Älplermagronen — the Swiss Classic in 30 Minutes
Yvonne Ammann VegetarianPasta and potatoes cook together in the same pot, then cream and grated mountain cheese go in. Fried onions on top, apple sauce alongside. Done in 30 minutes, around 3.50 CHF per portion for four.
Älplermagronen is the Swiss Alpine dish: pasta and potatoes in one pot, plenty of cheese, fried onions on top. It began as the food of Alpine herders, who had only a few keepable ingredients up on the mountain. That is exactly what still makes it practical — it all comes from the store cupboard, and it needs one pot.
Ingredients
- 300 g Macaroni
- 400 g Potatoes (floury, diced)
- 200 g Mountain cheese (grated, e.g. Gruyère)
- 2 dl Cream
- 1 dl Milk
- 2 pieces Onions
- 1 tbsp Butter
- 1 tsp Salt
- Pepper
- Nutmeg (optional)
To serve
- 400 g Apple sauce
Method
- 1
Fry the onions
Slice the onions into fine rings. Heat the butter in a pan and fry the onions over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes until golden. Set aside.
- 2
Start the potatoes
Peel the potatoes, cut into 2 cm cubes and boil in salted water for 5 minutes.
- 3
Add the pasta
Add the macaroni to the potatoes in the same pot and cook together for another 8 to 10 minutes, until both are soft. Drain.
- 4
Make it creamy
Pour the cream and milk into the pot, bring briefly to the boil, then stir in the grated cheese a handful at a time until melted. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
- 5
Serve
Divide between plates, scatter over the fried onions and serve with apple sauce.
Tips
- Cooking the potatoes and pasta in one pot saves washing up — and the potato starch makes the sauce creamier.
- In Switzerland the apple sauce genuinely belongs. Its sweetness and acidity balance the cheese and make the dish feel less heavy.
- Fry leftovers the next day in a pan with a little butter — the crisp crust is almost better than the original.
What can I substitute?
Any good melting semi-hard cheese works. Appenzeller comes out stronger, Emmental milder.
Single cream makes it noticeably lighter. Oat cream works surprisingly well but needs a little more salt.
Short ridged shapes hold the sauce best. Long pasta like spaghetti does not suit this dish.
If there is no apple sauce: soften apple wedges in butter for 5 minutes — same effect, a little more elegant.
Nutrition per serving
Estimated from the ingredients.
Frequently asked questions
Why are Älplermagronen eaten with apple sauce?
The acidity and sweetness of the apple sauce balance the rich, salty cheese. Originally, dried or preserved fruit was one of the few side dishes available on the Alp — and it became a fixed tradition.
Can I really cook the potatoes and pasta together?
Yes — it is in fact the classic method. The only thing that matters is the head start: the potato cubes need about 5 minutes longer, so the macaroni goes in later. Both finish soft at the same time.
How do I make Älplermagronen lighter?
Swap the cream for single cream or milk and cut the cheese back to 150 g. It stays creamy but saves around a third of the calories. A green salad alongside balances the meal.
Can I prepare Älplermagronen in advance?
They are best fresh, since the pasta keeps absorbing liquid. You can, however, fry the onions up to three days ahead and keep them in the fridge — that is the most time-consuming step anyway.
Are Älplermagronen vegetarian?
As written here, yes. Some families add diced bacon — a common variation, but not part of the base recipe. If you cook strictly vegetarian, check that the cheese uses microbial rennet.
