Prepare for this list of Oktoberfest party foods to whisk you away to the beer tents in Munich where food is a huge deal. And I mean that both figuratively and in terms of actual physical size. Let’s just say, you’re gonna need a bigger boat pair of pants.
This post covers some great Oktoberfest party foods for your next backyard bierfest or at-home Oktoberfest dinner party.
Best foods for your Oktoberfest party
With that in mind, know that this list of Oktoberfest party foods will vary just slightly from what you would expect to wolf down in the Wiesn. Where those meals are enormous and filling and the necessary base for hours of beer-drinking, the items on this list are better suited for in-home preparation and paper plates.
(I assume you don’t have a 100-chicken capacity rotisserie spinning away in your kitchen? Correct me if I’m wrong. Also, invite me over!)
And as for what beer you should serve, check out my post on Oktoberfest party beer! It’s a full guide to helping you become the host with the prost!
Oktoberfest party foods
The 16 Oktoberfest food items in this post are easy to prepare (or buy) for everything from dinner party-sized groups to all-out at-home Oktoberfest ragers.
They’re all items that are great served family style, perfect for an Oktoberfest potluck, and all pair perfectly with delicious German beer. Also, this list is expertly curated. (I eat a lot of food at Oktoberfest. That makes me an expert.)
Oktoberfest recipes
In the following sections I’ve listed some simple recipes to make all these Oktoberfest party foods yourself. But, depending on the size of your party, feel free to buy some of them pre-made. Cooking for 8 people is quite different from cooking for 50. At least, it appears that way from my comfortable seat on the couch.
Looking for a great dirndl to wear to your at-home Oktoberfest? Check out my guides to buying a dirndl online and where to buy lederhosen and dirndls for Oktoberfest, and check out all you need to know about these Oktoberfest outfits here.
Oktoberfest Party Snacks & Appetizers
The following are a few great starters and snacks and are all popular Oktoberfest menu items.
1. Bavarian Soft Pretzels (Brezeln)
Bavarian soft pretzels might be the biggest must-have at your Oktoberfest party (after beer and a guy falling off a bench, naturally). Actually, I take that back. Oktoberfest without pretzels is not Oktoberfest. It’s just a keg party with weird outfits.
These pretzels, called brezeln in German, are huge, chewy, and the perfect beer compliment. For smaller parties, go ahead and make the GIANT Oktoberfest version of these. Seriously, the bigger the better. For larger parties, save some dough (lil pretzel humor) and opt for smaller ones.
This Oktoberfest pretzels recipe was expertly developed by yours truly. They’re seriously delicious and so much fun to make.
2. German Potato Pancakes (Kartoffelpuffer Mit Apfelmus)
Classic German potato pancakes are a cinch to make and are perfect as a party appetizer, a side dish, or just an everyday snack. Ingredients and tools for this recipe are minimal and the process is quick and straightforward.
Top these with applesauce and a dash of cinnamon to enjoy the traditional way, or go all new wave with sour cream and chives. Check out my recipe here!
3. German Candied Almonds (Gebrannte Mandeln)
The smell of these cooking will instantly turn your house into an authentic Oktoberfest celebration. These candied almonds are sold at German Christmas markets, Bavarian beer festivals, and just about any other opportunity.
The candied almond booths at Oktoberfest can be smelled throughout the entire Wiesn and I’m sure they taste just as amazing as they smell. (Nut allergy here, but I’m told they’re fantastic.) And from what it looks like, making them is fairly simple!
4. Obatzda: Bavarian Cheese Spread
This German cheese spread is made with flavorful soft cheeses like camembert and brie and is best when served with the Bavarian soft pretzels. (Can you go wrong with a cheese spread though? Really?) Obatzda also makes a great addition to the Oktoberfest charcuterie board I’m about to mention.
5. Oktoberfest Charcuterie Board (Brotzeit)
Charcuterie boards are very popular at Oktoberfest and many of the beer tent reservations include one with the table. All are a little bit different but there are a few things that need to be on there.
This recipe is the closest one I could find to the real deal but still leaves out one very important ingredient: radishes! Add a big bundle of both whole and shaved radishes to this board and it’ll be the perfect addition to your at-home Oktoberfest.
Oktoberfest Party Foods: Main Dishes
The size of your backyard beerfest will help determine which of these Oktoberfest main dishes you should make. (As will your prowess in the kitchen; it may turn out to be a brats on the barbie kinda situation and I doubt anyone will complain.)
6. Oktoberfest Roast Chicken (Hendl)
Roasted 1/2 chickens (known as hendl) are the most popular food item at Oktoberfest, hands down. (Over half a million of them are served at Oktoberfest each year!) Obviously they’re perfect for your backyard Oktoberfest.
For smaller groups you can roast a couple of chickens and serve them up beer tent style–just cut straight down the middle. For larger groups, cut them into more manageable portions since maybe not everyone is sporting an elastic waistband?
Check out this recipe and roast your own, or feel free to just snatch up all the fresh rotisserie chickens from your local grocery story to save tons of time, money, and potential kitchen chaos.
7. Bratwurst in Beer
As you can imagine, sausages of all kinds are huge stars on all the Oktoberfest menus. You’ve got bratwurst, weisswurst, currywurst, schweinswürstel, wiener wurst, Nürnberger rostbratwurst, ox’nbratwürstl, just to name a few. Let’s just say the list of sausages you can eat in Germany is longer than David Hasselhoff’s fan club roster.
This particular recipe involves cooking some traditional bratwursts with onions and beer in a skillet and is amazing and super easy. Another option would be to just toss your brats on the grill outside and call it a day! This is probably the easiest main dish option for both large and small Oktoberfest-themed parties.
8. Traditional German Sauerbraten
Sauerbraten is a big Oktoberfest favorite of everyone I’ve ever met (just not myself). Sauerbraten is a tender beef roast coated in a sweet and sour gravy. This would make a great entree for smaller Oktoberfest parties, or you could make a ton and serve in a chafing dish for the masses. Either way, people will love it.
9. German Cheese Spaetzle (Käsespätzle)
An absolute must-have at your Oktoberfest party is spaetzle, a kind of “German macaroni and cheese,” if you will. Spaetzle is one of my favorite things to eat at Oktoberfest each year. It’s also the only thing to eat at Oktoberfest if you’re a vegetarian. Vegans, you’ve got radishes.
Because of the amount of work that goes into making this, käsespaetzle is best suited to smaller parties. Or if you’re attending an Oktoberfest potluck and only have to make one thing that day.
Oktoberfest Side Dishes
On the side of those delicious main courses you’ll need epic and quintessentially German side items as well. These three sides are about as “Bavarian must-have” as you can get. For an at-home Oktoberfest, you couldn’t ask for better options.
10. German Potato Salad (Kartoffelsalat)
German potato salad is different from the good ol’ American BBQ classic we all know and love. While the American version is largely mayonnaise-based and served cold, German kartoffelsalat is served warm and prominently features vinegar, and bacon, and bacon grease in its makeup. Every American in the room just perked up.
11. Homemade Sauerkraut
Probably the most famous of all German side dishes is sauerkraut. Homemade is the way to go for almost all occasions as you really can’t beat that small-batch quality.
However, if you’re hosting a huge Oktoberfest house party, you may just want to buy in bulk. If that’s the case, at least look for higher quality stuff if you can swing it–so, like, jars instead of cans maybe.
12. German Red Cabbage (Rotkohl)
I’ve saved my favorite Oktoberfest side dish for last: red cabbage. Take a head of red cabbage, mix in some other good stuff, simmer for a while, and the result is soft and sweet and, let’s just call it what it is, basically candy. I regret nothing.
Oktoberfest Party Desserts
Finally, we’ve come to the sweetest part of the Oktoberfest party foods menu. And, while we’re at it, also the fluffiest, prettiest, most drowned in liquid sugar portions too. Check out these 3 unbeatable desserts for an Oktoberfest party.
13. Dampfnudel: sweet steamed dumplings with vanilla sauce
These puffy sweet dumplings covered in lightly sweet vanilla sauce were my first introduction to Oktoberfest desserts and I haven’t looked back since. They’re perfect for a light dessert after a heavy Bavarian meal and would be easy to prepare for an Oktoberfest-themed party. Check out my recipe here–complete with printable recipe card!
14. Gingerbread Heart Cookies (Lebkuchenherzen)
I am really excited about these. I’m a huge fan of gingerbread cookies and it hurts my sugar-loving heart that the ones we wear at Oktoberfest are simply inedible. (The real lebkuchenherzen you find at Oktoberfest are primarily for decorative purposes. I mean, you can eat them but you really don’t want to. (Been there, drunk ate that, regretted it.)
But the ones you can and should make for your Oktoberfest party are definitely going to be delicious. Plus, decorating them is very much a part of the fun of making them.
15. German Apple Strudel
You can’t get much more “German dessert” than apple strudel. Making it from scratch can be a bit of work, but this recipe utilizes phyllo dough and is a much easier option! If you’re hosting or attending a smaller Oktoberfest-themed shindig, this may just be worth the effort.
16. Kaiserschmarrn
Kaiserschmarrn is a super simple but delicious dessert on the list of popular Oktoberfest foods. It’s basically (as I describe it) chopped up pancakes covered in powdered sugar and served with some tasty dipping sauces like applesauce, jam, etc. Easy to make and easy to serve to groups!
Oktoberfest Party Supplies
Maybe you have all the stuff you need to host a party and fix these Oktoberfest party foods. Or maybe you’re the kinda person who messed up her husband’s birthday planning and had to get him a 1-year-old’s birthday cake for a party of 40 people at the last minute.
If you fall into the latter, here’s what you’ll need to host an Oktoberfest party at your house.
Oktoberfest Beer Koozies
This can koozie will keep your Oktoberfest beers crispy-fresh while keeping you on your toes when it comes to singing Ein Prosit (every 15 minutes). They’re super lightweight and the best party accessory for your backyard bierfest. Get yours here right from the Wanderlusty Shop!
250-piece Eco-Friendly Dinner Set
This 250-piece dinner set package includes everything you’ll need to feed all the folks:
- 9″ dinner plates (50)
- 7″ dessert plates (50)
- Knives (50) / Forks (50) / Spoons (50)
They’re made from plant-based, compostable materials, are microwavable and freezer safe, and oil resistant. You can even choose between white and “natural” if that’s a thing that matters to you.
Sterno 24-Piece Party Set
This must-have 24-piece party set (for larger Oktoberfests) includes:
- 3 wire racks
- 3 water pans
- 6 food pans
- 6 cans of Sterno heat
- 3 serving spoons
- 3 serving forks
Your standard party supplies
- Bavarian flag napkins
RedBlue plastic cups- Stemless plastic wine “glasses” for those not drinking beer
- The perfect Oktoberfest playlist, curated by me – Over 90 songs, almost 5 hours of tunes, totally free to listen
Like this post? Have questions about any of these Oktoberfest foods? Let me know in the comments below. Have fun cookin’!
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