German Food Recipes: 23 Classic Dishes (2024)

By: The Editors of RecipeLion.com

German Food Recipes: 23 Classic Dishes (1)

German food is some of the best on the planet. If you're thinking about trying out a new ethnic cuisine, consider some of these great German Food Recipes. These 23 classic German dishes are hearty, delicious and have stood the test of time. Your family is sure to love these traditional German food ideas and they may just become part of your regular weeknight routine. If you love potatoes and goulash, just to name a few ingredients, these recipes are a great introduction to the world of German cooking from an American standpoint.

Table of Contents

  • German Appetizer Recipes
  • Traditional German Main Dishes
  • German Potato Salad Recipes
  • German Dessert Recipes

German Appetizer Recipes

  • All Day German Beef StewLoaded with veggies and delicious spices, this All Day German Beef Stew is just what you want to eat after a busy day. As much as we love the flavor of this hearty stew, what we love even more is how easy it is to prepare.
  • Omi's German Bologna SaladThis classic German recipe is an easy side dish to throw together, requires no cooking, and is bursting with flavor. Omi's German Bologna Salad combines ring bologna, red pepper, onion, tomato, and cheese in an oil and vinegar dressing.
  • Sweet and Sour Cabbage with BaconSweet and Sour Cabbage with Bacon is full of finger-licking flavors. The combination of tangy cider vinegar, salty soy sauce, sweet onions, and smoky bacon makes this German side dish absolutely addictive.
  • Ada's Hearty German Bean SoupThis ham-and-bean soup is simple but satisfying. Great comfort food for a rainy night! There's nothing like great bean soup recipes to satisfy.
  • Old Country Sauerkraut SoupIf all soups were as flavorful as this Old Country Sauerkraut Soup, we'd be in heaven! Taking cues from traditional German cooking, this awesome soup recipe features smoked sausage, sauerkraut and a tasty blend of spices.
  • Slow cooker soups are comforting dinners. Slow Cooker Beef Dumpling Soup is an easy slow cooker soup recipe that serves six people.

Traditional German Main Dishes

  • Slow Cooker German SoupGerman food recipes are always warm and comforting, and this slow cooker soup recipe is no exception.
  • Crazy German Applesauce MeatloafThere are three reasons why this meatloaf recipe is "crazy." It's crazy easy to make, crazy delicious and includes a crazy ingredient: applesauce!
  • German Stuffed RollsIf you love traditional German food, you're going to flip for German Stuffed Rolls. The filling is a combination of ground beef, cabbage, and onion, and it's put inside a fluffy homemade dinner roll for the perfect meal.
  • Dad's German GoulashMade with ground beef, veggies, and macaroni, this ground beef goulash is one hearty dinner. It will be ready in just over 30 minutes, so you can make this great dinner during the week.
  • German Pot Roast (Sauerbraten)"Sauerbraten, also known as German Pot Roast, is a traditional dish of this European country. It's usually served on various holidays, such as Christmas but can be enjoyed any day."
  • German Slow Cooker BeefThis recipe is a version of the classic German Sauerbraten with Spaetzle noodles. However, it has a little twist. The gravy on top of the beef is actually made with ginger snaps to lend it a surprisingly sweet and spicy flavor.

German Potato Salad Recipes

  • Grandma Frances' Wisconsin German Potato SaladFor a truly amazing potato salad recipe, Grandma Frances' Wisconsin German Potato Salad is a front runner.
  • Oma's German Potato SaladThe most delicious potato salads are the ones that are made with love, and my oma definitely infused her brand of love in this potato salad recipe!
  • Potato Salad BitesIf you love everything about a traditional-style potato salad, then get ready to enjoy this modern twist recipe for Potato Salad Bites.
  • Old Fashioned German Potato SaladWhen you want a real taste of childhood, make Old Fashioned German Potato Salad. This is the classic potato salad recipe that you've been waiting for.
  • Hot German Potato Salad"Hot German Potato Salad is a scrumptious side dish that everyone will love with its' warm bacon potato goodness with just the right sweet tang makes this potato salad delicious.

German Dessert Recipes

  • Elegant Black Forest CakeThis lovely multi layered cake is a classy but simple dessert. Elegant Black Forest Cake is made with chocolate cake, cherry filling, and dark chocolate frosting.
  • German Butter Pound CakeIf you're looking for a good old-fashioned German recipe, this may be one of the best. German Butter Pound Cake is a cake recipe from scratch that makes the moistest pound cake you'll ever eat.
  • German Apple CakeGerman Apple Cake is as authentic as it gets. This apple cake recipe has been translated all the way from Germany so we all have a chance to make it ourselves.
  • German Chocolate Ice Cream PieThis ice cream pie is a chocolate lover's dream. It's a perfect frozen dessert for any occasion but especially for the Christmas season. Even though it might not be as traditional as some other German dessert recipes, it's still a total win in our books!
  • German Chocolate BrowniesFor a perfect "anytime" dessert, whip up a batch of these German Chocolate Brownies.
  • German Apple CobblerMom's German Apple Cobbler is the perfect dessert for fall, but once you taste it, you'll want to make this easy apple cobbler recipe all the time.
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Read NextOld Fashioned German Goulash

  • Recipes with Beef
  • Brownies
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  • German Slow Cooker Recipes
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German Food Recipes: 23 Classic Dishes (2024)

FAQs

What are traditional German meals? ›

Check out our list of 20 traditional German dishes that you need to try when you travel there.
  • Königsberger klopse. ...
  • Maultaschen. ...
  • Labskaus. ...
  • Sausages. ...
  • Currywurst. ...
  • Döner kebab. ...
  • Schnitzel. ...
  • Käsespätzle.

What are the top 5 German dishes? ›

The foreign picture is correct when it comes to these German (or Austrian) dishes:
  • Schnitzel. Very popular when made from pork. ...
  • Gulasch. A favourite of home-cooking.
  • Bratwurst. Mostly eaten as a snack from street stands etc., but also on grill parties.
  • Sauerbraten. ...
  • Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte (Black Forest cake).
Jan 18, 2024

What is the most eaten food in Germany? ›

What are the most popular German foods?
  • Bratwurst. Bratwurst is a type of German sausage made from pork, beef, or veal. ...
  • Döner Kebab. ...
  • Döner Kebab. ...
  • Sauerbraten. ...
  • Pretzels. ...
  • Sauerkraut. ...
  • Wiener Schnitzel. ...
  • Rouladen.
Mar 13, 2024

What is the national dish of Germany? ›

Sauerbraten (pronounced [ˈzaʊ̯ɐˌbʁaːtn̩]) is a traditional German roast of heavily marinated meat. It is regarded as a national dish of Germany, and is frequently served in German-style restaurants internationally.

What are the three main meals in Germany? ›

First of all, we'll take a look at Germany's three main meals in the day: breakfast, lunch and dinner. Additionally, we'll take a look at some of the food themed quirks, zoom in on food at work and talk about some standout dishes.

What is a typical German lunch? ›

The main meal of the day is das Mittagessen, or lunch. The tradition is to have a hot meal during lunch. Sauerbraten, snitzels, Frikadellen (German meatballs), potatoes (such as Kartoffelsalat), green beans, soups, and stews are frequently served for lunch.

What is the number 1 food in Germany? ›

Sauerbraten. Germans love their meat dishes, and Sauerbraten (meaning 'sour' or 'pickled' roast) is one of the country's national dishes. You can make a pot roast by using many different types of meat, which you marinate in wine, vinegar, spices, herbs, and then season for up to ten days.

What is the most popular meat dish in Germany? ›

The most popular dish is Spaghetti Bolognese (Meatball Spaghetti), but that is Italian. Schnitzel is very popular, especially “Jäger Schnitzel” (not liquor, it's a mushroom sauce), but origins in Austria. Sauerbraten (Beef marinated over night in an acids sauce). Goulash.

What is the most popular meat in Germany? ›

The average annual meat consumption is 59.7 kg (132 lb) per person. The most common varieties are pork, poultry, and beef. Other varieties of meat are widely available, but are considered to be insignificant. Meat is usually braised; fried dishes also exist, but these recipes usually originate from France and Austria.

What food is unique to Germany? ›

12 Unique Foods In Germany You Should Not Miss Out On
  • 12 Königsberger Klopse.
  • 11 German Potato Salad.
  • 10 Spätzle.
  • 9 Bratwurst.
  • 8 Schnitzel.
  • 7 Currywurst.
  • 6 Maultaschen.
  • 5 Kartoffelpuffer.
Jun 26, 2023

What is the most popular junk food in Germany? ›

Fast food in Germany
  • German fast food is much more than just burgers and fried chicken! ...
  • Die Bratwurst (grilled sausage) ...
  • Die Currywurst (sausage in curry sauce) ...
  • Die Pommes (chips) ...
  • Ein halbes Hähnchen (half a grilled chicken) ...
  • Der Döner (doner kebab) ...
  • Did you know? ...
  • Links.

What is the biggest meal of the day in Germany? ›

Lunch. Germans tend to eat lunch around noon or in the early afternoon, usually between 12:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. A typical German lunch often consists of a hearty meal that provides energy for the rest of the day. Lunch is commonly the biggest meal of the day.

What do German eat on Christmas? ›

At the centre of a German Christmas evening spread you'll usually find a roasted goose, turkey or duck, traditionally served with lovely plump bread dumplings – the classic round ones, or one great big festive loaf-shaped one, known as a Serviettenknödel (pictured sliced, above), plus braised red cabbage or stewed kale ...

What is a German sausage called? ›

Bratwurst (German: [ˈbʁaːtvʊʁst]) is a type of German sausage made from pork or, less commonly, beef or veal.

What is Germany's Favourite vegetable? ›

The following top 3 explains how these favourites can be kept tasty longer. The tomato is the most beloved vegetable in Germany. The average German eats about 57 pounds of them each year. Nevertheless, the tomato is still wrongly used as an ingredient in many drinks, where it loses its flavour.

What is German traditional dinner for one? ›

“Dinner for One,” is a short black-and-white sketch about ten minutes long that is played on all the big German television networks on New Year's Eve. It was first broadcast in Germany by Norddeutscher Rundfunk, or NDR, in 1962.

What time do Germans eat dinner? ›

But in Germany, the traditional dinner time is much earlier: you'll find many German households having their evening meal between 5 and 7 pm.

What is traditional Bavarian food? ›

But let's get down to the crux of the matter: Bavarian cuisine: Schweinebraten (roast pork), Schweinshaxe (pork knuckle), Weisswurst sausages and, of course, dumplings, dumplings and more dumplings. To top it off you need a litre of beer and a good serving of Bavarian hospitality.

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