Home » Side Dish Recipes » 5 Ingredient Spaetzle Recipe
ByKimberly
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A homemade spaetzle recipe based on a Grandmother’s recipe that was handed down through two generations of children. It’s perfect for Chicken Paprikash!
John grew up eating Hungarian and German dishes. His Grandma Betty often cooked large family meals consisting of bean soup, chicken paprikash, stuffed cabbage, and of course, her own spaetzle recipe.
As an adult, he tried to recreate some of his favorites but never could make them the same.After I had become more skilled in the kitchen, I decided to try my luck at some of John’s favorites.
I remember looking through several recipes on the internet and comparing them with Grandma Betty’s notes and recipes. All in all, things were similar, but it seemed John was not following the directions properly.
He’s an efficient cook, but that can lead to mistakes. Over the last few years, he’s learned to slow down and all of recipes have improved as result.
Enough about all that, how about we get to the reason you’re here; the easy spaetzle recipe!
How to Make Spaetzle:
First, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. I like to add a tablespoon of salt to mine for flavor.
Next, while youwait for the water to boil, make the batter. In a medium bowl, combine flour, eggs, milk, salt, and nutmeg. The mixture will be very sticky.
How to Cook Spaetzle:
After that, place the spaetzle maker over the pot of boiling water. Carefully fill the open compartment on the top with a few spoons of batter, but don’t overfill the pot.
Then, slowly push the chamber back and forth across the grate to press the mixture into the holes.As the mixture falls into the boiling water, it will sink.
Once the batter floats to the top of the water, it is cooked. It will appear puffy and larger in size. This process takes less than 30 seconds.
Afterward, remove the spaetzle maker from the pot and using a slotted spoon, scoop the cooked spaetzle out of the water.
Last, place cooked spaetzle in a large bowl. Repeat the process until batter is gone. After all the spaetzle is cooked, toss with butter.
That’s it! You have a simple, easy to make, comfort food. It can be eaten alone, with chicken, beef, or even as a side for a hearty beer and brats dinner.
Chicken paprikash was the first recipe of Grandma Betty’s that I attempted to make.
To my amazement, John and Kale both loved it. It’s one of their favorite recipes using spaetzle noodles.
Homemade Spaetzle Tips:
If you don’t have a spaetzle maker, you can use the back side of a cheese grater and push the batter through with a wooden spoon. This method tends to take a little longer and is a bit messier but is still effective. That’s how John’s Grandmother made it for him.
I’ve since purchased a Danesco Stainless Steel Spaetzle Maker. Now I can make an entire batch of these awesome little dumplings in less than 15 minutes and with minimal mess.
You can toss the spaetzle with margarine or another butter replacement for that extra kick of flavor.
If you like this spaetzle recipe, please leave us a comment and rate the recipe card. You can also find us on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram searching for Berly’s Kitchen!
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).
Spätzle is a German egg noodle pasta with a chewy, dumpling-like texture. The short noodles are usually irregularly shaped and made from a simple batter of eggs mixed with flour (all-purpose or semolina) and milk or water.
Spaetzle is basically a blank, buttery canvas that will absorb whatever flavorings you care to mix into it. 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.
Flat cheese grater: In my opinion, the easiest tool is one you may already have at home: a flat stainless steel cheese grater with large holes (about 1/4 inch). If you place the cheese grater grating side down over a pot of water, it resembles a spätzle maker without the dough box.
You can make spätzle with only rye flour, but they will look better if you add some wheat or spelled flour. Rye flour should be very health-promoting. Whole-wheat flour does not have a type designation, because this is where the whole grain is ground.
Excess water makes a batter, while too little water renders a dough rough, dry and unpliable. Generally speaking, a flour to water ratio of 2:1 achieves a dough of reasonable consistency. So if you have 500g of flour, use about 250 mL of water.
As the spaetzle gradually rise to the surface of the boiling water, use a slotted spoon to transfer them to a serving dish. Serve immediately, while still warm.
You often see it with veal or pork, but chicken is also popular and it's my preference for summer. The meat is pounded thin and breaded in a mix of breadcrumbs or panko and quickly fried. Schnitzel is popular in Germany, Austria, and Italy as well as other areas of Europe.
My make-ahead Spaetzle noodles can be formed and boiled up to 3 days ahead. Try my Spaetzle-making trick using a colander if you don't have (or want to invest in) special equipment to make this classic German side dish recipe.
But really, it's not difficult to make spaetzle at home, especially if you have a spaetzle maker. Although if you don't have one, don't fret! A colander with large holes will work almost as well and lets you enjoy fresh-made spaetzle any time you want!
Usually when you make pasta, you form a dense dough from flour and eggs, which you knead, rest, roll, and cut until your arms feel like they're on the verge of falling off. To make spaetzle, you just mix flour, egg, and a bit of milk into a pancake batter-like consistency.
A spaetzle maker is a convenient device usually made of metal that's sole purpose is for the making of small dumplings known as spaetzle. The metal plate has holes in it that you pour your spaetzle batter through directly into boiling water. You can find an abundance of spaetzle makers on Amazon.
Good pasta dough is firm and leathery to touch, but also pliable. It should never stick to your fingers or crumble and fall apart. Many factors, such as humidity, the brand of flour used, and the size of eggs, may affect dough consistency.
To knead, simply press the heel of your hand into the ball of dough, pushing forward and down. Rotate the ball 45° and do it again. You'll want to keep going until the dough no longer looks powdery—it should have a smooth, elastic texture, similar to a firm ball of Play-Doh.
Fresh pasta dough should feel slightly tacky and be smooth and elastic. Make sure to rest your dough at least 30 minutes before you roll it. Use a dusting of flour as you roll the dough. If it takes more than a dusting to keep it from sticking to the work surface, it is too wet.
If you're getting the sticky dough ball, "Usually, that's because your dough is too wet," Danny Freeman told Tasting Table. In the case that "you're kneading the dough and it's sticking to your hands, add more flour." Conversely, if the dough is too dry, add a tiny bit more water.
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