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Homemade Breaded German Weiner Schnitzel with Potatoes
bhofack2/istockphoto

German cuisine offers such a wide range of culinary treasures, and is especially abundant in the comfort food department. If you’re looking for hearty dishes for chilly nights that just make you feel good, try out these six authentic, old-school German recipes.

Fried Schnitzel

German Pork Schnitzel with Hand Made Spaetzle
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Traditionally made with thinly pounded pork, schnitzel is coated and fried in a crispy breading. Serve it alongside french fries, fried potatoes, spaetzle, or whatever your heart desires. It’s a comfort food through and through, and it’s only elevated by side dishes.

Recipe: Allrecipes

Potato Dumplings

Traditional German potato dumplings
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Potato dumplings or Kartoffelklöße are the quintessential comfort food. There is nothing quite like a dumpling when you’re looking for a warm food to fill your belly with.

Recipe: Quick German Recipes

Too busy to cook? Check out the best German restaurants across America.

Bratwurst and Sauerkraut

Bratwurst with sauerkraut and beer on blue table
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A little bit of spicy brown mustard for dipping sends this dish right over the edge. Plus, saurekraut is touted for gut health, so it’s a comfort food that provides a service to your health. We call that a win.

Recipe: Budget Bytes

Spaetzle

German Hand Made Spaetzle
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Otherwise known as Käsespätzle, spaetzle is a German egg noodle pasta that has a chewy texture akin to dumplings. It is the epitome of comfort food and one of the most beloved German dishes. 

Recipe: Plated Cravings

Currywurst

Currywurst street food meal, Curry spice on wursts served French fries in a pan. Dark wooden background. Top view. Copy space.
Vladimir Mironov/istockphoto

Touted as a German fast-food dish or street food, currywurst is basically a cut up steamed, fried sausage topped with curry ketchup. Bursting with flavor, this one will make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

Recipe: The Kitchen Maus

Bavarian Pretzels

Top view of pretzel on wooden table, Beer Fest
Nikada/istockphoto

Who doesn’t love a good soft pretzel? Grab yourself some mustard, melted cheese, cream cheese … whatever you’ve got a hankering for. 

Recipe: Food & Wine

Meet the Writer

Rachel is a Michigan-based writer who has dabbled in a variety of subject matter throughout her career. As a mom of multiple young children, she tries to maintain a sustainable lifestyle for her family. She grows vegetables in her garden, gets her meat in bulk from local farmers, and cans fruits and vegetables with friends. Her kids have plenty of hand-me-downs in their closets, but her husband jokes that before long, they might need to invest in a new driveway thanks to the frequent visits from delivery trucks dropping off online purchases (she can’t pass up a good deal, after all). You can reach her at [email protected].