Bring the flavors of Germany into your house with my easy Spaetzle Recipe using store bought spaetzle mixed with caramelized onions, and crispy bacon. This classic German side dish will have everyone shouting “Prost”!
Every year either I host or my in-laws host an Oktoberfest dinner. In past years, I’ve brought the cucumber salad, caramelized onion bacon spaetzle, and apple strudel. I will task someone else to make the brats, pretzels, German potato salad, and red cabbage for our meal. I will be the first to admit that my spaetzle recipe is not fully homemade. It’s more of a semi-homemade recipe where I doctor up a bag of dry spaetzle that I purchase from the grocery store. By adding crispy bacon, caramelized onions, and spices no one will ever know that the spaetzle was not homemade from scratch.
Table of contents
Ingredients
- Spaetzle – You are not going to make fresh spaetzle for this recipe. Instead, you will be using a pre-made spaetzle as pictured above.
- Bacon – I love to cook the bacon then use the bacon fat to cook the onions. It adds another layer of flavor.
- Onion – One onion, thinly sliced is all you will need for this recipe.
- Butter – A few tablespoons of butter (salted or unsalted is fine).
- Seasonings – A combination of salt, black pepper, and parsley is all I use to season the spaetzle once it is cooked.
How to Make Spaetzle
First, using a large skillet, begin to fry the five pieces of bacon on medium heat for 5 minutes until crispy (flip half way through).
Remove the bacon from the skillet (keep all the bacon fat in the skillet) and place the thinly sliced onions in the pan, mix well and cook on low for 15 minutes with the lid on the skillet. Half way through mix, and add ¼ cup water. Place lid back on and cook longer. Continue to check every few minutes. Make sure the skillet stays moist and add the additional ¼ cup of water.
While the onions are caramelizing begin to cook the spaetzle according to the package (be prepared it will take around 20 minutes depending on the brand). Remove once cooked, rinse in cold water, and set to the side.
Chop the bacon into bite size pieces and place back in skillet with the onions. Mix well then add the cooked spaetzle to the skillet. Season with salt, pepper, dry parsley, and butter. Mix well and serve immediately.
FAQs
This spätzle recipe makes enough to have at least 8 side dish servings.
In past years, I only find it in the fall months in the ethnic food aisle or in the pasta aisle. You can also order spaetzle on Amazon.
You can toss your spaetzle in bacon fat, crispy bacon, caramelized onions, garlic, even toss with grated Parmesan cheese.
If your spätzle is over cooked it can become soggy and/or mushy. To avoid this, make sure to cool the cooked spätzle by draining into a colander and pouring cold ice-water immediately to stop the cooking process.
Spatzle is essentially a German pasta or tiny German noodle made with flour and eggs. This tiny but thick pasta is often found as a side dish in most German dishes.
Tips & Tricks
Here are a few of my favorite tips and tricks when making Spatzle.
- Reduce the Portion – If you would like to reduce the amount of Spatzle used for this recipe you do not need to reduce the other ingredients.
- Dried Spatzle – Keep in mind most dried spatzle’s take about 20 minutes to cook until they are soft to taste.
- Rinse – It is very important that after you drain the cooked Spatzle in the colander that you rinse it off with ice cold water. This will stop it from cooking and prevent it from getting mushy.
- Thinly Sliced Onions – I like to cut my onion using a hand-held mandolin to get uniformed thin slices of onion.
German Recipes
If you are looking for more German recipes here are a few more of my favorites.
If you make this Spaetzle recipe, I would be honored and love for you to take the time to leave a star rating and comment! I spend hours developing and testing these recipes, and always love to hear feedback and user experience!
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Spatzle Recipe
Equipment
- Stove Top
Ingredients
- 5 strips bacon
- 1 Onion thinly sliced
- ½ cup water divided
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- 17 oz dry package spaetzle
- 2 tablespoon butter
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- In a large skillet, begin to fry the five pieces of bacon on medium heat for 5 minutes until crispy (flip half way through).
- Remove the bacon from the skillet (keep all the bacon fat in the skillet) and place the thinly sliced onions in the pan, mix well and cook on low for 15 minutes with the lid on the skillet. Half way through mix, and add ¼ cup water. Place lid back on and cook longer. Continue to check every few minutes. Make sure the skillet stays moist and add the additional ¼ cup of water.
- While the onions are caramelizing begin to cook the spaetzle according to the package (be prepared it will take around 20 minutes depending on the brand). Remove once cooked, rinse in cold water, and set to the side.
- Chop the bacon into bite size pieces and place back in skillet with the onions. Mix well then add the cooked spaetzle to the skillet. Season with salt, pepper, dry parsley, and butter. Mix well and serve immediately.
Notes
- Reduce the Portion – If you would like to reduce the amount of Spatzle used for this recipe you do not need to reduce the other ingredients.
- Dried Spatzle – Keep in mind most dried spatzle’s take about 20 minutes to cook until they are soft to taste.
- Rinse – It is very important that after you drain the cooked Spatzle in the colander that you rinse it off with ice cold water. This will stop it from cooking and prevent it from getting mushy.
Nutrition
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Katy @ Tasty Little Crouton
Oh my gosh, I never knew they sold dried spaetzle! I know what I’ll be looking for during my next trip to the store 🙂 Just found your blog today, and I really like it! Super cute. Cheers!!
Katie
Thanks Katy! Yes–even in my local grocery store they sell dried spaetzle. Thanks for stopping by!
Nutmeg Nanny
This looks incredible 🙂 my mouth is watering just looking at this photo, yum!
Katie
Thanks Brandy!
amy @ fearless homemaker
Oh, I love spaetzle (I married into a German family) and this looks like one of the best versions I’ve ever seen. YUM!
Katie
Thanks Amy!
Meagan @ Scarletta Bakes
You do spaetzle right, girl! It’s a favorite with my family and my Dad insists on it whenever I go home – I can’t wait to try your version!