One of Germany’s most popular and beloved foods, here is a fool-proof and authentic German Spaetzle recipe, just the way my Mutti and Oma made it! Perfect texture and perfect flavor, these are just like you know and love them from the Swabia region of Southern Germany where they originated!
Serve this homemade Spätzle with our Sauerbraten, Rouladen, Schnitzel and German Goulash!
One of the most beloved foods in Germany that tourists go home talking about is Spaetzle, the famous German egg noodles from the Baden-Württemberg region of southwest Germany. This area is also known as Schwabenland, or Swabia.  I grew up in Stuttgart, the capital of Baden-Württemberg, watching my Mom and Oma make Spätzle – I learned from the best!
Swabia is home to some of Germany’s best food (many, including myself, will argue it’s home to the best food in all of Germany). And that’s saying a lot because every region of Germany has amazing food.  Swabia is known for its soups, sauces, meats, wursts, and salads, to name a few. It’s also home to some unique varieties of pasta including Spätzle, Schupfnudeln and Maultaschen.
Today we’re featuring Spätzle, a Swabian specialty that is also enjoyed in Austria and Switzerland. Spaetzle 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 spatzle casserole with crispy fried onions). Where did the name “Spätzle” originate? It comes from the German word Spatzen, meaning “little sparrows”, because that’s what they were thought to resemble when they were traditionally made by hand.
What to Serve with Spaetzle
Spaetzle is very versatile and can be served a variety of ways. Here are a ways to serve spaetzle:
- Buttered Spaetzle: This is one of the simplest and most traditional ways to serve spaetzle. After boiling and draining the cooked spaetzle, toss them with melted butter and sprinkle with chopped parsley.
- German Cheese Spaetzle (Käsespätzle): Another Swabian classic and personal favorite, try our recipe for Käsespätzle.
- Savory Sauces: Spaetzle can be served with any sauce or gravy. Serve it with our classic German Goulash, Geschnetzeltes or use it to make our Hungarian Mushroom Pasta.
- Accompaniment to Meats: Spaetzle is the perfect choice to serve with any saucy meat dish like Jagerschnitzel, Rouladen, and Sauerbraten.
- Pasta Salads: For a variation on traditional pasta salad, toss the spaetzle with fresh vegetables, herbs, a vinaigrette, and some diced cheese and ham.
- In Soups: In some regions, spaetzle is added to soups, much like dumplings. Drop small portions of spaetzle dough directly into simmering soup and let them cook until they float to the surface as in this German Pea Soup.
Can It Be Made In Advance?
Yes, Spaetzle can be made in advance, cooled, and stored in a covered container in the fridge for at least a couple of days. To reheat it you can microwave it in a microwave-safe container or, my favorite way, is to melt some butter in a large skillet, add the Spätzle and heat through.
Spaetzle Recipe
Let’s get started!
This spaetzle recipe uses a stand mixer to knead/mix 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. It’s a lot of work!) I decided to to try it with a stand mixer instead and it turned every bit as good – and it sure saves a lot of muscle strain!
Add the flour and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Â 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 o the stand mixer attached, knead/mix the dough on the “2” setting for 16-20 minutes. Â Add more flour if the mixture is too runny, or more milk if it is too stiff.
Pro Tip: How to Know When the Spaetzle Batter is Ready
The batter is done when “bubbles” begin to form. Â After 15 minutes or less of beating, use a wooden spoon and scoop and pull to stretch the batter; if bubbly holes appear, the dough is done. Â If not, continue “kneading” with the mixer for another minute or two, repeating the “test” process. Â See the bubble hole below?
When those bubbly holes start appearing you know your batter is done.
What Is the Best Spaetzle Maker?
Now that the batter is read it’s time to make the Spätzle.
Traditionally, Spätzle was made by hand using a Spätzlebrett, or Spaetzle 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.  Swabian 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.
Below left is my Spaetzle maker that I bought in Germany and it’s awesome.  This kind is pricey but it will last a lifetime. It’s called the Original Kull Spätzle Maker and is made in Germany. It’s built like a tank and will become a family heirloom you can pass down for generations. Another brand that is much cheaper and is also made in Germany is this Westmark Spätzle Maker.  These Spätzle presses can also be used as potato ricers.
Below right is another option, the Küchenprofi Spätzle Lid & Scraper.  I’ve used this one as well with good results and it’s much cheaper.  It produces a shorter, stubbier spatzle noodle. Alternatively you can also use a metal steamer because it’s similarly constructed with large holes. You place some of the dough in the steamer over the simmering water and scrape the dough through the holes.
There’s also 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 but I know people who use it.
My preference is the first Spaetzle maker I linked to and what we’re using in the pictures below. Place the Spaetzle maker 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 Spaetzle in it to warm through.
Guten Appetit!
For more favorite traditional German dishes be sure to try our:Â Â
- Kaesespaetzle
- Rouladen
- Sauerbraten
- German Goulash
- Maultaschen
- Schnitzel
- Semmelknoedel
- German Potato Dumplings
- Zwiebelkuchen
- German Bread (Vollkornbrot)
- Bratwurst
- Currywurst
- Swabian Potato Salad
- Rotkohl
Traditional German Spaetzle
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (you can also use whole wheat flour)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg , optional (not traditional but adds a splash of flavor)
- 4 large eggs
- 1/2 cup milk or water + more as needed (milk produces a richer Spaetzle) (**add more flour if the dough is too runny, add more milk or water if it's too stiff)
- butter for serving
Instructions
- Add the flour and salt 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 (start with using slightly less and add more as needed). 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 (I use and prefer the Spätzle press), 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, toss with some melted butter and serve warm.
- Make Ahead: The Spaetzle can be stored in the fridge for at least a couple of days and then reheated. Melt some butter in a large skillet and toss the Spätzle in it to heat through.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published on The Daring Gourmet on August 3, 2013
Wendy says
Me encantan los spetzler, hace tiempo que no los hago. Buena idea, los haré pronto nuevamente. Gracias por compartir
Greg Hohnholt says
I have to agree with the commenters who thought that there was too much liquid for 10 oz. of flour; I used about 3 oz. of milk, and it was still a bit much. I added a bit of semolina flour to strengthen the dough with good results.
Since I am a bread and pastry baker, and don’t own a Spätzle maker, I thought it might work to spread the batter out on a chilled marble board, and then simply use a dough cutter to portion out noodle size cuts. The result was more like kugel, but with the addition of my garlic herb butter, still very tasty indeed.
Thanks for the recipe; this will pair nicely with German Goulash.
Wendy says
La masa es más bien lÃquida, asà es que no podrás hacerlo como dices. Te recomiendo un colador e ir moviendolo rápidamente de izquierda a derecha rápidamente para que queden las pepitas
david krivan says
hello, can the spatzle dough be made in advance and the spatzle itself made the next day?
Korina Magness says
Would be better to make the Spätzle ahead of time and refrigerate or even freeze them for later use. The dough can rest for a little bit, but it’s consistency changes if left sitting to long.
Adrienne McFayden says
I lost my mother’s cookbook and she was 100% Hungarian and whoa could she cook. I will modify this to the drops of dough in the water. I LOVE IT. The recipe for Chicken Paprikas is excellent as well.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m so glad you enjoyed the chicken paprikash, Adrienne, thank you! I hope you enjoy this one as well – happy cooking! :)
Wolfgang Roesler says
Hi Kimberly,
the purpose of beating the dough for such a long time is to get a max of air into the dough. That´s what you want to see when you check for bubbles. Pressing the dough through a spaetzle maker will remove at least parts of the air again. The spaetzle will be more firm than those made by hand. The link below shows how making by hand works (including the commentary of the house wife in Schwabian Alb dialect. Just like home :-)). Not an easy task I admit.
htt ps://www. youtube.com/watch?v=-Y6Ga9hMm4Y
I like your recipes and exspecially the tips how to replace or home make ingredients I can hardly get in Canada or which are extremely expensive.
How I can recognize the dialect? I was born and grew up near Ulm.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks for the tips and for the compliment, Wolfgang, I appreciate it!
Dolores Pap says
Bio German here- this is the best, tastiest recipe for home made Spaetzle, bar none, and because of family demand I have made it once a week since I found your recipe back in February.
I found the ‘Original Kull Spätzle Maker’, used, on ebay for a pittance, and I love it!! It is so much better than my previous Spaetzle maker, and is easily cleaned as well because your dough is soft and not too sticky. I don’t bother dropping the cooked Spaetzle into cold water, instead,as soon as they are done, I put them on a big platter/bowl and add a few spoons of melted butter. Last week, I added some pureed spinach and nutmeg to the dough- wonderful!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
That’s wonderful, Dolores, thanks so much! I’m so happy you were able to find that Kull Spätzle maker on eBay for a great price. I love it too, it’s my favorite Spätzle maker. Thanks again for the feedback! :)
Rose says
This was an easy-peasy recipe for such WONDERFUL results. I must confess though: we needed to add more flour and never did see the “bubbles”. The Mushroom Gravy was resting on LOW. The Jaegerschnitzel were ‘swimming’ in the skillet. Bubbles or not, it was time to press the dough into the boiling water. I have a spaetzle plane with pusher and, yes, the dough was sticky but those little dumplings plopped into the water and were floating before we knew it!
I fell in love with German food when I lived there (1980-1986). My husband had never had it so believe me when I say that I was delighted EVERYTHING turned out well! I can’t take credit for the store-bought rotkohl side dish but it was tasty also!!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I am positively thrilled you enjoyed all three recipes, Rose, thank you so much for the feedback! <3
RKöhler says
Are you sure it’s just 2 cups flour? It’s very runny, and other recipes call for 4 eggs to 400g flour; as written, this makes a soupy batter that wouldn’t hold a bubble. I let it go in the stand mixer for over 20 minutes, then added another cups of flour, then finally got the right texture. Also, it would be helpful to specify how fast you mean with “kneading”, since that implies something fairly slow– I think you mean “beat” at at least medium speed.
All in all, very frustrating.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Yes, it’s correct. There is no standard ratio for eggs to flour but the more eggs the more “chew” the Spätzle will have, something many people prefer. You can certainly use less and work with a stiffer batter if you prefer a “softer” Spätzle.
Lucia Chiara says
It’s worth mentioning that in different parts of the US (and in different countries too, even more so) the flour you get can be very different in terms of how much liquid it can absorb; depending on the wheat’s protein content and whether it’s a hard or soft wheat. A recipe which yields a firm bread dough in one region will create a soft batter elsewhere…
BTW, the recipes here are great :)
Beth says
I never knew how easy this would be to make at home! Love it!
Tisha says
I love how this is made! Great authentic German dish!
Sara Welch says
This dish looks like it came straight from a cookbook! Looks amazing!
Jacque Hastert says
Love this simple and authentic spaetzle that can me made easily at home. German restaurants are hard to come by where we live. So I can’t wait to bring this into my kitchen
Erin says
Get in my belly! This looks so good.
Cathy says
Such a classic dish… I’m so happy to now have this recipe!
Jeff says
I have the Kuchenprofi slide and plane and did not find it difficult to use. The company is German but the tool is made in China. The quality is good.I previously tried a ricer but that was messy. I have found very good dry spaetzle at Aldi but it is not always available so out comes the spaetzle maker. I never knew it required so much kneading. I gave been getting by with a quick mix.