When you think of European cuisine, you probably think of Italy and France, but you’d be shocked at how fantastic the traditional German food is as well.
With over 83 million people and a wide range of culinary traditions, German cuisine encompasses much more than just Schnitzel and Bratwurst.
Traditional German cuisine and drink are probably more exciting than most newcomers and visitors imagine.
While regional differences in culinary culture exist, most German recipes emphasize bread, potatoes, and meat, particularly pork, as well as plenty of cabbage and kale greens.
In German cooking, cake, coffee, and beer are frequent ingredients.
If you explore the world of traditional German food, you’ll find a variety of rich, meaty, and tasty dishes that make excellent comfort dishes.
While each region of Germany has its own particular words and traditional german food, everyone enjoys a few gourmet delights.
You won’t have a hard time fitting them into any of your weekly meal plans, though, because many of them are simple to prepare.
This page will take you through the basics of German cuisine and some popular regional specialties worth trying.
1. Wurst
Wurst is one of the different types of traditional German foods. In Germany, there are an estimated 1,500 different types of sausage.
These can be made in various ways with a variety of ingredients and spice combinations. These can be found practically anywhere in the country on street stalls.
One of the most popular varieties is Bratwurst: When you think of classic German cuisine, you generally think of bratwurst.
Sausages prepared from ground pig, veal, or beef are bratwurst. After that, the sausages are pan-fried or roasted until crispy.
Bratwurst can be served with mustard on top. Many Germans enjoy their sausages with sauerkraut or potato salad at bars. They’re also well-liked as fast food.
2. Rouladen
Rouladen is a traditional German food made of pickles and bacon wrapped in thin slices of beef or veal. Gravy, dumplings, mashed potatoes, and cabbage are typical accompaniments.
Rouladen is a dish eaten by families when they get together for a meal during a holiday or celebration. It is not native to any particular place. It claimed to have French origins, which explains the name.
Because topside beef or silverside beef is the cheapest cut, it is generally used. This hearty German cuisine may be seen at festivals and family dinner tables all around the country.
Typical accompaniments are dumplings, mashed potatoes, Blaukraut (cooked red cabbage), and red wine gravy.
3. Schnitzel
A schnitzel is a flat slice of beef that has been pounded thin. The meat is then breaded and fried. Schnitzel can be deep-fried or pan-fried. Pork is the most common meat consumed in Germany.
A Schnitzel is made by tenderizing a chunk of meat (chicken, beef, or veal) or a hog and then coating it in egg, flour, and breadcrumbs before frying it in oil.
This dish is an excellent example of traditional German cuisine seen in pubs, restaurants, and fast-food establishments. The combination of schnitzel and fries is a standard and delicious option.
4. Eintopf
A steaming bowl of Eintopf will warm anyone up on a cold day. This classic German stew’s name translates to “one-pot” and relates to the preparation method rather than the contents.
However, most recipes use the same fundamental ingredients: broth, vegetables, potatoes, or grains, and pig, cattle, chicken, or fish.
Eintopf is a German stew that is comparable to Irish stew. There are many different regional variations throughout Germany.
5. Käsespätzle
Spätzle, Germany’s answer to spaghetti, is notably popular in the country’s south. Made from wheat flour and egg, these soft egg noodles are frequently topped with cheese (Käsespätzle) and roasted onions.
Spätzle is a Swabian specialty, even though its origins are disputed, and versions can be found in adjacent countries.
Furthermore, the basic rule of thumb is to use one egg more than guests. It’s frequently served with meat dishes like Rouladen that have a lot of sauce or gravy, or stews like Gaisburger Marsch (a Swabian stew)
6. Brezel
Brezel (pretzel) is a baked pastry that is often fashioned into a knot and is delicious as a side dish or snack.
Cheese, sugar, chocolate, cinnamon, and various seeds are commonly sprinkled over a Brezel, but additional seasonings include cheese, sugar, chocolate, cinnamon, and other grains.
Furthermore, this popular traditional German food is served with German beer found in bakeries and street vendors throughout the country.
They’re usually filled with cold meat or cheese slices, simple, sliced, and buttered (Butterbrezel).
7. Labskaus
One of the traditional German food is labskaus, a beef dish. German sailors invented it in the 18th century, and it quickly gained popularity among land dwellers.
Furthermore, salted meat, onions, and potatoes are used in this traditional German food. Gherkins and other components, such as pickled beets, are mashed together and blended with these ingredients.
It looks like pink mashed potatoes, but it’s an excellent recipe to make when you have leftover ingredients.
