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In Germany, Oktoberfest kicks off on the second-to-last Saturday in September and ends on the first Sunday in October. It began as a multi-day celebration in the early 19th century when Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria married Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen. Today, Oktoberfest is one of the world’s largest—and certainly most beer-soaked—festivals of food and drink. These top-rated recipes, from spiced curry ketchup to classic schnitzel, go great with German beer, of course, or a tasty Riesling any ol’ time of year. But especially for Oktoberfest.
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German Spaetzle Dumplings
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
“Uber love!” raves Mary-Lou. “I took the advice to freeze the spaetzle before browning in butter for our annual Oktoberfest party, and it worked out perfectly.”
Authentic German Potato Salad
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
“Absolutely the MOST delicious hot German Potato Salad we’ve ever eaten,” says Mom, What’s for Dinner? “I increased the recipe for an Oktoberfest party.”
Papa Drexler’s Bavarian Pretzels
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
“Wow! These were really good,” says KATIEINOK. “I grew up in Germany and loved the pretzels there, and these pretzels tasted like I was back there in Bavaria!”
Grandma Jeanette’s Amazing German Red Cabbage
Allrecipes/France Cevallos
“This was awesome and everyone loved it,” raves Laura. “I made it for my Oktoberfest girls’ night and served it with sauerbraten and German potato salad.”
German Potato Pancakes
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
“This recipe is the best,” raves Simply Mo. “I served it at Oktoberfest, and everyone loved it. I made homemade applesauce and served them with sour cream.”
Tarte Flambé (Alsatian Bacon and Onion Tart)
Chef John
“This was a very tasty appetizer and came together quickly. I made it as written. The flavor is exceptional… I will definitely be making this again.” —Lacyanne
Beer Glazed Brats and Sauerkraut
“I came up with this recipe, because I was looking for a more intense beer flavor with a little bite, and this is it,” says JTk364. “A very satisfying dish if you crave German flavor that’s Americanized. We love this dish served on potato rolls with spicy hot German mustard, Swiss cheese, and ice-cold beer on the side.”
Kartoffelklöße (German Potato Dumplings)
“I have been looking for a good recipe for this for years. Having lived in Germany for several year[s], I must say that this is my absolute favorite dish. I love it served with gravy and either pork or beef on the side in addition to red cabbage.” —Cheryl Johnson
Gourmet Beer Cheese
“Perfect beer cheese recipe for Oktoberfest,” says dj2007. “Smoked Gouda adds the perfect touch. Serve with soft pretzels.”
Wiener Schnitzel
“This recipe produces a classic Wiener Schnitzel,” says William. “A veal cutlet in the encrusted Viennese manner. Follow this recipe and you will have a delicious meal.”
Butter Schnitzel
Pork cutlets are breaded, pan-fried, and served with a mushroom, butter, and wine sauce. “I loved this,” says Hillary. “It turned out great. I made extra sauce and put the pork over mashed potatoes.”
Jaeger Schnitzel
naples34102
“This is wonderful,” says Helene. “Serve this breaded and fried cubed pork with mushrooms and hunter gravy over a bed of noodles, with a salad and a hunk of thick crusty bread.”
Fries with Curry Ketchup
You know what goes great with beer? French fries, German-style. The key here is the curry ketchup. Paula concurs: “The star of this recipe is the ketchup. This ketchup concoction is fabulous!”
Rye Beer Bread
“The beer adds another layer of flavor to this rye loaf,” says Kitty. HVN5 calls this recipe the best: “I like the flavor and the texture of the bread, it’s light and good. Excellent for Reuben sandwich.”
Lebkuchen
Allrecipes/Julia Hartbeck
“Thank you so much for this reliable and delicious recipe,” says Staci D. “I had never made this type of gingerbread before, and another recipe was a complete fail. This dough is workable but stays chewy and smooth. I chilled the dough and made traditional cutout hearts, half with royal icing and half with dipped chocolate. They were a huge hit.”
