Oma's Cheese Spätzle / German Mac & Cheese (Käsespätzle) 

by: Gerhild Fulson  / Oma Gerhild shares German recipes rooted in family tradition.

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German Cheese Spätzle with caramelized onions. Make this 'Mac & cheese' the best way, Oma-style!

Cheese spätzle, käsespätzle, is a traditional German way of serving homemade egg noodles. Layered with Emmental cheese, topped with caramelized onions, and baked in the oven, this is so delicious as a main dish served with a beautiful green salad.

You could say it's the German version of mac and cheese, only better! Really. It is a true comfort food to enjoy anytime!

It’s also a perfect side dish that goes with almost anything! Above, I served it with a pork roast and gravy and roasted baby carrots. So good!

Whether you use homemade spätzle just like Oma or use store-bought spätzle noodles to really make it a quick German recipe, the end result is a delicious dinner that everyone will love.

Spätzle Trivia

• The origin of the word spätzle comes from Swabian, meaning little sparrows
• These noodles are traditional in Germany, especially in Baden-Württemberg, and in other European countries such as Austria, Switzerland, and Hungary
• This type of soft egg noodle is also called nokedli in Hungary.
• When the noodles are button-shaped, they are called by their Swiss name, knöpfle, which means small buttons
• Traditionally, thin strips of dough were scraped off a wooden cutting board into boiling salted water
• Today, there are many devices that can be used, ranging from an actual spätzle maker to regular kitchen equipment such as a colander with large holes, potato ricer, food mill, or cheese grater

Try this easy käsespätzle recipe and delight your family with this very traditional German mac and cheese casserole dish.

German Cheese Spätzle with caramelized onions. Make this 'Mac & cheese' the best way, Oma-style!

Not Italian ... It's German!

I used to think that whenever Mutti made a noodle dish, we were eating Italian-style.

It was only when I started this website and started researching German recipes and origins that I realized that noodles are VERY German.

This is especially true of Southern Germany. Because my Mutti and Papa came from the Berlin area, this was not part of our culture.

Here, the cheesy spaetzle are covered with a scattering of caramelized onions and served with a ground beef sauce.

German Cheese Spätzle made just like Oma. A cheesy delicacy. A great dinner choice for any occasion.

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Here, I made the spätzle dough thicker than normal, resulting in a different look (aka knöpfle in Switzerland). Delicious when turned into a cheese spaetzle casserole.

Delicious German Cheese Spätzle made just like Oma! Give it a go!

Look at this deliciousness that Hilde Lumm, one of our German Foodie Fans, made. WUNDERBAR!

Hilde's German Cheese Spätzle! What a yummy treat!

Spätzle can have all sorts of random shapes and sizes. That's because there are so many different ways of making them, resulting in noodles that are either long and skinny or short and fat.

The end result, though, is German noodles that are so delicious!

How to Make Homemade Spätzle

You can certainly use spätzle from the grocery store to make this käsespätzle recipe, but making your own spätzle from scratch is quite easy, especially once you get the hang of it.

Start by mixing some all-purpose flour and salt together in a large bowl. Add a couple of eggs and mix well. Then gradually add just enough water to make a smooth, light, and firm pasta dough.

Then, push the dough through a spätzle maker directly into a large pot of salted boiling water. They are done cooking once the spätzle rise to the surface of the water. Remove them with a slotted spoon to a colander to drain excess water. That's it!

You can now proceed and make this delicious cheese recipe right away, or you can store your fresh spätzle in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 or 3 days, or even freeze it, and make this käsespätzle recipe at a later date.

To thaw, place frozen spätzle in hot water. Drain and proceed with the recipe.

Check out Oma's homemade German spatzle recipe for more detailed instructions and other tips and tricks on how to make your own noodles.

Ready to make Oma's Cheese Spätzle?

Print Recipe

German Cheese Spätzle – Oma's Käsespätzle (German Mac and Cheese!)

Käsespätzle (cheese spätzle) is Germany's version of mac and cheese. Layered with Emmental cheese, topped with caramelized onions, and baked in the oven, this is so delicious as a main dish, served with a beautiful green salad.

Prep Time:

10 minutes

Cook Time:

40 minutes

Total Time:

50 minutes

Servings:

Makes 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons (42 grams) butter
• 2 large onions, thinly sliced
• 4 cups (360 grams) cooked spätzle, room temperature
• 2-3 cups (226 - 339 grams) shredded Emmental cheese

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C). Grease a 9×13-inch casserole dish and set aside.
2. Melt the butter in a large skillet and sauté the onions until they’re tender and lightly caramelized, about 5 to 10 minutes. Set some aside for garnish.
3. Layer half the spätzle, half the onions, and half the cheese in the prepared casserole dish. Repeat with the remaining spätzle, onions, and cheese.
4. Bake, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the top is bubbly and lightly browned.
5. Garnish with the reserved caramelized onion slices and serve.

Notes/Hints:

• Try this with Jarlsberg cheese or Swiss cheese, or a combination of the two.
• Either use purchased noodles for this or make your own spätzle from scratch ... so easy to do! 

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Unless otherwise noted recipe, images and content © Just like Oma | www.quick-german-recipes.com

Updated on September 3, 2026

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Complete your set today - order now!

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Hi, I'm Oma Gerhild! As a food writer and cookbook author, I'm always looking to find ways to pass on my German heritage using local ingredients. Quick and easy. That's my goal. Wunderbar food. That's the result.