21 Oktoberfest Recipes for an at-Home Celebration

September 16, 2020

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Celebrate Oktoberfest from the comfort of your home with these German-inspired recipes. These dishes feature classic ingredients like apples, pretzels, sauerkraut and sausage. Whether it’s dinner or dessert, these recipes will put you in a celebratory mood. Recipes like Rye Soft Pretzels and Chicken Sausage with Quick Sauerkraut are healthy, delicious and pair well with your favorite beer.

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Crispy Chicken Schnitzel with Herb-Brown Butter

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This healthy recipe for crispy chicken schnitzel involves coating the chicken breasts with fresh whole-wheat breadcrumbs and oven “frying” using a mist of olive oil cooking spray instead of frying in lots of oil. Serve on a bed of mixed greens or with mashed potatoes. Source: EatingWell Magazine, May/June 2014

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Kielbasa-&-Swiss Spaghetti Squash Casserole

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Zesty sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and rye bread add Reuben-esque flavor to this surprisingly addictive spaghetti squash skillet recipe. If you can't find seeded rye bread, add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon caraway seeds to the mixture in Step 2. Serve with a green salad tossed with red-wine vinaigrette. Source: EatingWell Magazine, November/December 2014

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Apple Bavarian Torte

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In this gorgeous apple torte dessert recipe, whole-wheat flour and almonds make a cookie-like crust that is topped with a lighter cream cheese filling and cinnamon-sugar apples. Source: EatingWell Magazine, September/October 2014

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Rye Soft Pretzels

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This homemade soft pretzel recipe uses olive oil and rye flour to put a healthy, flavorful spin on the traditional version. Source: EatingWell Magazine, January/February 2020

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Warm Potato Salad with Bacon-Mustard Dressing

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This updated take on German potato salad is a sophisticated addition to any holiday spread. Granny Smith apples are a good choice, as they hold their shape when roasted. Source: EatingWell Magazine, November/December 2011

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Chicken Sausage with Quick Sauerkraut

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This colorful cabbage sauté is the best of both sauerkraut and slaw--a mix of textures and bright, tangy flavor. Serve with assorted mustards and some toasted rye bread. Source: EatingWell Magazine, October 2020 - 30th Anniversary

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Grilled Salmon with Watercress Salad & Buttermilk Dressing

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With a nod toward German cuisine, rye croutons, mustard and sauerkraut pair beautifully with this healthy salmon recipe. Most large supermarkets sell sauerkraut in the refrigerated section; if you can't find purple sauerkraut, feel free to use green (or make your own!). A rich dill-infused buttermilk dressing brings everything together in this healthy salad recipe. Source: EatingWell Magazine, May/June 2016

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Cabbage & Smoked Sausage Grill Packets with Caraway

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The natural pairing of cabbage and sausage makes a delicious, hearty meal in a packet that is a cinch to clean up. While the grill is hot, grill some bread to accompany the packets. Source: EatingWell.com, May 2018

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German Apple Pancake

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A judicious use of butter and sugar gives this classic German apple pancake--also known as a Dutch baby--less than a third of the fat and considerably fewer calories than the original breakfast treat. The topping--sautéed apples glazed with apple-cider syrup--is wonderful on oatmeal, waffles and frozen yogurt too. Source: EatingWell Magazine, September 1997

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Sauerkrat, Pork, and Potatoes

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Sauerkraut is at the heart of this simple German-style slow-cooker pork stew. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine

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Spaetzle

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In this German-inspired spaetzle recipe, whole-grain mustard adds zesty flavor to these homemade egg noodles. Serve these little dumplings with roasted chicken, meatballs or sauerbraten, the classic German pickled roast beef traditionally accompanied by spaetzle. Source: EatingWell Magazine, November/December 2014

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Pork Chops with Red Cabbage and Pears

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The sweet-and-sour cabbage pairs deliciously with braised chops and juicy pears in this German-inspired dish. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine

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Apple-Cherry Strudel with Cider Whipped Cream

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Strudel may look fussy and complicated, but the multiple layers of phyllo actually make this dessert very forgiving and earn you baking-genius points. Plus, this recipe makes three strudel, so you can eat one now and freeze the other two for a quick, impressive dessert. Source: EatingWell Magazine, September/October 2015

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Slow-Cooker German Potato Salad

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This vinegary German-style potato salad recipe is a lighter alternative to typical mayonnaise-based potato salad. And, instead of boiling, the potatoes are simmered in the slow cooker. This healthy slow-cooker potato salad recipe tastes great when served warm or at room temperature. Fingerling potatoes make it especially pretty, but any type of yellow-flesh potato cut into 1-inch pieces will work. Source: EatingWell Magazine, May/June 2014

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Roasted Autumn Vegetables & Chicken Sausage

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Butternut squash, Brussels sprouts, garlic and sausage all roast on one sheet pan in this super-easy dinner. We're partial to the flavor of chicken-apple sausage, but you can pick whatever variety of chicken sausage you prefer. Serve with crusty bread and a dollop of whole-grain mustard. Source: EatingWell Magazine, September/October 2015

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Sweet & Sour Beef-Cabbage Soup

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This wholesome sweet-and-sour soup combines beef, caraway seeds, sweet paprika and cabbage--ingredients that star in a number of German dishes. It is particularly nice served with crusty rye bread. For an even heartier soup, add diced cooked potatoes along with the cabbage. Recipe by Nancy Baggett for EatingWell. Source: EatingWell Soups Special Issue April 2016

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Pretzel-Crusted Pork Cutlets with Mustard Sauce

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Pretzels are an unexpectedly delicious crunchy coating for baked pork chops. To crush the pretzels, place in a large sealable plastic bag and pound with the smooth side of a meat mallet or the bottom of a small skillet or pulse in a food processor until coarsely chopped. Source: EatingWell Magazine, November/December 2014

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Almond Linzer Cookies

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In this almond cookie recipe, star-shaped cutters give these classic jam-filled sandwich Linzer cookies holiday sparkle, but you can also use a more traditional round or scalloped cookie cutter. Almond flour adds crunchy texture and nutty flavor. Look for it near other specialty flours in natural-foods markets. Source: EatingWell Magazine, November/December 2014

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Sauerkraut & Sausage Casserole

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One bite of this hearty sausage casserole recipe--full of sauerkraut, apples and kielbasa--and you'll be transported to a tiny pub in the Alsace region of northern France. Serve with extra mustard if you like. Source: EatingWell Magazine, September/October 2012

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Fennel Sauerkraut with Turkey Sausage & Potatoes

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Inspired by the Alsatian classic choucroute garni, this comforting one-pot meal takes a shortcut with already-cooked potatoes (look in the refrigerated section of the produce and/or dairy department of the market) and preshredded cabbage. Serve with additional mustard.

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Warm Red Cabbage Salad

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In this quick German-inspired side dish, red cabbage is cooked until just tender and combined with sweet apples, caraway and a tangy vinaigrette. Serve with roasted pork loin or turkey kielbasa. Source: EatingWell Magazine, March/April 2007

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