These authentic German recipes are loaded with flavor and culinary history.
From crunchy schnitzel to spiced mulled wine, German cuisine is varied, hearty, and so much fun.
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I’m sure you’ve heard of – and maybe even tried – a number of these dishes. But I bet there’s a couple here you’ve never seen before.
After all, German cuisine is more than sauerkraut and bratwurst.
So, if you’re ready to dive into a taste of Germany’s diverse regions, keep reading!
These traditional German recipes are timeless classics the whole family will love.
1. Quark
While German quark resembles American yogurt, it’s not quite the same.
Quark is a creamy, fresh, non-aged cheese. It’s very close to being a mixture of cream cheese and yogurt.
Quark is healthy and high in protein like yogurt but isn’t quite as tangy. It’s pretty neutral, making it ideal to use in a variety of recipes.
It’s popular in Germany as breakfast, topped with fresh fruit and honey. You can spread it on toast, make a fruit or veggie dip, or use it for creamy desserts.
2. Zurich Ragout
Quick to prepare, Zurich ragout is the perfect meal for busy nights. It’s a creamy stew in a white sauce with tender mushrooms.
It’s a hearty dish, but thanks to fresh parsley and lemon juice, doesn’t feel too heavy. Using veal is the most authentic, but you can substitute pork loin.
The sauce is a combination of beef stock, shallots, mushrooms, and white wine.
Letting the sauce simmer and reduce results in an intensely flavorful gravy you won’t be able to stop eating.
3. Hunter’s Pork Chops
Rich and creamy breaded pork chops, German-style? Yes, please!
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Hunter’s pork chops got its name because the German word for hunter is Jäger, which is a very popular rich sauce.
Thick pork chops are dipped in buttermilk, flour, and then fried until beautifully golden brown.
The gravy is then made from the leftover pork chop drippings resulting in the most flavorful mushroom gravy sauce.
Put the pork chops back into that rich gravy to finish cooking.
You can dig in immediately or serve with German spätzle.
4. German Potato Pancakes
In under 30 minutes, you can have homemade authentic German potato pancakes, also known as Kartoffelpuffer. One bite, and you’ll be in fried heaven!
Nutmeg is the secret ingredient, adding a nutty kick to these potato pancakes.
Potatoes and onions are grated and mixed with the remaining ingredients before fried until crispy and golden brown.
Traditionally, they are eaten with applesauce or sour cream with herbs, but I think this crispy dish will be delicious with just about anything!
5. German Pan Fried Potatoes
Germany sure does love their potatoes. They’re great with almost any meal, so why not? These German pan-fried potatoes will be an amazing side dish!
You’ll be able to find this dish, known as bratkartoffeln, in almost every restaurant.
Potatoes are peeled and diced into small cubes and slowly fried until they form a crispy crust.
Fry the bacon first, and cook the rest of the dish in the leftover bacon fat. This meal might not be healthy, but every bite is full of flavor.
6. Easy German Pancakes
You’ll never want pancakes any other way after taking a bite of these German pancakes. When I say they’re over the top fluffy, it’s no exaggeration!
Blend all your ingredients and pour into a cast-iron skillet. Immediately place the skillet in the oven.
My favorite part is to watch your pancake grow and get incredibly puffy!
After cooling, it will look like a little bowl, perfect for holding your toppings.
Strawberries, maple syrup, and powdered sugar add the perfect amount of sweetness.
7. German Semolina Pudding – Grießbrei
German semolina pudding is a traditional sweet treat known as griessbrei. Enjoy it for dessert or whenever you need a refreshing bite to eat.
All you’ll need is milk, vanilla, sugar, and semolina. Bring all the ingredients, except semolina, to a boil. Add the semolina and simmer, letting it thicken.
Eat it warm or let it chill in the refrigerator. Top with cinnamon and sugar or your favorite berry jam!
8. German Potato Salad
I’ll bet you’ve never had potato salad like this before! German potato salad is tangy and is traditionally served in the southern part of Germany.
That delicious tang comes from the oil and vinegar dressing. You won’t find mayonnaise in this dish.
Thinly slice the boiled and peeled potatoes. They end up breaking apart, but that’s okay, they don’t need to be perfect.
The secret to getting the boldest flavor is to pour the vinegar onto the potatoes and let it absorb before adding the oil. Serve it alongside fish or chicken.
9. Sauerkraut Soup
All you sauerkraut lovers will be in heaven after tasting this sauerkraut soup. Tangy and salty, this will warm you up even on the coldest nights.
Bacon makes everything better, so naturally, this dish begins with lots of smoky bacon.
Potatoes and quinoa make the soup hearty, and the white beans add such a great texture.
Every bite has a new, delicious flavor. You’ll want a fresh slice of crusty bread to sop up every last bit!
10. German Muesli
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. That’s why you’ll want to start it off with delicious and healthy German muesli.
This cold oatmeal dish starts with making your dry ingredient mixture.
Combine rolled oats, mixed nuts, and your favorite dried fruits such as cranberries, bananas, or blueberries.
Sprinkle cinnamon over your oat mixture right before adding it to yogurt or milk.
If you like your oats softer, mix it with yogurt, and allow it to sit overnight. Breakfast will be ready when you wake up!
11. German Mulled Wine
German mulled wine is called Glühwein. It means “glowing wine,” which makes it the perfect festive drink to serve at your next holiday party!
With orange and lemon juice, you’ll be able to taste the tangy citrus flavor.
Don’t forget the cinnamon sticks and cloves! Can you imagine the rich aroma drifting through your house?
It’s simmered first and then left to steep, resulting in a deep, flavorful mulled wine.
Serve it warm with orange slice garnishes, and all your guests will thank you! Although, you don’t need a special occasion to whip up a batch.
12. German Schnitzel
Breaded and fried to perfection, German schnitzel is the perfect comfort food. It’s ready in under 30 minutes, making it ideal even on busy nights.
Pork chops are pounded thin with a meat tenderizer resulting in a juicy and ultra crispy pork chop.
The dredging process is flour, eggs, and then bread crumbs or panko.
Don’t plan on a light or healthy dish, but your pork chops will be tender and delicious!
13. German Cheese Spread
Known as Obatzda, this German cheese spread will make the perfect addition to your snack platter or charcuterie board.
This isn’t just any mild cheese spread. Several kinds of cheese are mashed together with butter, including camembert and either romadur or brie cheese.
Then it’s mixed with a ton of minced onion, spicy Hungarian paprika, and several other spices adding a ton of mouth-watering flavor.
Keep it chunky or blend it if you prefer a smooth cheese spread. Serve with pretzels, bread, or crackers.
14. Pickled Beets
Both sweet and sour, pickled beets are a great addition to salads, as a side, or just eaten by themselves. Even beet skeptics will fall in love with this healthy snack.
Whole beets are boiled with their skins and cooled before slicing.
They get most of their flavor from a vinegar solution made with sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice berries.
Pickled beets are perfect for canning, which allows them to be kept up to a year and eaten whenever you feel like a sweet and sour treat!
15. Sauerbraten
Sauerbraten isn’t just any Sunday dinner roast. It’s marinated for anywhere from 2 to 10 days before cooking. Believe me, it’s well worth the effort!
So, why is sauerbraten marinated for so long? Cuts of meat typically used, like a rump roast, are generally a little tough.
Marinating helps create the most tender and juicy hunk of meat!
The wine in the marinade helps preserve the meat, so there’s no need to worry about it going bad.
Sauerbraten is traditionally served with potato pancakes or boiled potatoes.
16. Rouladen
Rinderrouladen, or German beef rouladen, is a dish layered with beef, onions, bacon, and pickles. They look so fun all rolled up!
The individual flavors are delicious. But all the ingredients together create something so perfect and satisfying.
Grainy mustard is slathered on thinly sliced beef, followed by bacon, onions, and pickles.
They’re fried and put into the oven to braise until all the flavors meld together.
Serve by itself, with German red cabbage, or potato balls and gravy.
17. German Chocolate Pie
Germans aren’t known for creating overly sweet desserts. This German chocolate pie is decadent and rich, with just the right amount of sweetness.
A store-bought pie crust makes this recipe a breeze. White and brown sugar balance out the slightly bitter semi-sweet chocolate chips.
Pecans add a crunch while the coconut flakes add the perfect amount of texture.
The secret to this pie is not to over-bake! You’ll want the pie center to be silky and gooey!
18. German Onion Pie
There’s no sweetness in this pie! Soft, caramelized onions are the base of this German onion pie.
It’s extremely popular in Germany at the start of every fall.
This savory pie is also full of smoky bacon to balance out the onions.
They’re mixed in a creamy sauce with sour cream, eggs, and flour. Caraway seeds add a nutty flavor.
Let it cool after baking and eat lukewarm or cold.
19. Grilled German Pork Chops
Break out the grill and enjoy these German pork chops, also called schwenkbraten.
Traditionally, all you’ll need is an open fire, so you can even grill these at your next campout!
The marinade is key to the most tender and flavorful pork chops.
With seasonings like juniper berries, ground mustard, and curry powder, every bite is packed full of flavor.
You’ll want a beautiful char on your chops to give it that smoky taste.
20. Spatzle
You’ll only need 15 minutes to make this classic German dish.
Homemade spaetzle is a great alternative to noodles, rice, or potatoes. It’s the ultimate side dish!
Someone thought the dough looked like little sparrows, so they named it spaetzle, which translates into “little sparrow.”
Don’t you just love the history behind cultural foods?
Saute them in butter right away to crisp up and prevent them from sticking.
21. Springerle
These traditional German springerle cookies are most commonly made around Christmas time.
They have such a rich history of being given around religious holidays and special occasions.
They’re so cute, you’ll want to make them all the time! Special molds and rolling pins easily create different designs.
The dough is quite simple, resulting in a chewy center and crunchy outside. Star anise is the main flavor.
Dunk these in coffee, tea, or even hot chocolate.
22. German Bread Dumplings
German bread dumplings are made slightly different depending on the region. Regardless of where you are, all versions are savory and delicious.
The base is made of hardened bread, cut up into small chunks and soaked in hot milk.
Flavorful ingredients like bacon, parsley, and nutmeg are added to this mixture.
These dumpling balls are perfect with so many of the amazing recipes we talked about today, especially with gravy.
23. German Red Cabbage
This red cabbage is a staple in German cooking. It’s the perfect side dish for almost any meal!
Red cabbage is full of nutrients, so you can at least feel like you’re eating something healthy.
Tangy apples, wine, and sour vinegar create such a flavorful dish.
And don’t forget the hint of sweetness from the delicious caramelized sugar!
Serve alongside Sauerbraten or potatoes. It’s great with anything!
24. Currywurst
Curryworst is one of the most popular street food dishes in Germany. With this recipe, you can make it at home in under 30 minutes.
It’s basically sausage covered in spiced ketchup, but there’s nothing basic about this dish.
The sausage used is juicy bratwurst, while the sauce is made from tomato sauce, curry powder, and so many flavorful ingredients.
Make it in your air fryer or oven.
24 Authentic German Recipes
These authentic German recipes are so unique and flavorful! From meat dishes to desserts and cheese, take a culinary tour of Germany with these easy dishes.
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- Prep a German dish in 30 minutes or less!
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