Allgäu Käsespätzle
Fresh Spätzle with savory Bergkäse and crispy fried onions, baked to hearty perfection.
- Preparation
- 30 min
- Cook/bake time
- 25 min
- Total
- 55 min
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 862 kcal
- Servings
- 4
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cooking & baking
- 25 min
The Swabian and Allgäu national dish is a true classic. Homemade Spätzle are layered with strong Bergkäse until everything melts into a creamy delight, crowned with plenty of golden fried onions. This vegetarian soul food will leave you full and happy. A green salad on the side brings the necessary freshness.
Why this works
The dough is beaten until it forms bubbles. This is not just folklore, but the building of the gluten structure. Only a well developed dough holds the incorporated air and results in fluffy rather than rubbery Spätzle. For the cheese, the opposite rule applies. Bergkäse melts at around 60 °C, but separates into fat and protein clumps above 70 °C. That is why it is only layered and left to melt, not cooked.
Step-by-step instructions
- 1
Beat the dough
Mix the flour, eggs, salt, and nutmeg, and gradually add the water. Beat the dough vigorously until it forms bubbles and tears viscously from the spoon, as this is exactly what makes the Spätzle fluffy later. Let it rest for 10 minutes.
- 2
Fried onions
Slowly fry the onion rings in butter over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown, stirring frequently. Be patient here, because half the flavor is in these fried onions.
- 3
Make the Spätzle
Bring plenty of salted water to a boil. Press the dough in portions through a Spätzle maker or press into the bubbling water. As soon as the Spätzle float to the top, lift them out with a slotted spoon.
- 4
Layering
Layer the Spätzle and cheese alternately in a preheated baking dish or pan and lightly salt each layer. Keep everything warm or bake it briefly at 180 °C until the cheese forms beautiful strings. It is important to layer everything while hot, otherwise the cheese will not melt properly.
- 5
Serving
Generously sprinkle the Käsespätzle with the fried onions and a little chives, and serve immediately.
Our best tips
- The dough must be beaten properly until it forms bubbles, as this makes the Spätzle fluffy.
- A cheese mixture of savory Bergkäse and mild Emmentaler melts best and forms beautiful strings.
- Layer everything while hot so the cheese melts immediately, as it will not melt if it cools down.
Tasty variations
With bacon
For non-vegetarians, add crispy diced bacon between the layers.
Herb Spätzle
Stir chopped parsley into the dough for a green and fresh touch.
Nutrition facts
| Calories | 862 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 41 g |
| Carbohydrates | 79 g |
| – of which sugar | 6 g |
| Fat | 41 g |
| Fiber | 5 g |
Where the 862 kcal come from
per serving
Calculated from the ingredients – how we do it
We add up reference values for every ingredient and divide by the number of servings. These assumptions are baked in:
- Reference values per 100 g – for the raw ingredient, exactly as listed.
- Tinned goods count at drained weight, bone-in meat at purchase weight: you eat about 70 per cent of a chicken thigh and leave the rest.
- Water evaporates as you cook. The energy stays in the pot, the weight does not – so the figure is per serving, not per 100 g of finished dish.
- Anything listed without a quantity – “salt and pepper” – is not counted.
A guide value, not a lab measurement: no two onions weigh the same, and fat content varies from pack to pack.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use store-bought Spätzle?
Yes, that works and saves time. However, freshly scraped ones taste significantly better and absorb the cheese more cream-like. Toss store-bought Spätzle briefly in butter before layering.
Which cheese is suitable?
A savory Bergkäse is the base, gladly combined with Emmentaler for the melt. Appenzeller or an aged Gouda also work, the main thing is that they melt well and are aromatic.
Why are my Spätzle clumpy?
The dough was too firm or the water was not boiling properly. The dough should tear viscously from the spoon, and the water must bubble so the Spätzle rise immediately.
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