Want to surprise guests with a new kind of cold salad? Then try this Spätzle Salad, a special egg noodle, served with fresh veggies, bacon, cheese and a light dressing.
My new food obsession is spätzle (or spaetzel)! I consumed large amounts of it during my summer vacation in Austria and Hungary. What are they? Well they are like a cross between dumplings and soft egg noodles. You will find them in almost every plate served to you in Central European countries. Spätzle means “little sparrow”. Almost all countries have the same spelling, yet in Hungary they are usually called nokedli. After reading this post you will be able to prepare your own delicious cold spätzle salad which will be a hit at your next pot-luck party.
And finally, a bonus at the end of the post with a few pics from my summer vacation! 🙂
How to make Spätzle
Making spätzle is very similar to making pasta. Mix your dry ingredients, make a well in the center, add in your eggs and mix them in. The difference is adding enough water to get a thick pancake batter like consistency. And of course the less you mix, the softer your spätzles will be. Finally all you need to do next is boil them until they rise to the surface, about 30 seconds.
Traditionally you would just cut thin strips off a cutting board into the boiling water. To make things easier you could pass your dough through a colander or a potato ricer. But the best is buying a spaetzel (spätzle) press . I shelled out the 8$ for the cheapest model and it works great. Put some dough in the plastic block, swipe back in forth and the dough falls in like drops in the pot. The only important part to remember is you must clean it meticulously or leave to soak entirely. If the dough dries it is a bitch to clean off the press later.
And spätzles take very little effort or time. By my third try I was down to 15 minutes from start to finish. The recipe here will give you about 4 to 5 cups of spätzle. Besides being a side (ha) you will find a variety of savory dishes made from them (like this spätzle salad or baked with cheese), as well as a couple of dessert recipes.
Can you serve Spätzle cold?
My recipe search for an upcoing pot luck was specifically for a cold spätzle salad. On vacation I had only seen it served warm so I did not even know if I would find a cold spätzle salad. I really hit the jackpot on Tara’s Multicultural Table with this spätzlesalat recipe as I was looking for an actual spätzle recipe. Tara’s is no-fail: I made it 3 times so far and the spätzles turned out perfect every time.
Probably most cooks will stick to bacon but if you have a European grocery store near you that has Tyrolean speck….you MUST get it. Speck is a ham, cut to look like bacon, salt-cured and smoked. No need to cook it and very addictive!
The spätzle salad was a huge hit at the party, therefore I am making it again for another party tomorrow. Also I have made just the spätzle with the dressing as a cold side dish for these killer hot summer dinners. Finally, adding herbs to the spätzle dough really makes it shine. Basil is the only one I have used so far. It seems one (me) cannot get enough of it.
Spätzlesalat (Spaetzle Salad)
Ingredients
For the Spätzle
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 6 tablespoons freshly chopped herbs optional
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 eggs
- 3/4-1 cup water
For the Salad:
- 6 speck or bacon slices
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 green onions thinly sliced
- 2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes halved
- 4 ounces Emmentale Swiss or stronger cheese, cubed
For the Dressing:
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Chopped fresh herbs for garnish
Instructions
- Mix the flour, mixed herbs and salt in a large bowl. In the center of the bowl make a well in the flour. Add the eggs and beat them in with a wooden spoon, not too much, to wet most of the flour. Bit by bit starting adding the water until the dough has the consistency of thick pancake batter.
- Boil water in a large pot and place the spaetzle press over the lip of pot. Fill with 1/3 of the dough and glide the press back and forth. It will fall in drops into the boiling water. Cook until they float to the top, remove with a strainer and place in cold water. Keep going 2 more times with remaining dough. Press the last for the dough through with a wooden spoon.
- Chop the bacon into bite sizes and cook over a medium heat on the stove until crispy.
- To the cooled and well drained spätzle, add the bacon in a bowl and mix in the garlic, green onions, cherry tomatoes and cubed cheese.
- Separately, whisk the remaining ingredients for the dressing and toss well into the salad. Garnish with fresh herbs and serve.
A visual escapade through Austria and Hungary
Keep an eye out as more Austrian recipes and Hungarian recipes are to come in the near future. Seems like I am the worst at getting travel pics up in a reasonable amount of time after a trip, I am adding a first batch here below. I have been back 6 weeks already yet I still wish I was there. I split my 2 weeks over Vienna (stayed with my little cousin), a few days at my cousin’s in Styria (the south of Austria by the Alpine foothills), a day trip to the Wachau (an agricultural valley traversed by the Danube), and a few days in Budapest, Hungary.
It was a great mix of cosmopolitan cities, nature and country, cities rebuilding after the communist era, in addition to history, architecture and music. And I saw family I had not seen in 10 years, 35 years, and some I met for the first time in my life. It truly was one of the most wonderful and enriching trips of my life.
What an amazing view right? This is what my cousins see when they open the front door of their house in the country roads of Bruck an der Mur, about 90 min south of Vienna.
On the trip to my cousins we stopped at Gasthaus Bergerbauer which was my first real Austrian meal. There I devoured a Vogersalat (lamb’s lettuce over a potato salad with speck and pumpkin seed oil) a dish of baked chicken liver (yes enjoy liver even after 10 week liver experiment), all washed down with a local beer.
A I had to have dessert: a hazelnut cake called Esterházy torte.
Grüner See (Green Lake) considered most beautiful place in Austria.
I am in the photo, see me sitting on a park bench bottom of pic 1/3 in from left?
Absolutely fabulous hidden gem of a restaurant, my cousins know the owners. Tafelspitz (boiled meat), I forget some meat plate, and what a dessert plate at Wirtshaus Dahoam restaurant in Bruck an der Mur.
Stalactites and stalagmites at Lurgrotte, including the 15 foot long “Prinz” stalactite.
The Vienna Naschmarkt, a downtown open air market: fresh produce, cured meats, vinegars….
….and CHEESE galore!
At the market I had a great lunch: Blutwurstgröstl, fried potatoes with black pudding.
And now we are off to Budapest, well a little sampling for this post….
Arrived in time for a late dinner: cold strawberry soup (yes an appetizer) and chicken paprikash with nokedli (spätzle)
A view of the Buda side of the river with the Royal Palace and Matthias Church.
Gorgeous Matthias Church up close, look at the ceramic tiled roof!
And we end our first day at the Gellert Baths, one of about 9 mineral thermal baths right in the city. A bath complex has been located on this very spot ever since the 13th century!
Check out Part 2 of my trips pics, which includes a look Budapest and it’s Jewish Heritage, and Part 3 with more Vienna and cruise on the Danube. And check out my Erdäpfel Vogerlsalat made with the unique Styrian pumpkin seed oil.
Just came across this. Spätzlesalat is a favorite of mine. So glad you enjoyed it!
Thanks Tara for your comment. it has been a while, now I am craving it 😀
This salad looks yummilicious. I have always used spatzle in main course dishes. Its a great idea to use it in salads. Thanks for sharing. I am definitely going to try it out.
Thanks Aariv, I know it is unusual but a fun thing to do for a cold salad. Always a hit at pot lucks!
This looks delicious! I grew up in Germany so I’m very familiar with spaetzle, but I actually haven’t had them cold before. They look just wonderful! I also love the travel photos. The desserts in particular look lovely.
Thanks Katharina, oh my desserts were so good. Check out the punschtorte post (https://cultureatz.com/punschtorte) if you a so into cakes! I know cold spaetzle is a bit unusual but awesome dish for a potluck. Where in Germany did you grow up?
I had this dish when we visited Germany last year, they do it less fancy in the restaurant we had it but I guess they will taste the same. Very interesting how this is made, thanks for the new things I learn from your blog.
Thanks Raymond, oh so sure there is it tossed with a bit of butter and served warm as a meal side usually. But I ventured out and it is great for salads 🙂
Spätzle, I remember learning to make this as an apprentice chef, haven’t made it since. Wow. Blast from the past. I will totally have to give your recipe a go. And your adventures sure do look incredible, kinda jelly, this never ending winter is making me feel kinda depressed.
Thanks Anna, so cool you made so when you were an apprentice chef. Yep time to make some again 🙂 Ah no worries in no time you will be talking of summer while I am a foot deep in snow.
This looks amazing, what a great recipe. Would love to try those noodles.
Thank you Caroline!
Love all the pictures. And I love spätzle! Don’t make it as much as I should. I got one of those rotary-style presses. Think I like yours better. Never thought of using spätzle in a salad — wonderful idea. Thanks!
Thasnk John, I am so haooy to see a few people already know what spätzle is. I am curious about your rotary-style press? Thansk for the comment 🙂
I think you can find a recipe for homemade pasta in almost all cultures! This is a delicious salad and a meal on its own! Now you made me hungry and I am still at the office!
Very true Katerina about pastas from any country. I hope you got to eat not too long after lol
This looks delicious! I would love to try making it at home. I’ve never had this before.
Thanks Nathan I hope you gove it a try.
I had Spätzle when I visited Austria last year, absolutely love it! I actually have a friend from Austra coming over for a few days, I’ll try to impress her with this dish lol. Your recipe is super helpful!
Wow perfect timing Yang! Please let em know how it tunrs out and if you friend gives it a thumbs up!
This is indeed a very interesting salad. I would love to eat this if this was made for me. I am a bit lazy when it comes to frying food and the washing up involved. 🙂
Thanks Rosemarie! Well it may not be enough to convince you to make it, but it is boiled, not fried. And then just give it to Joseph for cleaning 😉
Oh Evelyne…yes, I heard and had spätzle before…once I met a lady form Hungary and she served me this pasta dish…thanks for the memories…
I enjoyed all the pictures you share in this post…so beautiful…and I am so glad you had a great time.
Enjoy your week 🙂
So glad Juliana you have tasted spätzle already, from a Hungariam person to boot! Enjoy your week too.
This is a great vacation.. I wish to go there someday :). Lovely photos and I had to squint to see you up there hahaha. The recipe is great perfect for the season. Thanks for sharing Eve.
Ha ha so glad someone commented on my ‘where’s Evelyne’ pic.Glad you liked the recipe and I hope you get to travel there some day!
Except for the bacon the salad is yummmm!
Thanks Sahar, any salty alternative would work great!
You’re so creative. I was thinking to myself – WHAT ON THE WHAT is that stuff?!?!?! But whatttt?! You made the spatzle from scratch! You crazy awesome kitchen wizard you!
Why thank you my darlin” Gigi, any wishes the kitchen wizard can grant you 😀 ?
Oh man, make me a gigi-approved CINNAMON BUN with extra glaze! LOL!
If you send me a reminder of all your restrictions…I could potentially take on your challenge, no kidding!
Oh my jeeze – er, um… NO: dairy, sugar, wheat/grains of any kind, gluten, nuts, fruit… Ha! So like nothing!
Ha, OK all noted, maybe one day I will surprise you with something 🙂
That’s an incredible cold salad! Fresh and unique. I love the photos of your vacation. You sure had a wonderful time!
Thank you Sonali! The salad is fun and different. Keep an eye out for 2 more posts with vacation pics 🙂
Love this idea, never thought making salad out of spaetzel, your recipe looks good. Im inspired and I’ve got to try this recipe, thanks for sharing. 🙂
Thank you Eloise and glad for the inspiration,you will love it!
You had me at spatzle! 🙂 This Mexican girl loves her spatzles, hehe. Your salad looks amazing and such a great alternative to other noodles/pasta salads.
It looks like you are having a fantastic trip Evelyne — or maybe you are back already, sorry I’m catching up on my blog reading.
Yay another spatzle connaisseur! Guests loved having a new salad to try for sure. Alas yes back already but 2 more posts to come with more trip pics 🙂
I really want to buy a spaetzle press now! It looks so easy and delicious! 😀
It really it Lorraine, takes almost longer to clean the press after (kidding)
I’m loving the idea of this as a clod salad. I’m sure my friends will be surprise. And I love the photos from your summer vacation. I think some of that too. I need to travel! :))
I assure people were surprised “what is this?” lol but all loved it. Thank you and more pics to come!
I love, love spätzle but usually serve it as a hot side dish sautéed in butter. I’m loving the idea of your fabulous salad! Time to break out my spaetzle press!!
Wow hat is awesome that you own a spaetzle press too! Hope you enjoy it cold.
That’s how my mother-in-law makes spatzle…you are awesome, Evelyne. And lots of delicious treats in Europe..it looks like that you have enjoyed yourself tremendously.
lol Angie glad to hear I am on the right path! I had a blast, more pictures to come!
Thanks for sharing the recipe and your holiday photographs I’ve never had spatzle cold and am going to ask my family in Germany about this to learn more ?
Thanks Tandy! more pics to come. Oh let me know what your family says!
I love this post for so many reasons. First of all the salad is awesome! I never knew how to make Spatzle and mow I know. Thanks!!! And I love pictures for your travels. Thanks so much for sharing those. Looks like a lot of fun and some beautiful travels.
Thanks MJ I hope you will try to make some soon. A wonderful time and I will add more pics to next posts. So hard to cut down to a few.