Serves 6
To get in the mood for Oktoberfest, we decided to whip up one of our favorite German dishes, Spaetzle. But how do you get those delicious fluffly blobs without the eggs? Turns out, it’s actually pretty easy.
If you’re a true Spaetzle fan, you can buy a Spaetzle maker online to perfectly shape your spaetzle. But let’s be real, who needs another random tool in their tiny kitchen? We find that a metal colander with large holes works just perfectly.
Making Spaetzle pretty much just involves “scraping” dough into boiling water. You can “scrape” dough through anything from a ricer, to a slotted spoon, to a colander. Find the device that works for you, and get cookin’!
*Don’t forget to pair your spaetzle with your favorite German beer and Warm Soft Pretzels.
Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup chickpea flour (or try soy or durum flour)
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 cup non-dairy milk (plus more for adjustments)
1 Tbsp olive oil
3 Tbsp vegan margarine
sea salt, to taste
Prep
Fill a large pot with water and salt generously.
Place on the stove and bring to a boil.
Prep a large pan with ice water next to the stove.
Spaetzle Batter
In a medium-sized bowl, mix together all-purpose flour, chickpea flour, sea salt, and turmeric.
In a separate bowl, pour your non-dairy milk.
Add the dry ingredients mixture to the non-dairy milk gradually, whisking until smooth.
The batter should be a little thicker than pancake batter, but not as thick as bread dough.
Add more non-dairy milk or all-purpose flour as needed to adjust the thickness.
Mix the batter until it starts to get gluey (developing the gluten).
Let the batter rest for 30 minutes.
Method
When the water has come to a boil and you’re ready to cook your spaetzle, add your olive oil to the water.
Pour a portion of your batter onto a spaetzle maker or the top of a colander with large holes.
If using a spaetzle maker, either scrape or push the tool as instructed on the packaging, dropping blobs of batter into the boiling water.
If using a colander, use the back of a spoon to scrape the batter in pieces into the boiling water.
Stir regularly.
As soon as the spaetzle floats to the top, use a slotted spoon to remove the spaetzle and place it in the ice water.
Repeat the process until all of the batter is cooked.
Remove the cooked spaetzle pieces from the ice water once cooled and dry on paper towels.
Assemble
Reheat the spaetzle to serve by sautéing in an oiled pan.
For the most straightforward preparation coat in vegan margarine and sea salt.
For a bolder style, toss in your favorite creamy sauce (check out our Bechamel Sauce) or melt in your favorite vegan cheese or gravy.
Notes + Serving Tips
Serve immediately or store refrigerated for up to 3 days.
