spaetzle

American  

[shpet-sluh, -suhl, -slee] / ˈʃpɛt slə, -səl, -sli /

noun

1. a dish consisting of lumps or threads made from a batter of flour, milk, eggs, and salt, usually poured through a coarse colander into boiling water, and then either drained and mixed in butter, lightly pan-fried, or added to sauces, stews, etc.

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Etymology

Origin of spaetzle

< German (dial.) Spätzle, diminutive of Spatz dumpling, sparrow, Middle High German, derivative of spar sparrow

Example Sentences

An impressive pork chop served with green garlic spaetzle, and the dry-aged bone-in rib-eye big enough to feed four, both come from Moses Lake.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 18, 2023

The menu features an Austrian flatbread with bacon and onions, Berlin currywurst, open-faced Viennese sandwiches, slow-roasted beets with Alpine cheese, classic wiener schnitzel, spaetzle, and apple strudel.

From New York Times • Feb. 8, 2022

You might want to add a bit more butter as you go to keep the spaetzle from drying out.

From Salon • Sep. 15, 2021

Then move the cooked spaetzle to a large buttered bowl.

From Salon • Sep. 15, 2021

Set on some water to boil, salt the water and when the water boils drop the spaetzle into it, one at a time.

From The International Jewish Cook Book 1600 Recipes According to the Jewish Dietary Laws with the Rules for Kashering; the Favorite Recipes of America, Austria, Germany, Russia, France, Poland, Roumania, Etc., Etc. by Greenbaum, Florence Kreisler