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German classics

Familiar favourites, regional ideas and home cooking.

30 articles

Creamy cheese and leek soup with browned minced meat in a white soup plate

Photo: Katrin Gilger · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Resized

German classics35 min

Cheese and leek soup with minced beef

Soft leeks and browned minced beef make a substantial creamy soup with processed cheese.

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Golden torn Kaiserschmarrn in a bowl with apple sauce alongside

Photo: Ich · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Resized

German classics30 min

Kaiserschmarrn with apple sauce

A thick, airy pancake is torn into golden pieces and served with apple sauce.

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Pale semolina pudding in a glass bowl with yellow peach compote

Photo: Alice Wiegand · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Resized

German classics20 min

Semolina pudding with peach compote

Soft milk semolina is topped with a quick compote made from tinned peaches.

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Creamy rice pudding with a light layer of cinnamon over the surface

Photo: Ross Berteig from Monrovia, California, USA · CC BY 2.0 · Resized

German classics45 min

Creamy rice pudding with cinnamon

Short-grain rice simmers gently in milk and is served with a little cinnamon sugar.

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A golden Dutch baby pancake with tall edges in a black cast-iron skillet

Photo: Taylorderek · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Resized

German classics30 min

Dutch baby oven pancake

A thin egg-and-milk batter rises into tall golden edges in a hot cast-iron skillet.

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Two open slices of seeded bread with melted orange cheddar on a white plate

Photo: Zorin90 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Resized

German classics15 min

Open cheddar toast from the oven

Bread is briefly toasted before being baked under a layer of melted cheddar.

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Potato salad with browned onions and Maultaschen on a plate

German classics55 min

Swabian potato salad with warm stock

This potato salad uses warm stock and vinegar rather than a creamy dressing.

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Lentils and spaetzle with pieces of sausage on a plate

German classics65 min

Lentils with spaetzle and frankfurters

Brown lentils stay recognisable as they cook, creating a substantial sauce with finely diced root vegetables.

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Cheese spaetzle with browned onions and green salad

German classics45 min

Cheese spaetzle with golden onions

Cheese spaetzle does not need a heavy cream sauce.

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Cut beef roulades with dark gravy and potato dumplings

Photo: Matt Lancashire · CC BY 2.0 · Resized

German classics160 min

Beef roulades with pickles and mustard

Thin beef slices are wrapped around mustard, bacon, onion and gherkins, then browned and gently braised in a vegetable-rich stock.

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Sauerbraten with dark gravy, potato dumplings and red cabbage

German classics180 min

Beef sauerbraten with a balanced vinegar marinade

Sauerbraten starts two days before dinner.

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Sliced roast pork with brown gravy and cabbage salad

Photo: Bahnfrend · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Resized

German classics170 min

Roast pork shoulder with caraway and onion gravy

Slow-roasted pork shoulder stays succulent and can be sliced after a short rest.

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Königsberg meatballs in caper sauce beside a boiled potato

German classics55 min

Königsberg meatballs in creamy caper sauce

These meatballs are gently poached in stock, keeping them pale and tender.

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A browned cabbage roll with sauce, potatoes and vegetables

Photo: Dr. Bernd Gross · CC BY-SA 3.0 de · Resized

German classics100 min

Cabbage rolls with a savoury meat filling

Large white cabbage leaves make a tender wrapper for seasoned minced meat.

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A browned German meat patty with vegetables

Photo: Kobako · CC BY-SA 2.5 · Resized

German classics40 min

German meat patties with mustard and parsley

These patties should brown on the outside while staying tender within.

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Boiled eggs in pale mustard sauce with potatoes

Photo: Raimond Spekking · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Resized

German classics35 min

Eggs in mustard sauce with boiled potatoes

With so few ingredients, this dish depends on a carefully balanced sauce.

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A bowl of creamy green split pea soup with bread

Photo: Tiia Monto · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Resized

German classics75 min

Creamy green split pea soup

Green split peas gradually break down as they cook, giving this soup its creamy body.

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Braised kale with potatoes, smoked sausage and Kasseler pork

German classics85 min

Braised kale with potatoes and smoked sausage

Kale tolerates slow cooking and absorbs the flavour of onions and smoked sausage.

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Labskaus with a fried egg, beetroot, gherkins and herring

Photo: GeoTrinity · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Resized

German classics40 min

Labskaus with fried eggs and gherkins

Labskaus combines potatoes, cooked cured beef and beetroot into a coarse, savoury mash.

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Apple and potato mash with golden onions and bratwurst

Photo: Tamorlan · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Resized

German classics45 min

Apple and potato mash with onions and bratwurst

Cook apples and potatoes separately before combining them into a coarse mash.

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Golden onion tart baked on a rectangular tray

German classics135 min

Tray-baked onion tart with a yeast crust

The onions need time in the pan before baking.

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Thin flammkuchen with cream, onions and bacon

Photo: Lulu Durand · CC BY 2.0 · Resized

German classics45 min

Thin onion and bacon flammkuchen

A thin unleavened dough and a very hot oven give flammkuchen its crisp base.

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Cut Maultaschen pasta parcels on potato salad with browned onions on a white plate

Photo: Gerda Arendt · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Resized

German classics75 min

Maultaschen with spinach and meat filling

These generous pasta parcels contain mince, spinach, onion and soaked bread.

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Round bread dumplings with visible bread pieces and parsley

Photo: Kobako · CC BY-SA 2.5 · Resized

German classics50 min

Bread dumplings made with stale rolls

Stale rolls absorb warm milk and become a mixture that can be shaped into dumplings.

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Smooth yellow potato dumplings on a wooden board

Photo: IgorCalzone1 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Resized

German classics65 min

Potato dumplings made with cooked potatoes

These dumplings use cooked potatoes throughout, with no grated raw potato mixture.

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Golden potato pancakes beside a bowl of apple sauce

Photo: Raimond Spekking · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Resized

German classics45 min

Crisp potato pancakes with apple sauce

Freshly grated potatoes contain plenty of water.

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Golden pan-fried potato slices with onions in a frying pan

German classics35 min

Pan-fried potatoes with golden onions

Potatoes cooked the previous day make a useful base for fried potatoes: they slice cleanly and bring less surface moisture into the pan.

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Sauerkraut with juniper, black pepper and yellow curry powder

German classics45 min

Sauerkraut with juniper and a touch of curry

Ready-to-eat sauerkraut becomes a juicy side dish with only a few additions.

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Finely shredded braised red cabbage in a bowl

Photo: MOs810 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Resized

German classics75 min

Braised red cabbage with apple

Finely sliced red cabbage cooks with apple, onion and a little vinegar.

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Beef goulash in brown sauce with potato dumplings

Photo: Silar · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Resized

German classics165 min

Slow-braised beef goulash with onions and paprika

This goulash is a slowly braised meat dish with a substantial onion sauce rather than a thin soup.

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