By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 14, 2026
Serves 4
607 cal · 35 min
Homemade German Spätzle
Recipe GLPR1a561aad6277f5
Tender, egg-based German noodles with a delicate texture, made from a simple dough of flour, eggs, and milk. These homemade spätzle are cooked until they float, then chilled and tossed with butter. Perfect as a side dish for roasted meats or served with rich gravies. This recipe yields four servings in about 35 minutes.
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Ingredients
4 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
3 large eggs
1¼ cups milk
2 quarts lightly salted water for cooking
2 tablespoons butter or vegetable oil for tossing
Directions
In a stand mixer bowl, combine the flour, salt, and nutmeg. In a separate small bowl, whisk the eggs together until blended. Create a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour the whisked eggs into it. Add the milk to the well. Attach the dough hook to the stand mixer and mix on medium speed for 18–20 minutes, until the dough becomes smooth and bubbly, indicating proper gluten development.
Bring at least 2 quarts of lightly salted water to a boil in a large pot, then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Working in batches, use a spätzle maker to press the dough directly into the simmering water. Cook for 2–3 minutes, until the spätzle float to the surface.
Using a slotted spoon, carefully remove the cooked spätzle from the water and immediately transfer them to a large bowl filled with ice water to stop the cooking process. Let them cool for about 1–2 minutes, then drain well in a colander.
Toss the drained spätzle with butter or vegetable oil to prevent sticking. The spätzle can be refrigerated for up to 2 days before serving.
To serve, melt additional butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the spätzle and toss gently until heated through, about 3–5 minutes. Serve warm as a side dish with roasted beef, pork, schnitzel, or your favorite gravy.
Comments
Spätzle is a rare win for weeknight cooking: every ingredient is a staple at any Charlotte grocer—flour, eggs, milk, butter, salt, and nutmeg are as close to universal as it gets, with no special stops required. The stated 35 minutes is honest once you realize half is boiling water and resting dough; active hands-on time runs 20 minutes, which is genuinely manageable. At roughly $1.50–$2 per serving depending on butter quality, it's cheap, especially compared to pasta or rice sides. The real limitation is that spätzle is best served warm and fresh; leftover reheats poorly, turning gummy, so this is a same-night dish that demands you eat when it's ready rather than a flexible weeknight staple.
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