Homemade German Egg Noodles | Easy Authentic Spaetzle Recipe
Use this recipe to make authentic German spaetzle at home. The tender noodles are a delicious side to complement your favorite meats. This side dish is a great alternative to rice, noodles, or potatoes.
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I was born in Stuttgart, Germany, right in the heart of Swabia. Therefore, it is not surprising that I also grew up eating German Spätzle (or spaetzle) on a regular basis.
These tiny dumplings or egg noodles are German comfort food at its best! While I always make my own, I will often order a serving at a German restaurant whenever we visit. It’s one of my favorite sides that elevates all your other typical German meat dishes.
I’m going to share a very easy German spaetzle recipe that you can make right in your own home!
What Readers Are Saying:
Thanks Anja, for improving my spaetzle! In chicken soup, with sauerkraut and sausages, a side for stuffed cabbage to sop up braising juices… Always amazing! Patty
What makes this recipe special
Ingredient notes
You probably have everything you need to make this German noodle dish:
- Flour: I use all-purpose flour with great results
- Eggs: I mean, they are called “German egg noodles” for a reason, right?
- Salt: The spaetzle would taste very bland without it and I prefer to use high-quality sea salt
- Optional: a little butter and freshly grated nutmeg, for serving
Substitutions
- Flour: In Germany, you can actually purchase “Spätzle-Mehl” (spaetzle flour), which contains all-purpose flour and semolina flour. However, any flour works: whole wheat (you may have to add a bit more water), spelt flour, rye flour, or a combination of them
- Add-ins: You can add steamed and pureed spinach or nettles, for example, or even tomatoes, cabbage, caramelised onions, quark (German fresh cheese), or ground nuts (such as hazelnuts).
Useful tools and equipment
My favorite equipment is this:
- Large mixing bowl: I use a big bowl so that I have room to whisk the batter well. The more air bubbles in the batter, the lighter the noodles will be.
- Electric handheld mixer: While you can mix the batter by hand, an electric mixer makes the work so much easier and faster. You can absolutely use a stand mixer, such as KitchenAid, with the dough hook attachment.
- Spaetzle maker: Using a dedicated Spätzle maker is my favorite and probably the easiest way but I’ll talk about some other options in the next paragraph
- Large skillet: A 12″ cast-iron skillet is what I like to use, but any large skillet or saucepan will work
Other ways to shape spaetzle noodles
- Wooden cutting board: This may be the most traditional method and involves spreading the spaetzle dough on a wooden cutting board with the back of a wooden spoon. You then take a knife and gently scrape the batter in long strips right into the boiling water.
- Spaetzle press: You can use a dedicated spaetzle press or a potato ricer.
- Colander: If you have a colander with large holes, you can even use that to make your Spätzle.
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How to make German spaetzle
- Make the batter. Mix the ingredients using an electric mixer on high speed until you have batter with the consistency of thick pancake batter. It should have plenty of little bubbles.
- Chill the batter in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil on the stove. Then reduce the heat to low. You want to cook the noodles in simmering water to prevent them from becoming rubbery.
- Pour the batter through your spaetzle maker and into the cooking water.
- Cook the spaetzle to al dente (slightly chewy).
- Drain water and serve as desired. Either use a slotted spoon or drain the egg noodles through a strainer. I like to put the spaetzle into a skillet with some melted butter. To finish, I like to grate some fresh cheese over the top and garnish with chopped parsley.
Serving suggestions
If you’re serving them on their own, the classic way is to add grated cheese right into the hot noodles, then top them with caramelized onions. Or buttered spaetzle, which consists of tossing them with melted butter and a sprinkling of chopped parsley.
You can also serve them with any sauce or gravy. With a green salad on the side, this is a complete meal.
These versatile little dumplings are the perfect side dish for all your German meats, such as Schnitzel, Rouladen, pork chops, Goulash, or even meatballs.
Spaetzle recipe FAQs
If you are making spaetzle for the first time, I recommend making a small batch. You might then add a little more water or flour to get the best consistency. This will also depend on the type of spaetzle maker you are using.
Resting helps hydrate the flour so the spaetzle cook better.
Yes, you can use gluten-free flour to make spaetzle. You can even make spaetzle vegan, without eggs and with gluten-free flour. Just be sure to let the dough rest long enough for the flour to come together (at least 20 minutes).
Pasta is generally made from flour and eggs, creating a dense dough that has to be kneaded, rested, rolled, and cut. In comparison, German spaetzle has a thin pancake-like batter. The process of making the dish is similar to egg noodles, as no kneading is involved.
Can it be made ahead of time?
Yes, you can make spaetzle ahead of time:
- You can make the batter ahead of time. Since it contains raw eggs, I recommend keeping it in the refrigerator for no more than 48 hours before using.
- If you prefer, make and cook the spaetzle, then store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Just be sure to cover them tightly.
- If you’d like to keep your German noodles for even longer, I recommend transferring them to an airtight container and freezing them. They will last 3-6 months in your freezer.
German Spaetzle
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 4 whole eggs
- 1 cup water
- freshly grated nutmeg optional
- 3 TBSP butter melted, optional
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, and eggs. Slowly add the water to the flour mixture. With a handheld mixer, mix the dough on high speed until it comes together. It should have the consistency of thick pancake batter. Continue mixing for another 5-10 mins. The batter needs to have little bubbles.
- Cover the bowl and place the spaetzle dough in the refrigerator for 15 minutes or longer.
- In a large pot, bring the cooking water to a boil. Add some salt. Turn the heat down.
- Remove the spaetzle dough from the refrigerator. Turn your burner to low. The water should be very hot but not boiling. Spoon some spaetzle dough into your spaetzle maker and let the batter drop into the simmering water. Cook the noodles al dente – that should only take a few minutes. Continue cooking the spaetzle in batches until all the batter is used up.
- Either use a slotted spoon or drain the egg noodles through a strainer. I like to put the egg noodles into a skillet with some melted butter.
Notes
- you can either use a spaetzle maker, a spaetzle press, or a spaetzle plane
- serve this as a side dish for all your favorite meats or with a cup of grated cheese and topped with golden brown, fried onions and a green salad as a main dish
Nutrition
Other German sides to make
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Saving this recipe!! My grandmother made spaetzle with sauerbraten and ginger snap gravy. My Mom always put it in a cereal bowl and cut it with a butter knife. Always a favorite in our family of 7! Now I’m wondering how to make with sourdough discard… hmmmmm.
Great! I am so glad it brought bake memories! Happy cooking ~ Anja
My grandma and mom would always hold a mixing bowl tucked under their arm (vs. a wooden cutting board) over the boiling water and as the batter would slide forward, they’d slice it off with a knife. I can’t tell you how much I enjoy reading your articles, information and recipes. Brings up so many wonderful memories for me…and makes my mouth water. Thank you…and LOVE your Sourdough Bread recipe using Buttermilk.
Nice! I am so glad you’re enjoying my recipes and that they’re bringing back good memories ~ Anja
In the 50′ and 60’s when I was a young girl my mother made these every Thanksgiving but with a twist. She said she was taught how to make them by her mother-in-law. She boiled a chicken and used the broth for the egg noodles. She would place the flour, baking power and salt in her bread making bowl and then she would add her eggs one at a time and work it by hand into the flour until they were crumbly and there was enough for our large family. Then she would bring the broth back to a boil and then she add the crumb noodles into the broth until there was enough for our large family. This dish was the favorite of all of us. The chicken was as close to a turkey as we ever got for many years, but even after we were able to have a turkey we always had the chicken as well for the noodles.
That sounds delicious! Thank you so much for sharing ~ Anja
Thanks Anja, for improving my spaetzle! In chicken soup, with sauerkraut and sausages, a side for stuffed cabbage to sop up braising juices… Always amazing!
Sounds great and enjoy ~ Anja
Yes! I find it’s actually way better and easier than going to the store for noodles. I always add the bit of grated nutmeg. I have never used a mixer, just mixed with my spatula. The resting period is a must for the gluten to develop for sure. It is usually buttered and sautéed and then topped with a bit of homemade sourdough bread crumbs and cheese.
‘Of course if it is cold weather, it’s generally topped with gravy.
A family tradition for many generations.
Yes and thank you so much for sharing ~ Anja
Making a smaller batch for 2 people? 1/4 cup water, 2 eggs, 1 cup flour, 1/4 teaspoons salt, small grating of nutmeg.
Oh, man, I’ve had spatzle and reeeeally enjoyed it. I always thought it looked harder than how you demonstrate here. Your recipes are always so good!
Nice! And yes, I love taking the complicated out of everything I do ~ Anja
I love egg noodles, but I never tried this version! I need to give this a try 🙂
I sure hope you will! Happy cooking ~ Anja
While I live a 5-minute drive from Germany I have never tried this spaetzle. It sounds delicious so I’ll try this recipe soon!
Nice! I hope you will give them a try ~ Anja
Thank you for sharing this recipe! I’ve never made noodles from scratch before. Can’t wait to try it!
Yay! Happy cooking ~ Anja
This is making me miss home so much! Think it’s time to introduce my American hubby to the fancy mac’n’cheese of Germany 😉
LOL! I know what you mean, though, about those tastes from home ~ Anja
This looks and sounds delicious. I love egg noodles and use them in a lot of dishes, but I admit I have not tried these yet!
I am so glad you like this recipe! Happy cooking ~ Anja
So cool! I’m going to have to try this! I lived in Germany for a few years growing up and I miss real noodles they used to make from scratch there.
Nice! Now you can make Spätzle at home ~ Anja