GERMAN FOODS

The consists of many different local or regional cuisines, reflecting the country's federal history. In , in more specifically, the traditional had also been influenced by German cuisine in the past, hence several dishes being common between the two countries (e. g. ). e. , , and, most notably, ). The of 2025 awarded a (the highest designation) to 10 restaurants in Germany, while 46 more received two-star rankings and 265 one-star rankings. Meat is usually ; fried dishes also exist, but these recipes usually originate from and. Several cooking methods used to soften tough cuts have evolved into national specialties, including (sour roast), involving marinating beef, horse meat or venison in a vinegar or wine vinegar mixture over several days. A long tradition of sausage-making exists in Germany; more than 1,500 different types of sausage (: ) are made. Most is made with natural of pork, sheep or lamb intestines. Among the most popular and most common are , usually made of ground pork and spices, the (Viennese), which may be pork or beef and is smoked and fully cooked in a water bath, and () or (black sausage) made from blood (often of pigs or geese). Thousands of types of cold cuts also are available which are also called "Wurst" in German. Strict regulations governing what may and may not be put into them have been in force in Germany since the 13th century. In the market ordinance of Landshut in 1236, it was set down that only top-quality meat could be made into sausages. Of saltwater fish, whitefish such as , , and are the most common. Popular freshwater fish on the German menu are , , , and also are listed frequently. These fish are often served grilled, fried as "Backfisch" or "Fischfrikadelle", or in a soup. Seafood traditionally was restricted to the northern coastal areas, except for , which was often served in a , as (a pickled herring rolled into a cylindrical shape around a piece of pickled gherkin or onion), or (fried, ). Today, many sea fish, such as fresh herring, , , and , are well established throughout the country. Prior to the industrial revolution and the ensuing pollution of the rivers, salmon were common in the rivers , , and and only slowly started to return along with a growing consciousness for environmental questions and resulting measures, such as state-of-the-art sewage plant and reduction of agricultural runoff. Vegetables are often used in or vegetable soups, but are also served as. Carrots, cauliflower, turnips, spinach, peas, beans, broccoli and many types of cabbage are very common. Circa 1900, carrots were sometimes roasted in water, with the broth used in place of coffee. is a popular seasonal side or main dish with a yearly per-capita consumption of 1. 5 kg (3. The white variety is especially popular in Germany and more common than green asparagus. Spargel season (: or ) traditionally begins in mid-April and ends on St. John's Day (24 June). ( ) commonly consists of bread, toast, or bread rolls with butter or margarine, , cheeses, jam ( or more commonly called ), honey and eggs (typically boiled). Common drinks at breakfast are coffee, tea, milk, cocoa (hot or cold) or fruit juices. It is very common to eat hearty toppings at breakfast, including deli meats like ham, salted meats, salami and meat-based spreads such as (liver sausage), or , and cheeses such as Gouda, (cream cheese), Brie, , and more. Most bakeries tend to sell (sandwiches from bread rolls), especially in the morning, for people on the go. Traditionally, the main meal of the day has been ( ), eaten around noon. Smaller meals added during the day bear names such as (in the south), (bread time, also in the south), (, literally for "coffee and cake"), or. It is a very German custom and comparable with the English. It takes time between lunch and dinner, often on Sundays with the entire family. For others, the traditional way of eating is still rather common, not only in rural areas. Breakfast is still very popular and may be elaborate and extended on weekends, with friends invited as guests; the same holds for coffee and cake. Since the 1990s, the Sunday has also become common, especially in city cafés. They most often are boiled (in salt water, ), but ( or ) and pan-roasted () also are traditional. , called , (spoken as "Pom fritz" or, respectively, "Pommès", deviating from the French pronunciation which would be "Pom freet" or "Pom") or regionally as in German, are a common style of fried potatoes; they are traditionally offered with either or , or, as (lit. fries red/white), with both. With the exception of mustard, horseradish, and hot paprika, German dishes are rarely hot and spicy. The most popular herbs and spices are traditionally , , , , , , , , , , , and. , anise seed and are often used in sweet cakes or beverages associated with Christmas time, and sometimes in the preparation of sausages, but are otherwise rare in German meals. Fresh is very common in a green or fish fillet. () is a very common accompaniment to sausages and can vary in strength, the most common version being (medium hot), which is somewhere between traditional English and French mustards in strength. , similar to French's Deli Mustard with a taste that is very different from Dijon, and the surrounding area are known for its particularly spicy mustard, which is used both as a table condiment and in local dishes such as (pot roast with mustard). German mustard is usually considerably less acidic than American varieties. Its use in Germany has been documented to the 16th century, when it was used as medicine, and as a food, whereby its leaves were consumed as a vegetable. A wide variety of , and are served throughout the country, most commonly made with fresh fruit. Apples, plums, strawberries, and cherries are used regularly in cakes. is also very popular, often made with. (Black Forest cake, made with cherries) is probably the most well-known example of a wide variety of typically German filled with whipped or butter cream. German (which have no hole) are usually balls of yeast dough with jam or other fillings, and are known as , (in Berlin and Eastern Germany), or , depending on the region. or are large (usually around 20–24 cm in diameter), and relatively thin (5mm) pancakes, comparable to the French. They are served covered with sugar, jam or syrup. Salty variants with cheese, ground meat or bacon exist as well as variants with apple slices baked in (called , literally for ), but they are usually considered to be main dishes rather than desserts. In some regions, are filled and then wrapped. The word means pancake in most parts of Germany. It is traditionally served with cream, but also is served with sauce, milk or whipped cream. (rhubarb pudding) and (gooseberry fruit pudding) are variations of the. Italian-run ice cream parlours were the first large wave of foreign-run eateries in Germany, which began around the mid-1850s, becoming widespread in the 1920s. , which resembles spaghetti, tomato sauce, and ground cheese on a plate, originated in Germany and is a popular ice cream dessert. On the Christmas Days following , roast goose is a staple of Christmas Day meals. It is sometimes replaced with European carp, particularly in Southern areas. The carp is cut into pieces, coated in breadcrumbs and fried in fat. Common side dishes are potato salad, cucumber salad or potatoes. Apart from Christmas, nearly all other Christian holidays and seasons have special dishes associated with them, varying regionally and by denomination. The Easter season, for instance, is typically associated with painted , and a meal of freshwater fish on. Likewise, is often celebrated with a meal of. The , which lasts from to , is observed in many areas, especially Catholic ones. The preceding is known for. The last months of the year, especially the and Christmas season, is often associated with (literally Christmas bakery products), which includes sweet and spicy foods like , , , , , , , , and. German supermarkets also sell these products during this period. Another popular confectioneries are , and , which are sold in. The importance of bread in German cuisine is also illustrated by words such as (meaning supper, literally evening bread) and (snack, literally bread time). In fact, one of the major complaints of the German in many parts of the world is their inability to find acceptable local breads. Bread types range from white bread () to grey () to black (), actually dark brown bread. Some breads contain both wheat and rye flour (hence , mixed bread), and often also wholemeal and whole seeds such as , , or seed (). Whole grain is also preferred for high fiber. A typical serving is a roll cut in half, and spread with butter or margarine. Cheese, honey, jam, , cold cuts such as ham, fish, or preserves are then placed between the two halves, or on each half separately, known as a. is very common throughout all parts of Germany, with many local and regional breweries producing a wide variety of beers. The , a style developed in the mid-19th century, is predominant in most parts of the country today, whereas (/) and other types of are common, especially in Bavaria. Since the reunification of 1990, , which was common in , but could hardly be found in , has become increasingly popular in Germany as a whole. Beer may also be mixed with other beverages such as pils or lager and carbonated lemonade: (lit: cyclist), (lit: water from the river ). comes predominantly from the areas along the upper and middle and its tributaries. and are among the best-known varieties of white wine, while and are important German red wines. , a German spirit made from malt (wheat, rye or barley), is consumed predominantly in the middle and northern parts of Germany. The term refers to both kinds of hard liquors. All cold drinks in bars and restaurants are sold in glasses with a calibration mark () that is frequently checked by the ( Bureau of Weights and Measures) to ensure the guest is getting as much as is offered in the menu. It is generally , which is weaker than. is more common in the northwest. East Frisians traditionally have their tea with cream and rock candy (). Germany has the tenth highest per capita coffee consumption worldwide. was a German-Swiss watchmaker and amateur scientist, who developed the first practical process to manufacture and began selling the world's first soft drink under his company. Popular soft drinks include , juice or wine mixed with sparkling mineral water, with being popular all over Germany, and , made with cola and an orange-flavored drink such as. Germans are unique among their neighbors in preferring , carbonated , either plain () or flavored (usually lemon) to noncarbonated ones. Drinking water of excellent quality is available everywhere and at any time in Germany. Water provided by the can be had without hesitation directly from the tap. Usually, no chlorine is added. Drinking water is controlled by state authority to ensure it is potable. This southwest German state is divided into Baden and Swabia, whose cuisines are slightly different. Due to Baden's physiogeographical situation in the , with Germany's warmest and fruitful , it had good prerequisites to develop a high-quality. Nationwide, this region features the highest density of star-rated restaurants; the municipality of is especially well known for its fine-dining restaurants. The Bavarian dukes, especially the family, developed Bavarian cuisine and refined it to be presentable to the royal court. This cuisine has belonged to wealthy households, especially in cities, since the 19th century. Bavaria is a part of Southeastern Germany, including the city of Munich and spreading to Germany's borders with Austria and the Czech Republic. The region is located at higher elevations, and is known for yielding beet and potato crops and also for the production of fine beers. Iconic meals include (sausage with curry ketchup), Döner kebab (Turkish-inspired fast food), and Eisbein, a hearty dish of pickled pork knuckle often served with sauerkraut and potatoes. Schnitzel is also popular, along with , a jam-filled pastry. The city embraces vegetarian and vegan cuisine, with a variety of plant-based options available. Street food is a key part of Berlin's food culture, offering everything from falafel to craft beer. Franconia, a major region consisting roughly of the northern half of , has its own distinct cuisine, so distinct in fact that there is said to be a "White Sausage Equator" () that separates Franconia from the rest of Bavaria. This is a reference to the fact that those north of the Weißwurstequator do not generally eat the popular common in southern. A characteristic of Franconian food would include gravies (Soßen), food derived from potatoes, various meats, and, of course, bread. Due to its centuries-old history as a harbour town, the traditional cuisine of is very diversified and sapid as the supply of ingredients was safe. Until the 20th century, it was predominantly characterized by the extensive choice of different kinds of from the river and the quick access to both the and the , both being roughly 100 kilometers away from the city center. The neighboring regions supplied the city state with fresh , came mainly from a region called just southwest of Hamburg and until , the neighbourhood of was considered the ‘milk isle’ of Hamburg. International trade made and exotic food items from and available since the 16th century, and these were soon incorporated into civic kitchens. It is characterised by ingredients produced by Pomeranian farms, such as () and , by poultry rearing, which has produced the famous , by the wealth of fish in the , rivers and inland lakes of the , and the abundance of in Pomeranian forests. Pomeranian cuisine is hearty. Several foodstuffs have a particularly important role to play here in the region: potatoes, known as , prepared in various ways and whose significance is evinced by the existence of a West Pomeranian Potato Museum (), and sweet and sour dishes produced, for example, by baking fruit. Fruit, vegetables, lard and were preserved by bottling in jars. Syrup was made from the sugar beet itself. Also from Hessen comes the ("). It is a cold sauce based on sour cream with the local herbs borage, chervil, cress, parsley, pimpinelle, sorrel and chives. The start of the season is traditionally (; which means in German). Green sauce is mostly served with potatoes and boiled eggs. ( in German, or in the Hessian dialect) is also very popular in and around Frankfurt. In the historic district there is the so-called Cider Quarter (), where there are numerous taverns that offer cider, especially in the summer months. The kitchen of the Palatinate, a region in the south of Rhineland-Palatinate, is largely determined by regional dishes. They are sometimes quite hearty, not least because the cooking recipes were sometimes developed in times of need or in the context of heavy physical work. In the Palatinate, the salty-crust is a traditional main dish, either with sweet side dishes (for example wine sauce, or boiled fruit such as plums, pears or the like) or with salty side dishes (for example potato soup, vegetable soups, or pork) is eaten. , , , and grow well, along with a variety of vegetables, which grow near , the state's capital. [300 hectares (740 acres)], (savoy, red, white) [10 ha (25 acres)], [15 ha (37 acres)], and [15 ha (37 acres)] grow by traditional means near Erfurt. , , , , and are grown in the eastern portion of the region near under glass centers on about 5 ha (12 acres) of land. Thuringia is the second-largest -growing region in Germany; the town of was once considered the " town", where herb growers used to congregate to study herb cultivation. One-third of Thuringia is covered in forest, and is considered to be one of the best game-hunting regions in Germany. Anyone holding a valid hunting license and a local hunting permit for the area may hunt for game such as , , , , , and (mountain sheep). and are protected game species that may not be hunted. The wooded areas also contain a wide variety of , such as chestnut mushrooms, , and chanterelles, along with wild berries, such as , , , and , which are all traditional accompaniments to game dishes. The most famous foods from Thuringia are and. The state is also known for its ; steamed, scaled, and cured varieties are all prepared. Popular varieties include Thüringer (a spreadable cured sausage), (a cured, air-dried sausage dried up to eight months), Thüringer (a steamed pork and liver sausage), Thüringer (a steamed blood sausage packed in a bladder or other natural casing) and (minced pork). A typical meal is Sächsischer. Also much is used in Saxon cuisine, particularly and as is the case throughout and. In the blossoming and growing cities of and an extravagant style of cuisine is cherished (one may only think of the as an ingredient in the famous ). In other, impoverished regions where the people had to work hard to yield some harvest (e. , the ), peasant dishes play a major role; famous dishes originating from there include with , potato soup or potato with and. In the region, where the peasants were wealthier, the tradition of remains to this day. Typical sweets at Christmas are Pulsnitzer Lebkuchen, Dresdner or Erzgebirgsstollen and Liegnitzer Bombe. cultivation occupies 62% of the cultivated land in. , , , and are grown, with the rye being grown near , where it is used to make , a flatbread produced there since 1931. Another 10% of the cultivated area is planted in for conversion to sugar, popularized after the 19th century, when the region had an economic boom. , (known in Portuguese as , is also used as derogatory term to designate Germans, and people of origin or descent in general), , new types of sausage and vegetables are some examples of food introduced in Brazil by the immigrants. In Curitiba, sausage are commonly known as , from the German (Wiener Würstchen). or (from German ) in is the word for or just. Today, is the most consumed beverage in Brazil. The tradition of brewing in Brazil dates back to German immigration in the early 19th century. In 1913 there were 134 breweries in. was founded in 1888 in by the Swiss immigrant Joseph Villiger. Antarctica (Companhia Antarctica Paulista) was founded in the same year by the Brazilian Joaquim Salles and the German immigrant Louis Bücher in. In 1999 the two brands merged creating. is a noticeable part of Argentine cuisine; the "Achtzig Schlag" cake, which was translated as in the country, can be found in some bakeries. In addition, dishes like chucrut () and many different kinds of sausage-like and others have also made it into mainstream Argentine cuisine. spread only in the 19th and early 20th centuries and brought luxury goods like cocoa, coconuts, rare exotic spices, coffee and (non-herbal) tea to a wider audience. In 2008, there were around 9,000 pizzerias and 7,000 Italian restaurants in Germany. The pizza is Germany's favourite fast food. (especially dishes), , , and other Asian cuisines are rapidly gaining in popularity since the early 2000s. Until the late 1990s many of the more expensive restaurants served mostly French inspired dishes for decades. East Germans traveled abroad to these countries on holiday (and vice versa as well), and soldiers coming to East Germany from these countries brought their dishes with them. 1. Production, Consumption and Foreign Trade of Fruit and Vegetables in OECD Member Countries; Present Situation and 1970 Prospects. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. 1968. p. 41. Castella, K. (2010). Storey Pub. 97. Hidden categories:

*[v]: View this template *[t]: Discuss this template *[e]: Edit this template *[c. ]: circa. This is collaborative content from Food & Wine's team of experts, including staff, recipe developers, chefs, and contributors. Many of our galleries curate recipes or guides from a variety of sources which we credit throughout the content and at each link. We've even included a handful of items on the sweeter side, too, like a tangy and a berry-studded German pancake. Guten appetit! Food & Wine editor Melanie Hansche's mother taught her how to make this Bavarian potato salad when she was a tween. The dressing is made with a base of hot chicken stock and vinegar, and it's punched up with tangy cornichons, onion, grainy mustard, dill, and crispy bacon bits. This classic German recipe is all about the contrast between savory, fork-tender meat and a crispy, tender crust of pork crackling flavored with cumin, caraway, and mustard seeds. It's worth your time to seek out a boneless pork shoulder with a nice, even fat cap, which is key to the dish. Dumplings made of day-old pretzels and bound with egg are a common German recipe and a delicious way to use up stale bread. Wolfgang Puck of Los Angeles' Spago makes his schnitzel by deep-frying cutlets of Kurobuta pork, a deeply marbled heritage meat imported from Japan. At home, opt for boneless pork chops from the supermarket, pounding them tender. Pan-fry the schnitzel in a shallow pool of oil instead of deep-frying it. Hearty, chewy, and nutritious, groats are minimally processed whole grains; here, they're used to add heft and crunch to gluten-free, whole-grain German bread. Gently sweetened with molasses, this dense German bread gets a boost of flavor from a mix of toasted sunflower, flax, pumpkin, and sesame seeds. Kuchen is a traditional German fruit- or cheese-filled yeast cake that's common in North Dakota (pastry chef Nancy Olson says it's in countless church cookbooks) and served at any time of day. This is Olson's adaptation of her grandmother's version. "I love that this is a hearty, rustic, belly-filling pastry; nothing dainty about it," she says. Both Frank Falcinelli and Frank Castronovo had early experiences with sauerbraten, the German braised brisket. Castronovo sampled it on trips to Germany; Falcinelli had it at the German deli where he worked as a teenager. The terrific recipe they ultimately perfected is very sweet and very sour, made with raisins, apples, red wine vinegar, and red wine. Fresh berries are folded into the terrific version here to create a wonderful summer dessert that's also great for breakfast. A friend's mother brought this recipe to Santa Barbara, where Lydie Marshall and her family lived after emigrating from Germany. Lydie's friend, Inge Wilkinson, substituted olive oil and red bell peppers for the lard and for some of the potatoes. "I've always been a fan of any food high in salt and starch," chef Grant Achatz says. "And soft pretzels right out of the oven are awesome. " You can eat these slightly sweet, chewy, dark pretzel sticks plain or with mustard; Achatz goes for ranch dressing. We and our 100 partners store and/or access information on a device, such as unique IDs in cookies to process personal data. You may accept or manage your choices by clicking below, including your right to object where legitimate interest is used, or at any time in the privacy policy page. These choices will be signaled to our partners and will not affect browsing data. Use limited data to select advertising. Create profiles for personalised advertising. Measure advertising performance. Measure content performance. Understand audiences through statistics or combinations of data from different sources. Develop and improve services. You can also use our service around German food and cooking as in Germany. Whether , , baking ingredients or delicious sweets – order the taste from Germany! Are you a German living abroad? Good luck continues! But sometimes you certainly miss the local attitude to life. Shop. *[VAT]: value added tax. Carl Hanson is a Senior Editor at Allrecipes who has been writing about food and wine for nearly 20 years. He enjoys creating content that informs, entertains, and assists busy home cooks get nourishing meals on the table for their families. You'll enjoy it in popular German dishes like sauerbraten, which combines a sour marinade with a sweet sauce. We've lined up a bunch of our very favorite, comforting. Chicken thighs are baked with red cabbage, bacon, and apple in a sweet and sour sauce. "I adore Bavarian cuisine," says HerbanSpoons. "And since there's no good German food here (while I lived in San Francisco, my husband and I ate at wonderful German/Hungarian restaurants there), I have to make my own. This recipe is crazy simple. " "For something that looks and tastes as impressive as this beef rouladen, it's actually one of the simplest stuffed meat recipes I know," says Chef John. "You can pretty much use any cheap cut of beef; I used round steak, but rump, chuck, flap meat, and other similar cuts will work work. But it wasn't always so. In the mid-1700s, Frederick the Great of Prussia forced dubious peasants to plant the curious kartoffel. Fondness followed, but gradually. Here, basic boiled potatoes are dressed simply with parsley. They're the perfect complement to bratwurst with mustard or schnitzel. For a special treat, serve them with and. "We loved it," says Helene. It was an easy to make side to go with our meal. " It's the original hamburger! "These are served like a flattened meatbal," says Amy. I also like to use this recipe to make Swedish meatballs (but omit the paprika). Serve with steamed string beans and tossed salad. Or serve on a Kaiser roll with lettuce, tomato, pickled cucumbers, finely sliced deep fried onions and curry ketchup. " "Soft, comforting potato dumplings drizzled in browned butter and topped with, sorry, not bacon, but something even better!" says Chef John. "For best results, roast, don't boil, the potatoes so they're nice and dry. I served mine with sausage and red cabbage. " Red cabbage is braised in wine and simple seasonings. "There are so many ways to tweak this recipe," says Chef John. "Raisins, currants, shallots, onions, leeks, apples, and pears are just a few things that rock in this recipe. " These traditional German potato pancakes fry up crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. "This recipe reminds me of the potato pancakes that my dad used to make," says luv2cook. "The potato fries up nicely and the onion adds a wonderful sweetness to the mixture. Yummy! Sweet dinner rolls are stuffed with ground beef, onions, and cabbage. A great alternative to the Finnish pasty! "If you are looking for an authentic bierock recipe this one is spot on," says DIZ. "It's absolutely perfect from the bread dough to the meat filling