I love anything that’s really carb-y, which means I love making pastas, dumplings, gnocchi, you name it. But my favorite dumplings to make have to be spaetzle, and what I love even more is when I can turn them into a whole meal. Enter scene: this Lemon Asparagus Spaetzle. It’s perfect for this transition period in spring – it tastes light and fresh, with tons of vegetables, but the dumplings, white beans and broth make everything supremely hearty.
If you think it sounds intimidating, don’t. Not only is this spaetzle easy, you only need one pot and one pan, and the batter requires no shaping or fussing. Plus, it’s surprisingly budget-friendly.
Read on for the recipe, tips for how to make spaetzle, as well as any substitutions that may work!
Table of contents
What are spaetzle?
Spaetzle (or spätzle), is an egg noodle originating from central Europe, most commonly known as coming from Germany. These little noodles are usually served as a side dish to meat like Sauerbraten or Jägerschnitzel.
Made with only flour, egg, water and salt, spaetzle is incredibly easy to make and is usually formed by using a ricer (if you don’t have a ricer, don’t worry, you can use a slotted spoon.) Like typical noodles or dumplings, spaetzle is dropped right into boiling water from the ricer and only cooked for a few minutes, or until the spaetzle floats to the top of the pot.
The spaetzle I mention above is only one kind of spaetzle, there are more traditional doughs that are scraped off in pieces from a wooden cutting board. We kind of do a hybrid mix of this, scraping the dough off a wooden spoon so you get perfect sized dumplings every time.
Ingredients you’ll need for the spaetzle
- 6 tablespoons (100g) cool water
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup (140g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
Ingredients you’ll need for the sage beans
- 4 ounces dried white beans, soaked overnight
- 1/2 (5 oz) medium yellow onion
- 4 smashed garlic cloves, skin on
- 10-15 sprigs thyme, or 5 sprigs rosemary
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon dried sage
- 1 tablespoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the asparagus
- 6 cups water
- 1 pound asparagus
- 1 lemon
- Sour cream, optional for serving
- Freshly cracked black pepper, for serving
Ingredient substitutions
This recipe is truly delicious as is but it is very flexible, nearly every ingredient can be customized to better fit your needs. Here are some substitution suggestions:
- All-purpose flour: Can be swapped for King Arthur’s 1:1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour. Whole wheat flour will also work
- Dried white beans: Swap for any canned bean you prefer but see note, as this will slightly change the instructions
- Onion: Can be swapped for white onion, red onion, shallot, the white part of one large leek, or a fennel bulb (if you like fennel!)
- Garlic cloves: Swap for 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, or you can omit.
- Thyme: Can be swapped for 5 sprigs of rosemary
- Red pepper flakes: Swap for 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper, or you can omit.
- Extra-virgin olive oil: Swap for avocado oil, grapeseed oil, really any oil you like!
- Asparagus: Can be swapped for green beans, snap peas, or broccolini
How to make the spaetzle
Now for the fun part! Making spaetzle is surprisingly easy, and it comes out so good every time.
- Whisk together two eggs and 6 tablespoons of cool water. In a large bowl, add 140 grams of all-purpose flour and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, then gradually whisk in the egg mixture until you have a thick but smooth batter.
- Now it’s time to make the spaetzle. The goal is to “drop” the batter into the simmering water in bean-sized pieces. I like to do this by scooping a lot of batter into a large wooden spoon, holding that spoon over the pot and use a smaller spoon to ease off bits of batter a little at a time, rotating around the pot. You could also use a ricer or slotted spoon for this. Do this quickly so that the spaetzle can all cook in relatively the same time. You will know they are finished when they float.
Why are the spaetzle ingredients in grams?
Grams is always my preference for measuring, and I hope it will be yours, too. The only way to ensure complete accuracy is through measuring by weight, not volume. One cup of flour can weigh all the way from 120 grams to 160 grams, depending on how it was packed. This ends up causing some volatility and miss-matched results.
I want to ensure you get the best results with this recipe (and I want to keep this recipe fool-proof!) so I highly recommend getting a small affordable kitchen scale if you want to move forward with this particular recipe.
Storage and reheating tips
Fridge: Transfer to an airtight container and store in the free for up to 3–4 days. The spaetzle will naturally drink up some of the broth as it sits, so don’t worry if it looks thicker the next day. If you know you’ll have leftovers, storing it with a little extra broth can help prevent it from drying out.
To reheat: Transfer to a saucepan and warm gently over medium-low heat, adding a splash of water to loosen it as needed. Stir gently until everything is warmed through. The microwave works too, just do it in short bursts, stirring in between.
Watch the recipe here:
Looking for similar recipes?
Sage & Golden Beet Spaetzle
Spinach & Ricotta Gnudi
Homemade Sweet Potato Gnocchi
And that’s everything for this Lemon Asparagus Spaetzle!
If you make it, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! It’s my favorite thing to scroll through stories and see what you all are making.
You can also shop this video if you’re looking for the exact pieces I use – I’ve linked everything on my ShopMy! *some links may contain affiliate commissions
And of course feel free to leave any questions, comments or reviews! This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you <3
Equipment
- 1 wooden spoon
Ingredients
For the spaetzle:
- 6 tablespoons (100g) cool water
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup (140g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
For the sage beans:
- 4 ounces dried white beans, soaked overnight
- 1/2 (5 oz) medium yellow onion
- 4 smashed garlic cloves, skin on
- 10-15 sprigs of thyme, or 5 sprigs of rosemary
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon dried sage
- 1 tablespoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the asparagus
- 6 cups water
- 1 pound asparagus
- 1 lemon, for juicing
- sour cream, optional, for serving
- freshly cracked black pepper, for serving
Instructions
- In a large (at least 7-quart) pot or Dutch oven, add the 4 ounces of dried beans, 1/2 of the onion, 4 smashed garlic cloves, 10 sprigs of thyme, 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, 1/2 teaspoon dried sage, 1 tablespoon kosher salt and 1/4 cup olive oil. Pour in 6 cups of water, bring this to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 1 hour, covered, or until the beans are tender.
- **To make this using canned beans, do everything in the step above, except omit the beans. When the broth has been simmering for 45 minutes, drain and add the canned beans, continue the recipe as normal.**
- While the beans are cooking, make the spaetzle batter. Whisk together 6 tablespoons of water and two eggs until light and creamy. In a large bowl, add 1 cup of flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt, then gradually whisk in the egg mixture until you have a smooth batter, set aside.
- Snap the white or woody ends off the pound of asparagus, then thinly slice the asparagus at a sharp angle.
- To a large pan over medium heat, add a drizzle of olive oil. Add the asparagus and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-6 minutes or until the asparagus is tender and beginning to char slightly. Season with salt and turn off the heat.
- When the beans are done cooking, remove the onion, garlic cloves and thyme. Keep the water at a simmer.
- Now it’s time to make the spaetzle. The goal is to “drop” the batter into the simmering water in bean-sized pieces. I like to do this by scooping a lot of batter into a large spoon, holding that spoon over the pot and use a smaller spoon to ease off bits of batter a little at a time, rotating around the pot. Do this quickly so that the spaetzle can all cook at relatively the same time. You will know they are finished when they float.
- When all the spaetzle are floating, add in the asparagus. Squeeze in the juice from 1/2 of a lemon, mix and taste. Season with more salt or lemon juice as needed.
- Serve in bowls with sour cream and freshly cracked black pepper.
Comments
In second paragraph under “What is Spatzle?” I think you forgot to mention flour in the first sentence.
Ah, great eye, thank you!! Updated 🙂
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