This is a weeknight pork mince sauce — cumin, paprika, and coriander cooked into a tomato base — served over butter-crisped spaetzle you make from scratch with flour, eggs, and milk. The honest reason to make it: spaetzle takes about 20 minutes start to finish and costs almost nothing, and it holds up under a saucy mince far better than pasta does.
Ingredient notes
- Passata vs. crushed tomatoes: Either works. A drained can of diced tomatoes blended briefly is a fine substitute. Avoid tomato paste alone — it’s too thick and will scorch on low heat without extra liquid.
- Spaetzle flour: All-purpose flour is correct here. Bread flour makes the dumplings chewy and dense. Cake flour makes them fall apart. Stick with plain all-purpose.
- Whole milk: The recipe calls for it, but 2% works. Avoid skim — the batter turns too loose and the spaetzle won’t hold its shape through the colander holes.
- Cumin, paprika, coriander: These are the flavor backbone. If you’re out of ground coriander, skip it rather than substituting — the dish still works. Smoked paprika can replace sweet paprika for a deeper, slightly smoky result.
- Butter for finishing: Unsalted is specified, but salted butter is fine — just hold back a pinch of salt when seasoning the spaetzle in the pan.
Before you start
The one technique that actually matters is spaetzle batter consistency. Too thin and the dumplings dissolve in the water; too thick and they won’t press through the colander holes. The batter should fall off a spoon in a thick, slow ribbon — not drip freely, not plop in chunks. Mix until just smooth, then let it rest for five minutes before pressing. That short rest relaxes the gluten and makes pressing noticeably easier. The second thing worth knowing: start the pork mince first and let it simmer while you make the spaetzle batter. The sauce needs 15 minutes on low heat to come together, and that time lines up almost exactly with making and cooking the spaetzle.
What can go wrong
- Spaetzle sticks together after draining: Toss the drained dumplings with a small drizzle of oil immediately. If they clump before you get them into the butter pan, they’ll tear when you try to separate them.
- Pork mince stays gray and watery: This happens when the pan is overcrowded or the heat is too low. Cook in two batches if needed, and make sure the pan is properly hot before the meat goes in. Ground pork must reach 160°F (71°C) — no pink.
- Spices taste raw or sharp: The spices need 30–60 seconds in the pan with the cooked meat before the tomato goes in. If you add the passata immediately, the spices never bloom and the sauce tastes dusty.
- Spaetzle won’t crisp in the butter pan: The dumplings need to be reasonably dry before they hit the butter. Pat them with a paper towel if they’re wet from the cooking water. A crowded pan steams instead of crisps — work in batches.
- Sauce too thin after simmering: Remove the lid for the last five minutes of simmering. The sauce should coat a spoon lightly. If it’s still watery, a tablespoon of tomato paste stirred in will thicken it quickly.
Make-ahead notes
The spiced pork mince keeps well — refrigerate it in a sealed container for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat it in a pan over medium-low with a splash of water to loosen it. Spaetzle is best made fresh, but cooked and buttered spaetzle can be refrigerated for up to 2 days. Reheat it in a dry non-stick pan over medium heat; it will crisp back up without any added butter. Skip the parsley garnish — not worth the extra dish — the mince has enough color on its own.
Spiced Pork Mince with Spaetzle
Ingredients
Spiced Pork Mince Preparation
500 grams ground pork (minced pork) - Preferably high-quality, with a good ratio of fat
1 tbsp olive oil - Extra virgin for rich flavor
1 large white onion - Finely chopped
3 cloves garlic - Minced
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
0.5 tsp ground coriander
1 cup passata or crushed tomatoes (tomato puree with seeds removed) - Organic preferred for deeper flavor
1 tsp salt - Adjust to taste
0.5 tsp ground black pepper - Freshly ground
Spaetzle Preparation
2 cups all purpose flour (plain flour Australia and UK) - Sifted- 1 tsp salt
3 large eggs - At room temperature
0.5 cup milk - Whole milk for richer texture
2 tbsp butter - Unsalted, for finishing
Instructions
Prepare the Spiced Pork Mince:
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté until golden brown and fragrant, approximately 5-7 minutes. Add the minced garlic and continue to sauté for another 1-2 minutes until aromatic.
- Add the ground pork to the skillet. Cook while breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon until browned, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in cumin, paprika, coriander, salt, and pepper.
- Once the pork is evenly coated with spices, add the tomato puree. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld.
Make the Spaetzle:
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour and salt. Create a well in the center and add the eggs. Gradually incorporate the eggs into the flour, then slowly add milk, stirring until the batter is smooth and elastic.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Using a spaetzle maker or a colander with large holes, press the batter through the holes into the boiling water. Cook until the spaetzle floats to the top, about 2-3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a bowl.
- Melt butter in a separate pan over medium heat. Add cooked spaetzle and toss until the edges begin to crisp, about 3-4 minutes.
Serve:
- Arrange the spaetzle on a plate and top generously with the spiced pork mince. Garnish with fresh parsley for a burst of color and freshness. Serve immediately while hot.
Notes
Nutrition
Frequently asked questions
Can I use a regular colander instead of a spaetzle maker?
Yes — a colander with holes around 4–6mm works well. Use a rubber spatula or the back of a large spoon to press the batter through in small batches, working quickly so the pieces drop into the boiling water rather than clumping at the holes.
Can I swap the pork mince for something else?
Ground beef works and is the most straightforward swap — the spice mix suits it well. Ground turkey also works but cook it to 165°F (74°C) and expect a slightly drier result; add an extra tablespoon of passata to compensate.
My spaetzle batter looks lumpy — is it ruined?
Small lumps are fine and will smooth out during pressing. If there are large flour pockets, whisk for another 30 seconds. The batter does not need to be perfectly silky — it just needs to be lump-free enough to press through the holes without leaving raw flour streaks in the dumplings.
If you liked this one
- Savory Pork Noodle Stir-Fry
- Spiced Pork Mince Flatbreads
- Hearty Beef Mushroom Stroganoff
- Elegant Austrian Rabbit Palatschinken
