How to Make German Spaghetti Ice Cream: Pure Magic At Home

German Spaghetti Ice Cream is not what you'd expect. This whimsical creation, known as Spaghetti Eis, fools diners with its convincing appearance. The dessert transforms ordinary vanilla ice cream into pasta-like strands, complete with 'bolognese' strawberry sauce and 'parmesan' white chocolate shavings."

For me, Spaghetti Eis is always part of a childhood memory. No sundae is as successful as this one in Germany. And my children always order it today as well.

What is German Spaghetti Ice Cream?

German spaghetti ice cream doesn't contain actual spaghetti, nor is it spaghetti-flavored ice cream. Instead, it's a cleverly designed ice cream sundae that looks remarkably like a plate of pasta.
This whimsical dessert consists of four key components that work together to create the illusion:

1. Vanilla ice cream "noodles" – The base is vanilla ice cream pressed through a spätzle press or potato ricer to create thin, spaghetti-like strands
2. Strawberry "sauce" – Pureed strawberry sauce is drizzled on top to mimic bolognese sauce
3. White chocolate "parmesan" – Grated or shaved white chocolate is sprinkled over everything to resemble parmesan cheese
4. Whipped cream "plate" – The entire creation sits on a bed of whipped creampaghetti ice cream does not consist of spaghetti and ice cream, as the name might assume. Nor is it spaghetti flavoured ice cream. 

Spaghetti Eis History and Origin

This noodle-shaped ice cream dessert originated in 1969 in Mannheim, Germany, when Dario Fontanella, son of an Italian immigrant—encountered a Mont Blanc dessert during a skiing holiday. [watch an interview with the inventor here (in German)

Mont Blanc's sweetened chestnut puree, shaped into vermicelli-like strands, inspired Fontanella to recreate this distinctive form using a spätzle maker. His initial attempts featured pistachio, strawberry, and lemon ice cream to resemble the Italian flag, but his father disapproved of the "multi-colored spaghetti," leading Dario to use vanilla instead.

Early experiments resulted in shapeless messes until Fontanella discovered the key technique: pre-freezing the spätzle press to maintain the ice cream's form during pressing.

Spaghetti Eis debuted on his father's ice cream parlor menu in 1969. Unfortunately, Fontanella never patented his creation—his father and a lawyer, believed ice cream shapes couldn't be patented. While he admits some regret, Fontanella noted that patenting might have limited its widespread adoption.

Today, this innovative dessert can be found in virtually every German ice cream parlor, having become one of the country's most popular specialties.

How to make spaghetti ice cream

Tool's your need:

The essential tool is a spaghetti ice cream maker. While commercial kitchens use fancy, large-scale spaghetti ice machines, home cooks can achieve excellent results with a spätzle maker or potato ricer. I recommend a spätzle maker since its slightly larger holes create better noodle shapes.

The crucial step is pre-freezing your tool for at least 30 minutes before use—otherwise, the ice cream will melt before it even reaches the plate.

Ingredients: 

For the detailed instructions and exact measurements, please jump to the printable recipe card

• vanilla ice cream 
• strawberries (fresh or frozen) 
• sugar 
• whipping cream or heavy cream
• white chocolate - for the parmsean effect

Quick Spaghetti Ice Cream Recipe Steps

• Step 1: Prep and Chill Freeze your spätzle maker or potato ricer for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, make strawberry sauce by pureeing sugared strawberries, whip cream to stiff peaks, and grate white chocolate. Keep everything chilled.
• Step 2: Create the Base Place a tablespoon of whipped cream on each chilled plate as your foundation.
• Step 3: Assemble and Serve Press 3 scoops of vanilla ice cream through the frozen spätzle maker onto the whipped cream, drizzle with strawberry sauce, and top with grated white chocolate. Serve immediately.

Recipe Variations: 

The above recipe is the original version. Nowadays you can find variations of authentic spaghetti ice cream all over Germany. Here are some examples:

• Carbonara – Nut ice cream with eggnog liqueur, nut dessert sauce, and roasted hazelnuts and walnuts
• Banana Joe – Chocolate ice cream with whipped cream, banana slices, and white chocolate parmesan
• Kiwi – Vanilla ice cream with cream, kiwi slices, kiwi sauce, and white chocolate parmesan
• Forest Fruits – Yogurt ice cream with cream, blueberry sauce, forest berries, and white chocolate

The possibilities are endless… let your imagination lead you.

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Recipe