Käsespätzle (German Cheese Spaetzle)
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One of the most beloved of all Swabian dishes, Kasespatzle (German Cheese Spaetzle) is everything great comfort food should be! Chewy homemade Spätzle baked with gooey Swiss cheese and topped with caramelized onions, it’s on my most favorite dishes!
What is Käsespätzle?
Where I’m from in Stuttgart, Germany, Kasespatzle is a classic – a quintessential Swabian comfort food dish. Homemade Spätzle are layered with gobs of shredded Emmentaler and geröstete Zwiebeln (caramelized onions) and then baked in the oven. I guess you could say it’s Germany’s version of mac and cheese.
Käsespätzle (cheese spaetzle) was a favorite dish in our home and we always looked forward to it when my mom would make it. Though Bavarian by birth she spent her later childhood through young adult years in Stuttgart and she’ll freely admit that Swabian cuisine is Germany’s best. And I couldn’t agree more. Here is a thoroughly authentic Kasespatzle recipe just like my mom always made it.
Nothing compares to homemade Spaetzle and I highly recommend making it yourself. Get our recipe for Authentic German Spaetzle.
If you love pasta and cheese and caramelized onions you will definitely LOVE this Kaesespaetzle! Chewy homemade German egg noodles oozing with Swiss cheese and topped with butter caramelized onions…..Comfort food really doesn’t get any better than this German Cheese Spaetzle!
If you’d like to know more about Spaetzle, southern Germany, and how to make the best homemade Spätzle, see my post for homemade German Spaetzle.
Ready to make some Käsespätzle?
Käsespätzle Recipe
Let’s get started!
Melt the butter in a medium-sized heavy stock pot or Dutch oven.
Add the onions and stir occasionally for 20-30 minutes until deeply caramelized. Halfways into it sprinkle with a little salt and sugar to help with the caramelizing.
Get them really nice and brown.
While the onions are cooking make the Spätzle.
Make one batch of my homemade German Spätzle.
Set the Spätzle aside until ready to use (they can be made in advance and refrigerated until ready to use).
Shred the cheese. Käsespätzle is only as good as the quality of Swiss cheese you use. Do yourself a favor and get the good stuff. No, the American Swiss cheese just doesn’t cut it. Get some European-imported Swiss cheese. Emmentaler and Jarlsberg are both good options. I often like to combine it with some strong Gruyere for extra flavor.
The other key: Lots and lots of deeply caramelized onions. Don’t skimp on these. Use two jumbo-sized onions. The more caramelized onions, the better the Käsepätzle will be.
Butter a 9×13 (or slightly smaller) casserole dish. Place a third of the Spätzle in the bottom of dish, followed by a third of the cheese and a third of the caramelized onions. Sprinkle some salt over each layer.
Repeat until you’ve completed all the layers, ending with the cheese and the onions on top.
Bake the Spätzle uncovered at 400 degrees F for about 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the some of the edges have just started to get crispy.
Serve immediately. A light sprinkling of chopped parsley always adds a bit of color and class.
Enjoy!
For more authentic German dishes, be sure to also try my:
- Sauerbraten
- Rouladen
- Swabian Potato Salad
- Semmelknödel
- Senfbraten (Roast Pork with Mustard Gravy)
- Schnitzel
- Jägerschnitzel
- Maultaschen
- German Potato Soup
- Frikadellen
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Käsespätzle (German Cheese Spaetzle)
Ingredients
- 1 batch Homemade German Spätzle (about 5 cups cooked Spätzle, can use store-bought if preferred), can be made in advance and refrigerated until ready use, then let warm to room temperature before baking.
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 2-3 large onions , chopped (the more caramelized onions the better so I go with at least 3!)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 12 ounces shredded Emmentaler or Jarlsberg (Swiss-like from Norway, mild) (you can also add some Gruyere for extra flavor)
- Salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter a 9×13 (or a little smaller) casserole dish.
- To make the caramelized onions: Melt the butter in a medium-sized heavy stock pot or Dutch oven. Add the onions and stir occasionally for 20-30 minutes until deeply caramelized. Halfway into it sprinkle with a little salt and sugar to help with the caramelizing. Get the onions nice and brown.
- Layer 1/3 of the Spätzle in the bottom of the dish followed by 1/3 of the cheese and 1/3 of the caramelized onions. Repeat, sprinkling each layer with some salt, ending with cheese and onions on top.
- Bake for 10 minutes or longer until the cheese is melted and the edges are just beginning to get a little crispy.Serve immediately. This makes great leftovers!
Nutrition
Originally published on The Daring Gourmet May 6, 2016
Hi, I’m Kimberly Killebrew and welcome to Daring Gourmet where you'll find delicious originals, revitalized classics, and simply downright good eats from around the world! Originally from Germany, later raised in England, world-traveled, and now living in the U.S., from my globally-influenced kitchen I invite you to tour the world through your taste buds!
Me and my friend is making this for our class! Can’t wait to try it with our class!
That’s exciting, Cocoa, have fun making it and I hope your class enjoys it! :)
Reading this reminded me when I worked at Mercedes in Stuttgart. The smaller canteen on the site wasn’t popular with the suits and had a more “workers” feel to it. That meant the Spätzle was dished out in giant portions from a vast vat they would make….. and it was a side dish! If the container ran out, a fresh batch would magically appear from the kitchen.
Thanks for sharing that, Paul! My uncle worked for Mercedes in Stuttgart his entire career. I bet he had some great food stories too! :)
Best käsespätzle ever. My favorite.
Thank you, Annette, I’m so happy to hear that!
A friend had just lost his spouse and I overheard him reminiscing how he had not had this dish since his parents were gone. My friend is 70 so it had been a while. So off I go searching just the right one and there it was. I just boiled premade spaetzl while I was grating imported swiss. I already had caramelized onions because i do a big batch in my crockpot then just portion it out in my freezer for later. layered and filled a 9 x13 baked 20 minutes and there we had it
That’s terrific Captain Pete and what a wonderful gesture for you to make this for your friend during this difficult time <3
After returning from Germany and eating a version of this is Nuremberg, I searched everywhere for a recipe. This one was the closest. It was made with more beef flavoring, so I added some beef broth. I like it more “liquid ” y. It’s fantastic that way. Thanks for the recipe.
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Donna, thank you!
Doing a test run as we speak, before I cook this for German night on our family vacation! I saw in the comments this can be assembled in advance. How far ahead of time can this be made? Thanks!
Hi Stephanie, you can assemble it a day in advance and then bake it when you’re ready to serve it. Happy cooking and I hope you all have a terrific German night! :)
Wow! Delicious! Definitely will make again soon.
Fantastic, Linsey, thank you so much!
I’ve always wanted to try Kaesespaetzle. Finally did with your recipe (spaetlze too). Came out fantastic. Will add it to my repertoire. Served with roasted brussels sprouts in caper vinaigrette.
That’s wonderful, Dave, thank you so much!
Made this for the first time a week ago for Oktoberfest at our house. It was delicious and a hit. Because it was a last minute decision, I used cheeses I had on hand (rosemary Asiago, cheddar, and Parmesan) and it turned out great. Just made it again today using Jarlsberg, Gruyère, and Asiago cheeses. It’s in the oven now and I’m sure it’ll be super delicious. I live in a smaller town and Spätzle isn’t readily available so I’ve made homemade Spätzle both times.
That’s wonderful, Rene, thanks so much for the feedback, I’m thrilled it was a hit! Happy eating this second time around! :)
Is there any way to make this ahead of time ? I am hosting an Oktoberfest party and would love to prep and then pop in the oven! Thanks!
Hi Kendall, yes – assemble everything, cover and refrigerate, and then bake as instructed. Alternatively it can also be baked in advance and then reheated.
This is absolutely delicious! I’ve made it many times as written and it is always devoured and my family thinks I’m an amazing cook (thank you!). Octoberfest is coming and I always make this along with your recipe for senfbrauten–we have friends and neighbors over, drink beer, and have great food. Thanks for sharing your great recipes with us.
Oh, that’s terrific, Carol! I’m so glad this and the Senfbraten have become a tradition, thank you so much for your kind feedback! <3
My mom introduced me to this recipe and it is the best! I can’t get enough. Using a good swiss and gruyere cheese is the best!
I’m so glad, Celine, thank you so much for the feedback, and tell your mom I said thank you for sharing my recipe with you! <3
I haven’t tried this but I will on a cheat day. Husband and I doing very well on our diets. What do you consider your 421 calories size 😂 No fibbing allowed. I am actually counting our calories even cheat day! This will be a meatless meal, haha!
I haven’t measured out the portion sizes so I’m afraid I can’t tell you but this is probably one of those dishes where if you have to count the calories you probably just shouldn’t make it, lol! BUT I do agree that cheat days are important and this is well worth the cheat!! :)
This was so good. My only regret was not adding a third onion. I found dried spaetzle at Aldi. I highly recommend buying the nicer Swiss and gruyere cheese.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Brynne, thanks so much for the feedback!
The first time I experienced this fabulous dish was at an outdoor eatery across from the port at Lindau. I explained to my German cousin that this is better than American Mac & Cheese.
I have attempted to make it and was close in the past, so I look forward to trying your recipe.
Hi Paul, it’s so nice to hear from you again! I whole-heartedly agree, this puts Mac & Cheese to shame :) I look forward to hearing what you think about! And by way of recommendation, use even more onions than what are called for – you can never have enough caramelized onions!
We have adapted a low carb, KETO style diet so I have been trying to adjust my recipes to meet this goal. I am still searching for a KETO friendly Spaztle recipe.
But I could make this on one of our “cheat days” and enjoy.
Oh wow, Paul, yes that would be quite the undertaking to tackle keto Spätzle! If you figure it out please report back. I’m glad to hear you’re still allowing yourself the occasional “cheat day” – your mental health and sanity is also important!! :)