Obatzda: the mouthwatering recipe for Bavarian beer cheese dip to serve at parties

Also known as Bavarian obatzter or obazda, obatzda is a simple-to-make German beer cheese dip from Bavaria. It's made from white aged soft cheese like Camembert or Brie mixed with butter, dark or wheat beer, onion, and paprika. It's rich and creamy, with a wonderful cheese flavor.

Obatzda is a classic appetizer that's served at German beer gardens, usually accompanied by Brotzeit, a snack platter heaped with pickles, pretzels, sausages, radishes, and bread. It's a tasty snack perfect for game day, Oktoberfest parties, and potlucks, or as a hearty snack washed down with a delicious pint of German beer.

Bavarian beer cheese dip is easy to customize, so you can tinker with this recipe to suit your tastes.

Obatzda History

Obatzda dates back to the 1800s when it was first created by an innkeeper called Katharina Eisenreich. It's thought she made the tasty dish using leftover ingredients, and the dish proved to be wildly popular with the guests at her Bavarian inn. Obatzda was extremely popular during the 1920s. The name means “mixed” or “pressed,” a nod to how the dish is prepared. In Frankonia, it's also known as Greupfter or Grupfter Kase.

Bavarian Obatzda Ingredients

The starring ingredient of Bavarian beer cheese dip is ripe cheese. Camembert and Brie are the two most popular options.

You'll also need spreadable cheese like Laughing Cow or cream cheese, and butter.

To flavor, the dip, use caraway seeds, sweet paprika, salt, and pepper.

Typically wheat beer or Dunkel beer are used for this tasty dip.

Finally, you'll need sweet onions and chives to give the obatzda a sharp bite and a bit of crunch.

How to Make Obatzda

You can make a batch of obatzda in no time. Simply put your Camembert, spreadable cheese, butter, sweet paprika, caraway seeds, salt, and pepper into a bowl. Mash them with a fork to combine. Add the beer two tablespoons at a time until desired consistency is reached. The ideal consistency should be easy enough to spread but not too runny.

Wrap the bowl with cling film and pop the obatzda in the fridge for at least 3 hours, so it can firm up. When it's time to serve it, mix the diced onion and chives into the obatzda. Garnish with additional chives, and serve with bread, pretzels, radishes, or crackers.

Tips for Making Bavarian Beer Cheese Dip

If you can't find Camembert, other soft, ripe cheeses like Brie, Saint-Andre, Brillat-Savarin, and Reblochon are beautiful alternatives for making obatzda.

You can either leave the rind on the cheese or remove it.

A spreadable cheese like Laughing Cow brand is ideal for this recipe. However, you can use cream cheese or mascarpone instead.

You can make obatzda without beer. Simply leave it out.

Serve your Bavarian beer cheese dip with pretzels, flatbread, sourdough, artisan bread, cracker, breadsticks, radishes, or crostini.

How to Store Obatzda

Keep your Bavarian beer cheese dip in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week. For best results, leave the onion out and add them right before serving.

More German Recipes You'll Like

• German spaetzle
• Spicy Bavarian beer mustard
• Homemade pretzels

Instructions

Combine Camembert, spreadable cheese and butter in a bowl.

Stir in paprika, caraway seeds, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Use a fork to mix the ingredients.

Add the beer 2 tablespoons at a time until desired consistency is reached.

Wrap the bowl with cling film and place it in the fridge for at least 3 hours.

Right before serving, stir in the diced onion and chives.

Garnish with additional chives, and serve.

Notes

Allow the cheeses and butter to come up to room temperature before you start preparing your obatzda.