One of the most beloved foods in Germany that tourists go home talking about is Spätzle, the famous German egg noodles from the Baden-Württemberg region of southwest Germany.
This area is also known as Schwabenland, or Swabia in English. I grew up in Stuttgart, the capital of Baden-Württemberg. It is both a bustling city of industry as well as one of great beauty and impressive history.
Stuttgart is Germany’s 6th largest city with a population of over 600,000. Stuttgart is the proud home of Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Bosch, and the first VW Beetle prototype. Stuttgart is also one of Germany’s largest wine-growing cities, and wine-making in Stuttgart dates back to 1108 A.D. where a Catholic monastery started making it. Stuttgart is home to some of the greatest philosophers and literary giants, including Friedrich Schiller, and is also home to several large universities. Stuttgart’s castle, Altes Schloss (“old castle”) dates back to 950 A.D.. And of course Stuttgart is also home to VfB Stuttgart, one of Germany’s soccer teams.
Baden-Württemberg is home to the famous Black Forest and its cuckoo clocks, the Swabian Alb, numerous rivers, Lake Constance, and Mainau island – a unique and beautiful island with a castle in the middle of Lake Constance that sits above natural warm springs and features tropical growth, including orange and banana trees. Other famous cities in Baden-Württemberg include Heidelberg, Baden-Baden, Tübingen, Ulm, Karlsruhe, and Mannheim. The list of places to go and things to see is limitless. Needless to say, there was never a dull moment growing up there and I never took for granted the beauty of the surroundings and the richness of the culture. I get homesick whenever I think about it.
Now, back to the food! Swabia is home to some of Germany’s best food. Some, including myself, would argue it’s home tothe best food in all of Germany (and that’s saying a lot because every region of Germany has some amazing, amazing food). Swabia is known for its soups, sauces, meats and wursts, and its salads, to name a few. Maultaschen, a unique kind of Swabian ravioli, is another popular and beloved dish and one that I’ll definitely need to feature on The Daring Gourmet at some point.
Today we’re featuring Spätzle. A Swabian specialty, it is also enjoyed in Austria, Switzerland and Hungary. It is a special type of egg noodle that is enjoyed with sauces and gravies as well as incorporated into a variety of different dishes. One example is Käsespätzle (a cheese spätzle casserole with crispy fried onions) and something that I will feature in the future on The Daring Gourmet.
A couple of additional facts from Wikipedia: “The total estimated annual commercial production of spätzle in Germany is approximately 40,000 tons. Literally translated, Spätzle means “little sparrow”. Before the invention and use of mechanical devices to make these noodles, they were shaped by hand or with a spoon and the results resembled Spatzen (meaning little sparrows).”
So without further ado, let’s get to Spätzle makin’!
Note: This spaetzle recipe uses a stand mixer to knead the dough. This is actually the first time I’ve made it that way. I’ve always done it by hand (you “knead” it by vigorously whipping it in a bowl with a spoon – over and over and over for around 20 minutes. Now you know why we have that stereotype of stout, muscular German women!) I decided to to try it with a stand mixer instead and it turned every bit as well (but shhhhh, I’m not allowed to admit that the old-fashioned way isn’t necessarily superior).
Add the flour, salt and nutmeg the bowl of a stand mixer. Stir to combine.
Crack four eggs into a bowl and whisk to combine.
Make a well in the center of the flour and add the eggs.
Add the milk or water and with the dough hook of the stand mixer attached, knead the dough on the “2” setting for 16-20 minutes. Add more flour if the mixture is too runny, or more milk if it is too stiff.
The dough is done when “bubbles” begin to form. After 15 minutes or less of beating, use a wooden spoon and scoop and pull the dough, If bubbly holes appear, the dough is done. If not, continue kneading with the mixer for another minute or two, repeating the “test” process. See the bubble hole below?
We’d better check this out again to make sure you know what to look for.
Better take another look – give the dough another stir and pull. Two holes this time!
Okay, it’s time to make the Spätzle! Traditionally, Spätzle was made by hand using a Spätzle Brett, or Spätzle board. You would rub a slab of dough out onto a wetted board and use a pastry cutter or long sharp knife to quickly cut off strands of the dough into simmering water. Schwabian women of previous generations were highly skilled at this and could do it so fast it would make you dizzy to watch. Nowadays most Germans use a Spätzle maker (and even more just buy it ready made at the store. It’s the “convenience generation”).
As I already mentioned, there are a few different kinds of Spätzle makers out there and you can find them easily online. The one below is mine that I bought in Germany and it’s awesome. This kind is more pricey but will also last a lifetime.
Let’s zoom on that baby. The original, sturdy Spätzle maker.
Let’s Talk Spätzle Makers
You can purchase this Original Kull Spätzle Maker, Made in Germany online. This particular model is dishwasher safe. And there is another Kull spätzle maker, same model, but it’s highly polished and thus not dishwasher safe. Just a matter of personal preference. You can use either as a potato ricer, too. Again, it’s pricey, but it’s the one I recommend because it’s built like a tank and will last a lifetime – and it will become a family heirloom you can pass on to your children and grandchildren!
Another option is the German Küchenprofi Spätzle Lid & Scraper. I’ve used this one as well with good results and it’s much cheaper. It produces different shape of noodle – a shorter, stubbier one. Again, simply personal preference. You see both kinds of Spätzle in Germany.
Lastly, there’s the Küchenprofi Spätzle Plane with Pusher, which is my least favorite as it can be a little clumsy, messy, and more difficult to work with.
If you don’t want to buy a Spätzle maker, you can alternatively use a colander or steamer with large holes.
You would need a sturdy object with a straight edge, like this wooden spoon.
You would place some of the dough in the steamer over the simmering water and scrape the dough through the holes. I will say that this option can be a bit challenging and lead to some frustration.
Again, there are several kinds of Spätzle makers, but I’m going to use the one below. Place it over a pot of lightly salted simmering water and scoop some dough into it.
Press the Spätzle maker down to squeeze the Spätzle noodles out into the simmering water. Simmer the Spätzle for about 2-3 minutes or until they float to the top.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer the Spätzle to a colander and then immediately put them in a bowl of very cold water. This helps them firm up to the desired consistency.
Drain the Spätzle again and toss with a little oil or melted butter to keep them from sticking. Spätzle will keep in the fridge for at least a couple of days and then heated to serve. Melt some butter in a pan and toss the Spätzle in it to warm through.
Serving Recommendation: Serve with Hunter’s Pork Chops or with the sauce from Hungarian Mushroom Pasta.
Or serve them with Traditional German Schnitzel.
Another very traditional and popular recipe using Spätzle is a personal favorite, Käsespätzle.
- 4 cups all-purpose flour (you can also use whole wheat flour)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (optional)
- 4 large eggs
- 1¼ cup milk or water (milk produces a richer Spaetzle) (add more flour if the dough is too runny, add more milk or water if it's too stiff)
- Add the flour, salt and nutmeg to the bowl of a stand mixer. Stir to combine. Crack the eggs into a small bowl and whisk them. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour the eggs in it. Add the milk. Attach a dough hook to the stand mixer and "knead" the dough for 16-20 minutes, or until bubbles appear (see pictured instructions for details). After 15 minutes or less of beating, use a wooden spoon to scoop and pull the dough. If bubbles/holes appear, the dough is done.
- Bring at least 2 quarts of lightly salted water to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Using a Spätzle maker of your choice, press the noodles into the simmering water and cook for about 2-3 minutes, or until the noodles float to the top. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the noodles to a colander, and then dump the noodles in a large bowl of ice water. Drain the noodles again and toss with a little vegetable oil or melted butter.
- They can be stored in the fridge for at least a couple of days and then heated to serve.
- To heat, melt some butter in a large skillet and toss the Spätzle in it to heat through.
- Serving recommendation: Serve with Daring Gourmet Hunter's Pork Chops (see website for recipe).
My Heart leapt for joy when I saw this…. Will be trying very soon.
Stay tuned for a follow-up post that will feature a sauce to go with the Spätzle!
Saute with butter and bacon. Start with the butter on high heat, saute shallots, garlic and mushrooms. Add spaetzle and cook until it crips. Deglaze with more butter and add veg (spinach, or whatever). Tested and true.
FABULOUS!! Thank you, Andrew!
I have my great grandmother’s spaetzle maker, it’s still amazing today. I also swaebishe kuchbuch if you would like me to share with you.
That is such a treasure, Kamala. Those are the kinds of possessions I value most.
I would love if you shared tour cookbook with me. YUM!!!
Is there a way to make spaetzle without the spaetzle maker?
There are several ways you can make Spätzle and I outline those in my post – several different gadgets as well as using a cutting board and sharp knife.
I made this today for supper and it is amazingly easy to make in the stand mixer. I served it with German sausage, and German red cabbage. DELICIOUS! Thanks [email protected] 😀
Thank YOU, Wendy, I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
My mother used to make potato soup and the thing I liked best was the spaetzle she dropped into it. I can’t find a recipe (she didn’t write things down), but I seemed to remember her rolling little spaetzles in her hands and dropping into the soup. Does this sound at all familiar?
Hi Nancy, the first dish that comes to my mind that famously combines potatoes and Spätzle is a soup called Gaisburger Marsch. It’s a very traditional German dish and has been around forever. Another traditional German soup that combines the two is this potato-pea soup with dumplings. It calls for Spätzle dough which is broken off in little mounds and dropped into the soup. Do either of these soups ring a bell?
Das anybody know how to make Gaiburge
Hi, can you describe what that is?
Kimberly, do you know if it’s possible to make the batter, keep it in the fridge overnight and then press the noodles into the boiling water the following day ?
Hi Eric, that should be just fine. I would just let it return to room temp before squeezing it through the press otherwise it may be a little too firm.
Please, we have a package of this and no instructions as to how to cook it. Can you help us?
Hi BettyAnn, you cook it the same way you would cook regular pasta – dump it into boiling water and cook until done, slightly al dente.
My heritage is Hungarian and I’ve always made haluska (very similar to spätzle) – by hand. The only ingredients are eggs, flour & a little salt, and I never measure anything when making them. It’s nice to have a recipe for genuine spätle.
Yes, haluska! I remember when I was in Hungary an older woman making Hungarian egg noodles. She would take a wad of dough into her hands and with quick, swift motions pinch off little chunks of it into the simmering water. Many Hungarians still make it this way. It’s similar in appearance to German Knöpfle (Spätzle “buttons”) which are made using the same dough but are instead grated across a board with large holes in it resulting in little chubby “button” noodles. Like the Hungarian noodles, some Spätzle recipes don’t milk or water, but use several more eggs instead which yields a richer, firmer texture.
You enjoy a beautiful heritage! I love Hungary, it’s food and it’s people. Thanks for visiting and for you comments.
This is great! Thank you!!
Thank YOU!
great recipe and love the pictures!! My parents are from Ludwigsburg, and we always made home-made spaetzle (long like spagehetti).
Hi, Suzanne, and welcome! No kidding? I lived in Ludwigsburg for several years and loved it. Thanks so much for the compliment and I hope you’ll return here often.
Can I make this dough ahead?
Hi Roxanna! The dough needs to be room temperature otherwise it won’t turn out. I’ve never heard of it being able to be made ahead and wouldn’t recommend that. What you can do though, and this is very commonly done, is to make the Spätzle itself ahead of time (up to a couple of days) and then simply reheat the noodles. The best way to do that is to melt some butter in a pan and then toss the noodles in it. They’ll turn out perfectly that way.
If you make dough in advance the proteins in the flour change, desirable for breads/pastries, but for this makes everything texturally wrong and ‘gluey’, make, refresh and freeze spread on a tray to keep them separate,bag them up and reheat as fresh. I personally like them fried til crispy. Great recipe by the way DG!!
Thanks for the tips, Ben, and I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe! I agree, I’ve never made Spätzle dough in advance and wouldn’t recommend it either. Great tip on freezing the finished Spätzle.
I make them according to the recipe above – and freeze them in portions. To reheat, I fry them in butter until golden, so delicious ! Perfect side dish.
thanks for all the great information – and pictures!
just confused by one one thing, the step by step directions say to use 4 eggs, and the recipe says to use 3
thanks and merry Christmas!
Arnette
Thank you for catching that! I’ve updated the recipe box – yes, it’s 4 eggs. A very merry Christmas to you, too! -Kimberly
Was recently in Germany and spent all of my time in the Swabia Region. You are correct is saying the that food is wonderful there. Everywhere we visited we were served that fabulous German Potato Salad. No it wasn’t hot and no it did not have bacon in it. Each time we had it it tasted the same – just plain good. I have searched the internet for this salad and nothing I found matches the taste. If you have a recipe for that salad, I would love if you could share it.
I love, love, LOVE Schwäbischer Kartoffelsalat! As much as I enjoy the kind with mayonnaise, the Swabian-style potato salad is my favorite and there are definitely some tips and tricks involved to get it “right” – like that kind you enjoy in German restaurants. Teri, I would love nothing more than to oblige your request! 🙂 Stay tuned!
I toss my spaetzle with butter and emmentaler or gruyere cheese and it is far better than these silly american mac and cheese! Please post a recipe for Kartoffelsalat if you get a chance!
Hi Win, YES! In fact, that reminds me – I need to post my recipe for Käsespätzle. Spätzle with butter and tons of Emmentaler or Gruyere, topped with tons of buttery caramelized onions, and baked. One of my all-time favorites!
And you’re in luck – I just posted my Schwäbischer Kartoffelsalat! Be sure to subscribe to this blog (very top right of the screen) so you get an email notification when new recipes are posted (those are the only times you’ll get things in your mailbox from this site, I promise!).
Hello from Swabia/Germany! ☺
I think, some day I will try to make Spätzle like you make it. It sounds interesting. But to be honest, this is not a traditional Swabian Spätzle recipe. There is no milk and no nutmeg in traditional Swabian Spätzle at all. We use only flour, eggs, water and wheat semolina. That’s how Swabian housewifes and cooks prepare Spätzle for generations.
Maybe you want to try this version some day too?!
Verena
Hallo, Verena, liebe Grüße aus Washington! Thanks for sharing your thoughts about Spätzle. I think we’re both correct. As with anything that’s a “traditional” recipe, there will always be some variations depending on who you talk to and family traditions. Variations can also differ between sub-regions within a region. I’m from Stuttgart, the heart and capital of Swabia, and most of the home cooks I knew, as well as some restaurant chefs I spoke to, use milk and water interchangeably when making Spätzle. I even have some old German recipes from the 1950’s that call for milk. Whether using milk or water, both are traditional and simply come down to personal preference. I’ve made it both ways – many times – and both ways produce great results. Milk produces a richer Spätzle noodle, which is my preference. The small pinch of nutmeg to add a little depth of flavor – again, personal preference. That’s how my Oma and Großoma made it. Also, I do like Spätzle with the Semmelbrösel (wheat semolina), but this recipe is just for the basic Spätzleteig Grundrezept (basic Spätzle dough recipe). I may write another blog post in the future with examples of different ways to serve up Spätzle. I will be featuring Käsespätzle on my blog at some point – another favorite! Danke nochmals, Verena, and I hope you’ll visit frequently! Best, Kimberly
Can these noodles be made and dried to use later? The reason I asked is I bought a package of them that were dried. I can not remember where I bought them but I loved them. I am only one in my home and it was so nice to be able to fix just what I needed at the time.
Hi Bonnie! Yes, dried Spätzle can be purchased in stores throughout Germany just like any pasta and can be found in some specialty stores here, too. The recommended way to store the Spätzle for long-term use is to freeze it. This is how you would freeze it: After making the Spätzle, let it drip in a strainer for several minutes, tossing it to get as much moisture out as possible. Portion out the Spätzle into freezer bags according to how much you want to use at a time. Press as much air out of the bags as possible, starting from the bottom and ending at the top. Seal the bag. Put the bags in the freezer on a flat surface. Store in the freezer for up to six months for optimum taste (I would recommend using it sooner). When ready to use, remove the bag from the freezer and place it in the refrigerator the day before you use it in a recipe. Fry the defrosted Spaetzle in a frying pan.
Slightly confused. Your recipe makes thick bread type dough. I recently saw a recipe (which started this journey) where the chief said it should be a runny consistency and if it is too thick to add more water. Her recipe was for a Ricotta Thyme Spaetzle (Five ingredients fix). Does the traditional recipe require thicker dough? And does this make a longer noodle? Thanks for the help as I would love to try any one of these Spaetzle dishes.
Hi Andrew! Yes, it should be a pretty thick dough and it requires effort, and muscle strength (!) to push it through the Spätzle press. In olden days they used a Spätzle Brett, a wooden board, and would cut the noodles. Spätzle should never by super soft or mushy. They should be fairly firm and springy to the bite. The recipe you mentioned using ricotta is very non-traditional and I would imagine the chef’s instructions are for that recipe alone. As to the length of the noodles, that simply depends on what equipment you use. Some methods yield long noodles, other shorter chubby noodles, and still others very short button-like noodles. All just personal preference.
Grüß Gott. und Danke for the great recipe.
Spätzle is customarily made with “type 405 mehl” (flour) which I have never found Stateside. A close equivalent can obtained mixing AP flour with cake flour in a 2:1 ratio.
I made a batch with this edit… great results.
Hi Jim, it’s definitely true that German flour is different, and there are so many different types of flours in Germany, which I really miss. It’s a bit of an ongoing debate in Swabia which flour is best for Spätzle and you’ll find Swabians of varying opinions on that point. In practically every grocery store there you can actually find “Spätzlemehl” (Spätzle flour) which is specially made for making Spätzle and is different than type 405. Spätzle is supposed to have “Biss” (be slightly firm and chewy) and some argue that 405 doesn’t render the ideal texture of traditional Spätzle (ie, too soft). The fact is though that Spätzlemehl is a contemporary invention and housewives of old certainly wouldn’t have found it in stores. What many of them did was add a bit of Griess (semolina) to the batter to give it more “grip” or firmness. If you do go with the 2:1 ratio alteration you’ll most likely need to reduce the amount of water a bit or the Spätzle will be really soft. Thanks for making this recipe, Jim, and I’m thrilled you enjoyed it!
Hi -great recipe and true to tradition. My only comment for those who have not made spatzle before is that you should try the old fashioned way of a scraper and board. It takes a bit of time to learn the trick and you’ll find your first few attempts may result in some odd sized and odd shaped noodles, but the thing is, because the dough is not compressed like it is thru the spatzle makers the noodles have a much lighter texture and more delicate consistency. It is much more time consuming to make them this way, but they turn out so much nicer. My family has stuck to making them this way for generations, (both my parents are from Germany; I am a first generation Canadian.)
Thanks for your comment, Tolly. I agree, I too prefer the shape and texture of Spätzle made with the Spätzlebrett (Spätzle board). I like the non-uniform shapes and sizes. The fact is though most people would have a hard time telling the difference in method used. If the Spätzle press were able to make the odd shapes and sizes like the Brett does and you had a dish of each side by side, most likely only a Spätzle purist would be able to tell the difference. Perhaps that’s what we are, Tolly 🙂 When I the have time to make Spätzle using the board I do, but that isn’t often and these days I use the press more than anything. Psychologically it’s not quite as gratifying, but it’s still homemade Spätzle and nothing can beat it!
Not sure we did the dough correctly, but it tastes good. And, we used a beef jerkey caulking gun — sprayed oil on it all over, and then used a scissors to snip the ends. Worked great!
Hahahaha, love it!! You definitely win the prize for originality! 🙂 Glad you enjoyed it, MNCoolio!
I am from Heidenheim at rhe end of the Swabian Alps so grew up on spaetzle I have lived in Australia for the last sixty years and still make spaetzle on a board. However, I recently visited family in Goeppingen and she used a potatoe ricer and they came out quickly and perfect. I thought now that I am old I could well do spaetzle by machine but O dear I can’t conquer the art? if there is an art to it? they come out in a lumpy mess and I do not want to go back to the board, I would like to know what I am doing wrong?
Small world, Margarete, my Oma and Opa lived in Göppingen for 40+ years. Yes, Spätzle can be frustrating. The Spätzle maker has a groove in it that allows you to set it on the pot of simmering water so that as you squeeze the dough through the strands don’t jiggle and stick together as much. Wait for the strands to dangle down a ways and then cut them with a knife. They will initially stick together at the ends but as soon as they hit the simmering water they’ll separate. Once they hit the water you can also give the water a little stir to help separate them. The other really important factor is to make sure you’re “kneading” the dough long enough – getting to the stage where those bubbles start forming is essential. I don’t blame you for not wanting to go back to the board! And there’s no need to do that – give it another try with the machine, you’ll conquer it yet!
Thanks for that Kim, I would like to conquer the art of the machine! However today we will have Laugen Praetzlen, yes i have conquered that art. I have baked my own bread now for the last 50 Years as I lived in your name sake area of W.A The Kimberly – in the most remote places there – so no bakeries or shops that cater for the Schwaebisch palet. So you learn to garden and bake cook etc.
That’s wonderful, Margarete. We have everything easily accessible here (even a German deli) but we still have a garden each year and I love to do canning, bake my own bread, etc. Nothing beats homemade bread. I’d love to try your Laugenbrezel! Greetings to The Kimberly, Australia! 🙂
I’m liking your German recipes. I’ve had the Swabian cheese spaetzle that a friend made in Germany, and it was fabulous! Do you think a potato ricer would work to make the spaetzle? Thanks.
Thanks, Vicky! Yes, you can use a potato ricer. Each gadget produces a little different shape and it all comes down to personal preference. And in the end, it all tastes the same! 🙂
Thank you so much for your beautiful site. I made the spaetzle from your recipe and my Danish husband almost fainted. It will definitely become a regular recipe for us. I am now making your chicken with the bacon and cream sauce and seeing if I can get him, the pickiest eater I have ever met, to eat mushrooms without noticing. I choped them in such a way that he can’t tell. Your recipes are wonderful. I have given up on many blog recipes because they aren’t great. But your adaptations of classics are perfect. Gulyas is next which I have made before, but your recipe looks much easier. We are going to get fat and happy!
Thank you, Talia, you’ve made my day 🙂 I really appreciate your kind words, compliments and feedback. I’m thrilled you’re enjoying the recipes. Happy Cooking and let us know how the Smothered Chicken goes!
Hi Kimberly, I’m looking to try this recipe out tomorrow. I’m wondering two things… Is using a stand mixer necessary? (laziness asking, I don’t want to dig mine out) And do you think a potato ricer would do the trick in place of a spaetzle maker? They look kind of the same. Thanks!
No, a stand mixer is not necessary at all, in fact I never used mine for that purpose until more recently – out of laziness 🙂 It’s hard work beating the dough non-stop by hand for a solid 15 minutes or so! I have not personally used a potato ricer since I have my beloved Spaetzle press, but yes, potato ricers are commonly used for that purpose over here. It simply yields a different shape but same flavor and texture. Happy eating!
Well, I just tried this recipe and I have to say, the end result is very good.. I really had a heck of time with the dough, got pretty frustrated. The dough (made according to the recipe) was very thick and very heavy, even after thinning down with more milk. Is the dough supposed to be so thick?? If it is, I wish the recipe would state that, so I would know if I was doing it right, or messing it up completely. I have seen other recipes where the dough seems definitely wetter .. it didn’t know if it was supposed to pass through the spaetzel maker freely, or if you would have to use brute force to get it through the machine. Could you please clear up the dough consistency in the recipe. Will I make it again .. now that I know what is involved, I will make it again, but because of how fussy it was to work with I will do it only ahead of time, not a last minute dinner idea. When done, though, it was very good….
Hi Lorna, thanks for your feedback and I’m sorry you had such a wrestle with the dough. How much additional milk did add? Without actually seeing your dough it’s hard for me to know just how thick it was. I can tell you though that no, the dough is not supposed to be very wet or runny. It’s a thick batter and does require a lot of arm strength if you’re beating it by hand. When using the Spaetzle press I have to press down quite hard, using both hands and using some of my body weight. You want to dough to be like this for better results – instead of being limp and soft like very wet dough would produce, the Spaetzle will have some “bite” and chewiness to them, which is how they should be.
I’ve been making Spaetzle for years. My Grandma Ische taught me how when I was young! I use spaetzles instead of noodles in my soups. I make the dough and take a tsp with a little of the dough and add it to the soup while it’s simmering. The noodles look like little dumplings when they rise to the surface! They are so chewy and very good. My husband loves this better than noodles.
Hi Kelly! Absolutely, that’s a popular way to use the Spaetzle dough for soups in Germany. You’ll see that very method used in my German Pea Soup recipe. That’s great that you’ve carried on the tradition that your grandma taught you. Happy cooking!
I loved this spaetzle! I had to make do with slapping some dough on a wet cutting board, then cutting/scraping a strand of dough with my dough scraper, then cutting the strand again diagonally, but that actually worked pretty well! I had some spaetzle once in Hungary that had come up in conversation and left me craving spaetzle, and the thicker chunks produced by my method were probably closer to what I remembered. I used a bit less milk to keep the dough more workable on the board.
Oh, and I used your Hungarian mushroom pasta, substituting half shitake mushrooms, since I didn’t have enough crimini. The sauce was out of this world! My wife and I both lapsed into silence as we started eating, it was so good! I will make both of these again, and I think the soup version of the mushroom pasta needs a try, too! Thanks for sharing these delicious recipes!
Hi Steve! I’m absolutely thrilled that you and your wife enjoyed the Spaetzle and Hungarian Mushroom Pasta! Yes, it Hungary they make the Spaetzle by leaving the dough in a clump and pinching off chunks with their fingers into the water, so they’re shorter and and stubbier. In Germany they use that method as well and they’re called Knoepfle. Same batter, just different shape. Thank so much for your feedback, Steve, I really appreciate it! Best, Kimberly
What a beautiful site.
Thank you, Katherine! 🙂
I discovered spaetzle yesterday, and made them this morning. OMG! I made them with water, no milk. And I added spinach powder. Now I’m sitting down to a bowl of fried onion, spaetzle and cheese. It’s winter here, and boy, am I comforted!
I didn’t have a potato ricer, and didn’t have a knife suitable for the board method, or a colander with a flat bottom.
did have a flat grater with large square holes, so I used my fingers to push the dough through the back of the grater…. perfect! And no monetary outlay, even better.
Yum!
Yayyy! I’m so happy you discovered Spaetzle, Gloria! It’s one of my favorite things and I agree, the shape is pretty irrelevant – it’s the texture and flavor that makes it so wonderful. Thanks for the feedback!
Does this recipe ever look good! I would never have known what to do so the tutorial is awesome 🙂 Love your photos of Germany and I hope we have the chance to visit one day.
Thanks, Kacey! I hope you do, too. Germany is simply breathtaking – it’s landscapes, architecture, culture, traditions, and of course its food!
What a beautiful country, and what an awesome food. This spaetzle sounds delicious, and looks so pretty!
Thanks, Cate! I’m obviously biased, but Germany is amazing in every way 🙂
What an informative and great post. I’ve never heard of these before, but they look fun to make. I’ll have to try them out very soon! 🙂
Cyndi, these are a staple of German cuisine and something every tourist goes home talking about. They are fun to make!
These pictures are breathtaking! I am dreaming of going to Germany to see these beautiful sites. These homemade noodles sound amazing.
Thanks, Holly, I hope you get to visit someday!
This is so cool! I would love to give this a try someday! 🙂
For anyone who’s interested in German cuisine, Spätzle is an absolute must, Kristyn!
What a cool recipe! I LOVE all your photos of Germany! I long to go there one day!
I hope you get to visit, Jaren!
Adore spaetzle! I think it is underappreciated in the U.S.!
For sure, Dorothy!
I’m so happy that I found this tutorial! I’ve been making my great aunt Elsie’s spaetzle for years but somehow always struggle with the dough. I use the press that she bought for me nearly 30 years ago. I have a friend from Germany who also began using a mixer. She uses bread flour instead of all-purpose. Have you used it before, and is this recommended? Aunt Elsie always added buttered breadcrumbs to the spaetzle before serving. I love it that way. I’m looking forward to trying other recipes on your site!
Hi Linda, I’m so happy you found my site – welcome! I have used both bread flour and all-purpose and am happy with both results. Yes, buttered breadcrumbs are common addition in southern Germany. Briefly frying the finished Spätzle in a frying pan with butter and sprinkling with a few herbs is also another popular way to serve them. I look forward to “seeing” you around, Linda! 🙂
I know this will be found on but we came across a German theme week and they had fresh spatzle which I bought packets of trying to relive my time in Germany And Austria where we go every year stopping en route in Ulm where we found a lovely apartment with on site restaurant.
I found the spatzle lovely but would love to hear different recipes using it plus any other recipes from my fave time ever.
Those sound like wonderful memories, Andy. Besides the obvious of enjoying Spätzle with gravy, a couple of my favorite Spätzle dishes are Käsespätzle and Gaisburger Marsch (a very quintessential German soup). I really need to post those recipes on here – hopefully sooner than later!
Had these tonight with roast pork & gravy…delish! The only problem I had was pushing the dough through my steamer pot. After two tries, I gave up and rolled the dough out thin and cut tiny ribbons with my pizza cutter. This was my first try making spätzel, but I’ll definitely be keeping this recipe! Thank you for posting it.
Wonderful, I’m so glad you enjoyed it, thank you! Yes, depending on which device you’re using it can be a workout to push the dough through. Maybe that’s why the Swabian housewives of old always used the board/knife method 😉
I just wanted to let you know that I’ve made this recipe three times already and every time it’s absolute perfection. Exactly as I remember it from the years I lived in Germany. Thank you so much for this recipe.
That’s wonderful, Cathy, I’m so happy to hear that, thank you!
Oh no!! Please! Spätzle are only flour, salt, water and eggs, NO milk, NO nutmeg! 😀
Katja, das stimmt aber nicht. That simply isn’t true. Both water and milk are commonly used throughout Swabia. It’s just comes down to personal preference. Note that I point out that either water or milk can be used.
I have recently begun making your yoghurt, and wondered if I could use the leftover whey in place of either the water or milk. From everything you mentioned in the yoghurt recipe, it sounds like I should be able to, but I wanted to ask, just in case it would alter the spätzel.
Hi Daisy, yes, I think that would be a great way to put the whey to use. Let us know what you think once you’ve given it a try!
My mother always made these with just eggs, flour and nutmeg. Then she put tiny spoonfulls in chicken noodle soup and let simmer for about 15 minutes…..we love them. They puff up like little balloons. She was from the Rhineland. Anyway, I make them that way but mostly add some milk to the dough. She never beat the dough for 15 min but rather mixed with a fork until mixed well. I call them egg dumplings, lol. I will now try making the dough like you describe.
Hi Gudrun, yes, there are a lot of variations of this kind of pasta. What you’re describing is much like how the Hungarians make them as well – they make a really thick dough (Spätlze is runnier because of the addition of water or milk), hold it in their hands and flick off pieces of it with their fingers into a pot of simmering soup or water. Other eastern European countries also have their own versions.
Both of my Slovak grandmothers – paternal & maternal – and my mom made halusky, which is very similar to spatzel. I also make a very good halusky, and my dough recipe is the same as yours except without nutmeg. My all-time favorite dish when visiting Slovakia is brynzova halusky, which has sheep’s cheese and fried pork belly pieces. MMMM best comfort food in the world. And my husband and I love to order spatzel at our local eatery that also serves schnitzel. Now I can make this at home!
Hi Jo Anne, yes, halusky is great and the kind I’m familiar with often has finely grated or mashed potato added to the batter (no eggs). Served with sheep’s cheese and fried pork belly sounds like terrific comfort food indeed!
Except that neither of my grandmothers nor my mother ever put potato in their halusky. All my friends in Slovakia do now, so at some point the recipe shifted ingredients. In fact, I have a cookbook published by Slovak women from the 1950s and their halusky recipes don’t contain potato either. The recipe that was taught to me is flour, salt, eggs and water.
Or it may be a regional thing. For example, in Germany the same recipe can have several variations depending on which region you’re in.
We made this recipe last night for our sauerbraten dinner……..the end result was horrible! Absolutely impossible to put through a “potato ricer” Every recipe I looked up after this MESS Never called for mixing in a stand mixer for 18 to 20 minutes. It basically turned into a egg bread dough!! Even Wolfgang Puck said mix by hand….do NOT overwork the dough. It was a good thing I had egg noodles on hand!
Sorry for the lousy review,,but out of the 83 reviews I didn’t see many people actually trying to use THIS recipe…just saying.Thanks anyways.
Hi Dan, I’m sorry to hear it didn’t turn out for you. Spätzle dough has to be worked for a long time to get the right consistency that results in a “chewy” texture, otherwise the Spätlze will be soft and limp. It will not be overworked like a yeast or baking soda biscuit dough would be. A couple more things to keep in mind, the bread setting on a Kitchenaid, for example, is the next to lowest setting. Also, like any dough, some adjustments with water may be required – you may need to add more. I have received a ton of positive feedback from readers who have made this recipe, both via the comments and in emails. I just made this recipe again myself last week, exactly as written, to make my Käsespätzle which I just published. We recently moved and I couldn’t find my Spätzle press and even though I do not recommend using a potato ricer anywhere in this Spätzle recipe post, I tried it for the first time, curious how well it would work. It didn’t. The holes are too close together and substantially smaller than official Spätzle-making tools. (Take a look at the size of the holes on the Spätzle lid and scraper.) I tossed the potato ricer aside after one attempt and instead cut the Spätzle by hand, using the traditional board and scraper method, wetting it down regularly between scrapings. After the fact, when I was putting the potato ricer away, I noticed my particular ricer came with an extra plate with much larger and wider-spread holes. For my readers who have given me positive feedback about having used a potato ricer I can only surmise they were using a plate like this that’s specifically adaptable to making Spätzle.
Hello Kim,
I was pretty irritated when I wrote you last,mainly I had a kitchen full of family waiting for my special surprise “noodle” and what a flop.ANWAY…everybody really enjoyed the Sauerbraten that I made with a venison roast.
I Will try this again and I’m buying a spatzle press today!
Thanks for getting back to me and I apologize for being so gruff!
When that press gets here I’m making that Mac and cheese.or the Geschnetzletes,
they both sound delicious. Thanks again, Sincerely Dan
No problem, Dan, I appreciate that. I’d be frustrated too if I put time and effort into something that was a flop, especially if there were hungry people there waiting on me! I re-emphasized in the actual recipe box what I said in the step-by-step instructions, which is to use a spoon to scoop and pull at the dough halfway into the mixing process and then again later to test for doneness. As soon as bubbles/holes appear when you pull the dough with the spoon the dough is done, no need to mix it any longer. That may take longer than 15 minutes or it may take less. Making great Spätzle is something of an art that takes some practice to get a feel for what the consistency of the dough should be like. Traditionally no one would have timed how long to beat the dough (nor would they have used a stand mixer), they would have just beat it by hand with a wooden spoon it until it looked and felt right. After another try or two you’ll become the Spätzle King! 🙂
Kim,
Thanks for the words of encouragement.
I’ll keep trying till it comes out right.
I always like my recipes to be as close to
the original/authentic they can be. I think keeping the
traditional is best, sometimes more work….BUT worth it!
Thanks again….keep up the good work.Sincerely, Dan
Hi there,
tried your recipe tonight with mixed results. Although my potato ricer has a plate that is allegedly a spatzle one I don’t think the holes were far enough apart (you’d think an Aldi gadget would get it right!) and I had trouble with clumping. But the ones that didn’t clump tasted terrific and were voted a success. The ones that did clump shall be sliced up and turned into Kasespatzle tomorrow! A perfect winter dish which we very much enjoyed.
BTW – the reason I used your recipe not one of the other ones google produced was because of the thickness of the dough – knowing how it was originally made the thin runny mix on some other websites just didn’t make sense.
Thanks!
Di
Hi Di, thanks for the feedback and for choosing our recipe! I’m glad it turned out great aside from the potato ricer fiasco. I’m not a fan of using ricers for Spätzle for the very reason you noted. But using the clumped up Spätzle for Käsespätzle is the perfect call!
I made this today, and it was delicious. I didn’t grown up eating homemade spaetzle, so learning to make them has been frustrating. This dough, however, was relatively easy to handle and cooked up perfectly al dente.
I especially appreciated the clear instructions and photos for the kneading process. I suspect that’s where my past attempts went awry! Super helpful to have a visual reference for the correct consistency.
Despite the cautionary tales in the comments, I tried using my ricer anyway. Unsurprisingly, the close holes did result in some clumping. Happily, I was able to break up the worst of it by gently agitating them with a fork immediately after dropping them in the water. I didn’t achieve long strands, but it made passable (albeit somewhat irregular) short pieces.
I’m eager to try these again, even if I don’t have the method down pat yet. It got rave reviews for texture and flavour from the family, too. I foresee a spaetzle maker on my Christmas wishlist for this year. 😀 Thanks so much for this great recipe!
That’s wonderful, Flora, I’m to to hear it was such a hit, thank you! And I think you’ll be very happy with your Christmas gift 🙂
I understand this would be very unconventional, but I’m wondering if you could use the fettuccine or spag.attachment for the kitchenaid stand mixer?
Hi Heidi, as long as it works, that’s all that matters! 🙂 I’m not sure how well it would work though because Spätzle dough is wetter and softer than regular pasta dough. My fear is it would result in a big mess. Still, it’s worth the try. If you give it a go let us know how it went!
Baden Württemberg includes STUTTGART – doesn’t it! That’s where my Spaetzles recipe comes from: lots of eggs and water, no milk. I am using my mother’s old press which is at least 70 years old. – Love your recipes.
Eva
It sure does, Eva. Stuttgart is where I’m from and it’s the capital of Baden-Württemberg. That’s really neat that you have your mother’s old press – such a treasure.
I came across your recipe by chance, looking for an English recipe for a friend. I was pleasantly surprised to see the fourth picture, the Rathaus in Grötzingen from where I am.
For the Spätzle: As a rule of thumb, I use (number of portions + 1) eggs, salt to taste, a pinch of nutmeg, and milk (no water, Grötzingen is in Baden, after all) to get the dough to the right consistency for the method, the bubbles you describe for the Spätzleschwob and a bit runnier for scraping.
Thanks for visiting, Cornelius, and greetings to Grötzingen! I agree – I’ve made mine both ways, with milk and water, though like you I prefer the consistency of milk. And yes, if I’m using the board/scraping method what I’ll usually do is just wet the board down between scrapings to make the dough a bit runnier and glide off more easily.
I must say I hated it when my !other bought the Spaetzle press.I would not eat them.You need to use the Spaetzle Brett as far as I am concerned,but that is the only way I will eat them.Enjoyed your demonstration. Thank you for that.By the way I am from Schrambrg I’m Schwartzwald,live in Florida now!!!
I prefer the shape of Spätzle that’s made on the board, even though of course it tastes the same no matter what the shape. But most of the time, just for the sake of speed and convenience, I use the press. Greetings to Schramberg and Florida!
Hello- my friend from Northern Germany made his Käsespätzle using caramelized onions sautéed in balsamic vinegar. I thought it was strange but it was actually really delicious. He said this was the way his Oma made it for him growing up, have you heard of this?
Great site!!
Hi Peter – No, that would have just been her own personal twist, definitely not the way it’s traditionally made. That’s not to say it wouldn’t taste good, it’s just not the original way.
Hi. I am making the spätzle for Christmas day. I have question on the cooking of the noodles. I do have a press that looks exactly like yours I borrowed from my friend. Now say dough is made and water is ready. I will fill the cylinder with dough and press into water. Right. Now do you wait for each batch to cook and drain before refilling? or do put the whole batch of dough taking turns in press then drain whole thing?
Hi Toni, you don’t want to overcrowd the pot or end up with some Spätzle overcooked and some undercooked. So I usually press two batches of dough at a time (so fill up up the press, push it through, then repeat one more time) and once the Spätzle are floating on the top of the water they’re done. Remove them and then repeat the process until all the dough is gone.
Great. Thank you for your quick response. I am a little nervous making this dinner for first time on Christmas day. Ill be serving these with rouladen. I hope so make the spätzle day before and reheat, although they probably are best freshly made. Thanks again. Have a wonderful Christmas.
Hi Toni, your Christmas dinner sounds marvelous – rouladen is one of my most favorite dishes 🙂 Making the Spätzle in advance is no problem at all. The best way to reheat them is to warm them up in a skillet with butter. Merry Christmas!
I just discovered your website and I”m so thrilled! We just moved back to the USA from Stuttgart and I miss it so very much. The food, people,landscape, and so much more! My kids asked for the Zimtsterne this Christmas and I had no idea where to find a recipe. Not only did you have that one but Spatzle and so many others as well! Thank you so very much!
Hi Sarah, I’m equally thrilled that you found us – welcome!! I am so happy you had the opportunity to live in Germany, especially Stuttgart! Were you in the service over there – stationed at Patch Barracks by chance?
Yes, stationed there for over three years. We actually lived in a small village outside of Stuttgart and loved every minute. We hope to move back in two years. We have missed the atmosphere in Germany at Christmas!
That’s very neat, crossing my fingers for you that you get to go back. I agree, really nothing beats the Christmas atmosphere in Germany, they do it exceptionally well 🙂
You don’t need to knead the dough this long. Only a few minutes. Only use milk if NOT making kase spaetzle. It’s too rich if making with cheese. Use YouTube videos for technique on your spaetzle maker.
The dough simply needs to be kneaded however long it takes to produce bubbles. Too rich? Impossible! 🙂
Hi Kimberley my mother-InLaw was from Stuttgart she made a German Apple cake to die for she used a pizza pan for the dough laid on the sliced apples along with sliced almonds the top of cake was made with a sour cream mixture I just don’t remember the mixture I want so much to make this cake as my son’s remember it from their childhood I hope you can help Psit was amazing how the top puffed up and sort of spongey thank hope to hear soon
Hi Gerri, that doesn’t really ring a bell, it may have been her own creation – the pizza pan part definitely isn’t typical. The sour cream mixture was likely “quark”, something that is sadly extremely difficult to find in the U.S..
Thank you for this recipe (and for the Käsespätzle post as well). We made these over the weekend – had one lot with Gulasch, and made the remainder into Kasespatzle the next day. We used a colander to make the spatzle which was OK. I will buy a potato ricer to use next time we make them.
Thank you again.
Wonderful, Hazel, those sound like two delicious meals! I’m glad you enjoyed the Spätzle and appreciate the feedback, thank you!
This made me so happy to read. I grew up spending a lot of summers with my beloved German relatives in the Stuttgart area and I definitely see the world through a Schwabisch lens. I am always craving good German food (basically impossible to find in a restaurant) and have made spatzle before, but am very excited to try this recipe. My Onkel’s favorite wine from Baden Wurttemberg was Trollinger mit Lembeger. Wish we could buy it here, it is unbelievable. Thank you for this, you transported me to my favorite place in the world.
Wonderful, Tamina! Agreed, I have yet to find a restaurant in the U.S. that makes “real” German food – even restaurants owned and run by Germans! I think they’ve just been in the U.S. too long and have become somewhat “Americanized” in their cooking 🙂 I have quite a few German recipes on my site – you can either search them by typing in “German” in the search bar or clicking the “Recipes” tab on the menu bar and searching by country. Happy cooking and Guten Appetit! 🙂
While stationed in Germany my now ex-wife’s grandmother showed me to make the “batter” a little runny and the “drip” it into the boiling water. Everything else( recipe ) is the same, just add a bit more water or milk to make it Pourable. Once the noodles were done we would brown some bread crumbs in a lot of butter. Place the bread crumbs on top of the noodle and serve with a. Ice thick brown gravy. 20 years later I still make them that way.
That sounds yummy, Jared, thanks for sharing!
Too much liquid. The noodle is too runny and not firm enough. The consistency is too soft. Drop the nutmeg, add more eggs and significantly reduce the liquid and dump the milk, stick with water only. I dumped the first batch I made following the direction.
That’s the standard ratio, Kai, the same one that’s been used for many generations. Sorry it didn’t turn out for you. Make sure you’re using large eggs.
Hi Kimberly, I have been eating and making Spaetzle for over 45 years. My German parents made them often. I grew up in Germany and worked in Heilbronn (southern Germany) for 2 years where I was born had ate Spaetzle regularly. I am a trained chef with 2 years of formal training and a one year apprenticeship. I own a well used Spaetzle press, so I know a little about Spaetzle. I wanted to try your recipe, too see why the change in ingredients. After it didn’t work, I made a new batch from my German cookbook. 1/2 Kg flour, 5 eggs, 1/8 liter water and salt. Mix flour and salt, make hole, add eggs, start to mix add water as needed. Beat until the dough “speaks”, makes bubbles. Use Spaetzle press and rapidly squeeze dough into boiling salt water and cook until the noodles float and are firm. Remove from water. I tried yours, will you try mine? Or we can just agree to disagree on this one. Happy cooking. Kai
I’ve gotten dozens and dozens of emails the past few years from readers who have successfully made this Spätzle and if you scroll through the comments you’ll read about others’ success as well. I’m sorry it didn’t turn out for you. Yes, we’ll have to agree to disagree, Kai, and that’s okay 🙂
This recipe reminds me of my childhood and my grandmother’s cooking. My hubby has celiac. Have you ever tried or seen this made with gluten free flour? Thanks!
Hi Marita, I have not. The gluten is what helps bind the Spätzle dough, I’m not sure if GF would work. If you try it let us know how it goes!