German Specialties from Pretzels to Schnitzel

Baked Spaetzle with Green Pea Pesto
Photo: Eva Kolenko

From bacon and apple sauerkraut to wine-braised brisket, here are some terrific German recipes.

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German-Style Pretzels

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These chewy pretzels from chef Hans Röckenwagner develop a shiny, professional-looking crust as they bake.

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Panko-Coated Chicken Schnitzel

Panko-Coated Chicken Schnitzel

Thomas Keller of the French Laundry in Yountville, California uses panko bread crumbs to give chicken a crunchy crust. "Pounding chicken breasts to a uniform thickness cuts down on cooking time," he says.

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Sautéed German Sausages with Bacon and Apple Sauerkraut

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CREDIT: © QUENTIN BACON

In Germany's Pfalz region, cooks braise sauerkraut with onions, apples, seasonings, a touch of sugar and a little of the region's Riesling wine, creating a craveable accompaniment for juicy weisswurst or bratwurst.

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Spaetzle with Gruyère and Caramelized Onions

Spaetzle with Gruyère and Caramelized Onions

The cheese and the caramelized onions perfectly complement the already-delicious noodles in this recipe. The spaetzle can be refrigerated for up to 1 day.

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Warm Potato Salad with Pancetta and Brown Butter Dressing

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Grace Parisi whisks brown butter into a tangy, mustardy dressing for creamy fingerling potatoes.

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Red-Wine-Braised Beef Brisket

Red-Wine-Braised Beef Brisket

Both Frank Falcinelli and Frank Castronovo had early experiences with sauerbraten, the German braised brisket. Castronovo sampled it on trips to Germany; Falcinelli had it at the German deli where he worked as a teenager. The terrific recipe they ultimately perfected is very sweet and very sour, made with raisins, apples, red wine vinegar, and red wine.

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German Soft Pretzel Sticks

German Soft Pretzel Sticks

"I've always been a fan of any food high in salt and starch," Grant Achatz says. "And soft pretzels right out of the oven are awesome." You can eat these slightly sweet, chewy, dark pretzel sticks plain or with mustard; Achatz goes for ranch dressing.

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Grandma Zerr's Apricot Kuchen

Grandma Zerr's Apricot Kuchen

Kuchen is a traditional German fruit- or cheese-filled yeast cake that's common in North Dakota (Nancy Olson says it's in countless church cookbooks) and served at any time of day. This is Olson's adaptation of her grandmother's version. "I love that this is a hearty, rustic, belly-filling pastry; nothing dainty about it," she says.

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Spicy Beer Mustard

Spicy Beer Mustard

Chef Jeremy Nolen updates German classics, including this intense mustard for sausages.

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Crispy Wiener Schnitzel with Lingonberry Preserves

Crispy Wiener Schnitzel with Lingonberry Preserves
© Tina Rupp

"Schnitzel and Grüner Veltliner isn't a very creative pairing, but I think it's a beautiful one," says Wolfgang Ban. He loves how rich styles of the Austrian white wine still have bright acidity, which is delicious with crispy veal cutlets.

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Candy Cookies

Candy Cookies
© Fredrika Stjärne

These truffle-like cookies have an unexpected piece of candy in the centers. They're adapted from a traditional holiday cookie that Renato Poliafito discovered during his travels in Germany.

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Pork Schnitzel with Warm Potato Salad

Pork Schnitzel with Warm Potato Salad
© Lucy Schaeffer

Wolfgang Puck of Los Angeles's Spago makes his schnitzel by deep-frying cutlets of Kurobuta pork, a deeply marbled heritage meat imported from Japan. At home, opt for boneless pork chops from the supermarket, pounding them tender. Pan-fry the schnitzel in a shallow pool of oil instead of deep-frying it.

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Mixed-Berry Dutch Baby

Mixed-Berry Dutch Baby
© Hallie Burton

A Dutch Baby, also known as a German pancake, is a mixture of eggs, flour and whole milk that gets baked in a heavy skillet until it becomes puffy and golden. In the terrific version here, Grace Parisi folds in fresh berries to create a wonderful summer dessert that's also great for breakfast.

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