This recipe for German Spaetzle has been passed down through generations, coming straight from my great-grandparents who immigrated from Germany. Spaetzle is a beloved traditional dish that’s really just an egg noodle dumpling and boy is it delicious! It’s also easy to make. You don’t need any fancy equipment to make them either! You can make them with a specialized spaetzle maker or using tools you already have in the kitchen, like a colander.
Why Our Recipe
- An authentic spaetzle recipe passed down through generations.
- Make it with or without a spaetzle maker (we’ll show you how to use a colander instead).
- Simple ingredients, plus traditional methods produce the perfect little egg noodle dumplings.
Spaetzle originated in the regions of Germany, Austria, Hungary, and Switzerland, but these little egg noodles are comfort food no matter where you are eating them. Spaetzle noodles can be dressed up just like any other pasta with sauces and additional ingredients, or they can be served plain sautéed in a little bit of butter. It’s a versatile little dumpling that can be as fancy or as simple as you’d like.
Ingredient Notes
- All-Purpose Flour: Bread flour will also work, and you can experiment with different ratios of whole wheat and white flour as well. I don’t recommend using more than half whole wheat flour.
- Fresh Parsley: A little color and a little flavor. You can add more on top to garnish.
- Ground Nutmeg: Just a small amount gives spaetzle its distinct flavor.
- Eggs: The standard grade AA large kind will do.
- Milk: Whole milk is ideal, but 2% and 1% also work. You could even use milk alternatives.
- Salted Butter: For finishing off our spaetzle to serve plain. You’d skip this if you are using the spaetzle with a sauce.
Spaetzle Makers
A spaetzle maker is a handy metal tool specifically designed for making spaetzle. It has holes that allow you to press the batter directly into boiling water, forming small dumplings. While you can easily find spaetzle makers on Amazon, you don’t need one to make this recipe. You can use a colander or slotted spoon instead, both of which are common kitchen tools.
Makeshift Spaetzle Maker
If you don’t have a spaetzle maker, don’t worry! All you need is a metal kitchen tool with holes to create the perfect little dumplings. A colander, cheese grater plane, or even a slotted spoon can do the job. Simply hold your chosen tool over the pot of boiling water and pour the spaetzle batter on top. Gently press the batter through the holes using the back of a spoon or ladle. This method creates the small, irregular shapes that make spaetzle so fun and delicious.
Serving Suggestions
Spaetzle is absolutely delicious sautéed in butter, garnished with a bit of fresh parsley. You can serve it alongside classic German dishes like schnitzel, bratwurst, or really any roasted meat like roast beef, our apple-glazed roasted pork loin, or roast chicken. Spaetzle is also great for creamy sauces like our lemon cream sauce, a bechamel, or mushroom gravy. You can even toss it with sautéed vegetables and bacon for a quick meal.
Storage & Reheating Instructions
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
To freeze, spread the cooked spaetzle in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until solid. Then transfer to a resealable plastic bag or airtight container and store for up to 3 months.
Reheat in a skillet over medium heat with a little butter. Cook for 2-3 minutes until warmed through and lightly crispy.
Reheat in the microwave in 30-second increments, stirring in between, until warmed through.
Make it a full German meal…
Granny’s German Schnitzel
20 mins
Creamy Mushroom Gravy
25 mins
German Potato Salad
30 mins
Easy Cucumber Salad
2 hrs 15 mins
I learned how to make this by watching my mother-in-law. I use a cookie press to make mine. My guys love them with brown gravy on them.
Where were you when I was buying a spaetzle maker? I have two Super Shooters from the 80’s. One belonoed to my late mother. One was electric and one was battery operated. I was famous back then for giving out at Christmas time butter spritz cookies with candied cherry centers. I would lay out all the cookie sheets Mom and I owned and press 35 dozen cookies in 7 minutes. Now, reading your comment about the cookie press, I wonder why it never occurred to me. And now that I think about it, I could just scoop the spaetzle batter into a disposable piping bag, snip off the end for the size I want, pipe and stir. Thanks for the great idea, Angelia!
Cookie press! Brilliant! Thank you!
I have a ricer for potatoes with two size disks. I will use the larger size and put batter in and press to put into the water….Thanks Lorraine for the idea with the cookie press…I don’t eat cookies so I can use the ricer. Such a great idea. I could use the Spaetzle with chicken for chicken and Spaetzle dumplings…beef stroganoff with mushrooms…maybe add cooked shrimp to the Spaetzle instead of shrimp and grits (corn has gluten so it is a no no…I use Bob Mills 1 on 1 gluten free flour for the Spaetzle). So many ideas now for when I am wanting noodles. Maybe even pho with the Spaetzle instead of rice noodles (rice puts me to sleep) this may be a once a week special treat when I am craving noodle dishes. Maybe even meatballs made with portabella mushroom/egg/garlic/riced zucchini . The ideas keep coming. Thanks for sparking all the ideas.
Can these be made ahead and fried when you serve them?
Yes it can. I wouldn’t recommend make the batter more than a few hours ahead though or the batter may discolor a bit.
Yes you can,,, my mom and I would always make a triple batch and after they would float to the top of water we had a skillet with melted butter in it and would cry out then,,, then we would freeze it and when we would want some all we had to do is take out the amount we wanted and fried it or whatever we was going to use it in!!!
Wrong pronunciation…
LUH on the end, not LEE
Recipe is much like my Schwäbisch grandma, but she didn’t use a fancy tool or colander.
She just tipped the bowl and sliced the dough off the side into the water.
Cheers!
My grandma from Austria did the same. The number of eggs and amount of water is dependent on the number of mouths to feed. 1 egg beaten with 1 teaspoon salt (approximately, never measure). 1 cup of hot water from the boiling pot stirred into the egg ( the salt stops the egg from cooking), then just scoop in all purpose flour. Stir briskly. Enough flour has been added when folding the batter with a spoon creates a bubble that pops. Until 1990 we cut the dough off the efge of the mixing bowl into rje nooling water, very tedious, but how it was done where grandma was from in Austria. After that time we found the metal spawtlw make, the flat piece with holes and a little basket sleeve that is filled woth dough and slid back and forth over the boiling pot, refilling basket until all spatzle are in the pot. As soon as the noodle/dumplings have floated to the top (usually right after spooning thwm in) they are fully cooked. Good with any thickened meat gravy or fried in butter. This amount easilynfeeds 6 people
My mother comes from Germany/is German and she said just like in the South(I’m from southeast Georgia) or anywhere else in the country depending on what part of Germany or thereabouts you was from to the pronunciation of things..
so some pronouncing it different is the right way from wherever they was raised..?
Spaetzli has been passed down through my German family also.
We had spaetzli with a bone in pork chop, a bed of spaetzli next to it and then a layer of sauerkraut over each. The saurkraut gives a tangy flavor to the pork chop and the spaetzli!
Make for a yummy meal. Never any gravy.
My family, which was German born with the great grandparents always pronounced it spetzlee.
Everyone says we mis-pronounce it, but that is how it was said in our family.
Try it our way and enjoy some tangy pork chop and spaetzli !!
My great grandma came from Germany at 16 back in the late 1800’s. She called them neppies. Sauerkraut and pork with neppies. It’s a family favorite.
You can also use a cutting board, put some dough on it and with a knife quick “slice” the dough into the water.
I’m from Bavaria and that’s what we used. They are not as small and even but same taste. We didn’t have special tools.
That is what my mom did when I was growing up as well. Very basic recipe….Flour, egg and a little salt and pepper to taste and she never heated them in a frying pan, although that sounds good.
Thank you for introducing me to something completely new!
I’ve never attempted spaetzle, but this looks pretty do-able! Perfect for St. Patty’s Day!
My German Great-Grandmother made a pea mash (for lack of a better word) that she served with sauerkraut. I can’t remember the name, only that I loved it. Sound familiar to anyone?
Nothing better than kasse spatzle with crispy fried onions on top.
I don’t know of anyone that actually puts parsley in the Spätzle batter…
Now you do! My German family does 🙂
I have made spaetzel for years I am going to try it with the nutmeg and parsley. I was taught to place the dough on a plate scraping it off with a knife into boiling water if you don’t have the proper equipment. I was also taught to clarify onions in the butter, fry bacon on the side drain. When the noodles are ready combine with onions, butter, bacon, add cottage cheese and warm thoroughly serve.
It never occurred to me to use a colander; I can’t wait to try it!