Spaetzle I

I was born to a german mother in Bavaria and married a man who was born to a German mother from Schwaben which is the home of Spaetzle. My mother-in-law made great spaetzle and gave me a press. I tried this receipe and it is excellent and easy. I am submitting my own enhancements which added to the recipe. I added a pinch of nutmeg. I see this mentioned a few times. I recommend it. I used 1/2 c water & 1/4 c milk for the 3/4 c water. I let the dough rest on the counter for 5 hrs before pressing. I also used canned chicken broth instead of plain water to boil the spaetzle in. I was so proud!!! My husband's german cousin also says add a few pats of butter and put in a freezer bag or container and it freezes well, ready to use. The best!!

I lived in Germany for a number of years and I enjoy spaetzle. Milk was the liquid my German friends always used. Also, I simply use a grater (grating side down) to push the dough through...far easier than a colander and more uniquely shaped than the uniform spaetzle maker. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes after you have added all the ingredients so that the gluten can "relax". Good eating!

I grew up eating Spaetzles as a side dish and still fix them the following way to this day, using this same recipe. After boiling, you melt 4tbls of butter and fry the spaetzles with some onion until lightly browned. It makes this wonderful dish even better.

I'm orig. from Germany and come from the main "Spaetzle territory - Schwaben". This is the correct recipe, only you form a more stiff dough to make the Spaetzle rubbery, as my husband calls them. Most Schwaebians use all eggs instead of adding water, which will make them "rubbery". This depends on once taste if you want either the soft or the rubbery noodles. Either one is very good. Leftover Spaetzle can be fried in butter and scramble eggs into the noodles as they fry. Add some additional salt to season. I always add some cubed ham to it. Serve with fresh salads for a meal. Now that's authentic. P.S. Use a Spaetzle press or a Spaetzle Brett (you shave the spaetzle by hand in very thin strips and dip the cutter in the water every few cuts). Very time consuming if you are not used to it. You can get an authentic press, but they are not cheap.

This is a very easy, quick and tasty meal. I LOVED!!!! It was So quick! I am only 12 and it was easy to make. I made it for my dad's birthday and it was a big hit!!!! Thank You!

These came out very well and tasty-and I didn't even use a spaetzle maker or the colander technique-rather I just broke off mounds of dough, and made dumplings. Following a past review, I added salt, pepper, and some nutmeg. Very good taste, and texture.

This is a very good spaetzle recipe. I use milk instead of water. Many of the reviews list a spaetze maker. If you can find one, they are very expensive. However, you can find a "potato ricer" at Wal-Mart for about $15.00. It looks and works just like the spaetzle maker my mother bought when we lived in Germany.

Yummy! I a German friend of mine uses milk as the liquid instead of water, but I can't tell that much difference. I visited there recently and bought two very inexpensive spaetzle makers--one for short and one for long spaetzle--so it's MUCH easier to cook. I also find that using 1 teaspoon of salt per cup of flour works well (I guess it leaches out into the cooking water somewhat). I'm glad to have this recipe, because my friend just dumps stuff in the bowl without measuring!

I tried this recipe out on my grandkids. At first they turned up their noses at something new. But after 1 taste, they came back 2 and 3 times for more. Everyone really enjoyed a break from potatoes. I'll be making this often. I added melted butter and crushed Ritz crackers before serving. Wonderful recipe. Thanks

This recipe has been in my family for as long as I can remember. Usually eaten with pork roast and applesauce. We use milk instead of water and make the batter early in the day and let it sit on the counter until it's time to cook (usually 5-8 hours) whenever someone walks past the bowl, they have to give it "50 beats!" with the whisk. To make the noodles, we simply pour a pancake sized amount onto a cutting board and with a sharp knife, cut small pieces of batter into the boiling water (dipping the knife in the water avery minute or so to remove any buildup). The next day, we take the leftovers and fry them in a skillet with butter until they're crispy.

This is a great starter recipe. I wanted a richer recipe so I substituted milk for the water, added a couple dashes of nutmeg, 2 tablespoons of butter for the spaetzle, and I used 1/2 chicken stock and 1/2 water for the cooking water. I didn't have any luck with the grater or collander method suggested. Instead I went old school on my spaetzle; I left the dough in a mound on a cutting board and held the board in my left arm while slicing off thin strips of dough with a large knife. I'd just use the knife to slide them off into the boiling water. It turned out amazing and was a perfect pairing with our St.Moritz schnitzel and sauerkraut.

This is more a note on how to make Spaetzle without a Spaetzle maker. I've made another recipe from this site a few times and it comes out wonderfully (and has a bit of nutmeg). I have a grill pan with holes in it. It fits right over my large stainless pot which I fill halfway with water ( as they expand upon cooking). I spray the pan on both sides with Pam and just push the dough through over the boiling water. It comes our beautifully. I am going to take the advice of other reviews here and try sauteeing them with chopped onion and butter.

This recipe is so delicious.. I learned to make this in culinary school. If you add asiago cheese, it's to die for!

You can buy a Spaetzle Dumpling Maker for $5.00 on the internet. Mix the dough (batter) about as thiick as pancake mix. As soon as they float rinse them under cold water to make them firm. Try it with Hungarian Chicken and Dumplings.

This recipe has been in my family for as long as I can remember. Usually eaten with pork roast and applesauce. We use milk instead of water and make the batter early in the day and let it sit on the counter until it's time to cook (usually 5-8 hours) whenever someone walks past the bowl, they have to give it "50 beats!" with the whisk. To make the noodles, we simply pour a pancake sized amount onto a cutting board and with a sharp knife, cut small pieces of batter into the boiling water (dipping the knife in the water avery minute or so to remove any buildup). The next day, we take the leftovers and fry them in a skillet with butter until they're crispy.

my mother used to make this and just dropped them in like dumplings to our chicken noodle soup. we called it chicken noodle soup with lumps. was my favorite when i was sick (and still is). the only difference was she used milk instead of water like some others have suggested. two thumbs up from me!

First of all, this is more than 4 servings. i made it with 2 cups of flour and 3 eggs and it made 4 very generous side dish portions. since i really should have used 2 1/2 eggs but didn't want to waste a 1/2 an egg, i used it which made the spaetzle on the very firm side. not bad, but very firm. i will try 2 eggs next time for a softer texture. i did not use any gadget to press through but wet my hands with water, took a half handful of dough, and cut it with a dull knife on my fingertip and pushed it off the knife into the boiling salted water. make your pieces as small as you can, as they really expand in the water and will be huge if you are impatient and make them big. you must salt the water or it will be tasteless. cooked for 3 minutes after they floasted to the top because they did not seem done when just first floating, which was almost immediately. i used milk instead of water, and tossed in butter to serve. very tasty with my pork and sauerkraut. thanks!

My family has made homemade egg noodles for generations using a very similar recipe, rolling out the dough and letting it dry and cutting it into strips. This is SO much quicker, and tastes just the same! People who were having trouble pressing it through a colander were probably trying to use one with small holes. The one I used has holes a little less than 1/4 inch. The only trouble I had was the steam from the boiling broth scorching my fingers. I may invest in a spaetzle press, since they're only $10 at Amazon.

It gets 5 stars, when you add a bit more water to the recipe, so that it can easily be squeezed through the spaetzle press and put into the frying pan with butter and seasoning salt. I like my spaetzle browned in butter and seasoned. For a family of 6, I have to triple the recipe to have left overs. I don't like going through the fuss of cleaning up the dough, unless we can eat it for more than a day. For those on a diet, it's about 205 calories for 3/4 cup when you add in 2 tbsp of lite butter to the entire batch.

My 8 yr old and I had a blast making this together. It was pretty good. We also made mini meatballs and tossed the Spaetzle with mushrooms, onions, and meatballs. We made a beefy sour cream sauce for it.

Instead of club soda, try adding 1 Tsp of baking powder. It makes it nice and fluffy. I also use milk instead of water. And definitely fry it in butter so it gets a little golden.

I used the suggestion from another reviewer of replacing the water with milk. Tastes exactly as I remember spaetzle from my favorite restaurant tasting!

Best Spaetzle recipe yet! Ive used them all here and this is BY FAR the best!

I enjoyed the finished product after I fried it and dressed it with browned butter and garlic powder. The dough was a little difficult to work with, but the messiness of it all was fun. I served it with Smothered Pork Chops and Green Bean Bundles of Joy from this site. It was a delish German feast.

I grew up in a German/Austrian family and my Oma was always making her own spaetzle. I really did try this with the colander but it didn't work for me so I did as my mom always did and just pinched off small pieces. As good as it was I'm not sure I'll be making it again as my German butcher carries a bagged brand that fits the bill. However, it was a lot of fun trying it on my own for the first time and I thank you Rhonda for a great recipe!

Just like Oma used to make! I love this recipe! After I found my old metal spaetzle press on ebay, I have made this at least twice a week... no more store bought pasta for my family!

This was not exactly as I remember this dish served in Germany, but it was certainly tasty! We made kaesespaetzle by sauteeing some onions and then baking the noodles with some Emmentaler cheese and the onions on top - turned out GREAT! The leftover noodles were also good with stew.

Very east to make and good to eat. Serve fresh from the pot. My German husband and mother in law raved about these. They said they were the best they had ever had. This was my first experience with spaetzle ever.

the reviewers who spoke of frying these in butter with onions reminds me of a polish noodle dish my family makes. we know them as poluski (i'm sure my spelling is off). the dumplings a slightly larger but prepared much the same way. the easiest way is to hold the bowl with the batter over the pot of boiling water and while "pouring" slowly use a knife to cut the dumplings along the edge of the bowl. very yummy!

This was a good recipe, however, to put the noodle mixture through the colander was not the easiest thing to do. I ended up using my cookie press, and it worked okay. Maybe next time I will see about using a ricer (I don't have one currently.) Using the press, the noodles were a bit thicker and more dumpling like, but they were still good with the Hungarian Ghoulash.

I use 1 cup of milk instead of the water, and tend to let them sit for awhile, stirring occasionally, before cooking. I *love* these -- I usually serve them with (like tonight) my mom's Chicken Paprikash, or some type of stroganoff. My kids will eat them just with butter. :) Also, these freeze wonderfully -- just butter them up a bit, then put in a freezer zip-top bag. It's great when the hard work of getting the rubbery dough through the spaetzle press makes TWO meals instead of one!

WONDERFUL!!! I made this for my 80-year-old neighbor, whose German wife died 3 years ago. He loaned me her spaetzle maker for the occasion, and then gifted it to me afterward....that's how good the spaetzle was. What a treat! Thanks so very much.

This recipe is really easy and really good! We made this to go with Wendy's Hungarian Goulash. After we boiled the spaetzle, we fried it in a small amount of butter. We didn't have a spaetzle noodle press, so we forced it through a slotted metal spatula, which works fine, but is probably more work.

Mmmmmmm...made these with Simple Beef Stroganoff. So good and easy! Next time I will try nutmeg. I wasn't able to squeeze the dough through colander holes, so I just pulled off little pieces and popped them in the boiling water. Thank you for a yummy dumpling recipe!

I had a very difficult time getting it to pass through the colander so I instead snipped it into small pieces. While it didn't look like spaetzle, the taste was very good.

This was delicious, but incredibly difficult to make without a spaetzle maker. The dough was really sticky, and half of the noodles were done before I'd even added the other half. Pushing the dough through a colander just resulted in a sticky mess. So I think I'll just splurge and buy a spaetzle maker, because spaetzle is just so good!

We serve this with Hungarian Goulash and chicken soup. We love it! So far superior to purchased noodles. I've experimented with different ways of making this without a spaetzle press as the colander idea, just doesn't work. So far the best way is to zap carefully in a food processor...just until crumbly. There may still be a few bigger lumps, but do these separately or by hand.

This recipe was a good jumping off point. My husband's mother is Swabian, so I had some big shoes to fill the first time I made Spaetzle. As others suggested, I used milk instead of water, but didn't really measure how much (added splash by splash till the hubby said it "looked right"). Nice and easy, but rewarding!

Very good dumpling. Used with the IRISH CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS. Very good.

I have other receipes for this and thought that I'd try a new one. This is like elastic! Needs lots more milk to go thru the holes of my spaetzle maker. I added milk and nutmeg to make it work. I added more salt to the water for more flavor

great simple recipe.. i like adding in a tiny pinch of ground nutmeg to mine though for a more authentic taste. (traditional swiss spatzel always has nutmeg in it!)

This is a very authentic recipe. I am very happy with it. I did let it sit out like others recommened which I do not think was a good idea. My noodles were very small and I wish they had been longer. I did use a spaetzle maker that I purchased from Amazon for less than $10 which I don't know how I would have made this without it. I will be making this often. Thank you!!!

I love this spaetzle! I just drop pinches of it into the boiling water. I make this every time I make Cabbage and Kielbasa. Thanks for the great recipe!

Very tasty. Followed the reviewer's suggestion to add nutmeg and it added the perfect flavour I was looking for. Try fried in butter topped with warm saurkraut & gravy. Yum!

Absolutely Fabulous!I made dough and added 1/4 tsp nutmeg and it took a little extra water to get all dry wet. Left set on counter for about 6 hours and then made. Dough works very well. Keep knife and board wet for ease of handling. This makes enough to easily feed the family of 6.

My family is German, so we love spaetzle! This recipe worked very well for me...the only problem was that it was way too thick. I ended up adding about 1/4 cup or so of extra water to the mix, and then it was perfect. I stirred in some melted butter, and my family loved it. Thanks so much for sharing!

I lived in Germany 6 years and my husband is German. My mother in-law is the best cook in the world - okay, I'm bias. The suggestions from Jeanine (spelling?) Nov. 12th, 2007 are perfect...although I leave out the nutmeg as my North German husband doesn't care for it.

Love the flavor + texture. The problem was getting them thru the holes in the colander. I will try again and let you know the outcome.

Very easy and delicious recipe! I tried to improvise with a colander for pressing the noodles as one reviewer suggested, but ended up getting a spaetzle press, which made things much easier. Definitely invest in a spaetzle press if you don't have one. I follow another reviewer's suggestion to saute the finished spaetzle with butter, chopped onions, and cheddar cheese-- delicious every time!

This is just what I was looking for. This recipe was easy to make and we had spaetzle in no time.

They were ok. Some members of my family liked them more than others. We served this with Jagerschnitzel.

These came out delicious, but I can't give it 5 stars because the method in the directions (pressing the dough through a colander) didn't work at all. Either the consistency is wrong (maybe it needs more water? I used the amount in the recipe), or you really need a special tool like a spaetzle maker. I tried a cheese grater as recommended by other reviewers, but that was an even bigger disaster. I ended up breaking off small pieces with my fingers (dipped in olive oil). It took a while, but it was delicious when it was done!

Definitely benefits from the addition of nutmeg, salt and pepper. I served these with green beans and sauteed onion. Delicious!

Made this a while ago- but I followed the driections exactly. They were so good! I just served them with gravy. I'd never made spaetzle before, but they were easier than I thought.

Excellent recipe. Thanks Rhonda. Easy to make and absolutely delicious. I grated some fresh white bread crumbs finely and fried them in some melted butter until lightly browned to serve on top of the cooked spaetzle. Yum!

Thank you so much, Rhonda, for this simple Spaetzle recipe! It is very good and very easy. I can't imagine, though, doing this without a "ricer"! I always wondered what I would eventually use that ricer for that I bought so cheap!! ;) Thanks again!

I am giving 5 stars even though I have never tried making spaetzles. I know a good recipe when I see one. Will make them SOON.

This was my first time ever eating Spaetzle never mind making it! I followed the advice of a previous poster and added some nutmeg. They were very tasty...even my picky 8 yr. old daughter liked them. However, it took forever to push them thru a colander. I need to find an easier way! They were perfect with Wendy's Hungarian Goulash. :)

Awesome side dish for Jagerschnitzle. I went out and bought a Spaetzle press after the first time making it as using the chef's knife and cutting board was a major pain!

This wasn't the best... When I lived in Austria, we had Spaetzle a lot, and I've made it a few times since I've come home without a problem. I misplaced the other recipe though so decided to try this one... I'm not sure why, but I think there's too many eggs in it or something (I increased the recipe) because it made me think of scrambled eggs!! Also, to make Kaese Spaetzle, all you have to do is mix the Spaetzle up with a beaten egg, salt, pepper, and the grated cheese of your choice (ham, broccoli, onions, etc mixed in in addition to the cheese is good, too) and put it in a greased casserole dish and bake it for a while.

Excellent, but only 4 stars because there is no way this dough was going through a colander(I tried 5 different ones). I used a garlic press. I would love to know to get it through the stainer, even the grater didn't work for me. I guess i hae to get that spaetzle press. There was a ton dough, I only made half which filled up a large bowl. I did let the dough rest for a few hours and used a combo of water and milk, and added nut meg. Once the water was really boiling the pasta floated almost instantly.

Very good recipe. Still having issues cutting my spaetzle. Must try to make it "drier" next attempt.

Very good recipe. I let my dough rest for 2 hours and then pressed through a spaetzle press. It is definitely a serious upper body work out to get the dough through the small holes!! I added nutmeg to the dough too.

By far the easiest spaetzle recipe I have ever used. It turned out 100 times better then Martha Stuarts!! I also don't use the colander or grater, I'm usually in a rush so I cut off small pieces of the dough into the boiling water! My husband loves it and its great with a slow cooked potroast. Thanks for the recipe!

SO easy. Brought in other poster's suggestions of adding nutmeg and allowing the batter to sit for a while before cooking. After it was cooked we added minced onion and garlic powder along with cheese. We all agreed that frying these in onions and butter would be our next treat. I will be making these again soon!

Almost like my Mom's. :)

Really Really Good! I can't wait to try these with melted cheese like some other reviewers have suggested. I wish it was easier to find a good spaetzle machine/press. I like the slotted metal spatula idea better than the colander method - the holes are too small in my colander.

Muahaha, so I finally made this today. As goulash. But, since I had no noodle maker press thingy, it was incredibly time consuming. So, my only suggestion, if you choose to roll your spaetzle by hand, you start early. Really early. :)

Tasted rubbery!

my noodles were raw from the inside even after cooking for 10 min! maybe it was just me but this recipe just didnt do it for me.

This is the Spaetzle recipe I've been looking for! They are all so different, but this is the combination/ratio of ingredients I've been trying to hit on. I did use milk instead of water and upped it to 1 c. Also added 1/8 tsp of nutmeg. I have a spaetzle press, but it's so hard to clean that I prefer the method I learned from my BF's mother, who was born in Germany. Spoon some batter onto a wet cutting board, and with a wet knife, cut off narrow pieces and slide them off the board into the boiling water. Use a slotted spoon to remove the first batch of spaetzle from the water before spooning more onto the cutting board. This makes bigger dumpling-style noodles, but it's much easier than messing with a press, colander or whatever and the cleanup is a breeze.

The flavor was as expected but the spaetzle was very chewy. I did not use all the water almost like I was making homemade pasta or pie crust. I do not know what I was thinking but it was a big mistake! It was almost impossible to squeeze out of the ricer. This would have been good if I would have followed the directions. I will definitely make this again the right way! Very good with Hungarian Goulash I.

Used skim milk instead of water. Easy to cook but hard to press through a cutter. Thought it might be easier shoeing a horse or pulling out tree stumps. But worth the effort! The recipe for four is just right if you eat like eight people do.

I had a really hard time getting the dough to go thru the colander. Eventually, I ended up putting the top of my broiler pan, that has 1/4 inch holes all over it, on top of the stock pot with half volume of water, half of chicken stock. I had to really press and scrape the dough. It might be because I overworked the dough when I was mixing it. Or it could be because I let it sit for about an hour before pressing it. I served it with this recipe on top and it was really tasty. I also used milk and added pepper and nutmeg to the dough. I'd say, add a full 1/2 tsp of nutmeg because when I tried it without the cabbage, I couldn't even taste the 1/4 tsp I used.

a little tough, but good. Made them by hand because I didnt have anything to push the dough through. boiled then sauteed in butter and served with sausage. toughness may b result of overcooking or overmixing.

OK Rhonda it great thank you

These taste great, but I couldn't push them through a strainer or a grater so I patted the dough flat, sliced it into thin strips and cut off little pieces which I dusted with flour, placed in a colander to shake off excess flour, and put them into boiling water and boiled them until they rose to the top. I will not make them again because of this problem, but if you can make it work, they have a wonderful flavor.

I added more water, maybe a half a cup while mixing to get the proper consistency for the potato ricer.

I've never eaten this before, but I found it to be quite bland. After making the dough, I really couldn't envision it being pressed through a colander or grated on a cheese grater, as another reviewer suggested. I ended up putting it in a gal. bag, cutting out a corner, and squeezing it into the water. But the dough was so sticky, it wouldn't break off, so I sprayed scissors with Pam and cut off pieces as DH squeezed it out of the bag. I think they ended up being too big, about the size of quarters. I served it with Bavarian Pot Roast from this site, and it wasn't too bad covered with the gravy from the roast. I think we just like spicier food. I won't make again.

Cut the recipe in half - 2 scant cups of flour and almost 3 beaten eggs. Texture was PERFECT! Cooked them in a basic chicken soup. Way better than regular noodles. Thanks for the great recipe!

Did not turn out for me at all and i made the recipe step by step no substitutes or replacements...waste of time and ingredients for me

My husband makes the best spaetzle. He uses milk instead of water, and mixes in a little chicken bullion as well. Otherwise the recipe directions are the same. We put the spaetzle in homemade chicken soup instead of noodles.

This is the best Spaetzle recipe I ever made. I did substitute 3/4 cup water with milk. The dough was stiff and I added another 1/2 cup to 3/4 water (a little at a time, until dough was right consistency). Recipe states will feed four - these must be huge eaters. I ended up with about 10+ cups of spaetzle. I froze half to use at a later date. Overall results, big hit with my family; as good as those made by my Grandmother.

Just like my German grandmother used to make. I use milk instead of water. I use spaetzle in place of dumplings as well as a great side dish with sauerbraten or pork and sauerkraut. It's a great addition to soups. It can be substituted for pasta. I did invest in a spaetzle press but it has paid for itself over the past couple of years.

I made this exactly as written. I've never made spaetzle with water, always milk, and found it to be a little on the tough side. Thanks for sharing. Update: I made this again, topped with chives from the garden and added a little fresh nutmeg, as someone else suggested, so much better.

I've always wondered what these were, and I finally found out!! There was this old lady at my church that used to make her chicken and noodles with these, and I loved them, but never knew how she did it. It always had so much flavor and color. I finally found out it was the wonderful spaetzle that made it so wonderful and different. Thank you so much Rhonda!

This basically is the same as my recipe. When I make them, I add them to boiling potatoes until they float to the top. Then I drain all of it and fry in hot butter in a skillet until they get golden brown. The added potatoes give them great flavor! . YUMMMMM, MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE FOOD EVER!! Don't forget the salt & pepper!!!!!

It"s easy and tasty. The same as my grandmother used to cook.

I followed the recipe exactly. I had to thin my "batter" because it was too thick for the colander. Because of arthritis in my hands, I used my Kitchen aid mixer to mix the dough. It turned out elastic, like dough.

I love these noodles with anything with gravy.

I live in Germany and thought the taste of these was spot on but the dough was so stiff i couldn't push it through anything. I ended up adding a lot more water until it was sort of runny/elastic consistency. Then I could push it through large cheese grater holes. I will make again but will make it runnier right from the beginning.

Tried this recipe for the first time for a home Oktober fest. Brother-in-law said it was the best he'd ever had. Had to continue to add water to get to a consistency to drop into the chicken stock.

The recipe has way too little water and, after about tripling the water, it produces very eggy noodles. it's a simple recipe, so maybe 2 cups of water and 3 eggs would work better?

Idk if I did something wrong, but I couldn't get it to push through anything! The flavor was fine.(I tediously pinched off tiny bits) Is the dough supposed to be dry or runny? This was my first attempt at making this, so I'm def going to try the recipe again, but hope to either find a cheap spaetzle maker, or beg my German gma to show me how she does it next time I see her. lol

Turned out great, will make again

i must of not made it right tried to 1/2 recipe .. was sticky dough so had a hard time cutting into smaller pieces ended up with large pieces .. will try again but found it a bit heavy.. made with veal cutlets and asparagus.. and home made gravy.. will give it another try and hopefully will come out better.. my family found it a bit heavy..

Good basic recipe. I like to add garlic powder and parsley to mine. I also use my press and then sauté in butter.

Really tasty and easy to make.....my family loved these.

my fault they were chewy-i had to roll them out with my hands and mostly all too fat-i tried all of my other options not having a noodle press unsuccessfully-will get the the ricer at walmart and attempt again. my husband still ate all of them under meatballs and beef gravy they just were not the spaetzle we have had in Germany over the last four years-i take total blame.