Obatzda Recipe (Camembert Spread)

This German Obatzda recipe is our favorite bread spread or dip. Cream cheese, scallions, and lots of sweet paprika make this Camembert dip a perfect appetizer or snack. Ready in 5 minutes.

I am not kidding you, although I make lots and lots of bread spreads, at least one spread a week (we have Low-Fat Hummus and the Spinach Artichoke Dip in the fridge right now), this Obatzda is really the best of them all. Absolutely perfect!

I have been making it regularly for about twelve years now (I remember it because I’ve made it for the first time while my son was still a baby), I have brought it to different parties or gatherings, we have had it on regular bread, rye or spelt bread, pumpernickel, crispbread or as a dip for vegetable sticks. It is amazing every time and in any combination.

And I cannot even remember how many times I had to give somebody the recipe…

German Obatzda Recipe

First of all, this Camembert spread is a rather healthier version of a traditional German Obatzda recipe. But don’t be worry about the word “healthy”, the dip tastes incredibly rich and delicious, at least just as good as all the original full-fat Obatzdas I have ever had. It tastes amazing!!!

Regular Obatzda is absolutely great and I would rather eat Obatzda with soft pretzel whenever in Munich instead of something heavy and meaty, but for home cooking, I always prefer this lower-fat, healthier version of it. And it really tastes so good, you will not miss the extra cheese or the butter.

What is Obatzda?

Obatzda is a Bavarian cheese dip, usually seasoned with sweet paprika powder, caraway seeds, chives, and a small amount of beer. You can eat it almost everywhere when in Bavaria and it is truly addictive, I have yet to meet somebody who tasted it and didn’t rave about it!

What do you need?

Dairy:

• You can make the dip with regular full-fat Camembert and full-fat cream cheese.
• Or you can make it with low-fat Camembert and low-fat cream cheese, it really doesn’t matter in this case, the spread/dip is delicious either way.

Green onions:

• You can use green onions or chives. I use green onions/scallions most of the time because they have a stronger onion taste and I like that.

Spices:

• Definitely a very good sweet paprika powder, I always use Hungarian sweet paprika powder, the best quality I can get. Cheap paprika powder that you can buy for less than one Euro at the supermarket is a joke…
• Do use caraway seeds, if you like them. I absolutely love them, but I don’t add them very often, because the rest of m family is not a fan. (both Amazon affiliate links)

How to make Obatzda?

Another bonus when it comes to this Camembert bread spread is that you will probably not need more than 5 minutes or so to make it, especially if you use a kitchen machine. I always make it in my Thermomix.

• I throw in the scallion pieces first, process them for 1 or 2 seconds.
• Add the Camembert cut into chunks and the cream cheese. Some salt and pepper, plenty of sweet ground paprika.
• Process for 5 seconds or so and you’re done!
• The Camembert spread should not be turned into a smooth paste, the cheese should be finely chopped but not pureed, everything should remain slightly chunky.

Without a food processor:

• Chop the green onions very finely and place them into a bowl.
• Chop the Camembert very finely and crush it slightly with a fork to make it finer. However, it should not become a paste but remain slightly chunky. Add it to the bowl.
• Add the sweet paprika powder, some fine sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Stir well and adjust the taste with more spices, if necessary. That’s it!

How to serve?

The classic way of serving Obatzda is with large soft pretzels, absolutely amazing! But as pretzels are not something I buy or bake very often, we actually almost always eat the Camembert spread on regular sourdough bread or on crispbread.

When entertaining, I make a larger quantity and serve it with crackers and vegetable sticks like radishes, the German version of Daikon radish (very Bavarian), carrots, kohlrabi, cucumbers, and so on.

The Obatzda keeps well in the fridge for several days, just make sure you keep it in an airtight container and give it a good stir before you serve it.

More dips:

• Garlic Sour Cream Sauce
• Egg Salad with Cream Cheese
• Spicy Avocado Spread
• Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip
• Ajvar