This easy German Spaetzle recipe is the perfect basic side dish for a handful of recipes like beef Rouladen, my Oma's lentils with spätzle, pork goulash, Schnitzel and even your favorite stews, German or not. Also try my addictive Käsespätzle, German cheese spätzle!
These homemade German egg noodles are super quick to make using just a few ingredients like eggs, flour, milk, and butter. Spätzle are from Germany's Schwabenland (Swabia) in the southwest of Germany and have been a staple in our family for a long time.
I optionally add a touch of freshly grated nutmeg for a warming flavor note (try it if you haven't!).
What is Spätzle?
Spätzle are German homemade egg noodles made from eggs, flour, milk, and butter. Spätzle are prepared using a Spätzle press (what my family grew up using). My Swiss friend likes using a Spätzleschaber (Spätzle grater) like the one, making round little Spätzle called Knopfle. they can also be flung into the boiling water from a cutting board using a straight-edge knife (see notes at the bottom of the recipe card).
I like using the ladder method when adding chopped sautéed mushrooms or chopped sautéed onions or herbs into the spätzle batter (such fun and delicious ways to play with this basic recipe), as it will get stuck in a Spätzle press or grater.
What to serve with German Spätzle
The great thing about this German basic recipe (Grundrezept) is that it's super versatile and can be served in place of many other basic sides. If you're looking for a classic cheese Spätzle recipe like those pictured below (Käsespätzle), I got you covered too!
Some of my favorite foods to serve with Spätzle are:
- Beef rouladen, which are stuffed flank steak cooked in a dark wine or beer sauce, and definitely a favorite!
- My Oma's lentils with spätzle, which is a super quick and delicious meal that kids and adults love.
- Pork goulash with beer, which is a much simpler version of traditional Hungarian goulash and is so good!
- Schnitzel, especially when you add my creamy Jägersoße, a mushroom cream sauce.
- Spätzle also go great with any dish (German or not) that you would normally serve with noodles or potatoes, such as a beef stew.
Where to buy spätzle
I'd honestly rather you invest in a spätzle press and make your own Spätzle because they are really so simple and fast to make (there are not many German recipes that get you to your end goal within 15 minutes!).
However, if you MUST buy Spätzle, then I can recommend this brand available in the United States. Sadly you can't buy premade spätzle in the refrigerated pasta section in America like you can in Germany.
Ingredients
Making homemade German spätzle is so easy and you need just 4 ingredients (and an optional 5th one).
- Eggs. I use the whole egg for my spätzle batter, although some Germans like to use just the yolk to get the color of the finished spätzle to be more yellow. Some people suggest adding a touch of turmeric to add yellow color, but I don't.
- Flour. Germans are so obsessed with Spätzle that you can buy Spätzle flour there. In America, I use all-purpose white flour and the results are great every time.
- Milk. You can use whole milk, skim milk or anything in between. I typically use 2 percent milk.
- Butter. I add a little melted butter into my spätzle batter for that buttery taste, then stir in more butter with the warm noodles right after cooking. I love butter.
- Nutmeg. This one is totally optional, but I love adding a touch of freshly grated nutmeg to my spätzle batter for a warming touch. My Oma never added nutmeg to her spätzle though, so feel free to leave out the nutmeg.
Video
Watch a short video to help you make German spätzle, I got you covered! And I hope you stay in touch via my weekly email newsletter!
Easy German Spätzle Recipe
Equipment
- Spätzle Press What my family in Germany has always used
- Spätzle Grater What my Swiss friend uses.
- Skimmer To remove the Spätzle from the boiling water. You will work in batches.
- Nutmeg Mill I love this nutmeg mill and it looks pretty sitting on my counter.
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- 200 grams all-purpose flour
- 150 milliliters milk start with a little less, then add to achieve the perfect, thick and barely runny consistency
- 15 grams butter melted
- 1 pinch nutmeg freshly ground is best
Instructions
- Whisk all the ingredients together to make your spätzle batter. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil (it should taste like ocean water). The Spätzle will absorb the water and that's the salting that's needed.2 eggs, 200 grams all-purpose flour, 150 milliliters milk, 15 grams butter, 1 pinch nutmeg
- Either utilize a Spätzle press (my family uses this spätzle press) or a Spätzle grater (like my Swiss friend likes to use). You cans also drop the batter in the hot water using the cutting board and knife method (see note below).
- Work in batches, so the German Spätzle don't stick together and form giant lumps. Once in the water, let simmer for about 2 minutes, then remove from the hot water using a skimmer and transfer to a serving bowl.
- Drop some flakes of butter over the hot Spätzle and allow it to melt into the noodles. This will add incredible taste and will keep the noodles from sticking.
Amy-le
I commented before about Spätzle . It is one of our family's favorite German foods. When I was Au Pair in Pforzheim, the Oma (grandmother) taught me how to make it, and we used the old board and knife method. It was a little more work, but still wonderful. To this day, my husband, whom I met in Germany, but is from New Zealand, LOVES them. Especially with any Venison dish. Just a clue for anyone, if you have some leftover (not likely), put some butter in an iron pan, wait until it sizzles, drop in some seasoned breadcrumbs stir it around until it begins to "toast" throw in the leftover noodles and voila, it's another fabulous Spätzle side!
dirndlkitchen
You're making me so hungry! And thank you for sharing your au pair story! We are currently hosting an au pair from Germany.
Liliane Lohse
Hi Sophie!!
Just found you and your recipes and am very excited because they are so close to my family's recipes. Just wanted to share that when I make my spatzle, I just press the mix through a slotted spoon! They are a little thicker, but when I 'fry' them in butter, they are perfect.
Thanks,
Liliane
dirndlkitchen
Ohh that's a great idea, especially for those that don't have a spätzle press (although I think it's a great tool to have!). Thank you for being here!
Jill Baum
I have a spaetzle maker from my grandma. It looks like a flat cheese grater with a cup that slides across. You see it on the pot of boiling water and slide the cup of batter back and forth. It’s very messy and hard to clean! I’m gonna try that little press.
dirndlkitchen
I have a Swiss friend who uses that kind of Spätzle maker. My family has always used the press. I hope you find it a little easier to use!
AW
A great and easy recipe. You’ll get a few pans dirty but it’s worth it. I added some roasted cauliflower to the Käsespätzle. Ausgezeichnet.
Sophie Sadler
Andy, I'm thrilled that you enjoyed my German Spätzle recipe. Thank you so much for the comment!
Karisse
Trying this recipe tonight! My husband’s family makes Spätzle for every holiday meal. Their recipe calls for water, not milks and makes a thicker dough that often takes muscles to squish thru the press. Excited to try something a little different tonight with our roast beef! (It was leftover so I feel like I can do something “fancy” as a side!
dirndlkitchen
I hope you loved my Spätzle (the way my family makes them!) and will make it again soon! It's actually so easy!!
Gisela Massie
My name is Gisela, born in a small town in Hanover Germany. I live in San Diego California. I am so glad I found your websight. Parents are deceased and had no one to ask about German recipes. All relatives still in Germany. I am so excited to eat German good again. Thank you so much
Sophie Sadler
Gisela, I feel so happy that you were able to find my recipes and connect to your German roots. I hope that you continue to enjoy them. Thank you for the thoughtful comment!
Kim
Hi there!! I’ve made spätzle before for our annual Oktoberfest event. I want to make this ahead of time - how do you suggest storing and for how long? I plan to hand make the noodles then turn it into käsespätzle 🙂 thanks!
dirndlkitchen
Hi Kim! I have never tried making Spätzle ahead of time because they are always best when fresh (versus the leftovers we may have that we keep in our fridge). Please try it out first before committing to several batches of it and I am curious to know what method you use and what works best for you. If you go that route, I would suggest cooking them for a bit shorter than what's recommended in the recipe and freezing them. After thawing them in your fridge, place in boiling water again and hopefully they come back to life that way. I don't recommend a dry reheating method as they will likely stick together. Thank you! Sophie