Recipe for German Spaetzle with Cabbage

This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a commission if you make a purchase using these links. As a Walmart and King Arthur Baking affiliate, and an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Share this Recipe!

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. 

Serving German Spaetzle with Cabbage for Oktoberfest or Holidays

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.

Using a Spaetzle Maker

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 Recipes

Ingredients for German Spaetzle with Cabbage

(As a Walmart Affiliate, I earn from qualified purchases at the links below. See the full recipe at the bottom of this post.)

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, kosher salt, and ground nutmeg.

German Pasta and Spaetzle Maker

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.

Making Spaetzle

Fill the basket on the Spaetzle Maker with dough. Place over the pot of boiling water. Slide basket back and forth.

Making Spaetzle - Little Sparrows

Tiny dumplings will fall into the water and float to the top when they are done (after about 30 seconds).

Spaetzle after it's Boiled - Little Sparrows

Remove them from the water with a wire whisk and place the spaetzle in large bowl. Keep warm.

Make the Sauce

Ingredients for the Cabbage 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.

Cooking the Bacon and Sauteing the Onions

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.

Stirring Whipping Cream into the Spaetzle

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 Spaetzle with Cabbage in a Pretty Serving Bowl - Blue Willow

Serve in a pretty serving bowl (such as Blue Willow) at your next German dinner or Oktoberfest. This recipe will easily serve 8-10 people.

Serving German Spaetzle with Cabbage with German Meatballs

Serving Suggestions

I like to serve this pasta dish with other German foods, such as German Style Meatballs, Pork Schnitzel, or Bierocks with Sausage and Cabbage. 

Browse Similar Categories

Recipe for German Spaetzle with Cabbage

German Spaetzle with Cabbage

Being Lutheran with German heritage on both sides of my husband’s family, we enjoy lots of German food. Which means, we eat a lot of cabbage and sausage! Here are our favorite Oktoberfest – German Food Recipes.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Serving Size 10

(As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.)

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

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

Calories: 570kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 43g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 145mg | Sodium: 799mg | Potassium: 308mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 910IU | Vitamin C: 35mg | Calcium: 114mg | Iron: 3mg

 

Share this Recipe!

Similar Posts

4.80 from 5 votes (2 ratings without comment)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




9 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    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!

    1. Thanks so much for commenting, Betsy! I’m glad that you enjoyed the spaetzle recipe. It’s a winner in our book, too!

      1. Hi Dianna, You might use a flat handheld course grater to make the spaetzle. Maybe place the dough in a plastic container or cup and turn it upside down against the grater and carefully smooth it over the grater. Just a thought.

      2. 5 stars
        We always just dropped small amounts of the dough off the end of a teaspoon. It takes longer, but it’s definitely doable. If dough accumulates on the spoon, just scrape it off or run the spoon under hot water.