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We love macaroni and cheese in all its many iterations and German spaetzle is one of our faves. With this dish, we decided to keep the base simple – handmade spaetzle and lots of cheese – and top it all with beautifully caramelized onions. The sweetness of the onions goes perfectly with the cheeses and dumplings, and we know that anyone you serve this to will absolutely love it!

We didn’t know we’d ever love a dish as much as the classic mac and cheese, but this one really delivers!

Cheesy Spaetzle With Caramelized Onions

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

Spaetzle:

  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Filling:

  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 cup parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
  • 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
  • 1/2 cup gruyere, grated
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400º F.
  2. Combine flour, salt and nutmeg in a medium bowl and set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, beat eggs and milk together until just frothy, then gradually mix in dry ingredients until a thick batter comes together.
  4. Transfer batter to a large, re-sealable plastic bag. Seal the bag and cut off the corner.
  5. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and hold the bag of batter over the water. Slowly squeeze batter out and use a pair of scissors to cut spaetzle noodles and drop them into the water.

    Note: you can make the noodles however big or small you like.

  6. Cook noodles for 2-3 minutes, then remove with a slotted spoon and set in an ice bath to stop cooking. Place noodles in a large bowl and toss with melted butter.
  7. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat and add onions.
  8. Season with salt and pepper, then reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened and golden brown.
  9. Place spaetzle in a large baking dish and sprinkle cheeses on top. Cover with caramelized onions and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Recipe adapted from Panning The Globe