of cheese variations with spaetzle. Cheddar, Gouda, or Swiss would be great with this dish.

What if you don’t have a spaetzle maker?

If you don’t have a spaetzle maker and aren’t interested in buying one, you do have a few options. First, like the spaetzle board, perhaps you have a cutting board that would work for this. To cut the Spaetzle, you will want a straight edge.

Second, if you have a strainer with large enough slots or holes, it may also work well for this. You won’t be able to use a fine-mesh strainer for this, but if you have a strainer with some larger holes, it could work along with a rubber spatula to push the dumplings through.

Seriously, though. If you want to make Spaetzle, I suggest spending the money to get the maker.

📦 Storage

Cooked spaetzle can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.

To reheat, I especially like sautéing refrigerated spaetzle in a little butter until hot. That brings back some texture and gives the edges a chance to brown.

🎓 History tidbit

I previously covered the History of Knephla Soup, which has a shared history with Spaetzle. In fact, they are fairly similar, with the most apparent difference being size. Spaetzle is a bit smaller than knöpfle dumplings.

Spaetzle is strongly associated with Swabia and the wider Swabian-Alemannic region of southwestern Germany.

European Union documentation for Schwäbische Spätzle and Schwäbische Knöpfle explains that spelt grew well in the region’s poor soils. During hard times, flour made from spelt could be worked into a dough even without eggs, which helped make dishes like spaetzle practical for poorer households.

The same historical documentation traces the Swabian spaetzle tradition to at least the 18th century, including a written Württemberg reference from 1725. As industrialization and prosperity increased, spaetzle remained an everyday staple while also becoming a regional specialty served for festive occasions.

❓ FAQ

📝 Tips and tricks

• There are a few different kinds of spaetzle makers. You might be able to get away with a strainer and using a rubber spatula to push the batter through.
• I use thyme, but I think many herbs, such as sage or oregano, would work as well.
• Not all flour is the same, and not all eggs are the same size, so your batter might have slight differences. Feel free to add more milk or flour to manipulate the consistency to match that of a very heavy pancake batter. When put into the spaetzle maker hopper, it should not be freely flowing through the holes. The batter should be thick enough where it only passes through as you push the hopper back and forth.
• If you are using this as a main dish or are very hearty eaters, consider doubling the recipe.

🛠 Products used in this recipe

• Spaetzle maker
• Slotted Spoon

😋 Did you make this recipe?

That is awesome, and thank you so much for giving this German Spaetzle recipe a try. If you could leave a rating in the comment area below, it would be greatly appreciated. This lets me know how I am doing and also helps others decide if they want to make this recipe. Most of all, thanks for visiting Ramshackle Pantry.