Mouthwatering Hunters Spaetzle with Mushroom Cream

I made this hunter's style noodles one rainy October weekend for my family for the first time, and it's become our go-to comfort meal ever since. My kids especially can't get enough of the smell of the mushroom sauce drifting through the place.

Tasty Ingredients

• Flour for spaetzle: Builds the structure and classic chewy feel, try to use fresh flour so it mixes better
• Salt: Brings out flavors across the board, fine sea salt really helps here
• Water: Gets your dough going, room temp works best
• Milk: Makes the noodles soft and the taste smooth, whole milk gives awesome results
• Eggs: Hold the dough together and add nice color, always reach for fresh ones
• Butter: Starts off the mushroom base, helps with flavor from browning, pick unsalted to control seasoning
• Onions: Add sweetness and depth to the sauce, chop them up fine for even cooking
• Garlic: Gives the mushroom mix its kick, stick to fresh if you can
• Mushrooms (like champignons): Main player for the sauce, lots of earthy flavor, swap in wild ones if you feel fancy, just clean and slice well
• Thyme: That classic herbal note, fresh or dried are both fine, if you pick fresh don't forget to pull the stems before serving
• Tomato paste: Pumps up the savory taste, a little goes a long way, good quality paste makes all the difference
• Dry white wine: Brightens and brings tang to the mix, you can use broth instead if you want to skip the booze
• Beef broth: Adds a sturdy background flavor, aim for a lower-salt, tasty one
• Cream: Turns the sauce extra rich, add to taste, crème fraîche works too
• Pepper: For a hit of heat, grind it fresh for best flavor at the end
• Fresh herbs, like chives or parsley: Bring color and freshness when serving

How-to Guide

Final touch and plate up:

Taste and tweak with salt, pepper, or a drop of lemon juice if you like. Spoon hot spaetzle on plates, drown in that mushroom sauce, and toss on fresh herbs.

Blend in cream and butter:

Pour in cream, stir it through, then mix in a bit of cold butter for that silky finish. The sauce should be shiny and extra creamy now.

Pour in broth and let it cook down:

Add the broth bit by bit, keep stirring, drop the heat, then simmer uncovered till it’s rich and thick—takes about 15 minutes.

Add tomato paste and wine:

Mix in tomato paste, deglaze with wine or broth, scrape up those golden bits for full flavor. Simmer it down till almost all the liquid's gone.

Season and mix in flour:

Toss in thyme, salt, pepper, and flour over the mushrooms. Stir well, let it toast another minute or two till the flour smell fades and it starts to thicken.

Sear onions and mushrooms:

Melt butter in a big pan, sauté onions till soft, add garlic for a quick sizzle, drop in mushrooms, let them brown without stirring at first, then flip here and there till golden and tender.

Keep spaetzle warm:

Swish the noodles in a baking dish with a bit of butter so they don't clump up, cover and keep warm while you work on the sauce.

Press or shave spaetzle into water:

Grab a press or use board and knife to drop little dough bits into the hot water, do it in batches. Once spaetzle float up (about 1 to 2 minutes), scoop out right away.

Set up hot water:

Boil up a big pot of water with a good pinch of salt, then drop the heat so it's bubbling but not crazy or you’ll break the noodles.

Let dough rest:

Cover and rest the dough at room temp for at least thirty minutes, helps make those spaetzle so soft later.

Beat dough hard:

Now get a wooden spoon and hit that dough till you see bubbles for about five minutes. You’ll feel that classic spaetzle bounce and shine as it gets stretchier.

Bring dough together:

Slowly pour the egg-milk mix into your flour bowl, stir fast with a spoon just until it all sticks—should be thick and a bit sticky!

Whisk wet stuff:

In a measuring cup, whisk up eggs, milk, and water till smooth and frothy. This makes your noodles lighter later.

Blend flour and salt:

Toss your flour and salt in a bowl first, mix it well so the salt spreads out and no lumps form.

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Good to Know

Totally vegetarian and packs a punch just like your local pub meal. Great one to prep early for company. Even if you're new to the stove, you can't mess this up.

The way thyme bumps up the mushroom's earthy smell always reminds me of autumn walks—gives the sauce something special. For a family birthday, I handmade the spaetzle for the first time and everyone kept up the tradition with a little applause.

Storage Hacks

Spaetzle will stay fresh for around three days if you pop them in a sealed container in the fridge. Warm them back up fast in a skillet with a little butter if you want. Mushroom sauce can be made ahead too—just add fresh cream when reheating to keep it as creamy as the first time. For freezing, spaetzle are perfect; let them cool, bag them up, and toss them straight into boiling water or a hot pan from frozen.

Ingredient Swaps

If you don’t do beef, use veggie broth for the sauce. Want it vegan? Pick plant-based milk and cream, go for margarine instead of butter. With wine, just make sure it’s not sweet—or skip it and stick to broth. Mix up your mushrooms for more flavor—chanterelles or porcini make this extra awesome.

Serving Ideas

Classic move: shower on some fresh parsley and pair up with a crunchy cucumber salad or red cabbage. Fancy some extras? Crisped up bacon or fried onions go great on top. For bigger feasts, these noodles work as a side for roast meats or schnitzel, or try them next to a rich wild mushroom sauce—it’s seriously good.

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Food Culture

This hunter's spaetzle is a real deal southern German classic, especially in Swabia and Bavaria where it's on loads of menus. For a lot of folks, it's a dish that feels like true hospitality and big gatherings with friends or family. At our place, it’s turned into a yearly Octoberfest must.

Recipe FAQs

→ How do you know if your spaetzle dough is the right texture?

The batter should be stretchy and not runny. It'll droop off your spoon but won't drip right away – not too stiff, not too watery.

→ How can I get an intense mushroom flavor?

Brown your mushrooms in hot butter in small batches. Let them let go of their juices and get some color. Don't crowd the pan, or they won't brown.

→ Can you make the sauce without wine?

Yep, just skip the wine and use extra broth. The sauce stays creamy and full of flavor.

→ What are some good sides for this?

Try it with red cabbage, a simple salad, sauerkraut, or potato dumplings. They all work great.

→ What's the best way to save leftovers?

Keep noodles and sauce in separate airtight containers in the fridge. Reheat them gently before eating.