Exploring Traditional Austrian Cuisine: Delicious Foods To Try

Austrian cuisine is heavily influenced by its neighbouring countries in Central Europe, particularly Hungary, Bavaria, Bohemia and Northern Italy. It is also internationally known for its pastries, such as the Kaiserschmarrn and the Apple Strudel, as well as the Tafelspitz and the Wiener Schnitzel.

Austrian food is also marked by rich flavours and dominated by meats and carb-dense foods. From the fried Schnitzel to the hearty Goulash, Austrian food has something for every meal.

Austrian Dumplings

Speckknödel

Speckknödel are dumplings from the Tyrol region, packed with bacon and boiled to perfection. They are usually served in a warm broth or with tangy sauerkraut and a fresh salad on the side.

Spinatknödel

Spinatknödel are spinach dumplings from the Tyrol region, often enjoyed as a main course. They are made with a mixture of spinach, eggs, butter, garlic, onions, and parmesan cheese. They are boiled and then topped with melted butter and grated cheese.

Semmelknödel

Semmelknödel are bread dumplings that are often served as a side dish or in soup. They are made with stale bread, which is cut into small cubes, softened with hot milk, and mixed with onions, parsley, flour, salt, and nutmeg.

Eiernockerl

Eiernockerl are quick and easy egg dumplings that are a beloved traditional Austrian dish. They are made with a soft pasta dough, which is stirred together in a bowl and then spooned into simmering saltwater. They are cooked for 1-2 minutes and then pan-fried in butter. Several eggs are cracked over them and stirred to create a delicious coating.

Germknödel

Germknödel are fluffy yeast dough dumplings filled with plum jam. They are garnished with melted butter, poppy seeds, and powdered sugar and sometimes served with vanilla cream.

Marillenknödel

Marillenknödel are dumplings stuffed with apricots and covered in streusel and powdered sugar. The dough is made with potatoes or Topfen, a type of creamy curd cheese.

Austrian Sausages

Austrian cuisine is known for its meat and carb-heavy dishes, and sausages are a staple of the country's food culture. Vienna, in particular, is famous for its sausage stands, known as "Würstelstand". These stands are dotted throughout the city, offering a variety of ready-to-eat sausages and drinks. The two most popular types of sausages in Vienna are the Frankfurter and Käsekrainer.

Frankfurter

The Frankfurter is the classic "workhorse" of the Würstelstand. It is typically cooked in water or broth and served with a roll, mustard, and ketchup. It is often referred to as a "wiener sausage", "hot dog", or simply "Vienna sausage". Despite its humble appearance, the Frankfurter can be found on the menus of even the finest coffee houses and upmarket restaurants in Vienna.

Käsekrainer

The Käsekrainer is a pork sausage generously studded with Emmenthaler or Swiss cheese and smoked over applewood or hardwood. When heated, the cheese melts, creating a gooey, mouthwatering interior. It is typically served with salted boiled new potatoes, warm apple salad with grain mustard, and parsley, or with sauerkraut. This sausage is a beloved Austrian tradition and is considered a decadent treat.

Other Varieties

In addition to the Frankfurter and Käsekrainer, there are several other types of sausages that can be found in Austria:

• Debreziner: A lightly smoked, reddish sausage spiced with paprika. It originated in Hungary and is a legacy of Vienna's history as the capital of the Habsburg dominions.
• Sacherwürstel: A darker, higher-quality, and longer version of the Frankfurter.
• Grillwurst: Similar to Bratwurst but more heavily spiced.
• Currywurst: A recent import from Germany, this is a Bratwurst with curry powder, curry sauce, or curry sprinkled over the sausage.
• Waldviertler: A darker, thick-skinned, smoked sausage named after the Waldviertel lowland region of Austria.
• Klobasse or Burenwurst: A parboiled sausage with a coarser texture than the Frankfurter, similar to Käsekrainer but without the cheese.

Austrian Breads

Semmel

Semmel is the most common roll in Austria. It is a flat, round, crusty, whitish roll made using wheat flour. It is used in many sandwiches, such as a Käsesemmel (a cheese roll), Schinkensemmel (ham roll), Wurstsemmel (roll with processed sausage meat) and Leberkäsesemmel (a roll with Leberkäse, a peculiar hot meatloaf-like dish).

Kornspitz

The Kornspitz is probably the second most popular bread in Austria. It is a darker, longer roll, typically made with a mix of rye and wheat flours. It is coated with seeds, such as poppy seeds, sunflower seeds, oats or cheese.

Fladenbrot

Fladenbrot is a flatbread that originated in Turkey but is now popular in Austria and Germany. It is similar to a tortilla or ciabatta.

Schwarzbrot

Schwarzbrot is a dark and hearty rye bread, slow-baked to allow the sugars to caramelise. It is similar to pumpernickel.

Hausbrot

Hausbrot is a traditional Austrian bread made with a combination of flours, one of which must be rye. It is often considered a Schwarzbrot as it is a dark bread.

Salzstangerl

Salzstangerl is a biscuit commonly eaten with breakfast or as a snack. It is made with the same dough as Semmel. It is rolled flat and then rolled into a cylinder, sprinkled with salt and caraway seeds.

Stollen

Stollen is a German Christmas bread that has been around for over 700 years. It is a fruit bread, traditionally filled with poppy seeds, nuts, butter or marzipan.

Buchteln

Buchteln are Austrian sweet rolls. They are filled with jam, usually apricot jam.

Germknödel

Germknödel is a yeast dumpling, usually filled with Powidl, a spiced plum jam. It is served with a sweet sauce.

Striezel

Striezel is a braided bread given by godfathers to their godchildren for All Saint's Day. It is similar to Stollen.

Austrian Cakes

• Kardinalschnitte: A fluffy cream made with egg whites, mixed with pieces of sponge cake, and filled with currant jam. It represents the colours of the Vatican: white, yellow, and red.
• Mozarttorte: Named after the famous composer, this cake is inspired by the traditional Mozartkugeln – little balls of chocolate filled with pistachio, marzipan, and nougat.
• Malakofftorte: Named after Duke Malakoff, a French war hero, this cake is the Austrian version of tiramisu. It is made from ladyfingers dipped in chocolate and custard buttercream.
• Linzer torte: A sponge made with flour, sugar, butter, eggs, baking soda, and lemon, covered with a layer of redcurrant jam, and finished with a lattice of dough. It is the oldest known cake recipe in the world.
• Bananenschnitte: A traditional Austrian dessert made with bananas, custard, chocolate, and sponge.
• Esterházy torte: Named after the Hungarian Count Esterházy, this cream cake was invented by confectioners in Hungary. It consists of four sponge layers separated by a layer of buttercream.
• Punschkrapfen: Small cubes of cake covered in pink fondant icing. Inside is a sponge mixed with jam, chocolate, and (possibly) nuts, laced with rum.
• Rehrücken: A chocolate, flour, egg, and almond cake, whose name means "saddle of venison". It is traditionally baked in a half-moon-shaped dish.
• Maroni Obers Torte (Maronitorte): A cake made with layers of chestnut cream filling and chocolate sponge, enjoyed by Austrians in the autumn.
• Oberlaa Kurbad torte: A nut cake filled with layer upon layer of chocolate cream.
• Ribiselkuchen: A cake made with a base of sponge and covered with a cream made of egg whites, sugar, and redcurrants.
• Himbeer torte: A cake made almost entirely of raspberries and jelly, with a crunchy chocolate sponge base.
• Cremeschnitte: A traditional cake consisting of two thin sheets of butter sponge hugging a whipped cream-based filling.
• Mohr im Hemd: A hot and extremely chocolatey sponge cake. Its name translates as "moor in a shirt", and has been criticised as offensive.

Austrian Drinks

Austria is credited with introducing coffee to Europe, and the country has a strong coffee culture. Coffee is served in a variety of styles, particularly in the Viennese coffee houses. A Kapuziner is an espresso with whipped cream, a Melange is similar to a cappuccino, and a Mokka is comparable to an espresso.

Viennese hot chocolate is also very rich and thick, and is sometimes made with egg yolk.

Almdudler, a soft drink based on mountain herbs, is considered the national drink of Austria. It is often mixed with white wine or water.

Beer is a popular drink in Austria, with the most common types being pale lager, Zwicklbier (a naturally cloudy, full-bodied blonde), and wheat beer. Beer is generally sold in sizes of 0.2 litres, 0.33 litres, and 0.5 litres.

Austria also produces wine, which is principally cultivated in the east of the country. The Grüner Veltliner grape is used to make some of Austria's most notable white wines, and Zweigelt is the most widely planted red wine grape.

Other alcoholic drinks include Most and Sturm, which are the fresh juice of grapes or apples, and schnapps, which is typically made from fruit and can contain up to 60% alcohol.

Frequently asked questions