Spätzle Recipe: Quick German Egg Noodle Side Dish, Pillowy & Buttery 2026

Spätzle are soft, rustic German egg noodles with a wonderfully irregular, rough surface that grabs onto every drop of sauce it meets. Their name comes from the local dialect and literally means "little sparrows," because a serving of them is said to look like a nest of tiny birds. They are quick, cheap and made from pantry staples you almost certainly already have at home.

These little dumplings shine as a side dish. Serve them with a knob of melted butter alongside dry dishes to add juiciness, or pair them with anything saucy, like a hearty stew, so they can soak up all that flavor. They can also star on their own, as in the classic cheese spätzle.

Because they come together in about ten minutes, this is a preparation almost always made from scratch at home rather than bought ready-made. The secret is working the dough until it starts to form air bubbles, which guarantees that characteristic rough texture once cooked.

Families who make spätzle often keep a dedicated tool on hand for shaping them, and the results are excellent. The most typical are a press, similar to a potato ricer but with wider holes, or a special slicer board with holes instead of a blade. They are inexpensive and easy to find online or in German specialty shops.

There is also a traditional technique that needs nothing more than a cutting board and a knife. It takes a bit more skill and speed, since you have to work quickly, but plenty of cooks prefer it and value the results it gives.

Below you will find both methods explained, so you can pick whichever suits you best. As a fallback, any kitchen tool with wide holes works too, such as a colander or a grater. Nothing should stop you from making these at home.

Ingredients for Spätzle

This recipe makes 2 servings as a side dish.

• 100 g all-purpose wheat flour
• 1 medium egg
• Salt
• 50 ml water (approximately)
• 10 g butter
• Ground black pepper, to taste
• Ground nutmeg, to taste

How to Make Spätzle Step by Step

1. Combine the Base Ingredients

To start, combine 100 g of all-purpose wheat flour, 1 medium egg and a pinch of salt in a bowl.

2. Mix Into a Thick Paste

Next, mix these ingredients until you get a thick paste. At this point it does not matter if a few lumps remain.

3. Add the Water Gradually

Then, gradually incorporate 50 ml of water, adding it little by little. Mix energetically with a spatula, spoon or even your hands to prevent lumps from forming.

4. Work the Dough to the Right Texture

After that, keep stirring until you reach a texture like that of a cream, where you can feel air bubbles forming as you work it. That is exactly the point we are after. If needed, you can correct the texture with one or two tablespoons of water or flour if it is too thick or too runny, respectively.

5. Bring Salted Water to a Boil

Once the dough is ready, bring plenty of salted water to a boil in a large pot so the spätzle can cook loosely, and have a large bowl or salad bowl with plenty of cold water ready as well.

6. Set Up Your Spätzle Tool

When the water comes to a rolling boil, if you have a dedicated spätzle tool, place it on top of the pot and secure the notches on the edges so it does not move.

7. Press the Dough Through the Holes

Right away, pour the dough into the slicer's compartment and begin sliding it gently so the dough passes through the holes, forming the typical elongated strips. If you have another tool with wide holes instead, simply place it over the pot and push the dough through them.

8. Use the Board and Knife Method

If you have neither of these tools, turn to the manual technique. Place the dough on a cutting board and, using the back of a knife, push strips of dough so they fall into the boiling water. Be sure to wet the knife often with the hot water from the pot so the dough does not stick to it.

9. Cook Until They Float

Next, let the spätzle cook until they all float on the surface. If you are making several batches, it is best to cook them in batches to better control their cooking.

10. Remove Them Quickly

As soon as they rise to the surface, quickly remove the spätzle from the pot to keep them from overcooking. If you are making several batches, it is best to lift them out with a spatula or strainer and reuse the water for the next batch.

11. Shock Them in Cold Water

From the hot water, transfer them directly to a bowl of cold water to stop the cooking and help them keep their perfect consistency.

12. Drain and Set Aside

Finally, drain the spätzle and set them aside in a container until you are ready to use them.

13. Melt the Butter

If you want to serve them with butter, first melt 10 g of butter in a skillet over medium heat.

14. Toss the Spätzle in Butter

Then, add the well-drained spätzle to the skillet and mix well so they are evenly coated in the fat.

15. Season and Serve

Finally, season them with ground black pepper and ground nutmeg to taste and serve immediately.

Tips for the Best Spätzle

Work the Dough Until It Bubbles

The key to that signature rough surface is beating the dough until you can feel air bubbles forming as you work it. That texture is exactly what lets the spätzle capture the flavor of whatever you serve them with.

Choose the Shaping Method That Suits You

A dedicated press or slicer gives an optimal, consistent result and is inexpensive to buy online or at German specialty shops. The traditional board-and-knife technique takes more skill and speed, but many cooks prefer it, and a colander or wide grater works as a handy alternative.

Cook in Batches and Shock in Cold Water

If you are making several servings, cook the spätzle in batches so you can control the cooking better. Pull them out the moment they float, then plunge them straight into cold water to stop the cooking and keep their texture just right.

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