Canoodling.
However you spell them — spätzle, spaetzle, spätzli, or nokedli — these little noodles are favorites in our household. I first had them in Germany when I was 14 — love at first bite, as they say. The first and second spellings are used throughout Germany and Austria, the third spelling is Swiss, and the fourth is Hungarian.
I got today’s recipe from a dear friend whose husband was Hungarian. At the same time, she also gifted me with a spätzle grater, shown in the photo below. Historically and traditionally, before graters, the noodles were simply and quickly cut with a knife on a small board and flicked into boiling water. Now, in addition to the grater, there are also spätzle presses that resemble potato ricers. (In Italy, presses are also used in making Italian passatelli, which are similar to spätzle.)
Spätzle are one of the easiest noodles to make; the dough is mixed by hand or in a stand mixer, then passed through a grater from its hopper, which is on tracks to keep it on the grater. If you don’t have one, you can press the dough into the boiling water through the holes in a colander.
When I first learned how to make spätzle, I favored them for evenings when I wanted homemade pasta but was pressed for time. They are wonderful topped with freshly-made tomato cream sauce, but my favorite way of serving them is, of course, topped with rich, creamy, Chicken Paprikás.
~ David
Spätzle
To print this recipe, please click the small printer icon below.
Ingredients
- 3 cups sifted flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 3 eggs, slightly beaten
- 1 cup water, plus extra as needed
- salt for cooking
- butter for serving
Instructions
- Combine dry ingredients. Make a well in the center. Add eggs and water and mix very well – dough should be sticky and somewhat loose. You may need to add a little extra water to achieve the right consistency. (See photo of dough following the recipe.) If you see bubbles forming, that is considered very good. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t.
- In the meantime, bring a tall pot of water to a boil — one on which your spätzle grater (pictured above) sits comfortably. Add 3 tablespoons salt to the water. Turn down heat and keep gently boiling. Place the grater across the pot. Put a large dollop of batter into the hopper of the grater and pass it back and forth slowly so that the dough is pushed through the holes on the grater into the boiling water (see Notes below). If you grate the dough too quickly, you will get short, nubbly spätzle. When the spätzle has risen to the top, let it boil for a minute, then remove it. Repeat until all batter is used.
- As you remove it from the pan, place it in a casserole and add a some melted butter, tossing it to coat.
- Spätzle can be made in advance, buttered, and kept refrigerated until ready to serve. Reheat on stove top in a pan (medium heat) or in the oven in a casserole until heated throughout.
- Serves 6.
- Notes:
- • Be very careful when grating the dough; the grater can easily slip off the top of the pot into the boiling water, taking your hand with it. I wear a heavy-duty rubber glove on my grating hand, just in case.
- • The recipe here is for 6 people. You can make smaller batches by using these proportions: To serve 4, use 2 cups flour, a heaping 1/2 teaspoon salt, 2 eggs, and 2/3 cups water. To serve 2, use 1 cup flour, a scant 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 egg, and 1/3 cup water. Regardless of how much you are making, the generous grind of black pepper goes for all versions.
© 2024 Copyright Cocoa & Lavender
Chef mimi
December 23, 2023 at 5:53 amI love spaetzele! I was autocorrected and I don’t care. With a French mother, whose father was Alsatian, it was a staple. My mother always made them plain, more dumpling-sized, but always finished with browned butter. I’ve since tried the cheese grater method, which is fun, but I think I prefer the meatiness of the dumplings. Merry Christmas!!!!! I know you’ll be eating well!!
Cocoa & Lavender
December 23, 2023 at 1:30 pmIt’s interesting how many different variations there are for spätzle. And how many different autocorrects it has! It’s such a wonderful base for so many different kinds of meals. One of my former students mentioned his Swiss German grandmother made a pork tenderloin with mustard and cream and morels, and served it over spätzle. Yes, we won’t starve in this household, and I know you won’t in yours, either! Merry Christmas, Mimi!
Catherine L Hackert
December 23, 2023 at 6:23 amMy family recipe for spetzel does not involve a grater! Grandma,(from Hungary) took spoonfuls of the dough and knocked them into the boiling water. Yummy. Humm, I may have to make some! Typically took the place of mashed potatoes with roast meats and gravy.
Cocoa & Lavender
December 23, 2023 at 1:31 pmCathy, yours sounds very much like Mimi‘s above. As I say, I love all the different versions of this dish. Merry Christmas, and I hope your table is overflowing with spätzle!
Susan Manfull
December 23, 2023 at 6:42 amYou always make it sound so easy!
Cocoa & Lavender
December 23, 2023 at 1:31 pmWell, it is easy! Except for when you thrust your hand into the boiling water… That’s hard. Come back and visit and we’ll make spätzle!
Mad Dog
December 23, 2023 at 6:51 amThey look like fabulous noodles. I’ve nevr seen them before, so I’ll have to make some. They remind me a ltittle bit of gurullos.
Merry Christmas David!
Cocoa & Lavender
December 23, 2023 at 1:33 pmMerry Christmas, mad dog! I really enjoyed getting to know you this year, and I’m loving your recipes. I will have to look up gurullos!
Nancy Layton
December 23, 2023 at 9:59 amAh yes David . . . I learned from the best and that would be you! I’ve made Spätzle so many times since you first showed me how to make it!❤️
Cocoa & Lavender
December 23, 2023 at 1:33 pmAnd you need to tell Susan that it really is easy! I’m glad you still make them and think of me, Nancy.
Jean | DelightfulRepast.com
December 23, 2023 at 10:08 amDavid, I hate to tell you how long ago it was that spaetzle first came to my attention. I was very young when I was having dinner with neighbors and there was a vegetable dish with spaetzle. Turned out a national frozen foods brand had come up with it. Well, I didn’t think they added anything to the frozen vegetables but was intrigued by the spaetzle and simply had to make some. So I went into my lifelong “research mode” and sorted it out. Of course, I didn’t have a spaetzle grater, so I did the colander thing you mentioned. Must try your favorite way with the chicken paprikas.
Cocoa & Lavender
December 23, 2023 at 1:34 pmI can’t Frozen and mixed with vegetables. It just sounds so wrong… I haven’t ever tried the colander method, Jean, but maybe I’ll give it a shot sometime.
sherry
December 23, 2023 at 12:53 pmthese look so delightful David. I like the sound of serving with chicken. Wishing you a fab festive season! thanks for all your comments this year. See you in the new year.
cheers
sherry
Cocoa & Lavender
December 23, 2023 at 1:35 pmActually, Sherry, the very first time I had them was with roasted chicken with a cream grape sauce. Outstanding! You really needed them to soak up all that sauce… Happy Christmas to you and Mr. P!
Gerlinde de Broekert
December 23, 2023 at 3:01 pmI am from northern Germany and Spätzle as we call them are from southern Germany. I have seen cooks use a wooden board with a knife when cutting them into the water. That’s a skill I don’t have. I use something like a potato press when I make Spätzle . Merry Christmas David and a healthy and happy New Year.
Cocoa & Lavender
December 23, 2023 at 3:56 pmObviously, not a skill I possess, either, Gerlinde! But I am happy with my grater! Frohe Weihnachten! And on to 2024!
Barb
December 23, 2023 at 3:18 pmMy favorite way to eat Spätzle is Kasespatzle (Germany’s version of Mac and cheese). It contains caramelized onions and lots of Swiss cheese (I use Gruyere). But then Spätzle is wonderful with any sauce or gravy. I have a spätzle maker like yours. It’s fun to make, but rather messy. Merry Christmas to you and Mark!
Cocoa & Lavender
December 23, 2023 at 3:58 pmThanks, Barb- and Merry Christmas to you, too! The Kasespatzle sounds so much better than mac and cheese. I am definitely going to try it soon!
Eha Carr
December 23, 2023 at 3:38 pm*Christmas Eve laughter* Hmm – Naturally your scrumptious dish has many variants but it definitely does originate from Hungary – Austro-Hungary that is. Definitely! I was a Hungarian wife for four years and even lived for an entire summer in Budapest. Had a husband who was a fabulous cook also – even wrote a short book on the subject 🙂 ! All else aside am surprised no one has mentioned one does NOT need a specific grater to make these – just pull your ordinary kitchen colander out of the cupboard, hold it over a big pot of boiling water, pour the flour mix into the colander and start waving a kitchen knife back-and-forth v quickly under the colander – correct diameter, correct length !!! Big hugs for the holidays . . . have a heartfelt time !!!
Cocoa & Lavender
December 23, 2023 at 3:59 pmAh, but I did mention the colander! There are so many ways to make this delicious treat!
Eha Carr
December 23, 2023 at 4:27 pmMy apologies, David – truly! I have had quite some trouble reading your posts because I have as yet uncorrected eye problems and your posts print out far paler than any others – methinks this was talked about before. I promise to go back, enlarge and read properly!!! Sorry! Am still laughing ’cause for almost every night at home (in our case ver, very few) Gabor cooked Indian, Sri Lankan or Hungarian – in his world women set the table and arranged the flowers and totally lacked the finesse to prepare food! No further comment !!!
Cocoa & Lavender
December 26, 2023 at 4:48 pmThat amazes me, Eha — because, in our world, very few men are in the kitchen! As I mentioned in an email, I’m going to try and make the font darker this year! Wish me luck.
angiesrecipes
December 24, 2023 at 3:59 amYour Spätzle looks authentic and excellent! I haven’t made them in ages since my husband is not a huge fan of pasta. It’s great to make casserole with lots of Emmentaler and served with crispy onions.
Cocoa & Lavender
December 24, 2023 at 2:36 pmOoh — I’m not sure how I would do with someone who doesn’t like pasta! So come visit and we can make them together! I love the casserole you mention — I must try that! Merry Christmas!
Ronit
December 24, 2023 at 3:45 pmDavid, your recipe brought back some serious “spätzle memories” for me: years ago, I worked in a Swiss oriented restaurant, and had to make substantial amount of spätzle on a daily basis. By the end of my time there, I was so fed up with it, I’ve never made it since!
Your post makes me think that maybe it’s time to give it another try! Thanks! 🙂
Cocoa & Lavender
December 26, 2023 at 4:44 pmWow, I can imagine you have a bit of PTSD about this dish! But may be enough time is pass that you can enjoy it now…
Ron
December 25, 2023 at 10:39 pmSpätzle is how we spell it here. It’s a popular dish here, most often served having been browned in butter and mixed with cheese and crispy onions. But, your idea of topping it with Chicken Paprikás sounds lovely.
Cocoa & Lavender
December 26, 2023 at 4:45 pmRon, you are the third person who’s mentioned the cheese and crispy onions. I definitely need to try that! According to some readers, this type of noodle originated in Hungary, thus the chicken paprikás. But, honestly, I’ll have it anyway imaginable. One of my students said his Swiss-German grandmother serves it with pork that is made in a mustard cream sauce.
Valentina
December 29, 2023 at 3:34 pmI’ve made your paprika chicken a few times now, and as you said it would absolutely be perfect on top of this. Delicious! 🙂 ~Valentina
Cocoa & Lavender
December 30, 2023 at 12:37 amThanks, Valentina — I’m so glad you like the paprtkás! It is pretty amazing on the spätzle — but I have no idea if it would be easy or hard to make it GF for your son.
Christina Conte
December 29, 2023 at 8:42 pmOh my, I don’t care how it’s spelled as long as it’s on my plate! I do love a good spätzle and just had some in Germany and Switzerland this year. Can’t wait for my next serving, it may just have to be made by me, though! 🙂
Cocoa & Lavender
December 30, 2023 at 12:34 amI was just so relieved when I found out how easy it is to make! I’m glad you like it, Christina!
Frank | Memorie di Angelina
December 31, 2023 at 6:07 amI love love love Spaetlze! Got to know them well during my Vienna days. And we still make them fairly often in the winter. Have you Käsespätzle? It’s to do for!
Cocoa & Lavender
January 3, 2024 at 4:46 pmI bet they were wonderful in Vienna! And, if you’re willing to share, I would love you a recipe for Käserspätzle!
Raymund
January 3, 2024 at 3:45 pmI love this ode to spätzle, David! Your personal connection to these little noodles comes through beautifully, from your first encounter in Germany to your friend’s generous gift of a grater and the treasured recipe. My first encounter too was in Germany, in a theme park of all places, we did not order them and it landed on our table, funnily enough no one asked if someone ordered it, then all of a sudden the lady beside us was searching for her spätzle and we told her, is this yours 😱 she said yes and kindly asked for it and she ate them eventhough we already had a couple of bites already. I guess she was hungry.
Cocoa & Lavender
January 3, 2024 at 4:47 pmI absolutely love that story, Raymund. I have never seen anything like that happen before, so it must’ve been quite amusing for you all! And I really got a kick out of the fact that you had it at a theme park. What a great story.
2pots2cook
January 5, 2024 at 2:56 amThank you for bringing the memories back; my granny used simple knife to make this tasty treat! I wish you both healthy and prosperous 2024. !
Cocoa & Lavender
January 6, 2024 at 9:19 amI wish I had your granny’s skills! 🙂
Jeff the Chef
January 6, 2024 at 10:02 amThanks for this recipe! I tried making spatzle once, using the collander method you mention, and they came out tough and heavy. I’m definitely going to try your recipe next time.
Cocoa & Lavender
January 6, 2024 at 10:50 amTo keep from burning your hand with the steam, I highly recommend getting the little gadget I show — very inexpensive and so much easier than the colander! But it could have been the consistency of the dough that caused them to be tough, Jeff — it should be pretty runny!