Tasty stuffed pasta spinach

For ages, these stuffed pasta beauties have been a family favorite, always stealing the spotlight when served. The combo of hearty meat and spinach wrapped in soft dough brings you that true comfort food feeling—whether you dunk them in soup or give them a quick toss in butter. If you're itching to whip up some classic German flavors at home, you can't go wrong with this.

The first time I made these, I was blown away by how hands-on the whole thing felt and I couldn't help but feel proud, too. Now my kids ask for them again and again.

Tasty Ingredients

• Butter: gives your pan-fried pockets a rich finish, totally up to you
• Broth (veggie or beef): brings tons of flavor if you use good soup veggies
• Pepper: grind it fresh for a kick
• Nutmeg: freshly grated adds a touch of warmth and nuttiness
• Yellow onion: for that perfect savory bite, grab a firm and fragrant one
• Parsley: go for the flat-leaf kind to keep things green and fresh
• Day-old bread: dries things out and gives the filling better texture, or just grab some plain breadcrumbs if you have to
• Mixed ground meat: classic blend is pork and beef from your local butcher
• Spinach: fresh and dark green is best for getting that pop in the filling
• Warm water: helps the dough come together and soak up everything nice
• Oil: go with something neutral so the dough's just tender, not flavored
• Salt: sea salt without anything extra is your friend
• Eggs: make the dough smooth and hold it all together
• Wheat flour: makes your dough stretchy and easy to roll—try German 405 if you can find it

• Grab super fresh stuff, and keep the ground meat cold all the way home—work with it the day you buy it for best results

Simple How-To Guide

Serve it up:

Dish them into hot broth for old-school vibes or brown them up in butter with some caramelized onions. A spoonful of mustard or a potato salad works great on the side.

Poach those pockets:

Simmer up a big pot of salted water and gently add your filled pasta, one batch at a time—they need lots of space. Let them hang out for about fifteen to twenty minutes until they're just about floating. Scoop out with a slotted spoon.

Stuff and shape:

Spread your meat mix thin across each dough sheet, leaving a finger-wide border. Fold the long bottom side over, tuck in the short ends, brush with water, and roll it all up tight. Press it down every inch or so with the handle of a wooden spoon to mark sections. Slice between each and pinch the sides closed.

Roll out the dough:

Split the dough in two. On a floured surface, roll each half super thin to roughly twenty by eighty centimeters. You want each sheet even so the filling sits right.

Mix up the filling:

In a big bowl, mash together your ground meat, spinach, eggs, parsley, cooled onions, the squeezed bread, and spices with your hands. It should be thick and moldable—if it feels sticky, toss in extra breadcrumbs.

Prep the filling:

Soak the old roll in water—it'll float, so squish it down. Once soggy, press dry. Dice the onion, cook in a little oil until soft and shiny, then cool down. Rinse and trim spinach, dunk in boiling water just for a couple minutes, then plunge into cold water to keep it green. Squeeze out every last drop and chop up fine.

Make your dough:

Throw flour, eggs, oil, salt, and water into a big bowl and give it a whiz with the dough hook until it's stretchy and smooth. Pop it onto a floured board and knead by hand for five to eight minutes—it's what makes it silky later. Shape into a ball, cover, and let it sit for at least half an hour.

Highlight

Good To Know

These are a real staple from Swabia, and every family does them a bit different
They're filling and packed with protein—awesome for feeding a crowd
If you're not eating meat, the combo of spinach and feta is a winner
Fresh grated nutmeg in the filling is what makes it for me—takes me right back to learning this from my folks when I was little. One time at Easter, we all filled these together and laughed until every bit of dough was gone—I'll always remember that

Storage Ideas

You can make a batch ahead and pop them in the fridge—keep them airtight for up to three days, raw or cooked. They're tasty after a reheat and freeze well for up to three months—just freeze them on a tray first before stacking in a bag, so they don't end up stuck together. Warm cooked ones gently in broth or give them a quick pan-fry in butter to bring them back to their best

Highlight

Ingredient Swaps

No stale bread lying around? Grab plain breadcrumbs—the texture works just as well. Try chard or chopped herbs in place of spinach if you want a veggie-forward flavor. Want a vegetarian spin? Skip the meat and load up on veggies, soft cheese, or ricotta.

Serving Ideas

Traditionally, you drop the stuffed pasta in rich broth and serve as a meal or starter. Everyone loves them pan-fried in butter with caramelized onions—that version shows up at every party. I like to put out potato salad with some broth or crisp cucumber salad for a crunch

Where It Comes From

These treats are a shining example of Swabian cooking. Legend has it they helped folks sneak some meat through Lent—hence their cheeky nickname, Herrgottsbscheißerle. They're everywhere in Germany now and each area puts its own spin on the filling. Try switching up the mix and find your favorite take

Recipe FAQs

→ What's the best way to make pasta dough for stuffed pasta?

Mix flour, eggs, a splash of oil, and just enough water. Knead well, then let it rest before rolling it thin. That way it turns out nice and stretchy.

→ What's the traditional filling for stuffed pasta?

Usually it's ground meat, spinach, some soaked bread, fresh parsley, eggs, onions, and a shake of nutmeg and pepper.

→ How do you cook stuffed pasta right?

Drop them into slightly bubbling salty water. Let them cook for about 15 or 20 minutes—once they come up to the top, they're good to go.

→ Can you make these pasta pockets vegetarian?

Sure, swap out the meat for a mix of spinach, some quark, herbs, and spices. Just try to keep the mix balanced.

→ What's a classic way to serve stuffed pasta?

Either dunked straight into hot beef or veggie broth, or crisped up in a skillet with cooked onions and plenty of butter. That's extra special.

→ How do you store and reheat stuffed pasta?

Keep cooked pasta in the fridge. Next day, you can fry them until crispy or warm them back up in some hot broth.