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!
Hi, I haven’t made Spaetzle in YEARS!!!! My German mother-in-law who I think was from Bavaria, made them & they were delicious. I’m going back to the ’50’s! I’ve never seen a recipe like hers. She made them with…..
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup milk
salt
2-eggs
1/2 cup grated [COOKED] potato
have you ever made them with potato added? Nancy Visconti
Hi Nancy, no, Spaetzle is a Swabian dish and is never made with potato. It sounds like she made hers similar to Italian gnocchi. It sounds yummy, it just isn’t Spaetzle.
I lived in Tübingen for 2 years and fell in love with Swabian cuisine. A native Swabian taught me how to make Käsespätzle, and your recipe is almost exactly like his. So delicious!! I’m making it for my in-laws tonight. I did use store bought spätzle, to save time.
Can I make this a day ahead, then bake the next day?
Hi Jan, yes you can!
I first got this recipe from my friend in, whaddayaknow, Stuttgart! That was in 1989,and it has been a favourite in my family every since. The kids lovingly call it ‘maggot lasagne’ and are now making it for their own families. We make it with fried onion and salami strips, and loads of cheese. Then a bit of breadcrumbs on top to crisp the cheese crust. 😋
Hi,
“Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter a 9×13 (or a little smaller) casserole dish.!
Steht auf metrisch, aber im Text ist immer noch US. Also wieder rumsuchen.
El
This site is based in the U.S. but I still take the time to provide metric conversions for most of my recipes. Simply click on “Metric” to the right of the ingredients list. As to the oven temperature and pan size, you can very quickly find those conversion through a simple google search. And that will take you less time than “wieder rumsuchen.”
Just tried this, Was super delicious :) Mixed emmentaler, cheddar and Jarlsberg. Gruyere isn’t available in India.
I added three large onions and brown sugar and it was magical. Looking forward to try your other recipes!
Ameya from you India
Thank you so much, Ameya, I’m happy that you enjoyed it!
This looks so amazing. I’m wondering if it can be made ahead of time? Perhaps put it together ahead of time and then bake it just before serving? I’m having my first Oktoberfest party and I’m trying to figure out what can be made ahead of time and what can’t.
Hi Jennifer, absolutely. Everything can be made the day before, assembled in the casserole dish, and then baked just before serving.
Made your Käsespätzle last night. So good! We left Stuttgart at the end of February and have mostly indulged in Mexican food of late. This was a welcome and delicious change. Should have doubled the recipe!
Thank you, Susan, I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Hi, Kimberly! This looks delicious and I will be making it tonight, but I’m wondering why the instructions on caramelizing the onions are missing from the recipe. I see them in the blog post, but would be helpful to have them in the recipe. Thanks!
Hi Lyndsay, I don’t know what happened there but I’m glad you caught it – thank you! I hope you enjoy this recipe. Happy cooking! :)