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Even if a trip to Munich isn’t in the cards this fall, you can still capture the spirit of Oktoberfest at home with the right menu. Of course, you’re going to need the beer to be flowing — soft and salty pretzels are just the nosh to help soak it all up. Or, use some of that beer to cook bratwurst, then nestle it into pretzel buns with caramelized onions and mustard for the ultimate Oktoberfest dog. We’ve also got recipes for full-on German meals worthy of the festivities, like crispy schnitzel with potato salad, sauerbraten with braised red cabbage, and schweinebraten — pork shoulder roasted in dark beer with veggies. Invite your friends and get out your lederhosen, then make a selection of these German classics for an epic Oktoberfest.
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Pork Schnitzel with German Potato Salad
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Jillian Knox
This quintessential Oktoberfest fare is an undeniably delicious meal combination: crisp, golden, thyme-scented cutlets and warm, meltingly tender potatoes tossed with bacon. Thankfully, it’s easy to achieve at home in only about an hour.
Spaetzle
Food & Wine / Photo by Jason Donnelly / Food Styling by Lauren Mcanelly / Prop Styling by Natalie Ghazali
Follow chef Maria Sinskey’s traditional technique for buttery, crispy, and tender egg noodles to serve up a side of pure German comfort. Layer them with Emmentaler cheese and caramelized onions to make käsespätzle, also commonly eaten during Oktoberfest.
Schweinebraten (German Roast Pork Shoulder)
This classic Bavarian-style roast features a boneless pork shoulder rubbed with toasted and ground cumin, caraway, and mustard seeds, then slow-roasted atop vegetables with dark beer to achieve tender meat and a flavorful, crackling crust.
Beer Brats
Food & Wine / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle
Combine three crucial Oktoberfest elements — beer, bratwurst, and soft pretzels — for this German-style dog fixed with caramelized onions and mustard for the ultimate celebratory snack.
Sauerbraten
Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christina Daley
You’ll need to plan ahead for this traditional German pot roast, but we promise it’ll be worth it: Boneless chuck roast is marinated for three to seven days in a spiced mixture of red wine, red wine vinegar, aromatics, and hearty herbs, tenderizing the meat while infusing it with deep, tangy flavor before it’s browned and slow-roasted.
Currywurst
Food & Wine / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle
Currywurst is a relative newcomer to the Oktoberfest menu — it was invented in Berlin in 1949 — but it’s a popular and tasty choice nonetheless. This recipe is served alongside fries, but you could also combine the elements with a creamy cheese sauce for an excellent German-inspired poutine.
Bavarian Potato Salad
Food & Wine editor Melanie Hansche shares her mother’s recipe for this tangy, bacon-studded potato salad. Soaking the fingerling potatoes takes time, but the dish can be made up to two days ahead of the festivities and refrigerated.
Potato Pancakes
Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Amelia Rampe
We’re always looking for an occasion to bust out crisp, savory potato pancakes. Serve this Oktoberfest nosh with sour cream or applesauce to keep things traditional. It’s ready in just 25 minutes.
Rouladen
Food & Wine / Photo by Carson Downing / Food Styling by Lauren McAnelly / Prop Styling by Sue Mitchell
To make rouladen, thin strips of round or flank steak are slathered in mustard and piled with diced onion, pickles, and bacon before they’re rolled up, browned, and braised in red wine gravy.
Black Forest Cake
Kelsey Hansen / Food Styling by Annie Probst / Prop Styling by Gabriel Greco
If you think you’ll have room for dessert at this year’s Oktoberfest, Black Forest Cake is a complete showstopper. Since the celebration doesn’t coincide with cherry season, you’ll need to forgo the fresh cherry topping, but there’s plenty of cherry goodness in the filling that’s made from the frozen variety. Decorate instead with candied cherries if you wish.
German-Style Pretzels
© Antonis Achilleos
You can’t have Oktoberfest without pretzels. Large and soft, they’re the perfect accompaniment to beer. Try making your own with this über-authentic recipe from Hans Röckenwagner.
Bavarian Beer Hall Pork Shanks
A beloved beer hall classic, roasted ham hock or shank (pig knuckles), aka schweinshaxe, are crispy on the outside and tender within. They’re surprisingly easy to make at home with chef Andrew Zimmern’s delicious recipe.
Sautéed German Sausages with Bacon and Apple Sauerkraut
You can use either weisswurst or bratwurst for this classic dish from Germany’s Pfalz region. The sausages are served atop sauerkraut made extra special with a braise that combines onions, apples, juniper berries, bay leaves, a touch of sugar, and a little of the region’s Riesling wine.
Herb-Roasted Spatchcock Chicken
Fredrika Stjärne
During Oktoberfest, chickens are spit-roasted until the skin is golden brown and crispy. Most people don’t have a rotisserie set up at home, so instead make this classic herb-roasted chicken in the oven.
Jodie Kautzmann
2025-09-17 16:11:00