14 German Recipes for an Oktoberfest Celebration Don't let Oktoberfest pass you by without filling your stein and cooking up celebratory German fare, from soft pretzels and sausage to schnitzel and spaetzle. By Jodie Kautzmann Jodie Kautzmann Jodie Kautzmann is an editor, baker, and confectioner with more than 15 years of experience in content creation, recipe development, and pastry production. She's obsessed with the fine details and ingredients that take dishes from tasty to outright otherworldly. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Published on September 17, 2025 Add Us On SAVE ALL RECIPES NEW! Save as a collection on MyRecipes Close Food & Wine / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle. Credit: Food & Wine / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle 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. Keep all of your recipes at your fingertips. With the MyRecipes app you can easily save and organize your favorites from anywhere, including Instagram and TikTok, in one convenient place. Get the free app. 01 of 14 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. Get the Recipe Save 02 of 14 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. Get the Recipe Save 03 of 14 Schweinebraten (German Roast Pork Shoulder) Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Missie Crawford This classic Bavarian-style dish 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. Get the Recipe Save 04 of 14 Beer Brats Food & Wine / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle. 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. Get the Recipe Save 05 of 14 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. Get the Recipe Save 06 of 14 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. Get the Recipe Save 07 of 14 Bavarian Potato Salad Photo by Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Prissy Lee 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. Get the Recipe Save 08 of 14 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. Get the Recipe Save 09 of 14 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. Get the Recipe Save 10 of 14 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. Get the Recipe Save 11 of 14 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. Get the Recipe Save 12 of 14 Bavarian Beer Hall Pork Shanks © Madeleine Hill 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. Get the Recipe Save 13 of 14 Sautéed German Sausages with Bacon and Apple Sauerkraut © Quentin Bacon 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. Get the Recipe Save 14 of 14 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. Get the Recipe Save Explore more: Food Holidays & Occasions Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit