Germany is famous for its rich history and impressive architecture. In addition to these, German cuisine is also known for its delicious and diverse dishes. Traditional German foods and desserts are filled with warm and hearty flavors, each offering a culinary delight. In this article, we have compiled a list of delicious traditional German foods and desserts. Our article on The Best Traditional German Foods is just for you!
The Best Traditional German Foods
Traditional German Foods
Brotkorb
Unlike most of other cuisines, dinner in German cuisine can be more of a cold snack style. Alongside various cheeses, sausages, and fats, Germans delicious bread, namely Brotkorb (bread basket) is the centerpiece of these meals.
You can find this kind of food even in the festivals such as Oktoberfest and Volksfest with the name of Brotzeit Teller. Moreover, beer gardens also often offer this.
Obatzda
Obatzda is a Bavarian spreadable cheese mixture. It’s made by combining two-thirds ripe soft cheese, usually Camembert, with one-third butter. Sweet or spicy paprika powder, salt, and pepper are also some flavors used in this cheese. Additionally, fresh onions on top of Obatzda create a delightful taste. You can eat it with a bread or Brezel. It is also possible to find outside of Bavaria. This is somehow one of our favorites in the Traditional German Foods List.
Bratkartoffeln
Kartoffeln, in German, means “potatoes”. Germans consume potatoes in almost every meal. Bratkartoffeln is one of the most delicious potato-containing dishes. It is made by slicing boiled potatoes and mixing them with bacon and onions, then frying them in oil or baking them in the oven.
Flammkuchen
Among the traditional German foods, Flammkuchen is a type of pizza, almost like a thin-crust lahmacun. It is made by placing various ingredients on thinly rolled dough. If you like pizza or lahmacun, we highly recommend trying Flammkuchen. Our favorite is with cheese, rucola and tomatoes. 🙂
Bratwurst
One of the first dishes that come to mind when you think of Germany is the hefty-looking sausages. Made from pork, Bratwursts are a frequently encountered delicacy at street stalls and festivals.
Maultaschen
Maultaschen is a regional dish of southern Germany, similar to German-style dumplings. It’s a delicious and hearty meal. Compared to the dumplings we got used to, Maultaschen use a lot more ingredients in the filling. Slightly larger dough pockets are filled with sausage, spinach, onions, among others.
The stories surrounding the origin of Maultaschen are quite fascinating. During the Easter period, Christians fasting prohibits from eating meat and drinking alcohol. Therefore, in ancient times, people sought to deceive God by creating German-style dumplings with meat-filled dough. I don’t know if they were successful in deceiving God, but they continue to enjoy Maultaschen to this day.
Brezel
You can find pretzels in every bakery in Germany. Brezel is a kind of pretzel and Germans consumes it as a snack. Among Germans, Brezel and Bratwurst are one of the most preferred foods to accompany beer. Some restaurants serve Brezel alongside cold cuts and cheese slices, making it a must-try for anyone traveling to Germany.
Käsespätzle
Käsespätzle is a traditional dish of the German regions of Swabia, Baden, and Allgäu, as well as Austria’s Vorarlberg and Tyrol regions, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland. This dish mostly contains mountain cheeses in Germany and is a real treat for cheese lovers. Germans usually serve Käsespätzle with fried onion pieces. But there is also a version with green lentils and sausage.
Knödel
Knödel is one of the traditional and popular dishes of German cuisine. It is a side dish with the shape of large, round balls. Knödel can contain various ingredients such as meat, vegetables, or cheese. Generally, Knödel has hearty and delicious taste.
Weisswurst
Weisswurst is a traditional Bavarian sausage made from minced veal and pork bacon. Although there are some variations, it’s usually seasoned with parsley, lemon, salt, onions, ginger, and cardamom.
Weisswurst is boiled in the water around 10 minutes. Then its color turns into white-gray as there is no coloring matter inside.
Moreover, it is served with sweet mustard and Brezel. Also, you need to eat it after peeling the cover.
Kartoffelpuffer
Kartoffelpuffer is a German-style potato pancake and also known as Reibekuchen. It’s a kind of fritter made from potatoes, onions, and eggs. It is a beloved dish among the traditional German Foods.
Traditional German Desserts
Berliner
Berliner is a traditional German pastry. It resembles a donut in shape and preparation. After frying yeast dough in oil, it is split in half and filled with jam or jelly, then sprinkled with powdered sugar. Germans consumes this dessert especially in winter.
Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte
Black Forest Cake is a traditional German pastry that has been made in Germany since the 1930s and has gained worldwide fame over time. Its standard ingredients include chocolate biscuits soaked in cherry liqueur, cherries, cream, and grated chocolate. After spending some time in the Black Forest, you can try this dessert in one of the cottages.
Käsekuchen
The origin of Käsekuchen dates back to the Middle Ages. Although the original recipes may have changed over time, this dessert remains a staple of German cuisine. It gained popularity in Germany in the 19th century and has since become one of Germany’s most beloved desserts.
Käsekuchen, one of the most delicious and popular desserts of German cuisine, has become a favorite of dessert lovers around the world. This magnificent dessert, whose name means “cheese cake”, provides an explosion of flavor in every bite with its light and creamy texture.
Apfelstrudel
Apfelstrudel, Germany’s famous apple pie, is made by filling thin pastry dough with sliced apples and cinnamon. It is usually served with vanilla sauce or ice cream.
Lebkuchen
This spicy and honeyed gingerbread is an important part of German cuisine. It’s usually consumed during Christmas time and is flavored with various spices. It comes in different shapes and sizes. You can find this dessert in any German supermarket.
Thus, we have come to the end of our The Best Traditional German Foods article. In addition to these, you might also like these articles: Esslingen Travel Guide, Tübingen Travel Guide, The Best Restaurants in Stuttgart From Local and Münih Yeme İçme Rehberi.
We’re very curious to hear your comments on these dishes. If you’ve tried and liked other dishes, please write them in the comments. This way, we can try out things you like too.
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