Liptauer
intro
Tangy, creamy spiced quark cheese spread, a Bavarian pub staple, served with crusty bread, pretzels, or crudité for casual, shareable snacking.
Ingredients
Steps
Toast caraway seeds
Place 1 teaspoon of caraway seeds in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat. Toast for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until fragrant and slightly darkened. Immediately transfer to a small bowl to cool, then crush lightly with a mortar and pestle or the back of a spoon.
Prep flavor mix-ins
Rinse and drain 1 tablespoon capers and 2 anchovy fillets; pat dry with paper towels. Finely chop the capers, mash the anchovies into a smooth paste, and finely chop 2 tablespoons of drained cornichons and 1 tablespoon of fresh chives. Measure 1 tablespoon sweet paprika, 1 teaspoon hot paprika, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper into the same small bowl as the cooled, crushed caraway.
Cream dairy base
Add 100 grams (7 tablespoons) of room-temperature unsalted butter to a medium mixing bowl. Beat with a wooden spoon or electric hand mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes until pale and fluffy. Add 250 grams (1 cup) of low-fat quark and 50 grams (1/4 cup) of full-fat sour cream, beating for 1 more minute until completely smooth with no visible lumps.
Mix in flavorings
Add the prepped spice and mix-in blend to the creamed dairy base. Stir thoroughly with a flexible silicone spatula for 1 minute, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl halfway through, until all ingredients are evenly distributed and the spread has a uniform pale peachy-orange hue from the paprika.
Chill to set
Transfer the mixed Liptauer to a lidded 500ml (2 cup) glass serving crock or airtight container. Smooth the top surface with a spatula, seal tightly, and refrigerate at 4°C (39°F) for a minimum of 2 hours to allow flavors to meld and the spread to firm to a scoopable, spreadable consistency.
Serve with dippers
Remove the Liptauer from the refrigerator 10 minutes before serving to soften slightly for easier spreading. Garnish the top with a light sprinkle of extra sweet paprika and 1 teaspoon of reserved chopped chives. Serve alongside 2cm (3/4 inch) thick slices of crusty rye bread, soft pretzel bites, cucumber sticks, and quartered radishes for dipping.
Tips
2.Do not skip the 2-hour chill period: the spices need time to infuse into the dairy base, and the spread will be too soft and runny to hold its shape if served immediately after mixing.
3.Avoid using non-fat quark or sour cream for this recipe, as the lower fat content will result in a watery, grainy spread that lacks the classic rich, creamy texture.
OMG this Liptauer spread is SO good! I brought it to our neighborhood block party potluck last weekend served with rye crackers and pretzel bites, and people were begging me for the recipe the whole time! I added a tiny extra sprinkle of paprika on top for color and it was perfect. So easy to throw together too, the 2 hour chill time is totally worth it for the flavors to meld. 10/10 will make again!
Total game changer for our weekly Sunday family dinner! I was tired of the same old veggie platter dip, so I whipped this up to go with our cold cut platter and fresh veggie sticks. My kids loved it, even my super picky 7 year old who turns his nose up at basically every cheese that isn’t string cheese. Super easy prep, I didn’t even have to run to the store for special ingredients since I had most of this in the fridge already. Great recipe!
Made this for our day trip picnic last week and it held up perfectly in the cooler! I prepped it the night before (only took 10 minutes, love a low-effort recipe!) so I didn’t have to rush around in the morning, which made our whole morning so much smoother. The tang from the capers and pickles is chef’s kiss, way better than the store-bought cheese spreads I usually grab for hikes. Only note is I wish I’d made a double batch because we polished off the whole container before we even made it to the overlook!
This spread is a new staple for my meal prep! It’s naturally gluten free which is perfect for my household, and I love that I can make a big batch on Sunday and eat it all week for quick lunches on crackers, in wraps, even as a topping for baked potatoes. So creamy and flavorful, I don’t feel like I’m eating the same boring lunch every day when I have this in the fridge.
I had Liptauer for the first time on a trip to Munich last fall and I’ve been chasing that flavor ever since! This recipe is dead on—tastes exactly like what I had at the beer garden there. I served it at our own little Oktoberfest party last weekend with soft pretzels and cold lager, and all my friends said it transported them right to Germany. So glad I found this recipe, I’ll be making it every fall for sure!