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Home » Recipe Index » Scrumptious Sides

German Spaetzle and Cheese

Published: Oct 27, 2018 · Modified: Mar 2, 2025 by Kris Longwell · This post may contain affiliate links

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German Spaetzle and Cheese is pure German comfort food.

It is the perfect side dish, and it also makes for about the best tasting macaroni and cheese you’ll ever experience.

We absolutely LOVE making homemade German spaetzle!!

Homemade German spaetzle and cheese on a green platter

MAKING SPAETZLE AT HOME IS EASY!

Making the spaetzle (which is German for “little sparrows”) is really a lot of fun.

Watch us show you how easy it is to make the German Spaetzle and Cheese!

 

Adding roasted garlic to the batter adds such a delicious flavor profile and is so simple to make.

Oh yes, you had us at ‘roasted garlic.’

Yum.

Roasted garlic being pressed out for German spaetzle

SPAETZLE BATTER IS LOADED WITH FLAVOR

We start with a bowl of all-purpose flour and then we make a well in the center for the herbed egg mixture.

This make the batter easier to come together, without overworking it.

Very simple and so much fun.

A large bowl of flour and egg mixture for homemade German spaetzle

Stir batter until flour is incorporated into the egg mixture.

The batter will be sticky, but stiff.

You’re getting close!

German spaetzle dough in a bowl

A SPAETZLE MAKER IS IDEAL FOR MAKING SPAETZLE

Using a spaetzle maker (pictured below) makes the process easy, but you can also use a metal colander, or a potato ricer, too.

Spatzle makers are found in many kitchen gadget stores, or you can easily order by clicking here.

A fun new tool to play with!

Back and forth, back and forth we go!

Spaetzle dough being placed into a spaetzle maker

Very carefully, place the loaded spaetzle maker over a pot of salted boiling water, and start to move the spaetzle maker back and forth.

This may take two people to help hold it all in place.

In perfect German precision, the spaetzle dough starts to fall into the boiling water!

Spaetzle dough being dropped into boiling water from a spaetzle maker

GERMAN SPAETZEL COOKS FOR ABOUT 2 TO 3 MINUTES

Once the spaetzle floats on the water, it is finished cooking.

Use a fine-mesh sieve, or spider, to remove the cooked German spaetzle from the hot water.

You could eat the spaetzle at this point (but we’re going to take it a step further!)

Cooked German Spaetzle fresh out of boiling water

We love to finish the German spaetzle in a hot skillet with melted butter.

We cook the noodles until they just start to brown a little, about 6 to 7 minutes.

Oh, and then comes the cheese!

German spaetzle dough being browned in a skillet

Spaetzle is a German egg noodle and is served along side classic German dishes such as Schnitzel with Mushroom GravySchnitzel with Mushroom Gravy, Bratwurst with Sauerkraut, and German Currywurst.   This recipe is incredible by itself, especially after melting Emmentaler cheese over the spaetzle.

Emmentaler is a rich and delicious Swiss cheese available at most specialty food markets (ie, Whole Foods).    The Loon was amazed at how delicious this simple dish turned out to be.

135% Loon Approved.  Wunderbar!

German spaetzle with cheese

German spaetzle with cheese

German Spaetzle and Cheese

This German Spaetzle and Cheese is German comfort food at its very best. Spaetzle makers are inexpensive and not hard to find, especially online. Broil with some Emmentaler cheese on top, and you will have about the best mac and cheese you've ever tried. Wunderbar!
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: German
Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes minutes
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 410kcal
Author: Kris Longwell

Video

Ingredients

  • 2 heads of garlic
  • 2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 6 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • ½ cup whole milk
  • ¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley finely chopped
  • ¼ cup fresh basil finely chopped
  • ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 3 eggs gently beaten
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup Emmentaler cheese grated

Instructions

  • Heat oven to 450 F.
  • Cut the tops off of the heads of garlic and brush will the oil.
  • Wrap each head of garlic with foil.
  • Roast until soft, 1 hour.
  • Let cool and squeeze roasted garlic cloves from the their skins into a a bowl and mash with a fork to a paste.
  • Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter and add to the garlic paste.
  • Then add the milk, parsley, basil, salt, and eggs; stir until smooth.
  • Place the flour in a large bowl and form a well in the center.
  • Slowly pour the garlic-milk mixture into the well, and then stir it all together with a fork, until a smooth batter forms.
  • Bring a pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.
  • Set the spaetzle maker (or colander) over the pot and working in batches, scrap the batter through the holes into the water.
  • Cook until the dumplings rise to the surface, about 1 minutes.
  • Using a slotted spoon, transfer the dumplings to a baking sheet or platter.
  • Heat the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over high heat.
  • Add the dumplings and cook, stirring often, until lightly browned, 6 - 8 minutes.
  • Add the dumplings to an oven-proof dish (or skillet) and sprinkle the cheese over the top.
  • Broil on high until cheese melts and just starts to brown, about 2 minutes (keep an eye on it!).
  • Garnish with parsley.

Nutrition

Calories: 410kcal
Tried this recipe? Take a Picture!Mention @HowToFeedALoon or tag #HowToFeedALoon!

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Comments

  1. Mimi Rippee says

    October 05, 2024 at 9:21 am

    I love spaetzle! My mother made them when I was growing up, but hers were done by the spoonful, and tossed around in browned butter. I like both ways!

    Reply
    • Kris Longwell says

      October 07, 2024 at 4:38 pm

      Love your mom’s way, too! Authentic and sooo good!! Tossed in brown butter is heavenly!!! YUM!!!

      Reply
  2. Michelle Hammett says

    September 30, 2019 at 6:07 pm

    5 stars
    Staple for sure.xoxo❤️

    Reply
  3. Michelle Hammett says

    September 27, 2019 at 7:45 am

    5 stars
    This recipe is so good!!! I actually broke down and bought me a spaetzle maker to make this recipe. The flavors are amazing with the roast garlic and spices.

    Reply
    • Kris Longwell says

      September 30, 2019 at 11:23 am

      Hey Michelle! Woo hoo!! LOVE that you got the spaetzle maker. It’s kind of messy, but so much fun, right? And we agree, the addition of the roasted garlic is what puts them over the top. Thanks for letting us know!! xoxo

      Reply
5 from 2 votes

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