German Spaetzle With Mushroom Sauce Recipe

I’m sharing my Jägerspätzle from my German Comfort Food Recipes collection, where hand-pressed spaetzle meets a deeply savory traditional mushroom sauce that will make you want to read on.

I can’t stop making this Jägerspätzle lately, it’s rude how addictive the textures are. My version starts with a simple batter of all purpose flour, then you spoon tiny spaetzle into boiling water and they puff up with a chewy bite.

The mushroom sauce is the reason I keep making it, those mixed mushrooms get deeply browned and somehow sing with the spaetzle. I tested it for my 5 Star Recipes Dinners posts and even friends who love What To Serve With Spaetzle arguments begged for seconds.

It’s my favorite fall trick, messy, honest, and a little surprising.

Ingredients

• All purpose flour: main carb gives spaetzle structure and chew, low fibre, neutral taste
• Eggs: add protein, richness and color they help bind dough and make it’s tender
• Mixed mushrooms: earthy umami, low calories, some fibre and B vitamins, soak up sauce flavors
• Butter: gives silky mouthfeel adds fat and depth helps brown mushrooms for flavor
• Heavy cream: makes sauce rich and creamy, adds calories and fat, smooths acidity
• White wine: brightens sauce with acidity lifts flavors, evaporates leaving subtle fruit notes
• Emmental or Gruyere: optional cheese topping, nutty melting cheese, adds salt and savory depth

Ingredient Quantities

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 3 large eggs room temp
• 1/2 cup milk room temp
• 1/4 cup water room temp
• 1 teaspoon fine salt for the dough
• pinch freshly grated nutmeg
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter for tossing spaetzle
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter divided (for mushrooms and sauce)
• 1 tablespoon neutral oil (vegetable or canola)
• 1 pound mixed mushrooms (cremini or button, shiitake or chanterelles work great) sliced
• 1 medium yellow onion finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tablespoon all purpose flour (to thicken sauce)
• 1 cup beef broth (or vegetable or chicken broth)
• 1/2 cup dry white wine optional but recommended
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce or 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard optional
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley plus more for garnish
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup grated Emmental or Gruyere cheese optional for serving

How to Make this

1. Make the spaetzle batter: whisk 2 cups flour, 1 tsp fine salt and a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg in a bowl; in another bowl beat 3 large room temp eggs with 1/2 cup room temp milk and 1/4 cup room temp water, then fold wet into dry until just combined — batter should be thick and sticky but drop off a spoon; its okay to have a few small lumps, if too thick add a splash of water, if too thin add a little flour.

2. Bring a large pot of well salted water to a rolling boil. Set a slotted spoon and a colander nearby. Use a spaetzle maker or a coarse colander/cheese grater over the pot to press the batter into the boiling water in small drops; cook until the spaetzle float then simmer 1 to 2 minutes more. Scoop out with slotted spoon into a bowl and immediately toss with 2 tablespoons unsalted butter to keep them from sticking.

3. While the spaetzle cooks, heat 2 tablespoons of the remaining 3 tablespoons unsalted butter and 1 tablespoon neutral oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add 1 pound sliced mixed mushrooms in a single layer, season with salt, and let them brown without stirring too much so they get color.

4. When mushrooms are nicely browned, add 1 medium finely chopped yellow onion and cook until soft, then stir in 2 minced garlic cloves and cook about 30 seconds until fragrant.

5. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon all purpose flour over the pan, stir and cook 1 minute to remove the raw flour taste. Pour in 1/2 cup dry white wine if using and scrape up browned bits, let it reduce about half.

6. Add 1 cup beef broth (or vegetable or chicken broth) and 1/2 cup heavy cream, then stir in 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard if using, and 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1/2 tsp dried). Simmer gently until the sauce thickens slightly, about 3 to 5 minutes; taste and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

7. Swirl in the remaining 1 tablespoon unsalted butter for shine, and stir in 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley. If the sauce is too thick loosen with a splash of the reserved spaetzle cooking water.

8. Add the buttered spaetzle to the mushroom sauce and toss gently over low heat 1 to 2 minutes so everything is well coated and heated through; if using 1/2 cup grated Emmental or Gruyere, sprinkle it over and stir off the heat until it melts into the noodles.

9. Taste, adjust salt and pepper, garnish with more chopped parsley and serve immediately while steaming hot.

Equipment Needed

1. Large mixing bowl for the flour and dry ingredients
2. Medium bowl and whisk for beating eggs and milk, or a fork if you like
3. Measuring cups and spoons (cups for flour, milk, water; tsp for salt, thyme)
4. Large pot for boiling the spaetzle, plus a little extra space for rolling drops
5. Spaetzle maker or a coarse colander / box grater to press the batter through
6. Slotted spoon to lift cooked spaetzle out of the boiling water
7. Colander or fine sieve to drain and a serving bowl to toss with butter right away
8. Large skillet for browning mushrooms and making the sauce
9. Chef’s knife and cutting board for mushrooms, onion and parsley
10. Spatula or wooden spoon for stirring the sauce and scraping up browned bits

FAQ

German Spaetzle With Mushroom Sauce Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• All purpose flour:
  • Gluten free all purpose blend (1:1), make sure it contains xanthan gum or add 1/4 tsp so the spaetzle holds together.
  • Semolina or durum flour (start 3/4 amount), gives a chewier, slightly grainy bite, you may need a splash more liquid.
  • Whole wheat pastry flour (1:1), nuttier flavor but absorb more liquid so add a tablespoon or two of milk if batter seems stiff.
• Eggs (for the dough):
  • Aquafaba (3 tablespoons per egg), good for a vegan version, batter will be a bit looser so work quickly.
  • Flax “egg” (1 tablespoon ground flax + 3 tablespoons water per egg), gives structure but makes spaetzle slightly denser.
  • Silken tofu, blended (1/4 cup per egg), neutral flavor and keeps things moist, may need a touch more liquid.
• Heavy cream (for the sauce):
  • Half and half plus butter: 3/4 cup whole milk + 1/4 cup melted butter per 1 cup cream, closest richness without full cream.
  • Full fat coconut milk (1:1), dairy free and rich, but leaves a light coconut note.
  • Greek yogurt thinned with milk (3/4 cup yogurt + 1/4 cup milk per cup), tangier and thicker so stir in off heat to avoid curdling.
• Beef broth:
  • Mushroom broth (1:1), amps up savory umami and pairs great with mushroom sauce.
  • Vegetable broth (1:1), keeps it vegetarian and lighter, use low sodium and season to taste.
  • Chicken broth (1:1) or a mix of water + splash of soy sauce/Worcestershire for extra depth if you don’t have broth.

Pro Tips

– Let the batter rest about 10 minutes before you press it out, it helps the flour hydrate so the spaetzle hold together better and the texture is less gummy. If it still seems off, tweak with tiny splashes of water or a spoon more flour until it just drops.

– Dont rinse the spaetzle after cooking, toss them straight away with butter so they dont clump and the little bit of starchy cooking water you saved will help the sauce cling when you add it later.

– Brown the mushrooms in a hot pan and dont crowd them, do it in batches if needed so they get color instead of steaming; season lightly at first and finish seasoning after the sauce comes together so you dont over-salt.

– Finish the sauce off heat with the last pat of butter and the cheese so it melts into a glossy coating, and if the sauce seems tight, loosen with a splash of the reserved spaetzle water rather than more broth for best flavor.