German Spätzle
Throughout my life, I’ve tried most cuisines from around the world. One that I wasn’t too fond of was German cuisine. Every time I went to a German restaurant, I found the food bland. After trying it a few times, I realized that it wasn’t for me. As a French lady who always enjoyed different flavors, herbs and spices, their food wasn’t my thing until…
My destiny gave me an ironic twist to my life. Over a decade ago, I met David who became my husband. Guess what his heritage is? That’s right, German! When I moved in with him, I was afraid that we’d be eating German food every week. Thank goodness, David has always been willing to try different dishes other than the ones he grew up with. On the other hand with all fairness, his mother was a foody as well because she was constantly serving meals that weren’t from their culture.
Since being with David, it made me appreciate his heritage and German cuisine. With all honesty, what I’ve been doing is to add my own little touch, enhancing the dishes by adding more flavor to them. Although most of the time I modified the recipes, there are a few that I barely touched at all like this one… German Spätzle!
This is a lovely side dish and a great comfort food recipe to have on hand! These buttery egg noodles are perfect to pair with so many dishes like Zwiebelrostbraten, Schnitzel, Geschnetzeltes, Chicken Paprikash, Hasenpfeffer, Beef Stroganoff, Sauerbraten, Hungarian Beef Goulash, and so on. They can also be added to soups or become the main ingredient for Käsespätzle or a Mac and Cheese… why not! Besides Germany, these egg noodles are a very popular side dish enjoyed in many other countries likes Austria, Switzerland, Slovenia, Hungary, etc.
Making German Spätzle isn’t complicated as long as you pay close attention to the consistency of the batter. After mixing the flour and egg mixture together in the bowl of a food processor, gradually add more milk, ½ tbsp. at a time, until the batter is smooth, not too thick and not too runny, mixing after each addition. If yours gets too runny, add more flour and vice versa if it’s too thick, add more milk.
As you can see in the video, I use a Classic Spätzle Press to make them but you can always use a rotary food mill, flat coarse cheese grater or even a metal steamer with large holes. If you think you’ll be making this side dish often, then you should definitely invest in a proper press. What I like about mine is I can also use it to rice potatoes… dual purpose!
After they’re cooked, sautéeing them in a saucepan with butter is definitely a must! From there, this is when the flavor can change from one egg noodle dish to another. It can be enhanced with herbs, spices and/or cheese. That’s probably why I like this side dish so much so I can play with the ingredients and give it a new taste each time.
With a beautiful texture and a wide range of flavors, this German Spätzle is an amazing recipe to have on hand! It can be made ahead and simply reheated in some melted butter… bonus! It can also be stored in the fridge for a couple of days. Served warm along with your favorite meat dish, this is a delicious comfort food everyone in your family will love!
Bon Appétit!
Here are several more German inspired recipes for you to enjoy…
– Beef Rouladen
– Homemade Pretzels
– Black Forest Cake
– Creamy Bacon Potato Salad
– Christmas Stollen
– German Red Cabbage
– Zwiebelrostbraten coming on September 15th, 2022
and for even more side dish recipes, click on this link… Recipe Category • Vegetables & Sides
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German Spätzle
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Ingredients
- 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. ground Himalayan sea salt
- 4 large free-run eggs, beaten
- 2/3 cup milk, or as needed
- 1 tbsp. coarse sea salt
- 3 tbsp. butter tips & tricks
- 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, or to taste (I always use mixed peppercorns)
- 1/2 tbsp. fresh chopped parsley, for garnish tips & tricks
Directions
- In a mixing bowl, add flour and ground sea salt; whisk to combine. Transfer the flour mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer and form a well in the center.
- In another bowl, beat the eggs before pouring in ½ cup of milk; whisk until well blended. Add the egg mixture to the well and, using the paddle attachment, process for 1 minute on low speed. Increase to speed 4 and process for 5 minutes, stopping halfway through to clean the sides of the bowl.
- When time is up, add a little bit of milk, ½ a tablespoon at a time, and process for 30 seconds between each addition until the batter is smooth but not too runny. When the desired consistency is reached, let it rest for 10 minutes.
- Add 1 tbsp. coarse sea salt to a large pot of water and bring to a boil. Working in batches, scoop batter into a spätzle press and push it through into the water. Cook the noodles for 2 to 3 minutes or until they rise to the top which is an indication they’re done.
- Scoop them up into a bowl and transfer to a colander. Rinse the noodles immediately with cold water to stop the cooking process and drain them well; set aside while cooking the remaining batter.
- In a skillet over medium-high heat, add butter and when it starts sizzling, add the cooked noodles. Sauté for about 4 to 6 minutes or until the edges start to brown a little bit. If desired, add seasoning and herbs like paprika, freshly ground black pepper, garlic powder, chives, dill, cheese, etc.
- When the noodles start to change to a nice golden color, remove from the heat, sprinkle some fresh chopped parsley and serve immediately.
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