“Abendbrot” (lit. evening bread) is one of the most important meals for many Germans, albeit with the least amount of preparation and skills involved. It’s the unique German tradition of sharing a light and healthful meal with the family involving slices of bread and butter, a charcuterie board with deli meats and cheeses, condiments, pickles, raw vegetables, like radishes, peppers, and cucumbers, a cold glass of beer, chased by a fruit brandy. The saying, “Eat breakfast like an emperor, lunch like a king and dinner like a poor man” sums it up.
Swapping a hot three course meal with cold , open-faced sandwiches may seem like a poor trade to folks on the other side of the Atlantic. Yet the meal is much more than simply eating bread in the evening – it’s when families come together and share news and laughter around the table; when no cooking skills are required and you can use up all your leftovers; when you be creative and colorful with guaranteed results; when you can whip up a meal without much planning and execution time; and when beer or wine can be served without knowledge of what matches.
Looking for authentic ingredients to Abendbrot? Visit The Taste of Germany.com/Abendbrot and discover dozens of breads, deli meats, cheeses, liverwurst, paté, jams, herring, condiments, and more!
Abendbrot Recipes
Abendbrot is usually served between 6 and 7 p.m. – early enough to feel satiated after a few slices, let the metabolism digest and get good night’s sleep. The following recipes are meant to inspire you to serve Abendbrot with simple salads and charcuterie dishes.
Red Cabbage Salad with Bavarian Smoked Cheese (Rotkohlsalat mit Räucherkäse)
A colorful salad for the buffet table to be served as a side salad for sliced cold meats or as a vegetarian meal.
Cool Kraut Salad
A red cabbage slaw with a sweet and pungent dressing.
Rustic Tart with Caramelized Onions, Apples & Red Cabbage
A slice of this flavorful tart is perfect as a light evening meal, perhaps with a green salad on the side. With the sweet taste of German red cabbage and apples, plus thyme and good-quality German cheese, this tart uses ready-made dough and requires very little prep time.
Spring Noodle Soup
A fresh new take on Germans’ traditional split pea soup, this quick, flavorful meal can be assembled in just a few minutes with German wide egg noodles and diced prosciutto.
Sauerkraut and Prosciutto Tray Pizza
Discover the versatility of sauerkraut and add a healthy touch to your pizza with the following tasty supper treat. Perfect for those cool fall evenings!
Spargelfest Salad
Many of us forget that Germany has some of the healthiest eating habits in the world. Here is a recipe for “Spargelfest Salad” — a nutritious and delicious dish using products imported from Germany.
Hearty Sauerkraut Quiche
This tart’s pantry ingredients make it an easy part of supper – just add some green salad to make it a meal.
German White Bean and Pea Salad with Prosciutto and Smoked Cheese
This salad is nutritious, colorful, chock full of tasty ingredients, and easy to toss together. Serve it with some German wholegrain crispbread or sunflower seed bread.
Spring Beet Salad
Composed of watercress, beets, soft-ripened German cheese and a light walnut oil vinaigrette, this salad is a nice accompaniment to some dark, heart, whole-grain German bread.
