German Appetizers

Vorspeisen

As enthusiastic beer lovers we make a lot of German recipes on this blog and we have rounded up our favorite Vorspeisen, the German word for appetizers or starters, for an enticing German dishes menu of sorts. Be sure to have plentiful soft pretzels and mustard on hand - they will be called upon frequently as accompanying items. 

Enjoy the taste of Germany!

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

Brotzeit Platter with Butterbrot - a classic spread consisting of Farmer's bread, butter, cheese, cold meat cuts, radishes or other vegetables, dips, German beer cheese spread (see further down) and more. Learn more about these German sandwiches here and get ideas on what ingredients to include besides the ones shown below.

German Meat and Cheese Board - Create your own board with 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 spreads with Camembert. This German beer cheese dip has a unique texture and can be served in a bowl or shaped as cheese balls as shown below. The lovely salmon color comes from paprika. 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. Caraway seeds (classic German flavor) are a key ingredient. 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. German red herring salad recipe here.

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). 

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. 

German Dumplings salad. Bread dumplings or pretzel dumplings are wonderful German side dishes, just like German potato dumplings. When you have a few leftover you can easily assmble this hearty salad with brats, gurken and onion. The vinaigrette is simply delightful. 

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 (Sausage Salad)  - this recipe for German sausage salad hails from Bavaria. Bayerischer Wurstsalat is a classic on biergarten menus and around the Oktoberfest beer tents. Enjoy it with soft pretzels or fresh bread rolls. Recipe. 

Krautsalat (German Coleslaw) - this staple side salad boasts a balanced savory-tart flavor complemented by the unique fragrance of caraway seed. Smoked bacon bits are optional but highly recommended! Excellent as an appetizer along with a cold Pilsner. Recipe here. 

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. 

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 Pie) - another classic that prominently features onions and enjoys great popularity, especially during autumn harvest at wine festivals around the country and Oktoberfest. Recipe here.

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

Bratwurst Bites - So very easy. Get good quality, fine-grind Bavarian brats and your favorite mustard. To the Brat Bites recipe.

Currywurst - share into the glory of Germany's iconic street food!

Pilzstrudel - savory mushroom strudel with tangy goat cheese. You can make it with traditional strudel dough, puff pastry or phyllo dough. It is popular as a vegetarian dish during Oktoberfest and also during the winter holidays. Recipe here. 

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. 

Sauerkraut Soup - hearty, tangy and very flavorful soup, topped with smoked German sausage. Recipe here. 

Sauerkraut Pizza - use flatbread or fresh pizza dough for the crust and combine the sauerkraut with complementary ingredients. Recipe here.

You Might Like These German Dishes

German Desserts
Traditional Oktoberfest Food Dishes
German Potato Salad
Bavarian Goulasch

Recipe