Despite the fact that culinary traditions of Germany began to form relatively recently, a certain food culture has already developed in the country, and many national dishes of German cuisine became known and loved in many other countries. That is why more and more people try to surprise their family or friends with some German dinner ideas!

Perhaps, the most favorite and most common German recipes for main dishes include  pork, meat and sausages. There are about one and a half thousand sausage recipes in the national menu, and this is not surprising, because each region of the country comes up with something unique.

The most common and well-known side dishes for meat are sour cabbage and potatoes which can be boiled, stewed, baked, fried, etc. and many more which you will find out from the article.

Also don’t forget that most German side dishes require a lot of time for cooking. German food uses affordable ingredients and a simple set of spices (red and black pepper, salt and caraway seeds). Prepping is fast and easy and the actual cooking that involves stewing or baking usually takes some time.

Potatoes (Kartoffeln)

Potato is definitely the most favorite root crop of the local population and is the main ingredient for most German side dishes. Moreover, in almost all restaurants, the cost of this side dish is immediately included in the price of the main dish.

The Germans love potatoes so much that they cook it in almost all variations – boiled and fried, mashed with milk, and baked with seasonings and meat. Also, potatoes are not uncommon in a variety of salads and soups, in croquettes and dumplings and this is not to mention the french fries which is one of the main side dishes in all German fast foods.

The most common potato dishes such as fried, mashed and baked potatoes are extremely popular in Germany. They make great side dishes for brats! However, I found them to be quite similar to the ones in other countries, so here I want to focus on more unique and unusual potato dishes.

German Potato Salad – Kartoffelsalat

Potato salads are a classic of German, Czech and Austrian cuisines and one of the most authentic German side dishes. German potato salad is prepared using a dozen or even hundreds of different recipes. The Germans say: "Every housewife has her own potato salad recipe" and this is true: a hearty dish based on potatoes and onions (and can also contain cucumbers, sausages or bacon, broth, and even apples) can be prepared in completely different ways.

In fact, Germans eat potato salad as a side dish, and not as a salad as we would imagine. Often in Germany, they eat this dish warm, pouring hot broth on the salad but also it can be eaten cold right from the fridge.

Heaven and Hell – Himmel un Ääd

In Germany potatoes are often referred to as "earth apples" (Erdäpfel) or "earth berries" (Grundbeeren). Other traditional ingredients for "Heaven and Hell" ( Himmel un Ääd) in Cologne are apples, black pudding and fried onion rings which makes an unusual side for German main dishes.

Potato strudel – Kartoffelstrudel 

Potato strudel is prepared from a special pastry dough stuffed with boiled potatoes, finely chopped onions, garlic, nutmeg, pepper and salt. Then it is rolled, boiled and cut into slices which should be fried before serving. Another option involves raw potatoes and the strudel is fried whole, or baked in an oven.

Bubespitzle (officially called Schupfnudeln) 

These pan fried potato dumplings or rather say potato gnocchi are popular in South Germany. The dough for this dish is made from mashed potatoes, flour, eggs, salt and nutmeg. It is cut into a finger thick "sausages" which are boiled, and then fried in a pan until golden brown. A sweet variation of this traditional German dish is served with applesauce.

German Dumplings – Knödeln 

This national dish of Czech and Slovak cuisine is also widespread in many regions of Germany, especially in Bavaria. 

Knödeln are made from boiled potatoes or, for example, in Thuringia, with the addition of raw potatoes and subsequent boiling. Some people prefer to add flour for a stronger consistency, or meat for a richer taste.

Ready-made Knödeln are served as a separate dish or as a side dish, for example, with traditional German pork roast. In some houses, you can see people make original Knödeln with fruits and poppy seeds for a special occasion.

Potato Chips – Kartoffelchips

Well it’s hard to call chips solely a German dish, however, thin slices of potatoes baked with herbs, sesame seeds or pepper have long been a very common treat there. Today, potato chips account for a large part of the above mentioned sixty-plus kilograms eaten by each Germans annually. Originally the chips were seasoned only with paprika or salt, now the assortment of seasonings is more than great, they even have one with African chakalaka sauce.

French Fries – Pommes frites 

Pieces of potatoes fried in large quantities of hot oil are often served with currywurst or as a side dish for other mains. Street vendors also sell french fries separately, often in paper cones, with a wide variety of sauces including standard ketchup, curry or mayonnaise.

Potato chips and French fries are some of the most common German party food, just like in other countries as well.

Cabbage

As you already know, authentic German side dishes consist mostly of cabbage and potatoes. 

In German recipes, we can find dishes made both from white and red cabbage. Germans especially like boiled and stewed (for example, with onions and cracklings) cabbage and let’s not forget about sauerkraut! And let’s not forget about one of the most favorite side dishes for brats – sauerkraut.

Bavarian Braised Cabbage

The most famous German side dish is cabbage stewed with onion, apples, caraway seeds and duck fat.

However, in order to cook this dish correctly, you need to know some tricks. First, duck fat is an important ingredient and replacing it won’t be worth it. In extreme cases, as an option, you can use lard but the dish will not benefit from this. Note that the cabbage stewed with butter will already have a completely different taste!

Such a side dish will go with any meat, in particular with Bavarian sausages and duck, schnitzel or shank cooked in the best traditions of German national cuisine.

Sauerkraut

Sauerkraut is considered a national German dish, and this German word is even used in English. The Germans themselves are so fond of sauerkraut that sometimes they jokingly call it "Krauts". Cabbage is usually fermented without carrots and other vegetables (unlike in my home country, Ukraine) with the addition of salt, and sometimes vinegar.

It is sometimes served with fried onions on top as a side dish for meat or fish and goes well with beer!

Rahmwirsing German Cabbage stewed with butter

Wirsing is the number one cabbage in Germany. The most classic recipe with the use of this vegetable is stewed cabbage in a creamy butter sauce. 

Wirsing is a Savoy (green) cabbage with wrinkled curly leaves and a delicate, pleasant taste. Stewed Savoy cabbage is ideal for meat dishes, and especially for minced meatballs.

Stewed Sauerkraut – Geschmortes Sauerkraut

Traditional German cuisine has so many recipes with cabbage but there is a dish that is considered to be classic in the culinary tradition of Germany. But in German cuisine, it is sauerkraut that is used to make one of the most famous and mouth-watering side dishes.

Stewed Sauerkraut is cooked approximately the same in all regions of the country. In most countries, it is customary to stew fresh cabbage. Sauerkraut gives the dish a unique piquant taste and German chefs believe that the more sour cabbage is, the better the taste of the finished dish will be. Stewed Sauerkraut is considered the best side dish for shank and bratwurst.

Noodles and Dumplings

German egg noodle pasta – Spätzle or Spaetzle

German Spätzle are simple handmade dumplings made from semi-liquid dough. They are popular in Bavaria and other regions of Germany as well as in the surrounding countries: Austria, Switzerland, Hungary, South Tyrol, and in each country the dish is called differently. In Hungary, for example, it is “Nokedli”, and in Switzerland, it is “Knöpfle” or “Chnöpfli”. 

We have tried Spätzle at the ski resort near the Partnach Gorge natural landmark. Overall, this dish is super popular at winter sports destinations in the above-mentioned countries.

Of course, you can find it all over the country too. Enjoy Schwäbische Kasspatzle (noodle pasta with cheese) near the cozy Schliersee Lake.

Spätzle is something like instant noodles: the dough kneads very quickly, nothing needs to be rolled out, cut and dried. 

So how to cook Spaetzle? The semi-liquid dough is "thrown" directly into hot water and dumplings are cooked for literally two minutes. This traditional German dish is not cooked in advance, only right before serving it to the table, be it at the restaurant or at home. 

There is a minimum of ingredients and all of them are simple and most affordable (egg, milk, flour). Spätzle turn out tasty, soft, tender, and you can use it in different ways – it is known both as a German side dish and main course. 

Wondering if you can buy spaetzle at the grocery store? It will make this simple recipe even easier! Of course, you can buy it in Germany and in markets like Walmart.

Vegetable side dishes

German cucumber salad – Gurkensalat

German cucumber salad is a refreshing summer delicacy made from simple, budget-friendly ingredients found in most cuisines. It is preferable to leave the skins on the cucumbers for texture and taste, but they can also be peeled before slicing, if necessary. In Germany, cucumber salad is often served with schnitzel.

Be it a salad with cucumbers or potatoes, it is often made with sour cream, vinegar and fresh dill. Just like most German salads, it will taste better after it is chilled in the refrigerator or if you just let it sit for a couple hours.

German carrot salad – Karottensalat

German carrot salad is a perfect combination of sweet and sour that includes such ingredients as carrots and apples which should be peeled from the skin and seeds.

Grate carrots and apples and add orange or lemon juice (only freshly squeezed) and a little of grated orange or lemon peel (I always have frozen orange peel in the freezer and it’s so easy to grate). This salad is so refreshing, low calorie, healthy and goes so well with traditional German dishes!