How to make homemade Spaetzle (German Egg Dumplings Recipe)

Let me share my easy spaetzle recipe with you that you can make in about 20 minutes. I will explain the different spaetzle makers to you and give you some background on this traditional German side dish.

Jump to:

• What are Spaetzle?
• How to make homemade Spaetzle from scratch? 
• How to cook the Spaetzle – Overview of different methods and spaetzle makers (affiliate links)
• Cooking German Spaetzle- Frequently Asked Questions
• Troubleshooting your Spaetzle dough
• What do you serve with Spaetzle?
• Recipe

What are Spaetzle?

You might have heard them referred to as "Swabian noodles", “German noodles”, “German egg dumplings” or “German pasta”. They are dumplings made from flour and a liquid (either milk or water) and served as a side with many German meals. 

They go well with anything that is cooked with a nice sauce such as Sauerbraten, Rouladen and Beef Goulash.

Where does Spätzle originate from?

Spaetzle originates from Southern Germany. A region called Swabia – colloquially called “Schwabenländle‘.

Spaetzle – the origin of the name.

There are two theories of the origin of the term Spätzle. The most popular is that Spaetzle is derived from the word Spatzen (in English - Sparrow). This is because the form of the Spaetzle resembles little sparrows - one end looks like the beak of the sparrow, the other like a tail. 

The second theory is that the term is derived from the Italian word “spezzato” – which means broken or chopped up. 

How to make homemade Spaetzle from scratch? 

There are several different recipes and methods to make authentic spaetzle. I am going to try to outline the most popular ones for you. However, first, let's start with the dough.

Ingredients:

• plain flour – Germany type 405, UK plain flour, US all-purpose flour
• eggs
• milk or water (I like using milk as it makes it creamier)
• melted unsalted butter
• salt

Instructions to make the Spaetzle dough: 

1. Place eggs, salt and milk, melted butter in a mixing bowl. Sift flour over the top and immediately beat into a loose dough using a wooden spoon or a hand or stand mixer until it bubbles.
2. Leave the dough to rest for about 10 minutes, this will allow the gluten to develop.
3. In a large saucepan bring water to boil. Add a little salt to it.

How to cook the Spaetzle – Overview of different methods and spaetzle makers (affiliate links)

Method 1: Spaetzlehobel (Spaetzlemaker shaped like a wood planer).

Spaetzlehobel

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(affiliate link)

This is my preferred method. You place the Spaetzlemaker over a pot of boiling water. You pour from a ladle a portion of the spaetzle dough into the opening on the top and then move the top part of the spaetzle maker forward and backward until little Spaetzle falls into the water. 

This method can be a bit messy, as the spaetzle dough might spill over the side. Also, the spaetzle with this spaetzle maker will be shorter than other methods. (as in my picture)

Method 2: Spaetzlepress (a Spaetzle maker shaped like a potato ricer)

spaetzle press

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(affiliate link)

This method is perfect for making long Spaetzle. Similar to making mashed potato, you fill the dough into the opening then you press down the handle and press the dough into the hot water. This method is straightforward and recommended for beginners. 

The only disadvantage is that the spaetzle press (affiliate link) can be a little difficult to clean afterward.

Method 3: Spaetzlesieb (a Spaetzlemaker that looks similar to a sieve. You place them over your pot). 

spaetzlesieb

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(affiliate link)

Place the sieve over the saucepan. You spread the small amount of batter over it and with a scraper, scrape the spaetzle dough into the pot. This method is the best way of making short Spaetzle, like Knöpfle. The sieve is also relatively easy to clean in the dishwasher. Another advantage is that by having the scraper you have more control over the form of the spaetzle. 

Method 4: Spaetzlebrett ( Spaetzlemaker made from a wooden board and a scraper). 

Spätzlebrett

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(affiliate link)

This is the most traditional method and needs the most practice. You spread the dough over a small cutting board. With a scraper or knife, you scrape long thin spaetzle into the water. This is a great method if you are looking for thin long Spaetzle. Here is a youtube video on how spaetzle are made this way.

Method 5: How to make Spaetzle without a Spaetzlemaker?

If you don’t have a Spaetzle maker at home or want to try whether you like Saeätzle before investing in one then this should not stop you. Use any device with holes in it. You can use a large slotted spoon, a cheese grater, a large-holed colander or sieve with larger holes, or a potato ricer. Not every potato ricer works. If the holes are too small and close together the spaetzle won't have space to form. To be honest, this method might end up frustrating you.

Cooking German Spaetzle- Frequently Asked Questions

How do you know when Spaetzle is done? 

Once the Spaetzle are in the water, they will take only a couple of minutes to cook. You know when they are ready when they start swimming on (or to) the surface. Then you can remove them with a slotted spoon. 

It is important to remember that a short Spaetzle that is made with a spaetzlehobel (affiliate link) or spaetzlesieb (affiliate link) (methods 1 and 3), will have a shorter cooking time than the long-thin spaetzle that are made with a spaetzle press (affiliate link) (method 2).

After cooking, you can either put them straight onto a plate to serve straight away. The method used in German restaurants is to blanche them straight away in cooled water. This will stop the cooking process. Once they need to be served they are reheated in a pan with some butter.

Which flour to use for spaetzle? 

In short, you can use almost any flour for spaetzle. Traditionally it was made with buckwheat flour (Buchweizenmehl in German). However, today the most common flour in Germany is type 405. The closest equivalent in the UK is plain flour, and in the US pastry flour but all-purpose flour works. Other flour types that are used for spaetzle are spelt and wholewheat flour.

What consistency should spaetzle dough be?

The consistency of spaetzle dough depends on which kind of spaetzle you want to achieve. For longer and thinner spaetzle it is advantageous to have a more liquid dough. If you want to make short and thicker spaetzle, similar to Knöpfle for example, it is better to have a thicker dough.

How to cook dried Spaetzle? 

Thanks to the expansion of Aldi and Lidl, pre-made spaetzle are easily available. Actually, in Germany, they are very popular, as making homemade Spaetzle can be a messy and time-consuming task. These Spaetzle are not as soft as homemade spaetzle but are a welcome substitute when time is precious. 

You can cook premade spaetzle similar to pasta. Add to boiled, salted water and leave to cook for 10-12 minutes. After, strain the cooked spaetzle in a colander. If you want you can add a little butter to them before serving. 

Are Spätzle Pasta or Noodles?

It has always been controversial whether spätzle can be classified as “Pasta” or "Noodles". The difference between pasta, noodles, and Spätzle is that Spaetzle is made from a runny dough that is added to water whereas pasta is made from harder dough that can be cut and formed. 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.

Spaetzle and Knöpfle? What is the difference?

Knöpfle is a specialty from the Allgau region and is closely related to Spaetzle. They are made from the same dough (although the dough for Knöpfle is sometimes more liquid). Knöpfle tends to be shorter than the longer Spätzle. The name „Knöpfle“ is derived from the German word „Knoten“ (Knot). “Knöpfle" means little knot.

Can I prepare for Spaetzle in advance? How to store it?

Yes, you can prepare Spaetzle in big batches in advance. If you don’t plan to serve them immediately, I would suggest you shock them with some cold water and then add some butter to them so they don’t stick. 

Spaetzle stays good in the fridge in an airtight container up to three days after cooking.

When warming them up again, you can add a little butter. Always warm up with a lid on otherwise the Spaetzle could dry out.  

They also freeze very well and will stay good in the freezer for up to three months. 

Troubleshooting your Spaetzle dough

 Sometimes you can follow a recipe to a tee, but some things are still not right. Don’t worry spaetzle dough is easily rectified.

1. My spaetzle dough is too hard. – this means you might have used too much flour. Don’t worry you can just add more liquid to your dough. 
2. My spaetzle dough is too liquid – This can easily be rectified by adding more flour to your dough until the desired consistency is achieved. 
3. My Spaetzle dough is too sticky - This can happen if you use too much egg. A little more flour will help. 
4. My Spaetzle are mushy and soggy - There might be too much liquid in your dough. Try adding more flour. Another method you could use is to have a bowl of cold water next to your pan. Once you have cooked your Spaetzle you can shock them in the cold water.

What do you serve with Spaetzle?

Spaetzle in Germany are often served as a side dish. However, they can also be the main star in a dish for example when having kaesespaetzle or a jager sauce (a mushroom sauce) - which makes it Jägerspätzle

I suggest pairing them with the following dishes:

This post was first published in May 2015 and upated in March 2021, October 2023.

Recipe