What to Serve with Spaetzle? 10 BEST Side Dishes

If you like spaetzle and want to eat it for dinner, you're going to want to pair it with something to create a filling meal.

Spaetzle is also a great dish to serve when you have guests.

It is a German cuisine (from Swabia) that features egg-made dumplings or pasta.

However, countries like Austria, Hungary, Switzerland, Alsace, and Vojvodina also have their versions of the dish.

Spaetzle is made from simple ingredients like eggs, flour, salt, and water.

We have some great side dishes to make it a complete meal.

10 Complementary Sides for Spaetzle

1 - Swedish Meatballs

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What's more iconic than a combination of Spaetzle and Swedish meatballs?

If you don't know what Swedish meatballs taste like, think about soft and juicy meatballs made from beef, pork, and soaked bread and spiced with nutmeg smothered in smooth gravy that's incredibly delicious.

Use All Spice for the signature Swedish taste- you don't need anything else.

You can opt for beef broth, flour, and cream for the gravy.

Swedish meatballs are a classic when it comes to finding a pair for spaetzle - try Swedish meatball side suggestions for classics to complete the plate.

You can slather the spaetzle with gravy for an extra delicious meal.

2 - Duck Confit

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Having some special guests over for dinner? Serve spaetzle with duck confit if you want to ensure they remember it forever - also see duck breast side ideas for elegant mains for more inspiration.

Duck confit is an expensive dish that you don't serve every day.

It is one of the finest dishes French cuisine offers.

Pairing it with spaetzle will give you a rich and hearty meal.

Making duck confit involves cooking duck in salt, duck fat, and pepper.

This method was traditionally done for meat preservation.

But people do it more commonly because it gives the meat a firm texture and flavor.

3 - Jagerschnitzel

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Also called hunter's cutlet, this side dish is a German dish containing roast pork, veal, or chicken cutlet and cream or tomatoes and mushroom-based sauce.

The preparation of this dish involves roasting an unbreaded cutlet in butter.

For the shallots, soak some shallots in white wine and cook them in tomato sauce.

You can mix in morels, chanterelles, and champignons.

Carbohydrates from the spaetzle and protein from jagerschnitzel- you're all set for a filling meal.

TIP: Don't skip tempering the sour cream when creating the gravy to prevent curdling.

4 - Portobello Paprikash

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You don't always need meat to serve a memorable meal.

Dishes like Portobello Paprikash prove you can have fun with a few basic ingredients.

Get your hands on some Portobello mushrooms, and mix them with tomatoes, wine, and paprika to make a wickedly-delicious dish that will keep compliments flowing throughout the dinner - or check portobello mushroom side ideas for vegetarian mains for more pairings.

This side dish is a vegetarian take on chicken Paprikash, belonging to Hungarian cuisine.

Portobello is rich in protein and fiber.

They also have a good amount of copper, selenium, and potassium.

Prepare a casserole of this utterly delicious side dish to enjoy your spaetzle healthily.

5 - Beef Goulash

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Beef goulash is a beef stew seasoned with spices like caraway and paprika.

It is a Hungarian cuisine featuring meat, noodles, and stock that you can have for a comforting meal.

Beef goulash is a good pair for spaetzle as the main course soaks up the dish's savory flavors.

It is best served hot, but you can prepare in advance and heat it during serving time.

To see that your beef is tender, juicy, and flavorful, you should braise it and let it simmer for 2 to 2 ½ hours.

For a different kind of beef pairing, corned beef hash side suggestions offer hearty, savory complements that echo goulash's rich flavors.

6 - Roasted Plum Compote

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If you need a dessert to give the perfect ending to your spaetzle-based meal, roasted plum compote might do it.

For this dessert, you'll need ripe plums (preferably Italian), pure honey, vanilla bean extract/paste, and ground cinnamon.

Use other warm spices to replace cinnamon if you're not a fan of it.

Roasted plum compote also tastes fantastic with the cardamom and ground ginger combination.

Using spices will improve the dish, so don't skip on them.

You can serve it chilled or warm alongside your spaetzle to refresh your palate or after the main course as a dessert.

If the menu leans toward roasted produce, roasted carrot side pairings provide warm, sweet-earthy notes that complement fruit-based compotes.

7 - German Lentil Soup

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Want something soupy to compliment your spaetzle? We can't think of anything better than a German lentil soup - plus lentil soup side ideas for simple bowls expand the options.

After all, why not go German all the way?

Although the prepping takes about 10 minutes, you'll need a few hours to cook this side dish.

Ingredients required are dried brown lentils, carrots, celery, onion, cubed ham, chicken stock, grated nutmeg, Worcestershire sauce, and bay leaf.

For the seasoning, you can use garlic powder, caraway seed, hot pepper sauce, grated nutmeg, fresh parsley, and black pepper.

Lentil soup is highly nutritious with low carbs and fat content.

Plus, it's vegan.

It is the perfect side for those who want to enjoy a comforting meal on a cold day.

8 - Sauerbraten (German Beef Roast)

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Sauerbraten might not be a familiar term for those unaware of German cuisine.

But once you try it, you wouldn't want to eat anything else with spaetzle.

Sauerbraten is made from beef, lamb, or venison roast marinated in pickling spices and vinegar for a juicy and tangy dish.

Perfect for wintertime, you can serve sauerbraten with spaetzle, potatoes, and red cabbage.

Braise the meat in a heavy-bottomed dish once you've marinated it.

Sauerbraten is an excellent dish that goes well with spaetzle if you're looking forward to serving a filling and filling meal.

For a contrasting take on beef pairings, beef and broccoli side suggestions show complementary vegetables and starches that also work with hearty roasts.

9 - Marinated Lamb Chops

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Another luxurious dish on this list, marinated lamb chops, will improve your meal no matter what you serve.

Lamb chops might seem intimidating, but you'd see that they're actually not hard to cook.

What makes marinated lamb chops unique is their marinade.

Use fresh herbs such as parsley, oregano, and mint.

You can also brighten it up by using lemon and garlic.

Cooking until the internal temperature is 145 degrees hits the right spot and gives the meat a beautiful medium rare cook.

You can use a cast iron or grill pan to sear the lamb chops.

10 - Chickpea Mushroom Marsala

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Try chickpea mushroom marsala if you're looking for another meatless side dish that goes well with spaetzle.

This side dish is simple yet powerful, exploding with flavors to complement spaetzle without overpowering it.

It uses chickpeas, shallots, mushrooms, avocado oil, marsala wine, arrowroot flour, veggie broth, and coconut cream.

The best part about making chickpea mushroom marsala is that you can customize the dish to fit your meal's flavor.

TIP: Slice the mushrooms into large pieces to give the dish the best structure.

For heartier menus, chili side dish ideas for parties work well. For classic European mains, Swedish meatball side suggestions fit the bill.