A list of authentic recipes for delicious German appetizers from all over the country.

As enthusiastic beer lovers we make a lot of German recipes on this blog and we have rounded up our favorites for an all appetizer German menu of sorts. Be sure to have plentiful soft pretzels and mustard on hand – they will be called upon frequently as accompanying items.

Enjoy!

Easy German appetizers (cooking not required)

Let’s start with a few ideas for low key eats that you will not even have to cook. All you need to do is some cutting, occasional mixing and assembly.

German Meat and Cheese Board – cheeses like Gruyere, Limburger and Butterkäse along with Black Forest ham, leberwurst, Lyoner and so on. Don’t forget to include mustard and gurken. More info here.

Obatzda – the Bavarian queen of cheese dips with Camembert. Learn how to make it.

Limburger Cheese Salad – if you like Limburger cheese you will love this salad style presentation of it. Such a wonderful medley of flavors. Learn how to make it.

Schnittlauchbrot aka Chives Sandwiches – these open faced sandwiches are simple, yet full of flavor. Serve them with brats or German meatballs (recipe below). Here is how to make them.

Munich Radish Spirals – radishes are held in high esteem in Germany and spiralized Munich radish (use daikon radish in the US) with a bit of salt and a few chives sprinkled on top is an epic low calories beer compatible appetizer. These are served in most beer gardens. If you do not have a spiralizer, use a potato peeler and create shavings instead. More instructions here.

Matjes & Red Beet Salad – the Germans have a great love for marinated herring (Matjes herring), similarly to all the nations near the North Sea. The earthy beets are a perfect companion for matjes. Recipe here.

Picture credit: Brigitte

Räucherforelle (Smoked trout) – Another fish that is frequently served as an appetizer in Germany is smoked trout. Commonly it is presented solo with just a bit of grated horseradish on top. You can buy smoked trout fillets or smoke your own and pair them with a crispy German potato pancake (recipe follows below).

Räucherforelle aka smoked trout is very popular as an appetizer in Germany. Here served over crispy potato cake.

Picture credit: Feinkoch

Smoked Trout Dip – smoked trout fillets take center stage in this scrumptious cream cheese based dip. A bit of bread or cucumber slices is all you need to enjoy it with a crisp German lager. Recipe here.

Soleier (Pickled Eggs) – these ones below get their brown color from balsamic vinegar, but you can vary the vinegar and the spices for the pickling liquid. Recipe here.

Wurstsalat Pretzel Sliders – you can enjoy German sausage salad (Wurstsalat) on its own or make these adorable pretzel sliders. Recipe.

Favorite German Appetizers

German Fries (Bratkartoffeln) – crispy cottage fries with bacon and onions. Use this authentic recipe.

Kartoffelpuffer (German Potato Pancakes) – great on their own and commonly served with apple sauce, sour cream or cured salmon. Learn how to make them from scratch or use our shortcut.

White Asparagus with Hollandaise – even though you can make this dish with green asparagus spears, white asparagus is typically used – especially during May when it is in peak season (Spargelzeit). This simple, tasty appetizer is a favorite all over Germany. Plump and crisp white asparagus spears are boiled in lemon water, then drained and drizzled with scrumptious Hollandaise sauce. Recipe.

White asparagus drizzled with Hollandaise

Picture credit: Kuchen Goetter

German Meatballs (Frikadellen) – delightful pan-fried bites, typically a combination of pork and beef. They are known by many different names across Germany. Recipe and video.

Flammkuchen – these thin crust German pizzas with smoked bacon, onions and creme fraiche are perfect as an appetizer. Recipe here.

Zwiebelkuchen (Onion Tart) – another classic that prominently features onions and enjoys great popularity. Recipe here.

Picture credit: Edeka

Kasespaetlze – light, fluffy German noodles with a decadent cheese sauce and topped with caramelized onions. Learn how to make them.

German Recipes with Sauerkraut

Sauerkraut Strudel – the world famous German dessert in a savory form, known as Krautstrudel or Oktoberfest strudel. Take a short-cut and use puff pastry for extra flaky crust. Recipe.

Sauerkraut Balls – crunchy breading encases a scrumptious sauerkraut and bratwurst filling. Dip in mustard. Full recipe.