Popular German Foods

A former chief administrator for Illinois school systems, Carolyn Koos, PhD, has been working in education for more than 15 years. Outside of her career, Dr. Carolyn Koos enjoys cooking German food.

Although many people may not think of Germany as a culinary powerhouse, German food is surprisingly diverse. Following are just a few of the more popular German foods that you can try.

Apfelstrudel: Consisting of pastry filled with a mixture of apples, cinnamon, sugar, and raisins, apfelstrudel, or apple strudel, has been popular in Germany since the 18th century. It has several layers to it because the pastry is rolled around the filling and is typically served as warm slices topped with powdered sugar.

Wurst: Wurst, or sausage, is the food that is perhaps most often associated with Germany. Wurst comes in a wide range of types, from currywurst, sausages topped with curry, to weisswurst, a white sausage that is typically peeled and eaten with sweet mustard.

Kartoffelpuffer: Frequently found during winter in outdoor markets throughout Germany, kartoffelpuffer is a potato pancake that is fried in a shallow pan. The potatoes used for the dish are either ground or grated and mixed with onion, egg, flour, and other seasonings. Kartoffelpuffer is eaten as either as a side dish for meat or a complement to a fruit plate.

Eintopf: Originally developed as a way of using leftovers, eintopf is a combination of meat and vegetables cooked in a pot as a type of stew. It is also very popular during winter in Germany, and it is served both in restaurants and at home.