While Oktoberfest is a festival, more so a fair that happens in Munich officially, it has spread throughout the world because of its laid-back and fun vibe, including Bavarian music, dressing up, and, of course, food!
After spending a lot of time online looking at the different tutorials of pretzels, strudel, and more tasty but time-consuming German Oktoberfest food ideas, I thought, Why not make a list of Oktoberfest food ideas that could simplify the dishes that can be made at home?
In this simple October food list, we bring out the easiest ways to replicate the classic items of the festival to enjoy the flavors of Germany, so you don’t have to just stick with the infamous beer throughout the sixteen-eighteen-day festival.
Must-Try Easy Oktoberfest Food Ideas:
1. Pretzel Bites
Let’s start with the most popular traditional Oktoberfest foods ever, the pretzel! Specifically, Air-fried pretzels, because these quick, warm, and soft puffs of cloud bring just the right amount of sweet and salty to the party!
You can buy pre-made pizza dough from the store. Cut it into small cubes and boil briefly in a mix of sugar, baking soda, and sugar (for that beautiful brown top), and then air fry them for about 8-9 minutes, topped with coarse salt.
You HAVE to specially dip these babies in different dips, for example, the classic cheese and even chocolate ones for that tasty, sweet, and salty mix, which brings us to our next item…
2. Cheese Dip / Spread
Many German Oktoberfest food dishes require a dip; these hearty sauces increase the flavor of the items tenfold, whether they be pretzel bites or sausages, fries, or breads. Now, there are a hundred ways you can try your hand at making a cheese dip. But one of the easiest Oktoberfest delights that comes straight from the kitchen of George Duran, chef and TV presenter, is a classic roux that can be ready in minutes:
“Cook together butter and flour, and then add milk. Let it simmer and add a bunch of Swiss cheese, and then at the end, you get a very dipable cheese that you just pour and grab your pretzels to dip in.
3. Bratwursts
Bratwurst is the Infamous German sausage made of a coarse grind of pork, veal, and beef. It’s enjoyed just as much after grilling on the pan and fits between two buns for a delicious hot dog. But, if you want to give some extra flavor, you can simmer these sausages with another Oktoberfest Must, Beer, alongside sliced onions, simmering them down for around half an hour.
At the end, you can take these out to the grill or pan-fry bratwursts for that beautiful charred look, and you’ll also get a side dish of the flavorful onions (add some brown sugar while on the boil to enhance the flavor, and complete your meal with the earlier discussed cheese dip or sauerkraut.
4. Cheese Platter
Cheese goes a long way in the celebrations of Oktoberfest everywhere. You can set up a tray with your favorite ones to make it more traditional; try including German mixes such as Allgäuer Emmentaler or Limburger. These pair up nicely with the sausages, slaws, and the rest of the meal to be either used as an entree to nibble upon or along with the dishes for a full, hearty meal, something Oktoberfest is known for.
Of course, if you are making it at home, cheese platters usually also will consist of some fruit, pickles, and bread. But this is not a necessity, particularly for your Oktoberfest meal.
5. German Potato Salad
A vegetarian Oktoberfest food dish that has long been accompanied by the meat of the day, this one-pot recipe is the one to make over years and years.
While the creamy salad versions are popular mostly everywhere, the traditional German potato salad is more tangy, which can be eaten either hot or cold. The recipe calls for mixing cubed boiled potatoes alongside any store-bought vinegar-based dressing and chopped onions.
(For a non-vegetarian version, drizzle bacon fat and tiny bacon bits over the salad to make the salad taste more hearty.)
6. Candied Almonds
A traditional item that you can find at various German Christmas market vendors, German candied almonds are sold at different Oktoberfest food stalls as well! The fact that they are so easy to whip up makes them ideal for everybody to try at home at least once!
You just pour your almonds into a pan alongside sugar, cinnamon, and water with the heat on. And basically, that’s just it. Keep on stirring for around 10 minutes, and you’ll see the sugar is now golden brown, i.e., caramelized and sticking to the almonds. Afterwards, take the pan off the heat and your tasty and warm almonds are ready!
(You can follow the same process with other popular nuts as well, such as walnuts or cashews, but it’s the almonds that are particularly popular during the time of the festival.)
This is more of a snack than a dish in our list of simple Oktoberfest food ideas. But, you are going to need a snack or something to nibble on to start the party with, right? (A perfect partner to the Bier, I say)
7. Cabbage Slaw
Green or red cabbage slaws mostly accompany every meal of the festival alongside the Sauerkraut and potatoes at vegetarian Oktoberfest food plates. And the recipe is not just delightful but easy: Combining shredded cabbage with sliced onions, carrots, and apples. And then mixing it with white vinegar, lemon, and vinegar for tanginess.
Now, remember there are both crunchy and mushy options for this traditional German recipe. The latter one is called German Rotkohl, which calls for mixing the cabbage over the pot alongside cloves, brown sugar, vinegar, salt, and butter for about 30 minutes, depending upon the size of the dish.
The crunchy slaw recipe may not be the most authentic way to bring out the same flavor, but it gives you that feel of the funfair that seems to have spread all over the world today, coming from Munich!
8. Shredded Pancake (Kaiserschmarrn)
Kaiserschmarrn is a typical traditional Oktoberfest food idea that won’t require you to change the recipe! Yes, you heard it right; it’s basically just chopping up your pancake and then adding powdered sugar to be served with sweet sauces and jams such as berry, chocolate, or applesauce.
To End
It’s interesting how today we can make our way to some delicious Oktoberfest food, easy dishes right at home for a tasty family-friendly celebration, all with the inclusion of ingredients such as store-bought dough and chopped vegetables. (Remember to serve the easy dishes on classic checkered tablecloths to make the Oktoberfest food experience even more memorable.)
Frequently Asked Questions on Oktoberfest Food:
Q. What are the most popular Oktoberfest food ideas?
While the dishes in the list are all quite important in the celebration of the Oktoberfest, they are also food options. Pretzels, Beer, and Sausages seem to be the three items that reign over the top when it comes to being the most widely recognized!
For more popular Oktoberfest food ideas, head over here!
Q. What are some sweet, simple Oktoberfest food ideas?
Some Oktoberfest sweet treats include the classic gingerbread hearts (Lebkuchenherzen) that are sold over the fair, apple strudel, apple fritters, candied or roasted almonds (Gebrannte Mandeln), and, of course, sweet, soft pretzels with jams/sauces.
