With these Oktoberfest food ideas you can have your own homemade German Oktoberfest festival at your table. With our allergy friendly and gluten free recipe adaptations of our family’s authentic European recipes we take the guesswork out of making great German food.
The end of September heralds Oktoberfest, a German Festival celebration. Before we go on too far- yes it is called Oktoberfest and it is held at the end of September. This year the dates are September 21- October 6th, 2024 in Munich, Germany.
It is a mix of carnival style rides, German drinking songs, food kiosks, and massive beer tents.This year the celebrations in Munich are in their 189th year! If you aren’t headed to Germany to take part in the oldest and largest Oktoberfest we have put together some of our favourite German recipes that are gluten free and allergy friendly.
Why was Oktoberfest started?
It started as a weeklong celebration of the marriage of the Crown Prince of Bavaria, Ludwig, to Princess Therese in the early 19th century in Munich, Germany. It became an annual event not long after the Napoleonic wars. The festival moved to September due to the cooler weather in October. Dirndls and Lederhosen are donned each year by many from around the world when they travel to the largest festival in the world, as per this history by Oktoberfest Tours.
The Food at Oktoberfest
When perusing the stalls at Okotberfest in Munich you will see traditional foods like Sausages on buns (Bratwurst), roasted pork shank (Schweinshaxe), spit roasted pork on a bun (SpiessBraten), potato pancakes (Kartoffelpuffer), bread or potato dumplings (Dampfknodl or Semmelknodl), noodles (Spaetzle) with cheese or without, and the ever popular German Pretzel (Bretzel).
Not all these foods are easy to make at home or quick. Be sure to check out our 7 Oktober food ideas and recipes below.
Gingerbread Hearts, More Souvenir than Food
One of our favourite memories is passing all the stalls with the decorated gingerbread hearts, Lebkuchenherz. They are more of a souvenir than something you’d eat . Really meant as something to buy for your beloved to cherish the memory of spending the festival with them. Some people do eat them but most do not. The ones we have seen are usually pretty firm and would need softening before attempting to eat them.
These are all things we make at home or Oma makes. We have sat down and watched her make countless times. Some are easier to make than others as well as to adapt to an allergy friendly and gluten free alternative. There are so many traditional German recipes to make at home to get you started with your own Oktoberfest celebration.
7 Recipes to Get You in the Mood to Celebrate Oktoberfest at Home.
Grab your dirndl or your lederhosen and get ready to pop on the schlager music. Let’s make some German foods for an at-home celebration with these Oktoberfest food ideas. Our German recipes are allergy friendly and gluten free and can be served alongside your favourite German Bratwurst!
1
Kartoffelpuffer (Potato Pancakes)
Potato Pancakes are an iconic Oktoberfest snack. They are basically shredded potatoes mixed with a binder and flour and deep fried in oil. Our Reibekuchen or Kartoffelpuffer as they are called in German recipe is vegan as we swapped out the egg and for vegan friendly ingredients.
2
Rouladen (Braised Beef Rolls)
3
RotKohl (Red Cabbage)
A sweet and tangy warm cabbage side dish that is cooked for hours to get that signature RotKohl texture. Finished with a dollop of red currant jam to give the glossy look that good braised red cabbage has. This is such a great side dish that you’l be looking to double the batch next time.
4
Eintopf (One Pot Soup)
Eintopf is a traditional German one pot soup that usually contains pork, sausage and whatever harvest or root vegetables you have on hand. It is a comforting soup that sometimes resembles a stew when it is cooked over hours and the potatoes cook down. We hope you enjoy our family’s traditional one pot soup. This is a naturally gluten free and allergy friendly recipe.
5
Gulaschsuppe (German Goulash)
A stew-like hearty comfort food dish German Goulash is similar to the Hungarian version. Gulaschsuppe is full of beef chunks, tomatoes, sweet bell pepper chunks and paprika. Our version is great for large celebrations as it is free from the major food allergens and gluten free. Having a warming soup is great for the chillier areas celebrating Oktoberfest.
6
Lebkuchenherz (Gingerbread Cookies)
This is a sturdy gingerbread cookie recipe perfect for making large cookies to decorate for your Schätze. Making the cookies ahead and decorating them at the festival are a great activity for family friendly Okotberfest celebrations. The best part is that this recipe is vegan, gluten-free, and allergy-friendly. To make a quick icing use powdered icing sugar and water with natural food powders like spinach and beets to keep the treat vegan and allergy-friendly.
📖 Recipe
Servings: 4 Servings
Calories: 249kcal
A recipe that is found in our sensational side dish download. Bratkartoffeln is an easy way to make a German style potato dish. Pan-fried potatoes are simple and complementary for a meaty main course, like Rouladen, or as a side with Goulash.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs fingerling/gem/new potatoes peel on, washed well
- 2 Tbsps Lard or dairy free butter, divided in half
- 1 Yellow Onion chopped in half and sliced thinly
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Pepper
Instructions
- Cut each of the potatoes in half lengthwise. Then slice them in ¼ inch slices.
- Put the potatoes in a large pot of cold water. Heat the pot with the potatoes and water over high heat, bring to a rolling boil.
- Once boiling, let the water continue to boil for 5 minutes with the potatoes in the pot. After boiling, drain the potatoes in a colander. Remove the pot from heat.
- Place the colander with the potatoes in it back in the pot, so the potatoes are above the base of the pot and in the colander. Cover the pot with a tea towel and let the potatoes steam for 10 minutes. Set aside. *When steaming make sure the pot has been removed from the heat and is on a heat proof surface or the tea towel is far enough from the stove that the towel will not be a hazard.*
- While the potatoes are steaming, heat 1 tablespoon of the lard or dairy free butter over low heat.
- When the lard/ dairy free butter has melted, add in the sliced onions and cook slowly over low heat. Stir often to make sure the onions do not catch. Cook until the onions are translucent, 5-10 about minutes.
- After the onions have softened add in the second 1 tablespoon of lard/butter and let it melt. Then add the steamed sliced potatoes. Season with salt and pepper and stir well.
- Cook the potatoes for 10 minutes until slightly crispy, or longer to crisp up a bit more, if desired. Stir often whilst cooking. Serve warm.
Notes
Allergy Note 1
Always check that each ingredient is safe for you. Reading all the ingredients and labelling as well as checking with the manufacturer should always be done before buying any product. Each person’s allergies are different and only you and your medical team can determine what is best for you. Checking with the manufacturer is best practice to see if shared lines, or facilities are used when making any of the suggested products. Just because a product is right for us does not mean it is safe for anyone else. You must do your own research on each product.
Allergy Note 2
If making this recipe for anyone with an allergy always check with them for suitable products and ingredients. Each person knows their allergies best and can advise on what is safe for them to eat. Keep in mind that if making for another person they may not be able to eat it with shared prep surfaces, cooking equipment, and kitchens or other safety reasons.
Allergy Note 3
This is not medical advice. Always discuss your allergies, nutrition, and suitable products and recipes with your medical team before using.
Nutrition
Calories: 249kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 887mg | Potassium: 996mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 5IU | Vitamin C: 47mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 2mg
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Allergen Free Kitchen” is not a registered dietician or nutritionist, does not replace a registered dietician or nutritionist and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend you consult with your medical team to find a registered dietician or nutritionist and for you to calculate the nutritional information. Calories and nutritional values can vary vastly depending on which brands were used and any substitutions used.
Bratkartoffeln (Pan-Fried Potatoes)
A recipe that is found in our sensational side dish download. Bratkartoffeln is an easy way to make a German style potato dish. Pan-fried potatoes are simple and complementary for a meaty main course, like Rouladen, or as a side with Goulash.
