Damon Mcknight
Austrian cuisine is known for its rich flavours and abundance of meat and carb-dense foods. The country's culinary offerings are heavily influenced by its neighbouring countries, with dishes varying across different regions. Austrian food is also known for its sweet treats, including cakes, pastries, and dumplings. The country's most famous dish is arguably the Wiener Schnitzel, a fried meat dish served with a side of fried potatoes, sour cream, and onions.
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What You'll Learn
Austrian cakes and pastries
The Tirolerkuchen is a hazelnut and chocolate coffee cake, while the Mohr im Hemd is a steamed cake that was traditionally prepared as a chocolate custard. Krapfen (doughnuts) and croissants are also popular, as well as cakes with fruit fillings such as Zitronentorte (lemon cake) and Bananenkuchen (banana cake). For those with a more savoury palate, there is the Käsekrainer, a cheese and bacon-filled pastry.
Vienesse sweet dishes are served hot or cold, as a main course or dessert. The cream cheese strudel is a popular choice, as is the Gugelhupf (bundt cake). The Stollen is a famous Viennese Christmas pastry with a long tradition. The city's coffee houses and confectioneries are known for their cakes, with cake being an integral part of the urban dweller's diet.
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Traditional Austrian food
Austrian cuisine is known for its rich flavours and abundance of meat and carb-dense foods. The country's culinary traditions are heavily influenced by its neighbouring countries, with dishes varying across different regions. Here is an overview of some traditional Austrian foods:
Meat and Savoury Dishes
Austria's national dish is the Wiener Schnitzel, a breaded and fried cutlet, usually made with veal, but also pork or chicken. It is typically served with a side of fried potatoes, sour cream, and onions. Another famous Austrian meat dish is the Vienna Sausage, which reflects the country's love for sausages, with most varieties containing pork.
Other savoury dishes include Tiroler Gröstl, Erdäpfelsalat, Tafelspitz, Speckknödel (dumplings with bacon), Spinatknödel (dumplings made of spinach), and Kasspatzln, a comforting cheese noodle dish. Beuschel, a dish simmered in a dark brown sauce, is often found in traditional eateries. Austrians also enjoy game dishes and Kaspressknödel, Schlutzkrapfen, Schweinebraten, and Pretzels are other popular savoury foods.
Desserts and Pastries
Austria is renowned for its cakes and pastries, with Sachertorte being the most famous. This chocolate cake with apricot jam filling is traditionally eaten with whipped cream. The Linzer Torte is another classic Austrian cake, and the world's first cake recipe to be written down. Other favourites include the Esterhazy Torte, Dobostorte, and the Mohr im Hemd, a steamed cake.
Austrian dumplings, or Knödel, are also popular, with Marillenknödel being a highlight. These small dumplings are filled with apricots and coated in warm, butter-fried breadcrumbs. Vanillekipferl, crescent-shaped cookies made with buttery dough and vanilla, are another beloved dessert, especially during festive seasons.
Austria also has its own version of pancakes, called Palatschinken, which can be served sweet or savoury. Kaiserschmarrn, a soft, fluffy pancake ripped into bite-sized pieces and roasted in a pan, is another traditional dessert, often served with applesauce or compote. Germknödel, a yeast dough dumpling filled with plum jam and garnished with melted butter, poppy seeds, and powdered sugar, is yet another mouthwatering Austrian treat.
Drinks
When it comes to drinks, Austria is known for its wine, with Lower Austria, Burgenland, Styria, and Vienna being the most important wine-producing regions. The country also has a strong coffee culture, with Vienna being famous for its coffee houses.
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Austrian dumplings
Spinach Dumplings (Spinatknödel)
Spinach dumplings are a traditional Austrian dish, often served in the Alps. They are made with spinach, bread rolls, onions, and butter. The spinach is fried to reduce its water content, which helps the dumplings keep their shape during cooking. The dumplings are then simmered in salty water and served with grated parmesan and brown butter on top.
Bread Dumplings (Semmelknödel)
Bread dumplings are a hearty dish made with leftover bread, eggs, milk, and herbs. They are usually enjoyed with gravy and are a great way to use up old bread. The bread rolls are cut into small cubes and mixed with the other ingredients to form dumplings, which are then simmered in salted water.
Egg Dumplings (Eiernockerl)
Egg dumplings are a quick and easy dish to prepare, requiring just four ingredients: eggs, milk, flour, and butter. The batter is formed into dumplings, which are then cooked in simmering saltwater for 1-2 minutes. The dumplings are then pan-fried in butter, with cracked eggs stirred in to create a delicious coating. The dish is often served with a green side salad.
Fruit Dumplings (Marillenknödel)
Austrian fruit dumplings are usually filled with apricots or plums and covered in warm butter-fried breadcrumbs. The dough for these dumplings can be made with potatoes or Topfen, a type of fresh cheese. They are often served with a dusting of powdered sugar.
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Austrian cheese
One of the most well-known Austrian cheeses is the Vorarlberger Bergkäse, a regional speciality with a strong following beyond the borders of the small province. This hard cheese is known for its fine, tangy taste, which develops during a ripening period of at least six months. Another popular variety is Tiroler Graukäse, one of the oldest cheese varieties in Austria, made from low-fat milk with no chemical additives or rennet.
Austria also produces a range of semi-hard cheeses, including classics such as Gouda and Tilsiter, as well as unique creations made in monasteries or small alpine dairies. These cheeses offer a diverse palette of flavours, ranging from mild and fine to tangy and strong. The ripening process, which occurs from the exterior to the interior, can result in white mould skin, red culture rind, or even blue or green inner mould.
Austrian cream cheeses are also renowned, with cheesemakers combining cow's, sheep's, and goat's milk with herbs, fruits, or vegetables to create light and imaginative flavours. Each region has its own specialties, often based on century-old recipes that have been adapted to modern tastes.
Austrian Mountain Cheese, or Bergkase, is another variety that is well-loved, similar to Swiss or Gruyere cheese. This cheese is made by small farms and is not widely marketed, so it can be difficult to find outside of Austria.
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Austrian sausages
There are four main types of Austrian sausages, which are broadly made from pork, beef, or a combination of the two. The first type is the Wiener sausage, also known as a "hot dog" or "Vienna sausage". Wiener sausages are thin, parboiled sausages traditionally made with a combination of pork and beef, or sometimes chicken or turkey, and are encased in sheep's intestine before being smoked. They are often served in a long bun with condiments and referred to as "hot dogs". The second type is the Käsekrainer, a decadent cheese-filled sausage that is a cherished part of Austrian street food culture. It is made with pork and Emmenthaler cheese, smoked over applewood, and served with salted boiled potatoes, warm apple salad, or sauerkraut. The third type is the Bosna or Bosner, a spiced bratwurst served in a hot dog roll. The fourth type is the Frankfurter Würstl, also known as the Frankfurter, which is a classic German sausage variety often found on quick meal or snack menus.
In addition to these main types, there are several other varieties of Austrian sausages. These include the Sacherwürstel, a darker and longer version of the Frankfurter; the Grillwurst, similar to Bratwurst but with more spices; and the Debreziner or Debrecener, a paprika-rich variety similar to the Vienna sausage.
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Frequently asked questions
Wiener Schnitzel is considered the national dish of Austria. It is a thin, breaded and fried cutlet, usually made with veal.
Other famous Austrian dishes include Goulash, Vienna Sausage, Kaiserschmarrn, Käsespätzle, Blunzngröstl, and Apple Strudel.
Austrians are known for their decadent and diverse desserts. Some popular choices are Sachertorte, Kardinalschnitte, Salzburger nockerl, and Buchteln.
Austrian cuisine is known for its rich flavours and generous use of meats and root vegetables. It has influences from neighbouring countries like Germany, Hungary, and Italy, as well as regions like Bohemia.
