How do you make spaetzle without egg?

Soy flour does the binding instead of egg. Stir 2 tablespoons of soy flour with 5 tablespoons of water, then add it to the flour. Together with durum semolina and sparkling water you get an elastic dough that stretches and holds together just like a classic egg-based spaetzle batter.

What flour is best for vegan spaetzle?

Special spaetzle (Knöpfli) flour works best, since its high gluten content gives the dough the elasticity it needs. A portion of durum wheat semolina adds a pleasant bite. In a pinch all-purpose flour also works, the dough will just turn out a little softer.

How do I get the right batter consistency?

The batter should be thick and slowly tear off the spoon, not run like liquid but not be stiff either. If it is too thin, add flour by the spoonful; if it is too firm, add a splash of sparkling water, which also makes the spaetzle nice and light.

What is the difference between Spätzle and Knöpfli?

It is the same dough, only the shape differs. Spaetzle are long and thin, scraped over a board or through a sieve, while Knöpfli are short and round, pressed through a coarse grater or press. They taste exactly the same.

Can I freeze vegan spaetzle?

Yes. Drain the cooked spaetzle well and let them cool, then pack them into a freezer bag and freeze. To serve, simply reheat them briefly in a hot pan or boiling water, which makes it easy to cook a bigger batch ahead.

1 MARCH 2018

Vegan Spätzle - 4 ways

By Verena Frei

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This post is also available in: deutsch

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Last updated 12 July 2026

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 10 min
Total: 30 min
Servings: 4 servings

Hello Lovelies, so recently one of my readers asked if I could share a good recipe for vegan spätzle (they are typical Swiss/German/austrian pasta dumplings usually made with eggs). I love to get feedback like that from you, please always feel free to contact me if you have requests, ideas or any other questions, I'm always happy to get your messages and to help when I can. But back to the Spätzle: I have tried some vegan versions in the past, but wasn't quite happy with the result yet. So I was highly motivated to come up with a good recipe and yeah success, the first attempt turned out so good, that I can share it with you today.

I made 4 different versions, I think you already might have recognized, that I like my food colorful and you also get a different taste this way. And if you might have a veggie hater at home, I'm sure you can convince him or her with these and kids will love them anyways. Four rows of coloured spätzle beside spinach, beetroot and turmeric, top view

The basic recipe is colored with a bit of tumeric, you don't taste it much, but it gives a nice touch of color. The others are made with fresh spinach, sweet potatoes and beets.

Four heaps of vegan spätzle in green, orange, yellow and red, close-up

I was one lucky girl to find a perfect Spätzle-grater at the thrift store just the day before I made the recipe and it worked so well. And I'm so happy how amazing the colors turned out.

Four small bowls of coloured spätzle plated with spinach, beetroot and carrot

The kids ate most of the Spätzle just directly from the bowl, while I was preparing the other colors. But I also HAD to prepare the typical dish with them: Cheese-Spätzle. If you have been to Switzerland, Germany or Austria, you might have come across this delicious dish, but as the name says, it involves lots of melted cheese. Luckily there are some very good vegan cheese options that melt well on the market by now and they turned out so good. Topped with roasted onions, fresh chives and all 4 colorful Spätzle versions. Colourful spätzle with vegetables in the pan, freshly tossed

If you have some leftover spätzle you can easily store them in the freezer, or you can make a bigger amount right away to have them ready. Now im curious, have you ever tried them or made them yourself? Let me know!

If you are in the mood for more hearty pasta dishes, you have to try my vegan bolognese with tofu, mushrooms and eggplant, which by the way pairs wonderfully with these colorful spaetzle. For cozy days I can also recommend my autumn lasagne with pumpkin or the quick creamy vegan veggie pasta that is always a hit at our table.

Yours, Verena

TIPS

Verena's notes

Tip from my kitchen: the secret without egg is the soy flour, so always stir it with water first and it will bind the dough just like an egg would. Consistency is everything: the batter should tear off the spoon in a thick ribbon. If it is too firm, add a splash of sparkling water; if it is too soft, add flour by the spoonful. For the colorful versions I use half of the basic dough each and blend in spinach, cooked sweet potato or beets, adding a little extra flour when the veg is wet, like with spinach. Scrape the dough into only gently simmering water in batches so the spaetzle do not stick together. Leftovers freeze beautifully or can be turned into vegan cheese spaetzle.

5.0 from 1 vote

Vegan Spätzle – 4 ways

How to make vegan spaetzle (Swiss-German egg noodles) without egg. A simple soy flour dough, plus 4 colorful versions with spinach, sweet potato and beets.

Course:Main Course
Prep:20 min
Cook:10 min
Servings:4 servings

Vegan

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INGREDIENTS

basic recipe:

350gr (12 oz.)Spätzle/Knöpfli-flour special flour you can buy
50gr (1.8 oz.)durum wheat semolina
2-3tspsalt
2Tbsp soy flour e.g. from Alnatura (mixed with 5 Tbsp water )
1/2tspturmeric powder
300ml (1 1/3 cup)mineral water

spinach version:

1/2the basic recipe
70gr (2.5 oz.)fresh spinach
some nutmeg
salt & pepper

sweet potato version:

1/2the basic recipe
70gr (2.5 oz.)cooked sweet potato
2TbspSpätzle/Knöpfli-flour
some nutmeg
some paprika

version with beets:

1/2the basic recipe
70gr (2.5 oz.)cooked beets
2-3TbspSpätzle/Knöpfli-flour
pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

basic recipe

Mix the soy flour with the water
Add all ingredients to a bowl and mix well with a kitchen machine or hand mixer until you get a smooth but not to runny dough
Bring slightly salted water to a boil, turned down the temperate and use a "Spätzle"-grater to get the typical shape
Let them cook until they begin to float, add to a sieve and let any excessive water drip off

spinach

Rougly chop the spinach and add to half of the basic recipe
Season with some nutmeg, salt and pepper
(If you are using frozen spinach, you might need to add some more flour)

sweet potato

Add the cooked sweet potato to the basic dough as well as the spices and mix well until you well combined

beets

Add the cooked beets to the basic dough as well as the spices and mix well until you well combined

Calories: 410 kcal

GOOD TO KNOW

Frequently asked questions

Soy flour does the binding instead of egg. Stir 2 tablespoons of soy flour with 5 tablespoons of water, then add it to the flour. Together with durum semolina and sparkling water you get an elastic dough that stretches and holds together just like a classic egg-based spaetzle batter.
Special spaetzle (Knöpfli) flour works best, since its high gluten content gives the dough the elasticity it needs. A portion of durum wheat semolina adds a pleasant bite. In a pinch all-purpose flour also works, the dough will just turn out a little softer.
The batter should be thick and slowly tear off the spoon, not run like liquid but not be stiff either. If it is too thin, add flour by the spoonful; if it is too firm, add a splash of sparkling water, which also makes the spaetzle nice and light.
It is the same dough, only the shape differs. Spaetzle are long and thin, scraped over a board or through a sieve, while Knöpfli are short and round, pressed through a coarse grater or press. They taste exactly the same.
Yes. Drain the cooked spaetzle well and let them cool, then pack them into a freezer bag and freeze. To serve, simply reheat them briefly in a hot pan or boiling water, which makes it easy to cook a bigger batch ahead.

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Vegan Spätzle - 4 ways