Spätzle — German Egg Noodles

About This Recipe

Spätzle (also spelled Spaetzle) are Germany's answer to fresh pasta — rustic, soft, irregular little egg noodles made from a wet batter pressed through a sieve or spätzle maker into boiling water. Unlike pasta, they are not rolled thin; the batter drops or is scraped through holes, creating the characteristic rough, pitted surface that clings to butter and sauce so well. They are the quintessential side dish of southwestern German and Austrian cuisine — served with lentils, roasted meats, sauerbraten or gratinéed with cheese into the glorious Käsespätzle. Making spätzle at home is far simpler than their impressive appearance suggests.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 300 gplain (all-purpose) flour
• 3 largeeggs
• 120 mlwhole milk
• 60 mlwater(sparkling water gives slightly lighter texture)
• 1/2 tspfine salt
• 1/4 tspfreshly grated nutmeg
• 3 tbspunsalted butter(for finishing)
• 2onions(thinly sliced, for caramelising)
• 2 tbspneutral oil(for frying the onions)
• For Käsespätzle (optional):
• 200 gEmmental or Gruyère cheese(coarsely grated)

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the batter

   Whisk flour and salt together in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre. Add eggs, milk and water. Mix with a wooden spoon until a smooth, thick batter forms — thicker than pancake batter, should fall from the spoon in thick ribbons. Add nutmeg and mix through. Let the batter rest for 10 minutes.

   The batter should be thick enough to hold its shape momentarily before collapsing. If too thin, add more flour. If too thick, a splash more milk.

2. 2

   Caramelise the onions

   Fry onion slices in oil over medium-low heat for 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until deeply golden and sweet. Season with salt. Set aside — these are the essential topping for traditional spätzle.

3. 3

   Cook the spätzle

   Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Hold a colander with large holes, a spätzle maker, or a flat cheese grater over the pot. Working in batches, press the batter through the holes using a scraper or spatula. Alternatively, scrape small pieces of batter off a wet board directly into the water.

   Wet your hands and tools — the batter is sticky. A colander with 5mm holes is ideal; if holes are too small, the spätzle will be too thin and fall apart.

4. 4

   Drain and finish

   When the spätzle float (1–2 minutes), scoop out with a slotted spoon and transfer to a bowl with the butter. Toss immediately to coat. Season with salt and pepper.

   Work quickly — spätzle stick together badly if left without butter.

5. 5

   Serve or make Käsespätzle

   To serve plain: top with caramelised onions and optionally fried breadcrumbs. For Käsespätzle: layer buttered spätzle with grated cheese in an ovenproof dish and bake at 200°C for 15 minutes until bubbly, then top with caramelised onions.

Variations

• •

  Käsespätzle: the gratin version with Emmental, caramelised onions and crispy fried onion rings is one of the great comfort dishes of the Alps.

• •

  Herb Spätzle: add 3 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley or chives to the batter.

• •

  Spinach Spätzle (Spinatknöpfle): blend 100g cooked spinach into the batter for green noodles with a subtle earthy flavour.

Storage

Cooked spätzle keep in the fridge for 3 days (tossed in butter to prevent sticking). Reheat in a frying pan with butter. Not ideal for freezing — the texture becomes waterlogged on thawing.

Frequently Asked Questions