Homemade spaetzle is remarkably easy and is a great substitute for pasta, rice, or potatoes. Prep is fast enough to make on a weeknight and pairs well with many main dishes. Add spaetzle to soups, sauté it, and serve it as a side with steaks or sausages, or enjoy it with cheese.
I usually make it ahead of time and sauté it just before serving. Sautéing gives the homemade spaetzle extra texture and savory, buttery flavor. But it’s excellent served plain and hot with butter. Sprinkled with herbs and cheese, you could make it a complete meal.
How to Make Homemade Spaetzle
- Have a buttered bowl ready and boil a large pot of salted water.
- Combine the flour, salt, and 2 tablespoons of the chopped herbs in one bowl and whisk the eggs and milk in another bowl.
- Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and whisk until well blended. The batter should have the consistency of a thick pancake batter. It should be thin enough to move through the holes of a spaetzle maker or colander but thick enough to need a little urging with a bench scraper or knife.
- Put half of the batter through the spaetzle tool (I use this one) or colander, scraping gently to make the little dumplings. The spaetzle will rise to the top pretty quickly. Use a slotted spoon to transfer them to the buttered bowl. Repeat with the remaining batter.
- Toss with a tablespoon of butter and the remaining herbs and enjoy immediately, or refrigerate the spaetzle and sauté it later.
What to Serve With Spaetzle
Poultry Entrées: Serve spaetzle with a classic chicken paprikash, capicola and provolone chicken, marry me chicken, or chicken kapama.
Meat: Spaetzle pairs nicely with a lamb roast, beef pot roast, or hamburger steaks.
Fish and seafood: Serve spaetzle with salmon fillets instead of rice, or replace the toast in this shrimp wiggle with spaetzle.
PrintHomemade Spaetzle
Make your own spaetzle with this easy recipe. Serve it hot with butter, or get creative and add herbs and cheese for a flavorful twist!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Optional Sauté Time: 8 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 minutes
- Total Time: 16 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Pasta
- Cuisine: German
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon salt, for the cooking water
- 1 teaspoon butter, for a bowl
- 2 cups flour 255 grams
- 3 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley and chives, divided
- 1 teaspoon table salt
- 4 large eggs
- 2/3 cup milk, or more as needed
For Serving
- 1 tablespoon butter
- Optional: 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
- Optional: 3 tablespoons butter, if sautéing
Instructions
- Fill a large pot with water and add 1 tablespoon of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat.
- Combine the flour, 2 tablespoons of the herbs, and salt in a large bowl and whisk to blend.
- Butter a medium bowl and set it aside.
- Add the eggs and milk to the flour mixture and whisk or stir until well blended. The batter should be the consistency of pancake batter, thick enough to form the spaetzle but loose enough to drop through the spaetzle tool or colander with a little urging. If it is too thin, add a bit more flour. If it is too thick, add a bit more milk.
- Place the spaetzle tool or colander over the boiling water and use a knife or bench scraper to scrape half of the dough through the holes and into the water. After about 2 minutes or until they rise to the top, scoop the spaetzle out with a skimmer or slotted spoon. Transfer them to the buttered bowl. They will look like tiny dumplings. Repeat with the remaining dough.
- Toss the hot spaetzle with 1 tablespoon of butter, the remaining herbs, and Parmesan cheese, if using.
How to Sauté Spaetzle
- Toss the hot spaetzle with 1 tablespoon of butter and omit the remaining herbs and Parmesan cheese. Refrigerate the spaetzle until you are ready to eat.
- About 5 to 10 minutes before serving time, melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a skillet over medium heat.
- When the butter is sizzling, add the spaetzle and increase the heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring and turning, until the spaetzle is lightly browned, about 4 to 7 minutes. If desired, toss with 1 to 2 tablespoons of fresh chopped herbs and 1/3 cup of Parmesan cheese.
