You can think of Cheese Spaetzle (Käsespätzle recipe) as German Mac and Cheese. Tender homemade egg noodles are cooked to perfection in a deliciously cheesy cream sauce.
Why This Recipe Works
COMFORT FOOD - If you're looking for rich, delicious comfort food, this cheese noodle recipe is for you. These cheesy Spaetzle are decadent, delicious, and ever so addicting.
AUTHENTICALLY GERMAN - This is a great recipe if you're looking for authentic German Recipes. German cheese spaetzle are often served in southern Germany but have become very popular throughout Germany.
Ingredients
Please use the recipe card below for a detailed, printable ingredient list.
SPAETZLE - You need to prepare one batch of homemade Spaetzle. No worries, this is an easy 3-ingredient German egg noodle recipe. You'll want to make the batter and cook the noodles in boiling water.
When done, follow the instructions in this recipe.
SHORTCUT: If you don't have time to make Spaetzle, use elbow macaroni instead. It won't be exactly like cheese spaetzle, but you'll have a delicious spin on traditional mac and cheese. If you choose this option, cook the pasta al dente.
BUTTER - Use unsalted butter.
ONION - Sweet onion or white onions work well.
CREAM - Heavy cream adds richness to the sauce.
CHEESE - Any Swiss cheese will work. In Germany, we often use Emmental cheese, but that cheese can be challenging to find in the United States. Of course, you can use regular Swiss or Gruyere works well, too.
As with most recipes, I recommend using a block of cheese and shredding it yourself. You can use pre-shredded Swiss cheese, but it's typically full of preservatives and doesn't melt as well.
PARSLEY - Look for fresh parsley. I prefer curly parsley, but flat parsley works just as well.
Variations and Additions
BACON - Although not necessary, adding some fried bacon pieces to the cheesy Spaetzle adds a delicious twist to this recipe.
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How To Make This Cheese Spaetzle
- SPAETZLE - Make a fresh batch of homemade spätzle and cook in boiling water.
- CHEESE SAUCE - Melt butter over medium heat in a large cast iron skillet, add onion, and sauté until tender.
Add heavy cream to the caramelized onions and bring to a boil. Stir in the grated cheese.
Whisk constantly until the cheese has melted. Add parsley and the cooked Spaetzle to the cheese sauce. If desired, season with salt and black pepper. - BROIL (Optional)- Place the cast iron skillet under the broiler for 2-3 minutes.
More Side Dishes
German Recipe Pronunciation
You might have seen a variety of spellings for this recipe, such as Cheese Spaetzle, Käsespätzle, Kaese Spaetzle, and Kaesespaetzle, to name a few.
Käsespätzle is the German word for cheese spaetzle.
The German language has so-called "umlaut letters." The letters a, o, and u sometimes have two dots on top of the letter. It tells the readers that they have to pronounce the word differently.
In English, we don't know this type of letter. It's often translated as "ae" but sometimes just as "a."
German also has lots of compound words. Käsespätzle is a good example. It's made up of two words, Käse (cheese) and Spätzle (Spaetzle). So depending on how it's translated, you'll end up with various spellings.
Kase Spatzle, Kase Spaetzle, or Kasespatzle are all different translations. But we are always talking about the same recipe.
What to serve with Cheese Spaetzle
You can serve this recipe as a main dish or a side dish.
If you're serving this recipe as a main dish, you will make a quick green salad with a light oil and vinegar dressing.
POPULAR SIDE DISH FOR CHEESE SPAETZLE:
German Cucumber Salad - Oma's authentic German Cucumber Salad is incredibly refreshing and made with 4 simple ingredients.
If you're serving cheese spaetzle as a side dish, you can serve it with plenty of German recipes such as Jägerschnitzel, Goulash, or Frikadellen.
Leftovers
STORE - You can store cheese spaetzle in the fridge for 1-2 days.
FREEZE - You can't freeze cheese spaetzle. But you can freeze Spaetzle.
More Easy Comfort Food Recipes
Beef Stroganoff - Tender, succulent beef, and mushrooms are simmered to perfection in a brandy cream sauce.
Chicken Schnitzel - Golden-brown and crispy on the outside and juicy chicken on the inside.
German Potato Soup - Classic German Potato Soup with beef Frank's.
Did you try this recipe?
Please take a moment to rate the recipe below!
Käsespätzle
Ingredients
- 1 batch homemade Spaetzle
- 2 tablespoons butter unsalted
- 1 medium sweet onion diced
- 8 ounces Swiss cheese grated, ideally Emmental cheese, Gruyere is a good option, too
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons parsley
Instructions
PREP
- Make one batch of homemade German Spaetzle.
CHEESE SPAETZLE
- Heat butter in a large cast iron-skillet and sauté onions until tender and transluscent. About 5 minutes.
- Add heavy cream and bring to a boil; reduce heat and stir in the cheese. Continue to whisk until the cheese has melted, add parsley, and fold in cooked spaetzle. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- OPTIONAL - For a crispy curst, place the cast iron skillet for 2-3 minutes under the broiler.
Andrea Mills
I'm German as well and have eaten my fair share of Kaesespaetzle im Allgaeu. I've never seen them made with a cheese sauce. What I've eaten always had shredded cheese (Bergkaese) layered with spaetzle and the cheese would melt when baked in the oven.
Maike
You make a good point, Andrea. German recipes often vary from region to region. If you are from the Allgäu region, yes, you'll be used to using Bergkäse (mountain cheese). Where I lived, we use Emmental or sometimes even Gouda. Also, my recipes are written and adapted for a US audience, and I always want to make sure everybody can easily find the ingredients. And I don't know of any supermarkets that carry Bergkäse here. Emmental is a good choice, but even that can be tough to find, which is why I also suggest Gruyere or even regular Swiss cheese. Hope that makes sense. 🙂