Obatzda recipe: German beer cheese dip
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A visit to Germany isn’t complete without enjoying beer in a traditional beer hall or Biergarten, particularly if you’re in Bavaria. One of the best Bavarian snacks to go along with massive amounts of beer is a pretzel, and the best thing to eat with that pretzel is Obatzda.
Obatzda is a Bavarian cheese spread, usually made with a mix of camembert or brie cheese and butter. It’s rich and creamy and pairs well with a giant Bavarian pretzel, of course, but it also goes well with hearty rye bread.
Trust me; you’ll want to make a vat of this traditional German snack. It’s delicious and always a big hit at Oktoberfest parties.
Although it comes together pretty quickly, it’s best if the Obatzda has at least several hours to chill in the refrigerator to allow the flavors to develop, even better if it’s left overnight.
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Ingredients
- 60g onion (about ¼ of a medium yellow or white onion)
- 4g garlic (about two cloves, chopped)
- 450g Brie or Camembert cheese (rind removed)
- 170g butter softened to room temperature
- 170g cream cheese
- ½ tsp caraway seed plus extra for garnish (crushed)
- ½ tsp – 1 tsp sweet paprika plus extra for garnish
- 1 German beer (you’ll only need 2 tbsp, the rest is to drink)
- Salt and pepper to taste – If you use salted butter, you’ll need less salt
Special equipment
- Food processor
- Mortar and pestle or a spice grinder
- Cheese slicer – not necessary, but certainly handy.
Directions
- 1Cut onion into large pieces, add to your food processor, and pulse several times for a fine dice. Remove from the food processor, drain off liquid, and set aside.
- 2Remove the rind from the brie or camembert. I found a cheese slicer works beautifully for this, but you can also use a knife.
- 3Cut the brie, butter, and cream cheese into pieces and add to the food processor. Depending on the size of your food processor, you might have to do this (and the next steps) in batches so that it fits. Just mix the batches well once they’re finished.
- 4Add chopped garlic to the processor. Pulse the processor until combined, adding beer a tablespoon at a time until the mixture becomes smooth and creamy without being liquid. Drink the remaining beer.
- 5Add crushed caraway, paprika, salt, and pepper, and pulse until combined.
- 6Add the fine diced onion to the mixture in the processor and only pulse a couple of times until combined. (You don’t want to pulverize the onion.) You may not need all of the onion. You can adjust the amount of onion you use based on your preference and taste.
- 7Remove the Obatzda mixture from the food processor, place it in a bowl, cover, and refrigerate. It’s best to chill for several hours before serving; overnight is best.
- 8Add a dusting of paprika and a sprinkle of caraway to garnish. Serve with rye bread or pretzels, some sliced radish or pickles, and, of course, beer.
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Last Updated 2 October 2022
