Spaetzle

5 from 5 votes

This easy Spaetzle recipe uses flour, eggs, and milk to make tender German noodles tossed in butter and parsley. Simple, cheap, and delicious!

Prep Time20

Cook Time20

Total Time40

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: German

Total Cost: $1.64 recipe / $0.27 serving

Servings: servings (1 cup each)

Calories: 250kcal

Author: Jennie Alley

Equipment

Large Bowl
Large Pot
Colander or Grater
Medium Skillet

Ingredients

3 large eggs $0.68
½ cup whole milk $0.14*
½ tsp salt plus more to season water and to taste, $0.04
2 cups all-purpose flour $0.25
3 Tbsp butter $0.35
1 Tbsp fresh parsley chopped, $0.18

Instructions

Gather all your ingredients.
In a large bowl, whisk eggs, milk, and salt until smooth.
Add flour and stir until you have a thick, sticky batter (thicker than pancake batter but not doughy). If too thick, add 1–2 tbsp more milk. Rest the dough for 10-15 minutes.**
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.***
Working in batches, place a portion of the batter on the back of a large-holed grater or in a colander set over the pot. Use a spoon or spatula to press the batter through the holes so little “noodles” drop into the boiling water.****
The noodles will rise to the top in about 2 minutes. Once they float, remove them with a slotted spoon and transfer them to an ice water bath to stop the cooking. Continue until all the batter has been used.
Once all of the spaetzle has been made, drain it thoroughly.
In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat, then add the spaetzle. Toss until lightly coated and warmed through. Season with salt and pepper (optional), sprinkle with parsley, and serve hot.

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Notes

*I use milk for a slightly richer dough, though some traditional versions use just water. Either way works!

**Resting the batter helps relax the gluten, giving the noodles a softer, more tender bite. Don’t skip this step!

***I usually use about a teaspoon of salt to season the water.

****No spaetzle maker? I used a large-holed cheese grater and had great results, but you could also use a sturdy colander with large holes or even a potato ricer!

Nutrition