Traditional German Dishes

German food is one of the most popular cuisines in the world, but what exactly is it? There are many types of German food, including those from Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, and North Rhine-Westphalia.

Among its dishes are sausages and wursts , schnitzels (fried cutlets), potato dumplings called Kartoffelpüree (mashed potatoes) with gravy and sausage sauce, as well as apple strudel with vanilla sauce.

With a population of more than 83 million residents and diverse traditions, German food is much more than Schnitzel and Bratwurst.

In this entry, we will talk in more detail about some of these traditional German dishes so you can get an idea of what they are like.

Brezeln (Pretzel)

A Brezel (or Brezeln) is better known in English as a pretzel. It is a pastry made of wheat dough that you then tie into a knot. 

German pretzels are soft and baked. You can put sea salt and ground cheese on yours for a savory snack. You can also top yours with cinnamon sugar or nuts.

Rouladen

Rouladen is one of Germany’s favorite dinner recipes.
The rolled meat becomes tastier after preserving. The highlight of this meal is the appearance of the sauce.

This recipe is ideal with mashed potatoes.

Its name “roulade” comes from the French word “rouler”, which means “roll”.
It often appears during vacations or family celebrations.

This recipe is often served with bacon strips, sliced pickles, carrots, bread or rolled.

Sauerbraten

When it comes to great German culinary recipes, it is impossible not to mention “Sauerbraten”. It is also known as a German pot roast or “sour roast”. You will feel the sour and sweet taste of the sauce at the same time.

You can choose from beef, veal, or pork versions.

After being marinated for many days, the delicious flavor is intensified and the tenderness of the meat will make you remember it forever.

Charlemagne was the first to make this impressive dish in the 9th century.
The 13th century was the period when this food became popular.

Most restaurants in Saint Albertus Magnus or Saint Albert the Great serve this traditional dish on their menus.

People love to prepare it for Sunday dinners and family reunions, using beef and venison very often.

German potato salad

Potato salad complements many of the main German dishes and is very easy to make. The most popular German ingredient is potatoes.

There are many varieties of German potatoes because southern Germany is an area favorable for their cultivation and a multitude of recipes have been invented around this great food.

Unlike other potato salad recipes, German potato salad is mainly based on bacon, sugar, and white vinegar.

Similarly and if you prefer, you can also make a vegetarian and/or vegan version by adding cucumber, beet, gherkins, and/or cabbage, very typical in German gastronomy.

Currywurst 

Berlin cannot turn its back on its most popular invention, the savory currywurst.

Some 70 million Currywurst are sold every year, and not only to tourists: a 2008 study reported that 80% of Germans consider Currywurst a staple in their diet.

The story goes that, one day in 1949, a woman named Herta Heuer managed to get curry powder from British troops in Berlin. Back at her snack stand, she mixed the spice with some tomato sauce, added a pinch of salt, sugar, and Worcestershire sauce, and Currywurst was born.

Today, there are thousands of snack stands throughout Germany selling tasty sausages, usually sliced and accompanied by fries or a roll of bread and a cold German beer.

Grüne Soße

To finish this list of traditional German dishes we would like to present to you Frankfurt’s specialty, and supposedly Goethe’s favorite sauce, Grüne Soße (green sauce) is a mixture of sour cream, oil, vinegar, mustard, hard-boiled eggs and seven herbs (parsley, chives, chervil, watercress, borage, sorrel, and salad pimpernel).

The sauce has received protected status within the EU and there is even a monument dedicated to it in Frankfurt-Oberrad.

The green sauce, known as “Grie Soß” in the Frankfurt dialect, is usually served cold, with boiled potatoes and hard-boiled eggs.

It is also sometimes used as an accompanying dish for fish, asparagus or roast beef. It even has its favorite place in some Schnitzel dishes – Frankfurter Schnitzel deriving a local specialty.

If you plan to travel to Germany, do not hesitate to try one of these traditional German dishes, and of course, take with you the best pocket translator on your mobile! Talkao Translate.

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Published Wed, 11 January 2023