Cheese Spaetzle (Käsespätzle) is the German version of Mac and Cheese! Made with homemade German egg noodles and Emmental cheese. This Bavarian dish is special enough for an Oktoberfest party but so easy that you can make it every day!
It’s the end of September and that means the Oktoberfest in Munich is almost over! I’m not a fan of big crowds (especially if the crowd mainly consists of drunken people) and loud music but I love the food. You get great Bavarian dishes in every tent!
Like this Bavarian specialty called Allgäuer Käsespätzle. It’s the ultimate comfort food similar to Mac and Cheese. Homemade German spaetzle are mixed with cheese and cream and topped with chives and crispy fried onions. It’s so delicious AND really easy to make at home!
This dish is a favorite of my husband. Most times when we go out to a German restaurant he orders cheese spaetzle and I can’t blame him. Who can resist melted cheese and crispy onions?
But you don’t have to visit the Oktoberfest or fly out to Munich to enjoy this dish because it’s super easy to make at home! The only thing you probably don’t have in your kitchen is a spaetzle maker but luckily Amazon can help with this little problem. I recommend this one, it’s dishwasher safe, doesn’t cost too much, and is easy to handle.
You can make the spaetzle in advance and store them in the fridge for 1-2 days. If you don’t want to make cheese spaetzle you can also just saute them in butter and serve them with a Sunday roast and gravy.
But I urge you to try my cheese spaetzle recipe! It’s super delicious and tastes like in our favorite Bavarian restaurant.
There are many ways to make cheese spaetzle but I like this version the most. Some recipes (especially the ones that are not from Bavaria) only use cheese and no cream but we prefer it a bit creamier.
To make cheese spaetzle you first need half of my Easy German Spaetzle Recipe. This serves 2 persons as a main dish if you need more make the whole recipe. When the spaetzle are done you can use them immediately or combine them with a little bit of butter and store them in the fridge until you’re ready to use them.
Emmental cheese is the perfect cheese to use for cheese spaetzle. It has a savory but mild taste and melts easily. Combined with cream and chives it makes a creamy, cheesy melted deliciousness. When you’ve combined the spaetzle and the cheese mixture put the skillet under the broiler for a few minutes until the top is nicely browned and bubbly. Top the Kaesespaetzle with chopped chives and as much crispy fried onions as you like and enjoy!
Looking for more German recipes? Check out these:
- German Apple Streusel Sheet Cake
- Plum Cake with Streusel
- Covered Apple Cake
- German Apple Cake (Versunkener Apfelkuchen)
- Nut Corners (German Nussecken)
Tools used for making this Cheese Spaetzle recipe:
Cast Iron Skillet: This skillet works best for this recipe.
Box Grater: This one is super convenient, it comes with an attachable container for catching, measuring and storing grated foods.
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Cheese Spaetzle Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 3/4 cup shredded Emmental cheese
- 2 Tbsp chopped chives, plus more for garnishing
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 4-5 cups spaetzle
- Crispy Fried Onions
Instructions
- In a small bowl combine shredded Emmental cheese, heavy cream, and chopped chives.
- Heat up the butter in a 9-10-inch cast iron pan over medium heat.
- When the butter is hot add the spaetzle. Cook over medium-high heat until they're golden brown on the edges and slightly crispy.
- Add the cheese mixture and stir to combine.
- Put the pan under your broiler for about 2-3 minutes until the top gets golden brown.
- Garnish with chopped chives and crispy fried onions.
Nutrition Information
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If you’ve tried this or any other of my recipes, don’t forget to rate the recipe and to leave me a comment. I love hearing from you!
Bernadette Forster says
Hello Julia, I came across your recipe when searching for a Spaetzle recipe. I smiled when I saw your last name.
My husband’s family came to USA in the late 1800s and they spelled their last name the same as yours until they decided to drop the e changing to Forster.
Can’t wait to try your cheesy recipe. German comfort food. My husband is the cook in the family and does an excellent job.
Sue says
My husband & I have every year a German party my question is can I make this ahead of time and keep it warm in the oven?
Julia Foerster says
I haven’t tried keeping it warm for a long time so I’m not sure. I think it would be ok to keep it warm in the oven for an hour or so and then put it under the broiler just before serving. Hope this helps!
Taylor says
I made Käsespätzle last year for my German class and was surprised this year to find a not for me on the whiteboard (a year after I made it the first time). Some of the kids that were in my class last year but not this year wanted me to make it again, so here I am! I love this recipe so much, it’s delicious and easy to make.
Kenneth says
This sounds amazing. I look forward to trying this wonderful dish. The spetzel maker suggested is very expensive so I’m not about to waste $60 on that trash. I can probably make them by hand.
Nonetheless, I intend to make your recipe which sounds like a piece of heaven.
Julia says
Oh, $60 is definitely too much for something you only use a few times a year, it was a lot cheaper when I linked to it. You could use a colander with medium holes or look for a cheaper Spaetzle Maker on Amazon. I found this one for under $20 and it has great reviews!
Dan Schaefer says
I had never had this dish, but the recipe looked fairly easy I purchased a Spaetzle maker and I made a 1/2 batch of your Easy German Spaetzle Recipe.
After mixing the dough I was concerned about the heavy consistency the dough and realized that there was no mention of what the dough consistency was to be. I ended up thinning out the dough to a heavy
pancake batter and then using the Spaetzle maker to make the Spaetzle, this was a surprising simple and smooth operation and in no time the spaetzle was in the boiling water and cooked. The Cheese Spaetzle was very good.
Cici says
Can you explain what you mean by “crispy fried onions” ?
Dagmar says
I grew up in germany but now live in California. My mom most of the time used Swiss cheese and sauteed onions. I love spaetzle but since I don’t like Swiss cheese I wouldn’t eat them. I make spaetzle for my kids with rouladen and they just love it. I will try this recipe for sure. Thank you
Julie | Bunsen Burner Bakery says
I love spaetzle! One of my closest friends grew up on the Ramstein Air Base and introduced me to spaetzle (and taught me how to pronounce it correctly, haha). Can’t wait to try making it at home!
Amy says
Seriously, Julia, this is possibly one of my favorite dishes, ever. Your version sounds amazing and I am DEFINITELY trying this asap.