Käsespätzle

About This Recipe

Käsespätzle is southern Germany's beloved comfort food — handmade egg noodles (Spätzle) layered with sharp cheese (typically Emmental and Bergkäse) and topped with crispy fried onions. Baked until golden and bubbly, it's like German mac-and-cheese, but better. Originating in Swabia, it's a perfect alpine dish, served with crisp green salad to cut the richness.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 400 gall-purpose flour
• 5 largeeggs
• 200 mlmilk or sparkling water
• 1 tspsalt
• 1/4 tspfreshly grated nutmeg
• 200 gEmmental cheese, grated
• 200 gBergkäse or Gruyère, grated
• 100 gbutter
• 3 largeonions, thinly sliced
• 1 tspsalt (for onions)
• 1/2 tsppepper
• 2 tbspfresh chives, chopped

Instructions

1. 1

   Make spätzle batter

   Whisk flour, eggs, milk, salt, and nutmeg until smooth and elastic. Beat for 3-4 minutes — you want air in the batter. Rest 30 minutes.

2. 2

   Fry onions

   Melt 50g butter in skillet. Add onion slices and salt. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring, until deeply golden brown and crispy, 25 minutes.

3. 3

   Boil water

   Bring large pot of salted water to boil.

4. 4

   Make spätzle

   Press batter through spätzle maker (or large-holed colander) directly into boiling water. Spätzle will rise to surface when done, about 2-3 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon to bowl.

5. 5

   Toss with butter

   Toss cooked spätzle with 30g melted butter to prevent sticking.

6. 6

   Layer

   Butter a baking dish. Layer spätzle and cheese, ending with cheese on top. Make 3 layers.

7. 7

   Bake

   Bake at 200°C for 15 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbling, top is golden.

8. 8

   Serve

   Top with crispy onions, chives, pepper. Serve immediately with green salad.

Variations

• •

  Add bacon or ham for non-vegetarian version.

• •

  Use any melty cheese mix — cheddar, Comté, fontina all work.

Storage

Spätzle keeps refrigerated 3 days. Assemble and bake fresh.

Frequently Asked Questions