AI-generated image
Liptauer
Liptauer: Viennese paprika and caraway curd-cheese spread for dark bread
No Heuriger, the wine tavern on the vineyard slopes at the edge of Vienna, is complete without a bowl of rust-red Liptauer next to the bread basket. Quark and soft butter are beaten with sweet paprika, ground caraway, mustard, onion and capers into a spread that is creamy, tangy and gently warm. Spread it thick on dark rye bread with radishes and chives, or pipe it onto halved peppers for a snack board. A common mistake is using wet quark straight from the tub, which makes the spread runny; drain it in a sieve first. Most quark is set without rennet, but some brands use a little animal rennet, so pick one labelled vegetarian. Chef's tip: make it a few hours ahead; the paprika colour deepens and the caraway softens as it sits.
- Total time
- 15 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
To serve
Shop this recipe on Amazon
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Beat 2 ⅞ oz butter in a bowl with a wooden spoon for 1 minute until pale and fluffy. Add the drained 9 oz quark (Topfen), full-fat a spoonful at a time and beat until smooth, with no streaks of butter.
4 minStep 2: Stir in 2 tsp sweet paprika, 1 tsp ground caraway and 1 tsp medium mustard until the spread is an even rosy orange.
2 minStep 3: Fold in 1 shallot, 1 tbsp capers and 1 gherkin, then season with ½ tsp salt and 1 pinch black pepper. Taste: it should be tangy and lively, not bland; add a pinch more salt if needed.
4 minStep 4: Pile into a bowl, swirl the top, dust with a little extra paprika and scatter over 1 tbsp chives. Serve with dark rye bread (or gluten-free bread or vegetable sticks) and radishes. Covered, it keeps 3 days in the fridge.
5 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 150 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 3 g
- Fat
- 13 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does liptauer take?
- About 15 minutes in total.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
- What can I use instead of sweet paprika?
- Smoked paprika, half the amount.
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
Vegan nuoc cham
Nước chấm is the dipping sauce that goes with almost everything in Vietnam: spring rolls, bánh xèo, noodle salads and broken rice. Buddhist vegetarian cooks, all over the country, make it without fish sauce, using light soy sauce and a little coconut water for the deep, rounded taste. It should be thin, clear and pale amber, with flecks of garlic and chilli floating on top. Chef's tip: dissolve the sugar in the warm water first, then add the lime and soy, and stir in the garlic and chilli last, pounded with a pinch of sugar, so they float on the surface instead of sinking.
Mint and onion chutney
Onions fried gently until soft and sweet, then blended with fresh mint, green chilli and lemon juice. It's a mellow, fresh-tasting chutney that is great with bhajias, samosas, kebabs and tikka, or spread in sandwiches.
Sour cream dip
A simple, tangy dip made with thick home-made cottage cheese (hung yogurt) or ready-made sour cream, seasoned with garlic, chilli, black pepper and vinegar. Serve it cold with crisps, nachos and jacket potatoes. The book's other dips use this as their 'sour cream'.




