Winter is the time for cabbage, right? Well… at least in countries like Germany where nothing else grows in winter underneath ice and snow ;P OK – thanks to global climate change the snow and ice appear less often in winter but the “more interesting” veggies still did not adapt to those milder temperatures here. They still prefer the south with its warmth all year round. We have to stick to potatoes, apples, and cabbage in winter. I am OK with that as long as you can do something delicious like this Cheesy Spaetzle & Pointed Cabbage Skillet. So good and so easy to prepare!
I (more or less) like everything that’s made with cabbage. I needed some time to get friends with Brussels Sprouts as a kid – we really had a bumpy start – but they have become one of my favorite cabbage varieties to use in recipes over the years. That love for all things cabbage does not necessarily apply to other people here in my house, but as we say in Germany… life is not a pony farm ;P You can’t always choose what’s ending up on your plate. Especially, if you are not the one cooking all the time ;P
Anyway. This delicious cheesy pasta and cabbage skillet is something we all love here – right from the start this dish was a hit! Even our French bulldog Bruno would eat it if he was allowed. He loves everything that smells like cabbage… maybe that’s not something that makes him the best food critic ;P
All jokes aside. This easy spaetzle skillet is a great weeknight dish. Super easy to prepare and quickly on the table. Well… actually, only if you have pre-made spaetzle at hand. Here in Germany, you can get them pretty much in every supermarket. Probably not the case in other countries around the world. If you can’t find them – no problem – they are easy to make. I got a recipe here. You can also use other (cooked) short pasta instead if that is easier for you.
This dish should be ready in about 30 minutes or less – if you got the pasta at hand. The ingredients used are normally not very expensive. Means you can feed a bigger crowd and don’t have to spend a lot of money. In times of constantly rising prices of food that’s probably something people are happy about ;) No need to spend more than necessary to get full bellies ;)
INGREDIENTS / ZUTATEN
(4 servings)
some oil for frying
5.3 oz. (150g) bacon, diced
1 large onion, diced
1-2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 small pointed cabbage (28-35 oz.)
5 fl. oz. (150ml) veggie broth
7 oz. (200g) heavy cream
3.5 oz. (100g) sour cream
1 tsp. dried oregano
salt, pepper
28 oz. (800g) spaetzle or knöpfle (refrigerated)
2-3 tbsp. water
3.5 oz. (100g) grated cheese (e.g. Emmental, mountain cheese, etc.)
some chopped chives
(4 Portionen)
etwas Öl zum Anbraten
150g Bacon, gewürfelt
1 große Zwiebel, gewürfelt
2-3 Knoblauchzehen, fein gehackt
1 kleiner Spitzkohl (800-1000g)
150ml Gemüsebrühe
200g Sahne
100g Schmand
1 TL Oregano
Salz, Pfeffer
800g Spätzle oder Knöpfle (Kühltheke)
2-3 EL Wasser
100g geriebener Käse (z.B. Emmentaler, Bergkäse, etc.)
etwas Schnittlauch, in Röllchen
DIRECTIONS / ZUBEREITUNG
1. Cut the bacon into small cubes. Peel and dice or finely chop the onion and garlic. Remove wilted leaves from pointed cabbage, cut into quarters and remove the stalk, then cut into bite-sized pieces. Set everything aside.
2. Add some oil to a large frying pan and heat up. Add the bacon and fry until browned. Add the onion and sauté until soft and glossy. Next, add garlic and cabbage and mix everything. Let cook/fry for about 2 minutes, then deglaze with the veggie stock. Add heavy cream, sour cream, and oregano. Season with salt and pepper and mix well. Let simmer for about 10 minutes – stirring now and then. The cabbage should have softened a bit, but you don’t want it to be super mushy and overcooked.
3. Heat up some oil in a second (non-stick) pan and fry the spaetzle (or knöpfle) for about 4-5 minutes. Once the noodles have gotten some color, add a little bit of water, cover them with a lid and let them steam for 2-3 minutes until the water has boiled away. Remove from the heat and keep warm if the cabbage is not yet ready.
4. As soon as the cabbage is ready, add the spaetzle/knöpfle and grated cheese to the pan – mix to combine and season with more salt and pepper, if needed. Serve with some chopped chives.
1. Den Bacon in kleine Würfel schneiden. Zwiebel und Knoblauch schälen und würfeln bzw. fein hacken. Welke Blätter vom Spitzkohl entfernen, vierteln und den Strunk entfernen, dann in mundgerechte Stücke schneiden. Alles bereitstellen.
2. Etwas Öl in eine große Pfanne geben und erhitzen. Den gewürfelten Bacon dazugeben und kurz auslassen, dann die Zwiebel dazugeben und einige Minuten anschwitzen. Gehackten Knoblauch und den Spitzkohl dazugeben und vermengen. Für etwa 2 Minuten mit anbraten. Mit Gemüsebrühe ablöschen. Sahne, Schmand und Oregano dazugeben, mit Salz und Pfeffer würzen und alles gut verrühren. Etwa 10 Minuten köcheln lassen – dabei immer wieder umrühren. Der Spitzkohl sollte weicher geworden sein, aber nicht komplett verkochen.
3. In einer zweiten (beschichteten) Pfanne noch etwas Öl erhitzen und die Spätzle bzw. Knöpfle darin anbraten – etwa 4-5 Minuten. Immer wieder wenden. Sobald die Nudeln etwas Farbe bekommen haben, ein wenig Wasser dazugeben, mit einem Deckel abdecken und 2-3 Minuten dampfen lassen, bis das Wasser verkocht ist. Vom Herd ziehen, falls der Kohl noch nicht gar ist.
4. Wenn der Kohl fertig ist, die angebratenen Spätzle und den geriebenen Käse mit in die Pfanne geben und alles gut vermengen. Nach Bedarf noch einmal mit Salz und Pfeffer nachwürzen und dann mit etwas Schnittlauch servieren.
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Here is a version of the recipe you can print easily.
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Cheesy Spaetzle & Pointed Cabbage Skillet
- Prep Time: 00:10
- Cook Time: 00:15
- Total Time: 00:30
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Cuisine: Germany
Description
A simple and easy dish, enough to feed a family: Spaetzle & Pointed Cabbage Skillet. In winter one of your favorite dishes for lunch and dinner! So good!
Ingredients
some oil for frying
5.3 oz. (150g) bacon, diced
1 large onion, diced
1–2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 small pointed cabbage (28–35 oz.)
5 fl. oz. (150ml) veggie broth
7 oz. (200g) heavy cream
3.5 oz. (100g) sour cream
1 tsp. dried oregano
salt, pepper
28 oz. (800g) spaetzle or knöpfle (refrigerated)
2–3 tbsp. water
3.5 oz. (100g) grated cheese (e.g. Emmental, mountain cheese, etc.)
some chopped chives
Instructions
1. Cut the bacon into small cubes. Peel and dice or finely chop the onion and garlic. Remove wilted leaves from pointed cabbage, cut into quarters and remove the stalk, then cut into bite-sized pieces. Set everything aside.
2. Add some oil to a large frying pan and heat up. Add the bacon and fry until browned. Add the onion and sauté until soft and glossy. Next, add garlic and cabbage and mix everything. Let cook/fry for about 2 minutes, then deglaze with the veggie stock. Add heavy cream, sour cream, and oregano. Season with salt and pepper and mix well. Let simmer for about 10 minutes – stirring now and then. The cabbage should have softened a bit, but you don’t want it to be super mushy and overcooked.
3. Heat up some oil in a second (non-stick) pan and fry the spaetzle (or knöpfle) for about 4-5 minutes. Once the noodles have gotten some color, add a little bit of water, cover them with a lid and let them steam for 2-3 minutes until the water has boiled away. Remove from the heat and keep warm if the cabbage is not yet ready.
4. As soon as the cabbage is ready, add the spaetzle/knöpfle and grated cheese to the pan – mix to combine and season with more salt and pepper, if needed. Serve with some chopped chives.
Notes
Enjoy cooking!
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I love my job, but in between I love to bake and try new things in the kitchen. A lot of my friends and colleagues encourage me to bake - for a very simple reason: they get the leftovers - and it seems they like it most of the time ;) 
