German American Recipes for Octoberfest

More than 40 million Americans claim German ancestry, but you don’t need German roots to recognize how deeply German food has worked its way into American cooking. Hot dogs, hamburgers, potato salad, pretzels, mustard, brats, pot roast, and meatloaf all carry that influence.

For Oktoberfest, I’m pulling together some of my favorite German and German-American recipes from the Great Island archives ~ from soft pretzels and bratwurst to streusel cake.

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SAUERBRATEN GERMAN POT ROAST

It’s the national dish of Germany, and it’s a good one! If you haven’t had this tangy marinated pot roast, get it on your fall menu soon.

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NO YEAST BEER BREAD

You might think of beer bread as a college staple from the 1970s, but the Germans have been making this easy bread with their national beverage for centuries. It’s as easy as mixing beer with some flour and a little baking powder! I add a touch of brown sugar for the perfect flavor.

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GERMAN POTATO SOUP

This potato and sausage soup is hearty enough to be a meal, just add some warm slices of the above beer bread. Mmmmmmm 🙂

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BAKED BRATS IN CARAMELIZED SAUERKRAUT

This is one of my personal favorites, and if you love brats I urge you to give it a try. It’s quite easy, and perfect for company.

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PLUM KUCHEN

A classic German breakfast cake from the doyenne of German American cooking, Irma Rombauer (Joy of Cooking author.) Substitute any fruit you like in this lovely coffeecake.

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SHEET PAN PEPPERS AND BRATS

In summer we love hot dogs and hamburgers, but in fall we turn our attention to brats. This sheet pan recipe makes serving those Game Day crowds a breeze.

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SLOW COOKER MULLED WINE

If beer’s not your thing you can always brew up some delicious mulled wine. Glühwein is a German tradition made by steeping red wine in spices and fruit with a touch of sugar. There’s nothing better on a crisp night.

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VINEGAR COLESLAW

This German style coleslaw is made with, you guessed it, vinegar instead of mayo. I substitute Savoy cabbage for the traditional white variety because I love the color and texture.

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DUTCH BABY PANCAKES

Despite their name, Dutch baby pancakes are actually of German origin. They are a variation of a German pancake, also known as Pfannkuchen.

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GERMAN POTATO SALAD

Tangy German potato salad made with an amazing warm bacon vinaigrette, straight from Mom’s recipe box!

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SLOW COOKED CIDER BRATS WITH APPLE ONION RELISH

Basically all your favorite fall flavors stuffed into a toasted bun. The brats can hang out in the slow cooker so people can help themselves and eat when they want. The apple onion relish is epic!!

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SOUR CHERRY STREUSEL CAKE

Inspired by German Streuselkuchen, this is a low-profile coffee cake with a tender, shortbread-like base, tart sour cherries, and a generous buttery crumb topping.

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BRAISED RED CABBAGE

A German-American Thanksgiving tradition! My German great-grandmother’s recipe includes tart apples and a touch of brown sugar.

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CLASSIC CRUMB CAKE

I grew up in a suburb just outside New York City, and I have a pretty good dose of German heritage on my dad’s side. If you put those two things together in a hat and shake them up real good, you’ll come up with, among other things…crumb cake. 

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CHEESY BEER DIP

Beer cheese dip as commonly known in the U.S. is not traditionally German, but it is inspired by German flavors and ingredients.

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DILL PICKLE AND BRAT SOUP

Bratwurst, potatoes, dill pickles, and sour cream make this hearty soup feel right at home on an Oktoberfest table.

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PFEFFERNUSSE

The name of these small German spice cookies translates to “pepper nuts,” referencing their spicy flavor, which often includes cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, anise, and sometimes black pepper.

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Homemade Soft Pretzel Bites

Nothing says Oktoberfest quite like warm, salty pretzels ~ these bite-sized ones are perfect with a bowl of beer cheese for dipping.

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