Kräuterspätzle (German Herb Spaetzle)

A recipe for Kräuterspätzle (German Herb Spaetzle)! This homemade Spätzle is seasoned with a variety of chopped, fresh herbs and boiled until tender.

Disclosure: This post contains Amazon affiliate links. If you purchase something through the link, I may receive a small commission at no extra charge to you.

Kräuterspätzle is a great summer recipe to help trim back some of the herbs growing in your garden or use up leftovers.

Finely chopped, fresh herbs are mixed into a basic Spätzle (German and Austrian pasta dumpling) dough before pressing through a Spätzlespresse (Spaetzle Maker) into the boiling water.

I usually add a mixture of chives, parsley, basil, and/or thyme to the dough, but use any combination of your favorite herbs or what is available.

A Few Tips

I made the Kräuterspätzle with a Spaetzle press, but you can also use a colander. Make sure it has holes large enough to push the dough through with a wooden spoon or spatula.

If the batter is too thick to easily push through the press, thin it with about 1 teaspoon of water at a time. If it is too thin to hold its shape, add a little more flour.

Chop the herbs as finely as possible. This will help the flavor blend into every bite and keep the pieces small enough to fit through the press/colander.

Cook the Spätzle in batches to keep the pot from overcrowding and cooling off the water. It usually takes me 2-3 batches for this recipe.

To add lightness to the dough, I sometimes like to use sparkling water. Milk is another option.

Kräuterspätzle Serving Ideas

The Kräuterspätzle is great simply boiled with a little butter on top or you can take it a step further and pan-fry the cooked dumplings in butter to get crisp, golden edges (this is especially perfect for leftovers).

I also use this recipe as the base for my Spätzlesalat (German Spaetzle Pasta Salad).

Another delicious option is to prepare the Spätzle in a similar style as Kasnocken (Austrian Dumplings with Cheese and Onions).

After boiling the herb dumplings until tender, toss them with butter, pieces of Speck, and grated Alpine cheese in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the cheese is melted, allow the Kräuterspätzle to cook undisturbed for a couple of minutes to develop a golden crust. Serve immediately with caramelized onions over the top.

Speck (Südtiroler Speck) is a dry-cured, lightly smoked ham that originated in Alto Adige and is now under Protected Geographical Indication status. It is often used in northern Italian, German, and Austrian cuisine.

The exterior is darker in appearance due to the smoking process and spice blend with juniper. You can find it in some larger grocery stores (locally I have found it in the deli section of Wegmans) or in Central European specialty stores.

Looking for more European dumpling recipes?

Try my:

• Tojásos Nokedli (Hungarian Dumplings with Eggs)
• Bryndzové Halušky (Slovak Potato Dumplings with Cheese)
• Spinach Spätzli with Sage and Speck

This recipe was originally posted in August 2013 and updated in May 2023.

Kräuterspätzle (German Herb Spaetzle) Recipe

Adapted from Sebrina von Chefkoch

Print Pin

Kräuterspätzle (German Herb Spaetzle)

A recipe for Kräuterspätzle (German Herb Spaetzle)! This homemade Spätzle is seasoned with a variety of chopped, fresh herbs and boiled until tender.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine German

Keyword German, Germany, herb, spätzle, summer

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Resting Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 4 Servings

Ingredients

• 2 3/4 cups (350 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup (10 grams) fresh herb leaves finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 4 large eggs
• 3/4 cup (180 milliliters) water

Instructions

• In a large bowl, combine the flour, finely chopped herbs, salt, and nutmeg.
• Make a well in the center and add eggs. Beat them with a wooden spoon and stir into the flour. Slowly add the water until a dough, slightly thicker than pancake batter, forms.
• Cover the bowl with a towel and allow to rest at room temperature for 20 minutes.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Place a spaetzle press or large holed colander over the pot and fill with batter.
• Slide the press back and forth or use a wooden spoon to press the batter through the holes of the colander to create the dumplings. Stir gently to remove any pieces from the bottom of the pot.
• Cook until they float to the top, remove with a strainer, and drain.
• Serve with immediately with butter or pan-fry.