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Bavarian Green Beans and Spaetzle

Bavarian Green Beans and Spaetzle

Smoky Bacon Green Beans with Fresh Spaetzle

Tender spaetzle dumplings meet beer-braised green beans in this hearty German comfort dish. The bacon renders its fat to cook sweet onions, then everything gets deglazed with light beer for a sauce that ties the whole plate together. It's the kind of satisfying meal that makes you understand why this combination has endured for generations.

GermanDinnerSide DishComfort Food
Prep1 hr 15 min
Cook30 min
Total1 hr 45 min
Servings4
Difficultymedium

Ingredients

Spaetzle

  • 1 cupall-purpose flour
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 egg white
  • ⅛ cupwhole milk
  • 2 tbspkosher salt

Green Beans

  • 32 ozfrozen cut green beans
  • 4 stripsthick-cut bacon strips
  • 1 smallsmall white onion
  • ½ cuplight beer, like lager or pilsner
  • 2 tbspgranulated sugar
  • ¼ tspfine salt
  • ⅛ tspfreshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, eggs, egg white, and milk until you have a smooth, thick batter. It should be slightly sticky but hold together — this texture creates the perfect tender spaetzle once cooked.
  2. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the spaetzle dough for 1 hour. This rest time lets the flour fully hydrate and makes the dough easier to work with when you're ready to cook.
    ⏱ 1 hr
  3. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a rolling boil over high heat. You want enough water that the spaetzle can float freely without overcrowding.
  4. Prepare an ice bath by filling a large bowl with cold water and plenty of ice cubes. This will stop the cooking process immediately and keep your spaetzle from getting mushy.
  5. Working quickly, press half the dough through the holes of a colander directly into the boiling water. The spaetzle will float to the surface after about 2 minutes — that's when they're done.
    ⏱ 2 min
  6. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked spaetzle straight into the ice bath. Repeat the process with the remaining dough, working in the same quick batches.
  7. Cook the frozen green beans in a large pot of boiling water until just tender, about 3-4 minutes. Drain thoroughly and set aside — you don't want excess water diluting your final dish.
  8. Dice the onion into small, even pieces about 1/4-inch in size. Cut the bacon crosswise into 1/2-inch strips — this size gives you meaty bites without overwhelming pieces.
  9. Place the bacon pieces in a large, cold pot and set over medium heat. Cook for 1-2 minutes until the fat starts to render and the bacon begins to sizzle gently. Starting with a cold pan prevents the bacon from cooking too quickly on the outside.
    ⏱ 2 min
  10. Add the diced onions to the bacon fat and cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are softened and lightly golden. The rendered bacon fat is your cooking medium here, so let it do its work.
    ⏱ 10 min
  11. Pour in the beer, then add the sugar, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil — the beer will foam up briefly before settling into a simmer.
  12. Let the liquid boil vigorously for 2-3 minutes to cook off some of the alcohol and concentrate the flavors. Remove the pot from heat once the liquid has reduced slightly.
    ⏱ 3 min
  13. Fold the cooked green beans into the bacon and onion mixture, stirring gently to coat everything evenly with the beer sauce. The beans will absorb some of the liquid and pick up all those smoky flavors.
  14. Drain the spaetzle thoroughly, pressing out any excess water, then add them to the green bean mixture. Toss everything together gently until well combined, and serve immediately while hot.