Käsespätzle (German Cheese Spaetzle)

A plate of cheesy spaetzle, or German käsespätzle.

5 from 6 votes

Käsespätzle (German Cheese Spaetzle)

Käsespätzle, or German cheese spaetzle, are homemade noodle dumplings smothered in gooey cheese and caramelized onions before being baked until bubbly.

Prep Time1

Cook Time15

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: German

Servings:

Calories: 421kcal

Author: Jana Dziak

Ingredients

1 Double Batch Homemade Spaetzle Noodles Make a double batch of my recipe for spaetzle. See notes below for a quick recipe if you're familiar with spaetzle.
3 Large Onions Feel free to use more — caramelized onions really make this dish!
¼ Cup Butter And more as needed.
2 Cups Emmentaler Cheese Grated.
2 Cups Gruyere Cheese .Grated
1 Tablespoon Parsley For serving, optional.

Instructions

Finely dice your onions into thin and small pieces. Grate the cheese. Get your ingredients ready to make the spaetzle noodles and everything else so that it is on hand and ready.
In a large pan, add the onions and butter with a pinch of salt. Let the onions caramelize on the lowest heat. This should take 45 minutes. Stir frequently and keep an eye on onions. You can start with a higher heat and lower it as the onions begin to cook. Onions should be a deep golden brown color when done. Add more butter as necessary if pan begins to dry out or even some water towards the end.
As the onions are caramelizing, make the spaetzle noodles as per instructions.
When the spaetzle is ready, toss it into the casserole dish with a few pats of butter, just enough to coat it lightly and prevent it from sticking too much.
Add the grated cheese on top. Add the caramelized onions on top of the cheese when they are ready. If using a deep casserole dish, feel free to layer thinner sections of spaetzle with cheese and onions. You can also use several casserole dishes.
Place in oven and leave until cheese has melted and is starting to bubble (10-15 minutes)
Serve hot with optional fresh parsley on top.

Notes

Make Spaetzle (Quick Reference, See Orginal Detailed Spaetzle Recipe Here)

3 Cup all-purpose flour
4 Tablespoons Durum Semolina Flour
2 large eggs
1 Tablespoon Butter
1 Teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
⅛ Teaspoon Nutmeg

Mix all ingredients and beat them until bubbles appear in the batter (about 20 minutes) using a stand mixer, hand mixer, or big spoon. Batter should be like thick pancake batter. Add more liquid or flour as needed. Let it rest 20-30 minutes. Add batter to spaetzle mixer and drop into boiling water. Toss in butter when ready.

Käsespätzle Ingredients, Notes, & Substitutions

Cheese | You have options. I generally always opt for a 50/50 mix of Gruyere and Emmentaler because Costco and Aldi sell them, and they're flavorful and easy. I also add sharp cheddar regularly. Jarlsburg is another excellent option. Look for high-quality imported Swiss cheeses. Any cheese you experiment with should be a melting one.
Onions | I always choose yellow or brown onions because they make the best and tastiest caramelized onions.
Butter | You can choose any oil or fat you prefer to caramelize your onions, but I think butter, or a mixture of lard and butter, is best in this recipe.

Hint: Toast 1 cup of bread crumbs by cooking them in 1 stick of butter until golden. Add this on top of your cheese spaetzle before putting it in the oven. Cheese spaetzle is a great make-ahead dish. I love to bake several casserole dishes worth of this recipe and then freeze it for reheating whenever I'm in the mood.

Käsespätzle Variations

Mushroom Gravy | Jägerspätzle is spaetzle dumplings with a savory, rich mushroom sauce added on top instead of cheese and caramelized onions. I personally like to keep some cheese in the recipe and add the mushroom gravy for one of the most decadent and delicious things I have ever eaten.
Bacon | One of my favorite additions to cheesy spaetzle is bacon. I love to dice bacon very fine and then add it to the onions when they're about halfway done caramelizing, at about the 25-minute mark or so.

Nutrition