Speetzle, or sptäzle, which is German for “little sparrow” is a German dish of tiny noodles or dumplings. Spaetzle is typically served as a side dish, much like potatoes or rice. It is also often served with a sauce or gravy.
Chef's notes
There are other ways of spelling Spaetzle, such as Spätzle.
Depending on the region, it is pronounced differently. Here are some common ways of saying it: SHEPT-slee, SHEPT-sluh and SHEPT –shel.
Steps
1
Preparing the Spaetzle
Ingredients
1 1/2 tbsp egg replacer
4 tbsp water
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 cup all–purpose flour
1 cup unsweetened soy milk
To prepare the batter, in small bowl, whisk together the egg replacer and water. In another bowl, add salt, baking powder and the all–purpose flour. Mix well.
Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the soy milk, mixing slowly. Add the whisked egg replacer. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon or whisk for a few minutes to release and develop the gluten.
2
Cooking the Spaetzle
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the batter through the spaetzel maker, scraping well. Boil about 3 minutes, frequently stirring to ensure they do not stick. The dumplings are done when they all float to the surface and are cooked through.
Strain and serve as is with non–dairy butter or olive oil.
If storing for cooking later, toss with a bit of olive oil or non–dairy butter and store in the refrigerator.
3
Frying & Serving the Spaetzle
Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
sea salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 tsp non–dairy butter
3 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
To serve, add the olive oil to a non–stick pan. When the pan is very hot, add the spaetzle, then the salt and pepper, a touch of non–dairy butter and parsley.
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Hi there!
Looks delicious! Can I use a colander instead of a spaetzle maker? The holes might not be as large as a maker. What differences would it make?
Thanks!
Jason
I guess it would really depend on how big the holes of your colander are and what sort of shape it is. For example, I personally have a colander that has quite big holes and it would be the right shape as it would sit on top of a pot. However, I also have a second colander that would totally not work, as the holes are quite small and it would be super awkward to use, due to it's shape. I have also used a hotel pan with perforated holes before and that also worked, due to it's shape etc. The idea is to end up with a "noodle" of sorts, one that is frie-able, if that makes sense — so you might just need to do some experimenting. At least experimenting with different tools would not be very expensive in this case, since it's mostly just flour. Cheers, Dawn
Vicki, visit Amazon and consider the following models: Stainless Steel Spaetzle Maker Lid with Scraper & Stainless Steel Spaetzle Maker with Comfort Grip Handle.
Hi Lynn- My preference is a dry egg-replacer, much like the ones from Bob's Red Mill or Ener-G foods. I prefer the dry mixes, as they lend themselves to creating the best batter. Hope this information helps. Thx for writing! -Char
Hi there! My final product came out a bit goopy, do you know what could have caused it? I'm assuming the gluten wasnt completely developed or the batter was too moist. Thanks!
Hello, Alana--thanks for writing. There are several variables here--how well was the egg-replacer whisked prior to adding it to the batter, and then whisking as directed. I have also found that a whisk works better than a wooden spoon. I think you are right about the gluten. Try making it again, and mix well. Also, I am a fan of Bob's Red Mill egg-replacer, I find that it works well in many, many recipes. Hope to hear from you again. Cheers, Char
Hello, Verena: I also cook without using oils and vegan butters. Reserve a few ounces of the water used for boiling, or, use some broth/stock in place of the oils. When done. I would add fresh herbs, and nutritional yeast. They will give a nice flavor and you will not miss the oils at all. Bravo on the no-oils. Cheers, Char
Hello, Carleen: Thanks for writing. Using almond or coconut milk would work very well. I would suggest to use a Bob's Red Mill 1:1 baking flour, which is gluten-free. I have used these substitutions to create this recipe and they work well. Let us know how it works for you. Take care, Char
Dawn T •I guess it would really depend on how big the holes of your colander are and what sort of shape it is. For example, I personally have a colander that has quite big holes and it would be the right shape as it would sit on top of a pot. However, I also have a second colander that would totally not work, as the holes are quite small and it would be super awkward to use, due to it's shape. I have also used a hotel pan with perforated holes before and that also worked, due to it's shape etc. The idea is to end up with a "noodle" of sorts, one that is frie-able, if that makes sense — so you might just need to do some experimenting. At least experimenting with different tools would not be very expensive in this case, since it's mostly just flour. Cheers, Dawn
Char N • Rouxbe Staff •Hi Lynn- My preference is a dry egg-replacer, much like the ones from Bob's Red Mill or Ener-G foods. I prefer the dry mixes, as they lend themselves to creating the best batter. Hope this information helps. Thx for writing! -Char
Alana L •Hi there! My final product came out a bit goopy, do you know what could have caused it? I'm assuming the gluten wasnt completely developed or the batter was too moist. Thanks!
Verena P •Since my husband’s heart surgery we avoid ALL oils and butters... Is there anything else I can use instead of vegan butter?