German Dinner Menu Ideas for Family and Company

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

Looking for a German dinner where the dishes are already paired for you? These are some of my favorite complete meal combinations, from quick family dinners to the more traditional meals I save for company or a special Sunday.

Four German dinner ideas, from easy family meals to more traditional dinners for company.

If you’re looking for a specific kind of menu, such as a weeknight meal plan or an Oktoberfest dinner, start with my German Meal Ideas and Menus page. Here, I’m keeping things simple: choose one of these dinner combinations and you’ll know what to put on the table.

Choose a quick German dinner for an everyday meal, or head down to my German dinners for company when you want something a little more special.

Quick German Dinner Menus

In a hurry? Try one of these complete dinner menus. If you’d rather choose from individual recipes that are ready in about half an hour, see my 30-Minute German Meals.

Green Bean Soup Dinner

This easy German soup is my emergency dinner, because there are so many different variations I can make. Just changing the meat or the vegetables creates an entirely different meal.

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I always keep the ingredients on hand, so dinner can be on the table in about 20 minutes. Making a large pot of soup also provides leftovers for the next day. A win-win situation.

And for dessert? Make this traditional frozen fruit dessert called Eis und Heiss ... a sauce made from frozen fruit and served hot over ice cream.

Breaded Pork Chop Dinner

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Schnitzel may be traditional, but making enough large, flattened cutlets for my family was always a bit awkward. That’s why these breaded pork chops became one of our favorites instead.

With practice, this meal could be thrown together in about 30 minutes.

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First make the chops and once they're cooking, get the potatoes cooking. Cut the scrubbed potatoes into chunks, cover with boiling water (put the kettle on earlier), add 1/2 teaspoon salt, and bring to boil. Boil gently for about 15 - 20 minutes.

While that's all cooking, heat jarred red cabbage or put frozen veggies into pot, barely cover with boiling water (from that kettle), and gently simmer about 4 - 6 minutes.

German dinner's ready! Enjoy!

German Dinners for Company

Company's coming! What to make? Something special!

Here are some of the dinner menu ideas that I often use for guests. Sometimes, actually many times, these are also special meals for the family. Usually reserved for Sunday dinners and family get-togethers, these are delightful ways to share our German heritage.

These meals take a bit more planning, but I always try to find quicker and easier ways to make the traditional German recipes. Rouladen are an example. They take more time, so I usually save them for something special.

However, flatladen are a rouladen alternative. Same great taste, just more economical, quicker, and easier.

Rouladen Dinner

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This is the quintessential traditional German meal! So delicious and so special. Rouladen take time, so I often make them the night before I need them and just reheat them the next day.

This is usually served with potato dumplings and red cabbage as the side dish. Carrots make a nice extra side.

In Germany, desserts are often just puddings, ice cream, or fruit. However, when I serve a German-style dinner to guests, they seem to expect a German torte for dessert. And what's more traditional than German Black Forest cake?

Flatladen Dinner

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Just as special, only quick and easy. Flatladen are my variation on rouladen and have found their way to my weekday dinner menu ideas as well. Served with red cabbage (naturally), sometimes made with jarred red cabbage, and boiled potatoes.

Dessert? Well, an easy version of Black Forest cake rounds out this quicker and easier German dinner.

Want a different side dish? Try Brussels sprouts.The easy recipe below makes this healthy vegetable a real treat.

This flatladen meal takes a lot less time to prepare than the rouladen meal above. Just as tasty? We think so.

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From Oma's heart
to your table

Complete your set today - order now!

More about me >

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.