How to Make Homemade Spaetzle

Spaetzle is a German type of egg noodle that is as likely to be served as a side to the main course than say mashed potatoes would be in North America. It didn’t take long after we were posted to Germany for it to become a favorite dish to add to our meals so it was a must that I include How to Make Homemade Spaetzle for German Cooking Week here on Super Mom – No Cape.

When we lived in Germany, I could buy dried spaetzle in almost every grocery store. But once we were posted back to Canada and it wasn’t readily available, I had to learn how to make spaetzle from scratch.

Home to Make Homemade Spaetzle

Ingredients for Spaetzle:

• 5 c all purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp white pepper (black pepper can be substituted)
• 6 large eggs
• 1 ¾ c water

To make the Spaetzle dough:

Combine flour, salt, pepper in a medium sized bowl and whisk to combine.

Add all 6 eggs and whisk well.

Add enough water to make a very thick batter.

If you’ve added enough water, the batter should look like this.

To make Spaetzle using a Spaetzle maker:

Spoon the batter into the hopper of the spaetzle maker. (<-affiliate link)

(Scroll down for instructions for how to make spaetzle without a spaetzle maker… aka the old fashioned or traditional way.)

Move the hopper back and forth across the grater.

When the noodles float, they’re done!

Scoop them out with a large slotted spoon.

Drain well.

Repeat the above steps until all the batter is used.

This recipe will make a large mixing bowl of homemade spaetzle.

To make spaetzle the traditional way (without a spaetzle maker):

Combined the ingredients as described above.

Wet a cutting board with water and scoop out a large spoonful of the batter onto the cutting board.

Holding the board over the boiling water, use a knife to cut off bits of the batter and drop them into the water.

Helpful tip: If you dip the knife in the boiling water after each time, the batter doesn’t stick to it as much.

Scoop them out when they float and drain.

Here’s a side by side comparison of spaetzle made the traditional way and spaetzle made with a spaetzle maker.

The spaetzle on the left was made the old fashioned way. As you can see, it’s more rustic looking than the spaetzle on the right that was made with the spaetzle maker.

But I can assure you, each tastes equally as delicious!

The noodles can be eaten right away tossed with a bit of butter and salt and pepper to taste.

But what I usually do is make the noodles earlier in the afternoon and then fry the cooked noodles in butter.

Cook with some finely chopped red onion and chives for color and an additional burst of flavor and you have a delicious side to serve with any meal. (Add the chives in the last minute or so of cooking.)

Here I’ve served it with dry rubbed ribs and a spinach salad.

Guten Appetit!

How to Make Homemade Spaetzle is the second recipe shared for German Cooking Week. Click any of the links below to be taken to the other recipes I featured.

• How to Make Beef Rouladen
• How to Make Jaeger Toast
• How to Make Zwiebelkuchen
• How to Make Schweinefilet im Blatterteig (Pork Tenderloin in Puff Pastry)

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