Homemade German Spaetzle Recipe (German Egg Noodles) (2024)

FAQs

What is German spaetzle made of? ›

All-purpose white flour, eggs, water, and salt. Some people actually make them with only 3 ingredients: flour, eggs, and salt. No water. German Spaetzle made without water is a lot more yellow and has a stronger taste, however, they are much harder to press through the scraper or Spaetzle press.

wheat flour. Type 405 wheat flour is probably the most widely used today for spätzle. Type 405 indicates how high the degree of milling and the content of minerals such as magnesium or potassium. 405 indicates that approximately 405 milligrams of minerals are contained in 100 grams of flour.

A similar round shape, simplified in production, is native to the pre-Alpine Allgäu regions of Bavarian Swabia and Baden-Württemberg as Knöpfle. Spätzle are egg-based pasta made with fresh egg of an irregular form with a rough, porous surface.

Spaetzle are cut fresh and are cooked straight away in simmering water, whereas pasta dough needs to rest. Only once it is added to boiling water it becomes soft. So although pasta and spaetzle may have the same ingredients, it is the difference in their quantities that distinguishes them.

Spätzle is a German egg noodle pasta with a chewy, dumpling-like texture. The short noodles are usually irregularly shaped and made from a batter of eggs mixed with flour and milk or water. What is Spatzle? Swabia is a cultural, historic and linguistic region in southwestern Germany.

White Flour Is Best for Egg Pasta Dough

Italians make fresh pasta using a particular type of lower-protein white flour called doppio zero, or 00 flour, with a talcum powder–like grind. Its protein content is similar to that of all-purpose flour, but the proprietary blend of wheat makes a difference.

Dumplings or noodles. Spaetzle is a small dumplings of a type made in southern Germany and Alsace, consisting of seasoned dough poached in boiling water.

The consistency of the batter should be pourable but not super runny (it should drop off a spatula or spoon in thick ribbons). Bring a pot of lightly salted water or broth (about 2 to 3 quarts total) to a boil. Press the batter through a spaetzle maker in batches (see notes for alternate methods).

The difference lies in their shape. Whereas spaetzle noodles are usually longer and thinner, knoepfle means 'little knot/ button. ' It refers to a shorter, rounder variety of the noodle, often made using a sliding spaetzle maker, which transfers 'droplets' of dough rather than long noodles into the boiling water.

Knoepfle is the Swiss version of Spaetzle, an drop noodle made of an egg noodle dough. It's our family tradition and they are the best holiday side dish recipe. It's kind of a labor of love but it's worth every second! I know, it's a weird word: Knoepfle.

What goes on top of spaetzle? ›

I've served the dumplings plain with melted butter and chopped chives. I've crisped them in a pan of brown butter and almonds. I've topped them with hearty beef stew. But layered with cheese and caramelized onions is still my favorite variation.

Toss with olive oil or melted butter to keep from sticking.

Taste: Spatzle taste similar to my beloved egg noodles, with the chewiness of a dumpling.

This käsespätzle, also spelled kaese spaetzle, is a tasty homemade pasta tossed with onion and Emmentaler cheese. It's a German version of macaroni and cheese. The Allrecipes Test Kitchen staff are a team of culinary pros who make and vet recipes using only equipment you'd find in a home kitchen.

I would say Spätzle is closer to pasta than a dumpling - it's a dough similar to pasta (eggs, flour, water, salt). For me, the main difference between pasta and dumplings is that pasta is cooked in water and sauce is added later, while dumplings are often cooked and served in the broth which flavours them.

Spätzle are loved in Germany and are part of its identity and cooking-culture. Although Spätzle are served and enjoyed throughout Germany, they are considered a specialty of the Swabian (Schwaben) region.