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.

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

Finely chopped, fresh herbs are mixed into a basic Spätzle (Central European 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 Kräuterspätzle 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.

If doubling the recipe, cook the Spätzle in batches to keep the pot from overcrowding and cooling off the water.

Don’t have sparkling water? You can also use tap water or even swap for milk.

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 Pinzgauer Kasnocken (Pinzgau-Style Cheese Spätzle).

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 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Resting Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 2 -4 Servings

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups (190 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup (120 milliliters) sparkling water
• 3-4 tablespoons finely chopped fresh herbs

Instructions

• In a large bowl, sift together the flour and salt.
• Use a wooden spoon to vigorously mix in the eggs and water to create a thick batter.
• As you are mixing, the dough should become elastic with air bubbles forming as it pulls from the edges.
• Cover the bowl with a towel and allow to rest at room temperature for 10-20 minutes.
• Stir the fresh herbs into the rested dough until evenly combined.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
• Place a spaetzle press or large-holed colander over the pot and fill with the 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.
• Cook until the dumplings float to the top. Remove with a strainer, rinse with cold water, and drain.
• Serve immediately as desired or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to a couple of days.