Oma's German Spätzle Recipe ~ Homemade Noodles

➤ by Oma Gerhild Fulson

This German Spätzle recipe, a type of egg noodle, can be tricky to make. However, here's my easy version of this traditional favorite. Spätzle (Spaetzle) are a very classic dish for Swabians living in the Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria states.

Easy, because I use a stainless steel Lid and Scraper combo that I brought back from Germany. Always works.

This easy home-made recipe lets you enjoy Spätzle wherever you are in the world even if you don't have access to a German deli.

So, go ahead. Make this German favorite! It's German food at its best!

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• The origin of the word Spätzle comes from Swabian meaning 'little sparrows'
• These noodles are traditional in  Germany, especially in Baden-Württemberg and in 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 chopping board into boiling salted water
• Today, there are many devices that can be used ranging from types of colanders, ricers, food mills, or graters

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In modern German cookbooks and magazines, whenever recipes call for Spätzle (or Schwabian noodles), they are usually cooked from a package - a convenience food.

However, Spätzle aren't always available to buy pre-made in my part of Canada.

So, if I want to enjoy them, I need to make them from scratch. You can, too. 

Below, I've made Käzespätzle using this Spätzle recipe. I guess this could be called a totally upscale version of the American "macaroni and cheese". Kids love it. And why not? It is so good, so rich, so YUMMY!

German Noodles?

Whenever we had noodles of any kind when I was growing up, I always thought we were eating "Italian-style."

I didn't know that the southern part of Germany has its own type of noodle dishes, traditional noodle dishes that aren't Italian at all, one of my favorites now being Schupfnudeln. 

Is Spätzle similar to Gnocchi?

Yes, there are similarities between spätzle and gnocchi since they do taste similar and can act as great substitutes for each other. However, there are a few differences as well.

Spätzle is made smaller, and are more of a squiggly shape, while gnocchi tends to be more circular and pocket-like, almost resembling mini ravioli.

Gnocchi is also made with potatoes, and the German way of making spätzle does not include potato in its recipe. It would often be served in a meal that has some other side that would have potato incorporated.

For example, your plate can have spätzle, goulash, and mashed potatoes! Or classic potato dumplings, though some even use spätzle to substitute dumplings, seeing as their textures are close and taste too!

When making gnocchi, it can be fairly time consuming, while spätzle is meant to be a quick side to whip up fast. Kind of like your "emergency food" that you can make in a flash when unexpected company drops in. 

Spätzle Press

Here's that Spätzle press that found its way into my suitcase on one of my recent trips to Germany. It has made the Spätzle-making process a lot easier.

Don't have one? You can scrape the dough off a wooden board with a long knife ... the traditional way to make these noodles. Just like Oma used to do.

Or, you can buy a Spätzle-press, one of many contraptions that have been developed to make this noodle-making process easier. 

Spätzle, a type of German noodle, are common in the southern part of Germany. This word means "little sparrow". (This type of soft egg noodle is also called "Nokedli" in Hungary.)

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Lydia Remembers...

I have so many wunderbar memories in the kitchen with my Oma, and have had MANY of her most popular and traditional recipes, like this lecker German Spätzle! 

My favorite way to serve these fun little noodles is with red cabbage! They compliment each other so well, especially when the Spätzle starts to soak up the juice from the cabbage...oh-so delicious.

I've made Spätzle with Oma a couple of times and I remember how tough it was the first time making it. Let's just say I had never seen a Spätzle press before, and I definitely underestimated the muscle it takes to push the dough through the tiny holes! It was tricky at first but after making it again and again, I became a pro! Especially with Oma by my side giving me little hints along the way.

Learn a little bit about me, Lydia, and my kitchen adventures with Oma!

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Ready to make Oma's Spätzle?

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