By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 14, 2026
Serves 4
319 cal · 25 min
German Spaetzle
Recipe GLPR5af2653226d53d
Tender, homemade egg noodles with a delicate, slightly chewy texture. This classic German comfort food is made by pressing a simple batter of flour, eggs, salt, and water through a spaetzle maker or colander into boiling salted water. The result is a versatile side dish that can be enjoyed plain, tossed with butter, or paired with your favorite sauce.
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Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
5 large eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup water
Directions
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Create a well in the center of the flour mixture.
Crack the eggs into the well and begin whisking them together, gradually incorporating the flour from the sides until a thick batter forms.
Add the water a little at a time, stirring vigorously to create a smooth, slightly thick batter. The batter should be thicker than pancake batter but thin enough to pass through a spaetzle maker or colander. If needed, add additional flour or water to reach the proper consistency.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil.
Working in batches, press the batter through a spaetzle maker (or carefully push it through a colander with large holes) directly into the boiling water. The noodles will sink initially, then float to the surface as they cook.
Once the spaetzle float and continue cooking for 1-2 minutes more, use a slotted spoon to transfer them to a serving bowl. Repeat until all batter is used.
Serve the spaetzle warm. They can be enjoyed plain, tossed with a little butter, or paired with your favorite German sauce or gravy.
Comments
This is a genuinely cheap weeknight dish—flour, eggs, salt, and water cost under $2 total, and all four ingredients are in every Charlotte grocery store without exception. The stated 25 minutes is honest if you're comfortable with the hand-grating or spaetzle-maker technique; the dough itself takes five minutes to mix, but the actual cooking and draining adds real time, so expect 30 minutes realistically for a first timer. The texture is delicate and best eaten fresh the same night, though leftovers can be reheated gently in butter. It's a simple, no-fuss side that doesn't demand constant attention and works well for a family of four.
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