German Spaetzle with Cabbage
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We’ve been making German Spaetzle with Cabbage in our home for many years. My mother-in-law shared the recipe with me back at my first Oktoberfest celebration at our church. It’s simply delicious and is perfect with German food, or for your next holiday dinner.
(Post modified on 10/2/23.)
This family recipe has homemade German dumplings, bacon, cabbage, and onions, all mixed together with a cream sauce. So delicious.
Spaetzle Means “Little Sparrows”
What is Spaetzle? The dish comes from Germany and is a type of pasta made with eggs. The short term of the word Spatz means little sparrows, which I think is really cool, because the little drops of pasta do kind of look like little birds.
To make this dish you’ll need a Spaetzle Maker. This little gadget is so handy, and not very expensive. I’ve seen them in our local hardware stores but you can also purchase them online. I’ve also noticed that some people use a device similar or perhaps even the same as a potato ricer, but that seems like it would make a very thin noodle.
More German Dishes to Enjoy
- Creamy Cabbage and Bratwurst Soup
- Pork Schnitzel with Cream Sauce
- Bierocks with Sausage and Cabbage
- Red Cabbage with Apples
Ingredients for German Spaetzle with Cabbage
(See the full recipe at the bottom of this post.)
- all-purpose flour
- salt
- ground nutmeg (freshly ground, if you have it)
- large eggs
- whole milk
Cabbage Sauce
- bacon
- sweet or yellow onion
- medium head cabbage
- whipping cream
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
Instructions for Making This Recipe
Gather your ingredients so that you have everything close at hand on the counter or table.
Prepare the German Pasta – Little Sparrows
In a small bowl, mix together the all-purpose flour, salt, and ground nutmeg.
In another bowl, whisk large eggs until foamy. Add milk. Pour into the flour mixture a little at a time and mix well. Dough will be slightly stiff.
Next, fill a large pot with 3-4 quarts of water and 1 tablespoon of kosher salt. Bring water to a low boil.
Fill the basket on the Spaetzle Maker with dough. Place over the pot of boiling water. Slide basket back and forth.
Tiny dumplings will fall into the water and float to the top when they are done (after about 30 seconds).
Remove them from the water with a wire whisk and place the spaetzle in large bowl. Keep warm.
Make the Sauce
To make the cabbage sauce, start by preparing the bacon and vegetables. Cut bacon into 1″ slices. Mince the onion, and shred the cabbage.
In a large skillet or shallow Dutch oven, cook bacon until crispy. Add onion to the bacon grease and cook until translucent.
Add the shredded cabbage and stir in to the bacon and onions. Cover and simmer until cabbage is tender about 15-20 minutes.
Add the German pasta to the cabbage. Stir in whipping cream. Continue cooking until the cream starts to thicken. Within minutes the pasta will soak up some of the cream, creating a wonderfully creamy dish. Season with salt and pepper.
Serve in a pretty serving bowl at your next German dinner or Oktoberfest. This recipe will easily serve 8-10 people.
I like to serve this pasta dish with other German foods, such as German Style Meatballs, Pork Schnitzel, or Bierocks with Sausage and Cabbage.
See more German Recipes Here. Browse Side Dishes Here.
German Spaetzle with Cabbage
Equipment
Ingredients
German Pasta
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg freshly ground, if possible
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
Cabbage Sauce
- 8 oz thick bacon cut into small pieces
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1 medium head cabbage shredded
- 2 cups whipping cream
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Gather your ingredients so that you have everything close at hand on the counter or table.
- Using a sharp knife and cutting board, chop the onion. Coarsely shred the cabbage.
Prepare the Spaetzle
- In a small bowl, mix together the all-purpose flour, salt, and nutmeg.
- In a second bowl, whisk the large eggs until foamy. Add whole milk. Add egg mixture to the flour a little at a time and mix well. Dough will be somewhat stiff.
- Fill a large pot with salted water and bring to a boil. Fill the spaetzle maker basket with dough. Slide the basket back and forth over the boiling water. Tiny dumplings will fall into the water and float to the top when they are done (after about 30 seconds). Using a wire strainer, dip them out and place in a large bowl. Keep warm until ready to use.
Make the Cabbage Sauce
- In a large skillet, cook bacon until crispy. Remove bacon and drain on paper towels. When cool, break into small pieces.
- Using the same skillet, add prepared chopped onion and shredded cabbage to the bacon grease, mixing well. Cover and simmer until the cabbage is tender, about 15-20 minutes.
- Stir in whipping cream and dumplings. Continue cooking until the cream starts to thicken. Within minutes, the spaetzle will soak up some of the cream, creating a creamy dish. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serves 8-10.
Nutrition
I love this creamy version of spaetzle! I’ve always served them buttered with my sauerbraten and gravy over them, but now I really want to try this version. Thanks so much for sharing your family’s recipes with us!
You are very welcome, Carolyn. I hope that you will enjoy this version of Spaetzle!
This is so delicious Deborah!
Thank you so much for sharing!
Thanks so much for commenting, Betsy! I’m glad that you enjoyed the spaetzle recipe. It’s a winner in our book, too!