Liptauer (Austrian Cheese Spread)
Liptauer is a classic cheese spread made with paprika and spices that is super easy to make. It’s usually served with rye bread, but it also goes great with bagels, crackers, rye chips, and fresh veggies, making it a versatile appetizer to serve to the masses.
History of liptauer
Liptauer (pronounced lip – tower), is shared between Slovakia and Austria, from their shared history from the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Its name comes from the northern Slovak region of Liptov. Traditionally, liptauer is made with bryndza, which is a sheep’s milk cheese, but you can also see it made with cottage cheese, quark and other goat cheeses. These cheeses are not widely available, so in this recipe I’ve found that cream cheese works best.
If you ever travel to Austria, you’ll be sure to find this cheese dip in Austrian heurigers, or wine taverns. Each tavern and restaurant will have their own house spread. Each recipe is a little different from the next!
Variations of liptauer
The cheese, butter, paprika, and ground caraway seeds, which make up the foundation of the spread, which you’ll see in almost all recipes. Something important to note is that this recipe calls for the traditional, sweet kind of paprika made from bell peppers that you likely have in your kitchen, not the Hungarian or smoky kind.
Other ingredients that are optional that you can add to this dish are
- any brown mustard, such as dijon
- sour cream
- Worcestershire sauce
- tomato paste
- cumin
- capers
- anchovies or anchovy paste
- onions
- pickles
- dill
- beer (!)
I’ve also seen cottage cheese used as a substitute for cream cheese. I’ve tried this method and the curds don’t allow the mixture to be homogenous, so you’ll have white pieces of cheese in a paprika sauce. I’ve also tried to break up the curds using a strainer and the texture is not quite right, so I still prefer to stick with cream cheese.
How to make Liptauer
Mix the cream cheese and softened butter together in a bowl. Then add in the dijon mustard, paprika, ground caraway seeds, salt, and pepper.
Fold in the pickles, chopped onion, and 2 tablespoons red pepper. Garnish with remaining red pepper and dill. Serve with rye bread, crackers, or vegetables!
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Liptauer (Austrian Cheese Spread)
Ingredients
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 1 tablespoon butter soft
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 1/2 teaspoon paprika*
- 1/4 teaspoon caraway seeds ground
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Pinch of black pepper
- 1 tablespoon of pickles minced
- 2 tablespoon yellow onion minced
- 3 tablespoon of red bell pepper minced
- Dill to garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Mix the cream cheese and softened butter together in a bowl. Then add in the dijon mustard, paprika, ground caraway seeds, salt, and pepper.
- Fold in the pickles, chopped onion, and 2 tablespoons red pepper. Garnish with remaining red pepper and dill.
Notes
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