Ruqayyah Snyder
Austrian cuisine is a melting pot of culinary delights, with influences from neighbouring countries like Germany, Italy, and Switzerland. The country's dishes are known for their simplicity and hearty flavours, making them the perfect comfort food. When it comes to iconic Austrian foods, Wiener Schnitzel takes the crown. This breaded and fried veal cutlet, with a golden exterior and tender meat, is a true national delicacy. But there's much more to Austrian cuisine than just Schnitzel. From sweet treats like Apfelstrudel to savoury dumplings, let's explore the diverse and indulgent world of Austrian food.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Popular dishes | Wiener Schnitzel, Tafelspitz, Vienna Sausage, Knödel, Apfelstrudel, Kaiserschmarrn, Strauben, Apfelradln, Linzer Torte, Sachertorte, Schweinebraten, Zillertaler Krapfen, Sauerbraten, Bratwurst, Fiakergulasch, Marillenknödel, Bosna or Bosner, Pretzels, Kiachl |
| National dish | Tafelspitz |
| Popular drinks | Wine, Schnapps |
| Popular street food | Vienna Sausage, Apfelstrudel |
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What You'll Learn
Austrian desserts
Austrian cuisine is known for its delicious desserts, which range from flaky pastries to creamy cakes and sweet dumplings. Here are some mouth-watering Austrian desserts to satisfy your sweet tooth:
Apfelstrudel
Apfelstrudel is a classic Austrian dessert that you can find all over the country. This dessert consists of spiced apples and raisins wrapped in flaky pastry dough. It is often served warm with a dusting of cinnamon and sugar, making it a perfect treat for cold winter days.
Kaiserschmarrn
Kaiserschmarrn, or "Emperor's Mess," is a sweet and doughy shredded pancake. It is typically served with fruit compote, plum jam, apple sauce, or just powdered sugar. Kaiserschmarrn is a messy yet delicious dessert that is easy to prepare and perfect for satisfying your sweet tooth.
Linzer Torte
Linzer Torte is a traditional Austrian dessert that is well-known beyond the borders of Austria. It is a crumbly hazelnut crust pastry with a raspberry jam filling and a lattice top. This dessert is a favourite Christmas treat and is often enjoyed with a cup of coffee or tea.
Sachertorte
Sachertorte is a rich and famous chocolate cake that is considered one of Europe's best. It consists of a moist chocolate sponge coated and filled with apricot jam and cloaked in a smooth chocolate glaze. This decadent dessert is a must-try when visiting Austria.
Buchteln
Buchteln, also known as Wuchteln, are pull-apart-style sweet yeast rolls filled with apricot or plum jam. They can be enjoyed as a breakfast treat or a delicious dessert. Buchteln are soft, fluffy, and perfect for those who enjoy sweet and fruity flavours.
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Austrian dumplings
One type of Austrian dumpling is the Marillenknödel, which is an apricot dumpling. It is a cultural icon of Austria's picturesque Wachau Valley.
Another variety of Austrian dumpling is the Spinatknödel, or spinach dumpling. Spinach dumplings are a comforting vegetarian dish, often served with brown butter and grated parmesan on top. They are made with bread rolls, spinach, onions, parmesan, chives, eggs, and breadcrumbs. It is important to use dried bread rolls, as fresh ones can cause the dumplings to fall apart while cooking.
Austrian egg dumplings, or Eiernockerl, are another popular variety of Austrian dumpling. They are similar to Italian gnocchi and are made with eggs, milk, salt, flour, and butter. The dumplings are cooked in salted water and then pan-fried in butter with eggs cracked over them. They are often served with a green side salad.
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Austrian street food
Austria has a wide variety of street food, from sweet to savoury, meaty to vegetarian.
A popular savoury option is Vienna Sausage, a staple street food found all over the city from sausage stands on many corners. This slow-smoked sausage is known for its slender shape and rich pork taste and is often served with white bread, dark sourdough, or a side of mustard and horseradish.
If you're looking for something more meaty, try the Schweinebraten, a classic Austrian dish of succulent oven-roasted pork, or the Wiener Schnitzel, a breaded and fried meat dish with roots in Venice.
For a taste of traditional Tyrolean cuisine, head to the Zillertal Valley for Zillertaler Krapfen, a speciality with a savoury grey cheese filling encased in a crispy shell. Another dumpling variety, Knödel, can be both sweet and savoury. The savoury version is served as a side dish or in meatballs in soup, while the sweet version is made with plums.
Austria also has its own version of goulash, called Gulasch, a hot and spicy soupy stew. The Fiakergulasch is a variation made with diced beef, onions, garlic, water, tomato, vinegar, bay leaves, and more, and is usually served with fried wiener sausage, pickled gherkins, bread dumplings, and eggs.
On the sweeter side, Apfelstrudel is a classic Viennese dessert of flaky pastry lined with apple filling spiced with cinnamon and sugar, and sometimes raisins. It can be found in cafes and pastry shops all over the country, as well as at street food stands. Another sweet option is Kiachl, a type of doughnut pastry fried in lard and served with cranberry jam and a dusting of icing sugar, or with sauerkraut for a savoury twist.
For a truly indulgent experience, try the legendary Sacher Torte, a chocolate cake first baked in 1832, or the Linzer Torte, which took its name from Linz, the Upper Austrian capital, and is known as the world's first written cake recipe.
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Austrian cheese
Austria has a wide variety of cheeses, from soft to hard, mild to tangy, and everything in between. The country's cheesemakers are known for their innovative spirit, transforming cream cheese into unique creations made from cow's, sheep's, and goat's milk, combined with herbs, fruits, or vegetables.
One of the most well-known Austrian cheeses is the Vorarlberger Bergkäse, a speciality from Vorarlberg, Austria's westernmost province. This hard cheese has a fine, tangy taste that develops during a ripening period of at least six months. It is a popular cheese with a strong following, even beyond the borders of the small province.
Another iconic Austrian cheese is the Tiroler Graukäse, one of the oldest cheese varieties in the country. It is a pure, natural product made from low-fat milk, with no chemical additives or rennet. This cheese is known for its distinctive grey colour.
Austria also produces several semi-hard cheeses, such as Dachsteiner, Arlberger, and Gmundner Bergkäse, which are evenly ripened with a firm, smooth consistency and small slit- or grain-shaped eyes. These cheeses offer a diverse range of flavours, from mild and aromatic to robust and piquant.
In addition to these regional specialities, Austria also has a strong tradition of soft cheeses, often manufactured in monasteries or small alpine dairies. These cheeses can have outer mould, inner mould, or red cultures, resulting in a range of flavours from mild to hearty.
Cheese plays an important role in Austrian cuisine, with dishes like Zillertaler Krapfen, a speciality from the Zillertal Valley, featuring a savoury grey cheese filling encased in a crispy shell.
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Austrian cakes
One of the most famous Austrian cakes is the Sachertorte, a chocolate cake with apricot jam. The cake was invented by Franz Sacher in 1832 and consists of two pieces of chocolate sponge separated by a thin layer of marmalade and covered by chocolate glazing. It is usually served with a side of whipped cream and can be found in cafes throughout Vienna. The Sachertorte is so famous that it is often bought as a souvenir by tourists visiting the city.
Another well-known Austrian cake is the Linzer Torte, which is said to be the world's first cake recipe to appear in written form. The cake took its name from Linz, the Upper Austrian capital, and is known for its unique flavour and texture.
The Malakoff torte is another popular Austrian cake, named after Duke Malakoff, a French war hero who received the title from Napoleon III. The Malakoff torte is an Austrian version of the Italian tiramisu, made from ladyfingers dipped in chocolate and custard.
Other notable Austrian cakes include the Mozarttorte, which is made with marzipan, and the Esterhazytorte, a cream cake consisting of four sponge layers separated by a layer of buttercream. The Erdbeer Obers Torte, or strawberry cream cake, is also a popular choice in Vienna.
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Frequently asked questions
Tafelspitz is a traditional Austrian dish made by boiling beef or veal in a spicy broth with root vegetables. It is often served with potatoes, carrots, and a creamy apple-horseradish and chive sauce.
Vienna is known for its Wiener Schnitzel, a breaded and fried veal cutlet served with lemon and potato salad. Vienna is also famous for its sausages, known as Wiener Würstchen, which are made from a mixture of pork and beef.
Tafelspitz is often hailed as the national dish of Austria. However, Wiener Schnitzel is also considered one of Austria's most important national dishes.
Apfelstrudel, or Apple Strudel, is a classic Austrian dessert made with flaky pastry and a sweet and tangy apple filling. It is often served with a dusting of powdered sugar.
Some other popular traditional Austrian dishes include Knödel (dumplings), Kaiserschmarrn (shredded pancakes), Marillenknödel (apricot dumplings), and Schweinebraten (oven-roasted pork).
