10 Traditional German Food With Ingredients And German Recipes

When you’re learning German, it’s not just about the German language but also about the traditional German food. Luckily, German cuisine is great and can be enjoyed in different European countries.

DW Food made a great video about classical, traditional German food:

And now, let’s go deeper to explore more about traditional German food and the ingredients people use to cook their dishes.

Traditional German food and German ingredients

German cuisine is all about comfort food that sticks to your ribs.

Traditional German food usually offers meat, potatoes, and cabbage. This dish tends to be filling and satisfying but regional differences play a big role in German cooking and the food’s taste. For example, you’ll definitely find more seafood dishes in the north near the coast, while the south is famous for its dumpling and noodles.

German cooking isn’t all heavy though.

In recent years, there’s been a trend towards lighter, more modern interpretations of traditional dishes.

You’ll also find a strong emphasis on seasonal ingredients, with many dishes changing slightly depending on what’s available at different times of the year.

German cuisine also has its clear favorites when we’re talking about ingredients. Pork is the most popular meat, used in everything from sausages to roasts, but beef and chicken are also common. Potatoes are prepared in different ways – boiled, mashed, fried, you name it!

Cabbage is often turned into sauerkraut.

Here’s a table of some of the main ingredients you’ll often see in German cooking:

Don’t forget about the bread, too!

Germans are serious about their bread, with hundreds of different available. From dark, hearty rye breads to soft pretzels, bread is an inevitable part of German cuisine.

And of course, we can’t talk about German food without mentioning beer. It’s not just a drink, because many dishes are cooked with beer or served with a beer-based sauce.

So, with this in mind, let’s explore the top 10 traditional German food:

1. Schnitzel

Schnitzel is a classic German dish that’s super easy to make.

You start with a thin slice of meat, usually veal or pork, and give it a good pounding to make it even thinner.

Then you dip it in flour, egg, and breadcrumbs before frying it up in a pan until it’s golden and crispy. It’s served with a slice of lemon and some potato salad on the side.

2. Bratwurst

Bratwurst is a type of German sausage that’s a favorite at barbecues and beer gardens.

It’s made from pork or sometimes a mix of pork and veal. The meat is ground, seasoned with spices like nutmeg and caraway, stuffed into casings, and then grilled until it’s nicely browned.

It’s served in a roll with mustard or sauerkraut.

3. Sauerkraut

Sauerkraut is a tangy side dish made from fermented cabbage.

To make it, you finely slice cabbage, mix it with salt, and let it ferment for a few weeks. The fermentation process gives it that distinctive sour flavor.

It’s usually cooked with onions and apples for added flavor and served as a side dish with different meats.

4. Spätzle

Spätzle are little egg noodles that are super popular in southern Germany.

To make them, you mix flour, eggs, and a bit of water or milk to form a sticky dough. Then you either press the dough through a special spätzle maker or scrape small pieces off a cutting board into boiling water.

They’re often served as a side dish or mixed with cheese to make Käsespätzle.

5. Rouladen

Rouladen are beef rolls filled with bacon, onions, and pickles.

You start with thin slices of beef, spread them with mustard, and add the fillings. Then you roll them up, secure them with toothpicks or string, and brown them in a pan. After that, they’re slowly braised in a rich gravy until they’re tender… and also, delicious.

6. Kartoffelpuffer

Kartoffelpuffer, also known as potato pancakes, are a tasty treat made from grated potatoes, onions, and eggs. You mix these ingredients together, form them into small patties, and fry them until they’re golden and crispy.

They’re often served with applesauce or sour cream.

7. Sauerbraten

Sauerbraten is a pot roast that’s marinated for several days before cooking.

The meat (usually beef) is soaked in a mixture of vinegar, wine, and spices. After marinating, it’s browned and then slow-cooked with the marinade and some vegetables. The result is a tender roast with a slightly sour gravy.

8. Schweinshaxe

Schweinshaxe is a hearty dish of roasted pork knuckle.

The pork is seasoned and then slow-roasted until the meat is tender and the skin is crispy. It’s often served with sauerkraut and potatoes.

It’s a favorite in beer halls, especially in Bavaria.

9. Currywurst

Currywurst is a popular street food that’s basically a sausage topped with curry-spiced ketchup.

You grill or fry a bratwurst, slice it up, and then smother it in a sauce made from ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and curry powder.

It’s usually served with fries and is a favorite late-night snack.

10. Apfelstrudel

Apfelstrudel, or apple strudel, is a delicious dessert made with thin layers of pastry wrapped around a filling of apples, cinnamon, and raisins.

The dough is stretched super thin, then the filling is added, and it’s all rolled up and baked until it’s golden brown.

It’s served warm with a dollop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Best of German food expressions you have to know

You know the basics of traditional German food recipes and ingredients but what if you want to order it in a restaurant. Then you have to know how to order food in a German restaurant, and you have to know these common German phrases and expressions.

Learn the top 10 traditional German foods with Conversation Based Chunking

Although we feature tables and lists in these blog posts, we make sure that they are all based around the Conversation Based Chunking method.

What is this method?

Well, now you can request a free German Conversation Based Chunking Guide, so you will always have access to a free essential German chunking list, the best resources to learn German, and even access our practice worksheet library.