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A homemade spaetzle recipe based on a Grandmother’s recipe that was handed down through two generations of children. It’s perfect for Chicken Paprikash!
John grew up eating Hungarian and German dishes. His Grandma Betty often cooked large family meals consisting of bean soup, chicken paprikash, stuffed cabbage, and of course, her own spaetzle recipe.
As an adult, he tried to recreate some of his favorites but never could make them the same.After I had become more skilled in the kitchen, I decided to try my luck at some of John’s favorites.
I remember looking through several recipes on the internet and comparing them with Grandma Betty’s notes and recipes. All in all, things were similar, but it seemed John was not following the directions properly.
He’s an efficient cook, but that can lead to mistakes. Over the last few years, he’s learned to slow down and all of recipes have improved as result.
Enough about all that, how about we get to the reason you’re here; the easy spaetzle recipe!
How to Make Spaetzle:
First, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. I like to add a tablespoon of salt to mine for flavor.
Next, while youwait for the water to boil, make the batter. In a medium bowl, combine flour, eggs, milk, salt, and nutmeg. The mixture will be very sticky.
How to Cook Spaetzle:
After that, place the spaetzle maker over the pot of boiling water. Carefully fill the open compartment on the top with a few spoons of batter, but don’t overfill the pot.
Then, slowly push the chamber back and forth across the grate to press the mixture into the holes.As the mixture falls into the boiling water, it will sink.
Once the batter floats to the top of the water, it is cooked. It will appear puffy and larger in size. This process takes less than 30 seconds.
Afterward, remove the spaetzle maker from the pot and using a slotted spoon, scoop the cooked spaetzle out of the water.
Last, place cooked spaetzle in a large bowl. Repeat the process until batter is gone. After all the spaetzle is cooked, toss with butter.
That’s it! You have a simple, easy to make, comfort food. It can be eaten alone, with chicken, beef, or even as a side for a hearty beer and brats dinner.
Chicken paprikash was the first recipe of Grandma Betty’s that I attempted to make.
To my amazement, John and Kale both loved it. It’s one of their favorite recipes using spaetzle noodles.
If you don’t have a spaetzle maker, you can use the back side of a cheese grater and push the batter through with a wooden spoon. This method tends to take a little longer and is a bit messier but is still effective. That’s how John’s Grandmother made it for him.
I’ve since purchased a Danesco Stainless Steel Spaetzle Maker. Now I can make an entire batch of these awesome little dumplings in less than 15 minutes and with minimal mess.
You can toss the spaetzle with margarine or another butter replacement for that extra kick of flavor.
If you like this spaetzle recipe, please leave us a comment and rate the recipe card. You can also find us on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram searching for Berly’s Kitchen!
wheat flour. Type 405 wheat flour is probably the most widely used today for spätzle. Type 405 indicates how high the degree of milling and the content of minerals such as magnesium or potassium. 405 indicates that approximately 405 milligrams of minerals are contained in 100 grams of flour.
Usually when you make pasta, you form a dense dough from flour and eggs, which you knead, rest, roll, and cut until your arms feel like they're on the verge of falling off. To make spaetzle, you just mix flour, egg, and a bit of milk into a pancake batter-like consistency.
Although if you don't have one, don't fret! A colander with large holes will work almost as well and lets you enjoy fresh-made spaetzle any time you want! Also, even though the recipe itself is traditional, I make it a bit easier by mixing up the spaetzle batter in my stand mixer rather than whisking it by hand!
I've served the dumplings plain with melted butter and chopped chives. I've crisped them in a pan of brown butter and almonds. I've topped them with hearty beef stew. But layered with cheese and caramelized onions is still my favorite variation.
a food, originally from Germany, that is similar to pasta, made with eggs, flour, and milk, and formed into small round or long shapes before being boiled and sometimes fried: Spaetzle may be browned in a little butter before serving.
Can German Spaetzle Be Prepared Ahead of Time? Yes! It holds its shape wonderfully and if you shock the Spaetzle in cold water after cooking it won't stick together. You can easily make this side dish a day or two ahead and then simply reheat it in a pan with a little butter.
Other names for Spätzle include Spätzli, Spatzen, and Knöpfle (short & round version of the Spätzle found in the Baden region). Spätzle are made from flour, eggs, water, and salt. Compared to Italian pasta, the Spätzle dough is moister and softer. Because of this, the dough cannot be rolled out.
Scoop about half the batter into a Spaetzle maker, or use a spatula and grater or conader and press the batter through the large holes, straight into boiling water. They will look like little dumplings. Scoop out once they float to the top (2-3 minutes) using a slotted spoon.
The best side dishes to serve with spaetzle are red cabbage, pork schnitzel, bratwurst, or borscht if you are looking for a classic pairing. For some less traditional options, you can eat spaetzle with sauteed zucchini and summer squash, chicken and mushrooms, or carrot fries.
There are several approaches to this. Some people like to make a thick dough and grate it through the holes of a cheese grater. But if you keep the spaetzle mix as runny as cake batter, you'll be able to push it through a spaetzle maker (or colander) into a pot of boiling water fairly quickly.
The difference lies in their shape. Whereas spaetzle noodles are usually longer and thinner, knoepfle means 'little knot/ button.' It refers to a shorter, rounder variety of the noodle, often made using a sliding spaetzle maker, which transfers 'droplets' of dough rather than long noodles into the boiling water.
for breakfast: you can find fresh bread rolls in every bread basket on German breakfast tables. Germans cut them in half horizontally, smear butter on them, and top them with jams, honey, quark, sliced cheese, or cold cuts. Basically, they eat them as open-faced sandwiches.
Today, Spätzle are largely considered a "Swabian speciality" and are generally associated with the German state of Baden-Württemberg. In France, they are associated with Alsace and Moselle. Germany's estimated annual commercial production of Spätzle is approximately 40,000 tons.
Introduction: My name is Stevie Stamm, I am a colorful, sparkling, splendid, vast, open, hilarious, tender person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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