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    Home » Recipes » Spaetzle Recipes

    Spaetzle Recipe - Homemade, Easy, Authentic!

    Published: Feb 8, 2022 · Modified: Mar 8, 2022 by Angela Schofield · 16 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This Spaetzle recipe is probably the most traditional one in Germany. It is an authentic Swabian Spaetzle recipe. Usually made by hand, but in this recipe, I will show you how to use a stand mixer to make homemade spaetzle easy and fast.

    You can buy spaetzle - or make it yourself. With homemade spaetzle, you know exactly what's in it - and especially what's not. Another argument for making spaetzle yourself: they taste delicious and are fun to prepare. Here is our recipe for traditional Swabian spaetzle, spinach spaetzle and vegan spaetzle.

    spaetzle

    Spätzle or Spaetzle are homemade German pasta who originated in Southern Germany in the Swabian region.

    Stuttgart Schlossplatz
    “Stuttgart Schlossplatz” in Swabia. Stuttgart ist the capital of Baden-Würrtemberg. Home of Mercedes Benz.

    Initially Spätzle originated from Swabia and it was a popular meal among farmers. This was due to the fact that flour, eggs and water were always available. Originally seen as a meal for poor people, over the centuries Spätzle developed into a nationally loved dish.

    Though the first mention of the “Swabian national dish” is only found coming from 1725, paintings dating back to the medieval ages depict Swabians eating Spätzle.

    It is uncertain how Spätzle got its name. The linguistic origin is unknown, but heavily disputed.

    spaetzle pin

    Spaetzle: Dumpling or Noodle?

    Even though many people outside of Germany refer to Spaetzle as tiny dumplings, no German would ever agree. Germans define Spätzle as “Teigwaren” which would be translated to “pasta” in English.

    Differing from pasta, which is dried first, the spaetzle dough is dripped into the simmering water with a spaetzle press or scraped from a special spaetzle board.

    How to pronounce "Spätzle"?

    Listen to this audio file to hear how to say "Spätzle" in German.

    click play button to listen

    How to make Swabian Style German Spaetzle from Scratch?

    Spaetzle Maker

    The spaetzle taste best when you had as much fun cooking them as when you finally enjoy them. There are some traditional ways which are pretty challenging but fun to learn. But there are also some easy Spaetzle maker gadgets that will help you to make homemade Spaetzle without the learning curve.

    Spaetzle Board

    Spaetzle-Board

    Scraping with a board is the traditional way to make spaetzle. Traditionally a knife and a special board with a slanted rim was used to scrape the spaetzle from the board into the cooking water. Scraping requires some practice and skill, but there are easier alternatives.

    Spaetzle Press

    Spaetzle-Press

    A spaetzle press is used like a potato press. You just need to fill the dough into the press and press it directely into the simmering salted water. This is an easy but slightly messy alternative.

    Spaetzle Grater with Scaper

    Spaetzle-Scraper

    Newer spaetzle maker offer an easy way to make spaetzle by scraping the dough into the pot. The tool fits on most pots and makes clean up easy. But if you want to make a large batch of spaetzle, this method can be quite exhausting.

    Spaetzle Grater with Container

    Spaetzle-Grater

    My personal favorite is the Spaetzle maker, which has a little dough container on top of the grater. It presses the dough through the holes by moving back and forth. It makes making the spaetzle a breeze and even little children can help.

    Video Tutorial

    Authentic Homemade German Spaetzle Recipe

    Spaetzle with parsley garnish in a white bowl.

    Authentic German Spaetzle - Traditional Swabian Style

    Angela Schofield
    This authentic Swabian recipe is easy to prepare and makes the best spatzle.
    4.91 from 11 votes
    Print Recipe Share on Facebook Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 15 mins
    Total Time 25 mins
    Course Side Dishes
    Cuisine German
    Servings 6 portions
    Calories 357 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 4 cups flour
    • 5 eggs room temperature
    • ⅔ cup sparkling water up to ¾ cup of water, depending on the flour you use
    • 1 tsp. salt
    • ¼ tsp. nutmeg

    Instructions
     

    • Add flour, nutmeg and salt to a stand mixer bowl and blend.
    • Add the eggs and mix on a medium-low setting until well combined.
    • Slowly add the water and mix well until the batter is smooth and shiny.
    • Allow batter to rest for about 15 - 20 min. In the meantime, heat water in a large pot.
    • Stir dough one more time.
    • Fill a large pot ¾ with water and bring to a simmer. Add about 1 tbsp. salt to the simmering water.
    • Stir the spaetzle batter and add about ⅓ of the batter a spaetzle maker. Press batter through the spaetzle maker directly into the simmering water.
    • Wait until spaetzle float to the top, then allow them to cook for additional 2 – 3 minutes.
    • Scoop them out with a mesh skimmer or slotted spoon into a strainer.
    • Repeat until all batter is used.
    • Toss them in melted butter directly before serving.

    Nutrition

    Yield: 1portionCalories: 357kcalCarbohydrates: 64gProtein: 13gFat: 4gFiber: 2gSugar: 0.4gNet Carbohydrates: 62g
    Keyword authentic, traditional
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    Check Out Other Traditional Spaetzle Recipes

    Spaetzle without Milk or Water

    Spaetzle Recipe with Milk

    Homemade Liver Spaetzle

    Cheese Spaetzle Recipe

    Cheese Spaetzle with Ham

    How to Serve Spaetzle?

    Spaetzle make a great side dish to sauerbraten, beef roulades, pork roasts and many other German recipes.

    Drain the spaetzle and spread them on a baking sheet. Allow to cool completly and then fill them into freezer bags. They will keep 3 to 6 months.

    Spaetzle Sauce Recipes

    Spaetzle like other pasta thrives with the perfect sauce. Here are some spaetzle sauce recipes that you will love:

    Jägerrahmsoße - Creamy Hunter Sauce

    Rahmsauce - German Cream Sauce

    Dunkle Jägersoße - Hunter Sauce

    how to make spaetzle

    German Potato Dumplings(opens in a new tab)

    More German Side Dish Recipes

    Swabian Potato Salad

    German Potato Dumplings

    German Style Boiled Potatoes

    FAQ

    How is spaetzle different from pasta?

    Traditional pasta usually does not contain eggs, the quality of spaetzle is measured by the eggs. The more eggs to flour ratio a recipe has the higher quality it is.

    Is Gnocchi the same as spaetzle?

    No, it is not. Gnocchi are made from potatoes and spaetzle are made from flour.

    Is spaetzle German or Italian?

    Spaetzle is a German speciality from the South of Germany.

    What is spaetzle made from?

    You only need a handful of ingredients to make spaetzle. The traditional recipe calls for flour, eggs, water, salt, and a pinch of nutmeg. Some recipes omit the water and others add milk instead of water.

    More Spaetzle Recipes

    • German Noodles Spaetzle with Milk
    • Cheese Spaetzle
    • Spinach Spaetzle
    • Liver Spaetzle

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Rhonda White says

      June 28, 2019 at 3:31 pm

      Can you use any flour? My daughter cannot have wheat flour. Could you suggest another to use?

      Reply
      • Angela says

        June 29, 2019 at 4:22 pm

        Hi Michelle, thank you for the question. In my experience you can use all kinds of flour, including the gluten-free ones. You probably need to adjust the amount of water, just make sure you have the consistency like shown in the video and it should turn out fine. Hope that helps. Have a great weekend!

        Reply
    2. Crystal says

      October 23, 2019 at 11:38 am

      Can a food mill be used to make spaetzle? Thank you in advance.

      Reply
      • Angela Schofield says

        October 23, 2019 at 12:20 pm

        Hi Crystal, yes you can use a food mill to make spaetzle. I would use the largest blade that you have and perhaps you need to add a little less or more water to the dough depending on the size of the blade. In case you rund into problems, you could also use a potato ricer or even a colander. Just add a couple of spoons of the dough to the colander and "scrape" the spaetzle with a flexible dough scraper directly into the water. Hope that helps and guten Appetit! 🙂 Angela

        Reply
    3. Erin says

      October 31, 2019 at 7:34 pm

      5 stars
      Looks amazing! I love spätzle! I hope to try this soon! In case anyone is trying to find a spätzle maker, I found them on Amazon! I love the convienience of a spätzle maker! Thank you for the recipe!

      Reply
      • Angela Schofield says

        October 31, 2019 at 8:45 pm

        Spätzle are so good. Thank you for providing the Amazon tip.

        Reply
    4. Jerry threlkeld says

      June 17, 2020 at 6:24 pm

      How much is a 'shot' of water?

      Reply
      • Angela Schofield says

        June 17, 2020 at 7:33 pm

        Hi Jerry, I use one shot glass full of water. One shot glass is about 1.25–1.5 US fl oz (37–44 ml).

        Reply
        • Ruth Raymond says

          October 20, 2022 at 4:56 pm

          I don’t understand this amount of water at all. The video shows more like 8 ounces. Also the recipe calls for 8 eggs while the video shows 5. I’m not sure which to follow.

          Reply
          • Angela Schofield says

            October 20, 2022 at 8:37 pm

            Hello, Ruth. I understand your confusion. Spaetzle can be made in a variety of ways. On the page, I have four different spatzle recipes. The video is from a different recipe.
            Thank you for pointing this out; I need to fix this. Traditional Swabian spätzle are made with a shot of sparkling water and a lot of eggs. The recipes can include water, milk, or just eggs. It is only important to achieve the ideal dough consistency. Depending on the flour and eggs you use you might need to add one more egg or a little more water if you are using the recipe in this post. You can see the right consistency for the dough in the video at minute 2:42. I am so sorry for the confusion and hope that helps, Angela

            Reply

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    Herzlich willkommen! I'm glad you've stopped by.

    It is a joy to share with you some of my all-time favorite authentic German recipes and tell you a little bit about the cultural background of my home country, Germany.

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