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Vegetarian, Northern, Eastern and Western France

Baked spätzle with munster cheese and green salad

Baked spätzle with munster cheese is an Alsatian dish for 4 people, ready in 50 minutes, moderate difficulty, about €2.40 per person. The key to success is beating the batter well for tender spätzle and letting the munster melt under a layer of onions that stay crisp.

Tonight we're heading to Alsace with homemade spätzle baked under melted munster and crowned with fried onions, a dish that warms you right down to your toes.

Baked spätzle with munster cheese and green salad
Total time
50 min
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€2.40
Calories per person
670 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Fall

Homemade spätzle have that soft, slightly irregular texture you never get from the packaged kind. Munster melts into a runny, pungent layer on top, giving the dish its distinct sharp flavor. Fried onions add the crunch this otherwise soft, cheesy bake would be missing.

This is a dish for a cold winter evening when you want something that sticks to your ribs, or a Sunday when you have time to shape the batter by hand. The green salad is there mainly to cut through the richness of the cheese and lighten the plate. The spätzle take a bit of time, but nothing complicated once you get the hang of it.

The ingredients

4 people

Pantry

  • Flouroften in the pantry 300 g
  • Nutmegoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Vinaigretteoften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Dairy

  • Eggs 3
  • Milk 15 cl
  • Munster cheese 250 g
  • Butter 40 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Onions 2
  • Green salad 1

Allergens Gluten, Lactose, Eggs

The step by step recipe

  1. Mix the flour, eggs, milk, salt and nutmeg until you get a thick batter full of bubbles.

    Beat the batter with a wooden spoon for two minutes, it turns elastic and keeps the spätzle tender.

  2. Slide the batter into a large pot of simmering salted water and lift the spätzle out once they float to the surface. 8 min

    Work in two or three batches so they don't clump together.

  3. Slice the onions and brown them in half the butter until nicely crisp. 10 min

    A little flour on the onions before frying makes them crispier.

  4. Arrange the spätzle in a buttered baking dish, scatter chunks of munster on top with the remaining butter.

    Trim off the munster rind if you find it too strong.

  5. Bake at 200°C, scatter the fried onions on top and serve with the salad. 15 min

    Add the onions after baking so they stay crisp.

Our tips to get it right

  • Let the batter rest for five minutes before cooking it, it becomes easier to work with and the spätzle turn out more even.
  • Pick a munster that's not too young, the more aged it is, the more it melts into a runny layer and flavors the dish.
  • Butter the baking dish generously so the spätzle on the bottom don't stick and get a little golden crust.

The variations

  • Swap the munster for reblochon or another local soft cheese, it stays melty and flavorful.
  • Add browned bacon bits with the onions for a heartier version.
  • For a quicker version, use store bought precooked spätzle and go straight to the baking step.

What to serve it with

  • Green salad with a sharp vinaigrette
  • A glass of Alsatian riesling
  • Light charcuterie as a starter

Storage

Baked spätzle keep for 2 days in the fridge in a sealed container. Reheat in the oven or in a skillet with a bit of butter so they don't dry out. Freezing isn't recommended, melted munster changes texture once thawed.

Questions about this dish

Can you make spätzle without a special tool?

Yes, a large colander or a slotted spoon works perfectly well. You push the batter through the holes directly into the simmering water.

Can you make this dish ahead of time?

You can cook the spätzle and onions the day before, then assemble and bake right before serving. Keep the fried onions separate so they stay crisp.

What cheese can you use instead of munster?

Reblochon or a well aged comté also work, with a milder flavor. Avoid very firm cheeses that don't melt into a smooth layer.

How do you keep the spätzle from sticking together?

Cook them in two or three batches in plenty of simmering water. As soon as they float to the surface, remove them and rinse under cold water if you're not baking them right away.

How long does it take to make baked spätzle with munster cheese and a green salad?

Count 50 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in baked spätzle with munster cheese and a green salad?

About 670 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does baked spätzle with munster cheese and a green salad cost?

About €2.40 per serving, or €9.60 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, lactose, eggs. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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