15 Oktoberfest Recipes Beyond Bretzels

The time has come to dust off your dirndls and grab yourself an oversized stein. That's right, volks, Oktoberfest is back, and Germans and non-Germans alike in Munich and elsewhere will be engaging in revelry chock-full of traditional eats and beer-guzzling of the Bavarian variety. If you plan on tending your very own biergarten or transforming your home into a bierhaus, here's a menu of Oktoberfest recipes beyond bretzels to wilkommen friends to your own Wiesn this year.

Bretzels, or pretzels, are a must at your gathering, but there's an endless assortment of sustenance options to please the palate between Paulaners. This recipe roundup features slightly localized renditions of traditional German dishes and flavors, remixing some of the Bavarian festival's greatest hits. As any Oktoberfest party host knows, bratwurst is a no-brainer and a principal player among the festival's food offerings. Below, it's paired with the likes of cheddar ale and melted gruyere in bread bowls, between grilled pretzel bread, and more classically with onions on a bun. Kraut, in its sauer and salat variations, is another usual suspect, and a surprisingly achievable addition to your own celebration spread. Make the menu unforgettable with a spiced pumpkin soup and German chocolate delights certain to keep every appetite satisfied and ready for a full day of drinking. So before you pour yourself another stein, treat yourself to one of these twists on traditional nosh so you don't find yourself a bierleichen (beer corpse) in the morning. Guten Appetit!

1. German Beer Cheese Spread

Obatzda, a spicy spread composed of two thirds cheese, one third butter (I know, right?) is the traditional cheese spread of choice during the volksfest. This cheesy concoction by Brown Eyed Baker strays slightly from the original Bavarian delicacy, but stays true to the taste "with a little bit of a mustard undertone" and 3/4 cup of German beer.

2. Cheddar Beer Biscuits

While it may seem sacrilege to switch out the bretzel for biscuits, this appetizing option by Domestic Fits combines cheddar and beer for the perfect baked alternative if throwing back steins has you craving bread in a different form. This recipe experiments with an orange wheat craft beer, but stick to a Bavarian brew for added Oktoberfest "authenticity."

3. Sauerkraut

A standard fixture of the biergarten table top, sauerkraut is a must-have topping for Oktoberfest brats. All this easy crock pot free recipe by The Kitchn requires is shredded cabbage, some salt, and a mason jar for the fermentation process, and "the results are dependably delicious."

4. Bavarian Coleslaw

This Bavarian cabbage salad, better known as krautsalat in Germany, is not to be confused with the coleslaw most of us are familiar with, which features mayonnaise as a main ingredient. Instead, this traditional take is seasoned with caraway seeds and flavored with pancetta. Recipe creator and German expat Ginger And Bread states that "without mayonnaise or sour cream, this little number becomes so virtuous that you'll forgive it the fact that it's full of bacon."

5. Cheddar Ale & Bratwurst Soup In Bretzel Bowls

The festival will be aplenty with beer varieties paired with bratwurst, but this cheddar ale and bratwurst soup by Baked By Rachel might be the most appetizing coupling. What's more, the belly-warming potage is served in a bretzel bowl, completing the Oktoberfest trifecta.

6. German Potato Salad

This traditional recipe by Foodie Crush is adapted from one her German-immigrant grandmother had handwritten in her dogeared and worn Joy of Cooking cookbook. The mayo-less potato salad is described as "the ultimate flavor bomb," given a "vinegar punch mixed with spunky, grainy mustard in a bacon studded dressing."

7. Bratwurst Stuffed Jalapeños

Spice up your party with these brat and cheese-filled jalapeño poppers by Whitney Bond. And if things get too hot, you'll always have a stein or two on hand to wash it down with some Weissbier. Prost!

8. German Sausage And Peppers

This hearty stew of sorts can be enjoyed on a roll, or solo in a bowl. Recipe creator The Crepes of Wrath "made sure to use a bit of German beer to cook the shallots in for some depth of flavor."

9. Bratwurst Grilled Cheese

Bratwursts are delicious in all deliveries, but never quite as delicious as a grilled cheese composed of shredded gruyere, a sliced Yukon Gold potato, caramelized onions and spiced up with beer mustard between two slices of pretzel bread. I Am A Food Blog describes the wurst sandwich you've ever had as "a wee bit malty, a little bit salty and when you grill it, the contrast between the buttery crunch and the soft pretzel-y insides is so, so good."

10. Beer Bratwurst & Onions

If you're of the school of keeping it simple, go the traditional route with this time-honored marriage of beer bratwurst and onions. The result, as expected, pairs well with beer but also your homemade sauerkraut. In preparation for this German dish, Foodie Crush says, "get ready to gorge, it's time to don your lederhosen and load up your steins."

11. German Pumpkin Soup

Adventures In Cooking brought this recipe back from Dusseldorf, Germany. Spiced to perfection with cayenne, cloves, paprika, coriander, ginger, and garlic, this autumnal soup will have you coming back for more until pumpkins are out of season.

12. Trout Schnitzel With Spaetzle

For a more filling dish described as a "refined version of rustic German comfort food," try this trout schnitzel with pan-seared spaetzle and mustard caper cream sauce reported by A Spicy Perspective. While the three-recipe endeavor may seem daunting at first, the results are well-worth it. It's "perfect for fall and full of flavor" and "will have you kicking up your Bavarian heels."

13. Apple Rhubarb Braided Strudel

Recipe creator The Crepes Of Wrath warns that this is not your traditional strudel, but also promises that "the wonderfully golden crust, the sweet apples, slightly tart rhubarb and aromatic almond glaze will draw you back for seconds." The addition of rhubarb gives the braided pastry extra flourish and German flavor.

14. German Chocolate Cupcakes

Turn a traditional German dessert into a finger food delight with these dainty cupcakes conjured up by Your Cup Of Cake. These bite-sized beauties are topped off with the requisite German chocolate frosting made of pecans and coconut, making it impossible to have just one.

15. Double Chocolate Cherry Dark Forest Waffles

If you're looking for a second dessert option, or if your Prost-ing takes you into the next morning, this recipe that The Scrumptious Pumpkin calls its "ode to Germany" is indulgent fare not for the faint of heart. Based on the country's "chocolate and cherry Black Forest Cake," these next-level waffles are downright sinful with chocolate shavings and poached cherries.

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Images: I Am A Food Blog, Brown Eyed Baker, Domestic Fits, The Kitchn, Ginger And Bread, Baked By Rachel, Foodie Crush, Whitney Bond, The Crepes Of Wrath, A Spicy Perspective, Your Cup Of Cake, The Scrumptious Pumpkin