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If you’re wondering what to serve with your spaetzle, you’ve come to the right place.

In this article, I list 39 of the most popular side dishes for spaetzle.

In a rush? Here’s the short answer.

The best dishes to serve with spaetzle are beef goulash, jagerschnitzel, Swedish meatballs, lentil soup, and bratwursts in beer. You can also serve eggs in purgatory, quick pickled red cabbage, or chickpea and mushroom marsala. To make dessert, serve the spaetzle with a roasted plum compote.

Ready? Let’s jump right in.

Beef goulash

If you’re craving the ultimate comfort food, spoon a big helping of beef goulash over a bowl of spaetzle.

This classic Eastern European stew is brimming with a distinctly warm flavor, thanks to the combination of ground caraway seeds, sweet paprika, and garlic.

Your spaetzle will soak up all the incredible flavor, plus you get big chunks of tender beef.

Why we love this recipe: it’s hearty and budget-friendly.

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Beef goulash
Skip the beef
Hungarian chicken paprikash
Change the flavor
Zurich ragout

Jagerschnitzel

Jagerschnitzel (or hunter’s schnitzel) is a chicken schnitzel that’s been smothered with a creamy mushroom gravy.

You’ve got the protein and the veg, so all you need to complete the meal is some carbs. And buttered spaetzle works great.

Psst… remember to temper your sour cream as you make the gravy to avoid curdling.

Why we love this recipe: it’s ideal even for busy weeknight dinners.

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Jagerschnitzel
Ditch the mushrooms sauce
Wiener schnitzel with lemon dill sauce
Make it Italian-style
Chicken parmigiana

Bratwurst in beer with onions

A low and slow simmer in beer, caraway seeds, and onions is my favorite way to cook bratwursts.

As your brats cook, they’ll absorb all the flavors from the beer (you can use your favorite) and the onions will caramelize to add some much needed sweetness.

Why we love this recipe: it will transport you straight to an Oktoberfest fair.

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Bratwurst in beer with onions
Fire up the oven
Italian sheet pan sausage + peppers
Make it surf-and-turf
Spicy sausage and shrimp creole

Eggs in purgatory

I know it’s a weird name, but don’t let that put you off!

This dish is an Italian twist on shakshuka – but spicy (hence the name).

The tomatoey-eggy sauce is often enjoyed with crusty bread, but there’s nothing to stop you mixing some spaetzle in.

Why we love this recipe: it can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

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Eggs in purgatory
Skip the tomato
Baked eggs florentine
Make it Tex-Mex inspired
Southwest-style shakshuka

German lentil soup

Lentil soup is my go to when I want something warm and comforting, but don’t have the time to make a proper stew.

It’s rich, savory, and filling.

And the best part? It’s completely vegan.

Why we love this recipe: leftovers store well, so you can enjoy it again the next day.

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Classic lentil soup
Make it indulgent
Creamy French onion and mushroom soup
Make it familiar
Chicken spaetzle soup

Kaesespaetzle (spaetzle mac and cheese)

This classic Swabian comfort food might just dethrone your favorite mac and cheese.

It features layers of spaetzle, shredded Swiss cheese, and caramelized onions. And that’s it! You only need 3 main ingredients (how easy?!).

Pro-tip: use European-imported Swiss cheese for best results – Emmental and Jarlsberg are good options.

Why we love this recipe: it’ll make your kitchen smell amazing.

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Kaesespaetzle
Make it different
Herby spaetzle with creamy lemon sauce
Make a salad
Spaetzelsalat (spaetzle salad)

Marinated lamb chops

Elevate your humble spaetzle by serving it with these marinated lamb chops.

Lamb chops can seem scary, but they’re actually very easy to cook.

The most important thing is making sure you have a tasty marinade. This recipe delivers with a combination of lemon and fresh herbs like oregano, mint, and parsley.

Psst… discover more things to eat with lamb chops here.

Why we love this recipe: it’s restaurant-quality.

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Marinated lamb chops with garlic and herbs
Fire up the oven
Roasted rack of lamb with butter sauce
Skip the lamb
Pan-seared pork chops with apple cider cream sauce

Ratatouille

Got a load of veggies you need to use in your fridge? Chuck them all together and make a ratatouille.

This version isn’t intricately-arranged like you sometimes see in restaurants, but it’s equally as delicious.

The trick to perfecting this simple dish is to saute your veggies separately to prevent them turning mushy.

Why we love this recipe: even die-hard meat lovers can’t say no to this stew.

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Ratatouille
Skip the summer vegetables
Roasted root vegetable stew
Make it fancy
Mushroom bourguignon

Swedish meatballs

Craving IKEA meatballs?

Thanks to this recipe, you can enjoy tender, flavorful meatballs and that iconic creamy gravy in the comfort of your own kitchen.

Psst… why not make the iconic lingonberry sauce too?

Why we love this recipe: it tastes even better than IKEA’s!

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Swedish meatballs
Make it Italian-inspired
Creamy tomato basil meatballs
Make it meat-free
Veggie balls in creamy marsala sauce

Quick pickled red cabbage

Quick pickled red cabbage is one of my go-to condiments if you’re serving a heavy main dish like spaetzle and a meat stew.

It will bring a bright acidic flavor to cut through all the richness, and it will add a vibrant splash of color to your plate.

Why we love this recipe: you can have it ready to serve in 30 minutes.

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Quick pickled red cabbage
Make it warm
Braised red cabbage
Make it fresh
Red cabbage slaw

Sauerbraten (German beef roast)

This traditional German dish involves marinating rump roast in red wine, vinegar, and spices for at least 48 hours (but up to ten days) to make it tender and full of flavor.

After marinating, you need to simmer the meat for at least 2 hours until it’s soft and juicy.

This is definately labor-intensive, but I promise it’s worth the wait.

Enjoy this with a serving of spaetzle and some pickled red cabbage for an authentic German meal.

Why we love this recipe: it’s authentic.

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Sauerbraten
Make it simple
Slow cooker roast beef
Make it indulgent
Beef stroganoff

Chickpea mushroom marsala

Do you take part in meatless Mondays? Give this chickpea marsala a try.

Tender chickpeas and mushrooms are cooked in a marsala wine-based sauce, infusing them with a tasty caramelized, nutty flavor.

It’s not traditionally German, but who doesn’t love some fusion?

Why we love this recipe: it’s dairy-free and meat-free.

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Chickpea mushroom marsala
Change the flavor
Mushroom and chickpea coconut curry
Another meat-free protein
Baked pesto tofu bites

Roasted plum compote

Spaetzle isn’t limited to just dinner, it can make a great dessert too.

Roasting isn’t the typical way to make a compote, but it yields a sticky syrup and tender, juicy fruit bursting with sweetness.

Psst… don’t skip the cinnamon and vanilla extract, they really elevate the dish.

Why we love this recipe: the oven does the cooking for you.

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Roasted plum compote
Skip the plums
Mixed berry compote
Stick to the basics
Caramelized apples

What sauce goes with spaetzle?

Brown butter sauce is the easiest sauce you can make to serve with spaetzle. Classic pesto is the way to go if you want a bright and herby flavor. For a creamy option, go for mushroom sauce or tomato cream sauce.

Best sauce to serve with spaetzle