 This Homemade German Spaetzle recipe shows you how to make these delicious, German egg noodle dumplings. They are the perfect side dish to go with all your Bavarian favorites!
No, this is not a picture of scrambled eggs.
What is Spaetzle?
What is spaetzle? You ask. This is a picture of homemade German spaetzle noodles, a traditional German recipe and a special type of egg noodle dumpling that will make both your mouth and your stomach very happy.
This is a great dish to include in any German or Oktoberfest themed dinner party.
Your German dinner party could include Sauerbraten and Fondue, cabbage and German Potato Salad, and a German Apple Strudel.
Add to that this Bavarian Lentil Soup and a ginormous pot of homemade spaetzle, and you are good to go.
Here’s a photo of the spread:
WAY too much food.
Okay, back to the Homemade German Spaetzle:
So if you’ve never had spaetzle before, you are in for an amazing treat. The first time I tried it I had no idea what to expect.
I don’t think I realized that it was a pasta, so the wonderful toothy-chewy texture really surprised me.
Spaetzle is basically like really condensed egg noodles.
If you HAVE had spaetzle but have never made it, you are also in for an amazing treat.
I decided to get smart about my spaetzle making and bought one of these awesome-amazing-super-duper-toys off of Amazon.
I’m not usually one for kitchen gadgets which only serve one purpose, but I’m making an exception for this tool.
This little baby allows me to make spaetzle any time I want in under 15 minutes as long as I have eggs, milk, flour, and salt.
Best money I’ve spent in a LONG time. Click here to see the latest prices on the spaetzle-maker.
How to Make Spaetzle
Here is how to make spaetzle and you will see that it is very easy to make it at home.
Assemble the ingredients.
In a medium bowl add the eggs, milk, and salt.
Then, whisk together the eggs, milk, and salt.
Add in the flour.
Stir until well combined. If it is too runny, then add a little more flour. If it is too thick, then add a little more milk.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Place your spaetzle maker over the top.
Then pour half of the spaetzle batter into the cup of the device.
Quickly slide the cup back and forth to allow the batter to drop through to the simmering water.
Repeat with second half of batter, working quickly, until all the batter is cooking in the pot.
Set the spaetzle maker aside and give the dumplings a good stir in the pot. Let them cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until the float to the top.
Remove with a slotted spoon and place the cooked spaetzle in a large bowl.
Toss with butter and spices.
Serve warm.
What to Serve with Spaetzle?
I love serving this with German food. So, try it along with these other German recipes for a German meal:
- German Beer Cheese Soup
- German Pork Schnitzel
- German Braised Red Cabbage
- Apple Strudel
- German Chocolate Pot de Creme
It is also great alongside beef steaks, venison steaks, pork chops, or underneath a big serving of beef stew.
Storing Leftovers
Refrigerate your spaetzle leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. To freeze your spaetzle, put it in zip-top freezer bags and remove as much air as possible from the bags Freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheat spaetzle leftovers by melting a tablespoon or so of butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the spaetzle and stir until hot. If the spaetzle sticks together, then add a little water while reheating.
Spaetzle Recipe (German Egg Noodle Dumplings)
these delicious, German egg noodle dumplings.Â
They are the perfect side dish to go with all your Bavarian favorites!
Ingredients
- 4 eggs
- 2/3 cup milk
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon white pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, and salt. Add in the flour and stir until well combined. If it is too runny, then add a little more flour. If it is too thick, then add a little more milk.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Place your spaetzle maker over the top, then pour half of the batter into the cup of the device. Quickly slide the cup back and forth to allow the batter to drop through. Repeat with second half of batter, working quickly, until all the batter is cooking in the pot.
- Set the spaetzle maker aside and give the dumplings a good stir in the pot. Let them cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until floating on the surface. Remove with a slotted spoon and place in a large bowl. Toss with butter and spices. Serve warm.
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This German pasta, Spätzle, or Knöpfle, is also known as Spätzli or Chnöpfli in Switzerland or Hungarian Nokedli, Csipetke or Galuska.
These German noodles are also spelled: Spätzle or spätzle, but often misspelled as: spätzle, spatzel, spatzels, spatzels, spaetzel, spaeztle, spatzles, spetzel, spetzle, spätzel and spatezel.
This wonderful and delicious spätzle recipe brings back memories of six years living in Germany. We make spätzle often and have it with all types of entrees. Your recipe is perfect!
One question … we first started using your recipe in March of 2020. The recipe at that time called for 1/3 cup milk. Today, when I copied the recipe into Recipe Keeper, I noticed the amount of milk is 2/3 cup. Did you modify the recipe? We continue to use 1/3 cup milk and think the resulting spätzle is perfect!
Hi Ronald, yes, we did modify the recipe as we were getting comments that more liquid was needed, so we tested with 2/3 cup milk and that worked better. However, if you like it with 1/3 cup of milk, then enjoy it that way. – Linda
Thank you! I’ve made spätzle many times before but this was the BEST ever!! My whole family agreed that this was the best ever. No leftovers here. We’ve decided to make this a weekly side dish. Yum, thank you.
Thank you for sharing your amazing recipe for spätzle! First time making spätzle and we weren’t disappointed — these fluffy morsels of goodness are totally addictive. Bought a spätzle maker to put together your simple, no fail and delicious recipe. After cooking the spätzle, I drained and buttered the spätzle and put them in a frypan and then generously sprinkled with fresh shredded parmesan to get some crunch. Wow!! Served with breaded chicken cutlets, gravy, and broccoli. All good and two thumbs up from my husband and myself.
I love this recipe and my favorite is to cook the dumplings into my beef vegetable homemade soup. It is great, and you can add the spices of you preference in the batter. I put in some garlic powder, cayenne pepper and tumeric powder.
Had this many years ago when we lived in Germany but as I didn’t have the proper equipment, it was cooked only on special occasion using a potato ricer. Since I managed to get the Spatzle maker, we have it very often. The family loves it. This recipe is so easy & delicious. My family loves salted butter, so I fry it with butter & let it brown just a little. Thanks for sharing.
fine basic recipe, but if you’ve never had sauteed spaetzel you are missing a treat–the style i’m used to.
blanch the finished spaetzel and cool in refrigerator. sautee in butter with onions. if you want, top with grated cheese as a snack, or if serving with dinner, top with the gravy from the roast.
you can substitute as much as 1/3 rye flour or cornmeal/polenta into the makeup of your batter for an extra taste treat.
and try a bit of nutmeg in the batter too!
That sounds so wonderful! I will try this also. Thank You
Interesting, I like the idea of making the spaetzle ahead of time and then saute later. Could I make the spaetzle a couple of days in advance? (thinking of making and taking it camping and saute on the campfire while I cook schnitzel), would save some messing about in the outdoors!
Hi Yvonne, yes, you can make it in advance. Just have a large bowl of water and ice close to the pot you are making it in. When the spaetzle floats to the surface, use a slotted spoon to take them out and put them in the ice bath. Stir gently to cool the spaetzle quickly and evenly. Drain them in a colander and then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a few days and then when you want to serve them, sauté with butter or oil in a hot pan.
For anyone who loves noodles, this is a must try recipe. And the comments have given me so many variations to try. I love this recipe so much and did buy a gadget to make them. Butter and garlic are my favorite way to eat these. Grateful I don’t have to buy the dried noodles any more as they are hard to find and expensive when buying on line. Thank you for sharing this recipe with us.
I make half the recipe and it works great! Sometimes I fry it in the butter. Also omit the nutmeg if you have nutmeg in your other German dishes (ie rotkohl). Chopped parsley is nice too.
Oh my goodness this recipe was easy and delicious! I inherited my mom’s Spätzle maker but always thought they were too hard and messy to make with a low rate of success. I just returned from Romania where a local added Spätzle to the goulash in a kettle over an open fire outside in the Airbnb court. She made it look so easy and they were such a great addition to the goulash. I’m hosting a small Oktoberfest party soon and thought I should give the ‘real thing’ a try. Making these Spätzle was easier than boiling the packaged Spätzle. And I don’t even need to add how much better they are. I’ll never go back to the package.