20 Popular Austrian Foods to Try

Like many European cuisines, a lot of these classic Austrian foods consist of meat and potatoes. 

You probably won’t be too shocked to see schnitzel and apple strudel on this list, but I’ll bet there are some gems here you’ve never heard of. 

Between their bread dumplings, Austrian-style mac and cheese, and sweet apricot cake, you can easily make a whole feast from these recipes. 

In fact, you might want to make it a 20-dish tasting menu because I guarantee you’ll want to try them all.

1. Wiener Schnitzel

Also known as the Viennese schnitzel, this is the national dish of Austria.

It’s so beloved that the recipe is actually protected by law, which states you can only use veal.

Of course, not everyone eats veal (mostly due to moral implications), so we often see it with pork or chicken. 

Regardless of what meat you use, serve this with parsley potatoes or red potato salad.

2. Backhendl (Austrian Fried Chicken)

The main difference between this recipe and the schnitzel above is the cut of meat used. 

For the schnitzel, you’ll need to pound the meat until it’s nice and thin.

In contrast, this recipe calls for thicker pieces, which means it takes a little bit longer to cook.

For that reason, it’s best to use neutral-tasting oil since butter will burn in the hot pan.

3. Tafelspitz Recipe (Viennese Boiled Fillet)

Tafelspitz is a simple dish made using beef. Top round or rump is the most commonly used cut, which is then boiled in broth until tender. 

After a couple of hours, you can remove and slice the beef, then serve with a bowl of yummy, beefy vegetable soup.

You can also add a batch of Austrian bread rolls, which you’ll find a recipe for in this roundup as well.

4. Wiener Apfelstrudel (Viennese Apple Strudel)

If you want the most authentic strudel recipe, look no further. With this delicate strudel dough, you’ll get a tasty treat that’s worthy of a bakery in Vienna. 

The trick is to let the dough rest and then very gently roll/stretch it out until it’s as thin as possible.

That way, when you roll and bake it, you’ll see lovely flaky layers.

I like mine with lots of cinnamon and plenty of plump raisins, but they’re not mandatory.

5. Semmelknödel Recipe (Bread Dumplings)

These dumplings are like a cross between stuffing balls and savory bread pudding. They’re a fun and unique side to any main course. 

You’ll use stale bread soaked in a seasoned egg and milk mixture. Once formed into balls, they’ll need to rest before boiling.

I prefer these with a golden crust on the outside, so I give them a quick pan-fry in butter once they’re cooked. 

6. Austrian Style Bread Rolls

These lovely light bread rolls have quite a history.

Once upon a time, only certain bakers were allowed to make them, and they’re famous for the five-point star folded on the top.

The dough is wonderfully enriched with butter and milk, making it much more flavorful than your average white bread roll.

7. Käsespätzle (Austrian Style Mac & Cheese)

After one bite of this, you’ll throw away any boxes of mac & cheese you have in the pantry.

Trust me, this is too indulgent and delicious not to make, and it’s worth the extra effort.

It all starts with homemade spätzle, an herb egg noodle made by pushing the dough through a colander into boiling water. 

Once that’s cooked, you’ll add it to a buttery skillet full of caramelized onions and plenty of cheese. Emmentaler or Gruyere are the best options for this.

8. Easy Potato Goulash

Goulash is a classic Hungarian stew made using meat and potatoes with rich Hungarian paprika. 

This Austrian version is meatless, gluten-free, and totally vegan. That said, it’s still insanely decadent and filling. 

9. Kaiserschmarrn (Scrambled Pancake)

This fantastic dish was the first I made when researching this post.

I love pancakes, and the thought of golden pancake nuggets with crunchy edges was too much to resist. 

The rum-soaked raisins were also a big hit! Serve with syrup, sweet jam, caramel, or Nutella.

10. Austrian Buchteln (Sweet Yeast Rolls)

I first had these when I visited Austria years ago, and I just remember that they were sweet, fluffy, and super creamy. 

It may seem odd to serve a skillet of bread rolls for dessert, but I promise you and your family will go nuts for these.

I highly suggest you take the time to fill the rolls with apricot jam. But if you don’t have time, they’re still tasty with the vanilla sauce. 

11. Sacher Torte

Probably one of the most famous cakes of all time, this incredibly sinful chocolate cake was made back in the 1800s by a young apprentice chef. 

The combination of rich cake, sweet fruity filling, and velvety smooth ganache is beyond irresistible. Serve it with whipped cream to cut through the decadence. 

12. Topfengolatschen Mit Marillen (Austrian Apricot Kolaches)

These little apricot pockets are ideal for breakfast or with your mid-morning tea or coffee. 

They’re so light and sweet, and that yummy fruity filling is balanced perfectly with a generous helping of topfen.

Being vegan, this topfen recipe calls for cashews and soy yogurt. 

13. Austrian Liptauer Recipe

If you’ve ever been to Austria (or any European country), you’ll know that they like to serve open sandwiches with lots of spreads, meats, and cheeses. 

Liptauer refers to one of these spreads made using spices and cottage cheese. It’s best served on dark rye bread or as a dip with pretzels.

14. Frittatensuppe (Austrian Pancake Soup)

This pancake soup is exactly as it sounds. First, you’ll make a batch of thin pancakes, which get sliced and finally served in a bowl of hot broth. 

It’s a very savory and budget-friendly meal, and it can be made with beef broth or veggie stock.

15. Palatschinken (Austrian Crêpe)

Pancakes and crêpes are most often served as sweet treats. So if you don’t fancy the beefy recipe above, try this one instead. 

Austrian pancakes are a little thicker than French crêpes, and this specific type is usually rolled up like taquitos. 

Either way, you can fill them with jam, chocolate, caramel or leave them empty and just add a dusting of powdered sugar. 

16. Marillenknödel (Austrian Apricot Dumplings)

Quark is a very popular ingredient in Austria, and it’s used in this recipe to make the dumplings.

If you can’t find that, cream cheese, mascarpone, or even silken tofu would do the trick.

Apricots are the most traditional filling, but try peaches instead if you can find any fresh. Strawberries or plums would also work well.

Like the bread dumplings above, these are boiled until puffy; then, you’ll roll them in sweetened, toasted breadcrumbs to serve.

17. Faschingskrapfen (Austrian Doughnuts)

These donuts are dangerous! One bite, and you’ll reach for a second.

The enriched dough uses milk, butter, eggs, rum, and citrus zest for maximum flavor. So, these will be delicious with or without a filling. 

To make them authentic, fill them with apricot jam. Of course, you could also use strawberry jam, Nutella, or custard.

18. Austrian Linzer Torte

Linzer torte and cookies are named for the city of Linz, Austria. So although you might see recipes calling them German, they’re definitely not. 

The tart case is nutty and lightly spiced. It’s also thicker than you might expect, and that’s because it’s closer to a cakey cookie than pastry.

The classic filling is, of course, raspberry jam. But again, you can use whatever you prefer.

Just remember not to add too much, or the base won’t cook properly.

19. Krautfleckerl (Austrian Cabbage and Noodles)

Cabbage and noodles might sound like a bland dish, but it’s surprisingly tasty. Not to mention, it’s so cheap to make!

You’ll add caraway seeds to this, which brings a hunt of nuts and citrus.

Another option would be to include fennel, which provides a similar flavor along with anise. 

I like this with bacon on top. Cook that first until it’s crispy, then cook the rest of the ingredients (the onion and cabbage) in the remaining grease for a boost of salty goodness. 

20. Erdäpfelsalat (Austrian-Style Potato Salad)

As mentioned, potatoes are a huge part of the Austrian diet, and no recipe is more authentic than this yummy potato salad.

Like many European potato salads, this one doesn’t contain any mayo. So it’s not as rich and creamy as you might be used to.

Instead, it’s fresh, acidic, and slightly spicy, thanks to the vinegar and mustard.