With its name literally meaning "Heaven and Earth," Himmel und Erde is a simple German side dish with its feet on the ground and its eyes on the sky. A mixture of mashed potatoes and apples finished with fried onions is the perfect accompaniment to sausages, pork chops, and even chicken.
Himmel und Erde is a traditional German dish most popular in the regions of the Rhineland, Westphalia, Lower Saxony, and Gelderland. This rustic side dish dates back to the 18th century.
The name himmel und erde literally translates to Heaven and Earth. It’s derived from the old word for potatoes, which is erdapfel meaning earth or ground apples. The name represents the two main ingredients: apples (coming from trees in the sky/heaven) and potatoes (ground/earth apples).
In addition to its main ingredients, this simple mash is traditionally topped with caramelized or fried onions. It’s also typically served either on its own or alongside cooked sausages (particularly bratwurst), fried slices of blood sausage, or pork chops.
When served with blood sausage, it’s sometimes called Himmel, Erde, und Höllen or Heaven, Earth, and Hell. I served mine with chicken and apple sausages which are a great flavor pairing and a bit lighter, though not traditional.
Ingredient notes
- Potatoes: Use starchy potatoes such as russets for this recipe. Peel and cut them into 1-inch cubes.
- Apples: Use cooking apples such as Granny Smith, Cortland, McIntosh, Pink Lady, or Braeburn. Peel and thickly slice them. The apples cook faster than the potatoes so don't slice them too thin or they will fall apart early in the cooking process.
- Onions: The traditional topping for this dish is fried or caramelized onions, which you can make with brown or yellow onions.
How to make it
In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter. Add sliced onions and cook until crispy and browned (but not burned), about 15 to 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, add cubed potatoes and thickly sliced apples to a medium pot or large saucepan. To be honest, you can slice the apples even thicker than in the photos below since they will cook very fast compared to the potatoes!
Add salt, and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook until potatoes are fork tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
Drain, then return back to the pot and add more butter, salt, pepper and nutmeg and mash. The mixture can be smooth or chunky based on your preference. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Cover and set aside to keep warm until ready to serve.
Top the mash with the onions to serve.
Please scroll to the bottom of the post for the full recipe (in a printable recipe card) including ingredient amounts and detailed instructions.
Expert tips
A German friend of mine provided some additional input. She shares that the final result should be savory and sweet, and that you could even add some sugar if you’d like. She prefers himmel und erde served a bit chunky rather than a smooth puree. But you could easily go either way with the texture.
The apples will soften faster than the potatoes and may start to fall apart. Be careful when draining the apple and potato mixture. If the holes in your colander are particular large, the broken up apples can slip through. Because the apples are very soft and wet, you won't need any milk when mashing.
Keep a close eye on your onions and mix regularly, otherwise they can easily burn. These are more fried onions rather than caramelized onions, which cook lower and slower. The fried onions require less patience and finesse. You can, however, top with caramelized onions if you'd prefer.
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- Browse all German Recipes
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Himmel und Erde (German Heaven and Earth Potatoes)
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons (56 grams) unsalted butter divided
- 2 small to medium onions peeled and sliced
- 1 pound (455 grams) starchy potatoes (such as russets) peeled and cubed into 1-inch pieces (about 2 medium potatoes)
- 1 pound (455 grams) cooking apples (such as Granny Smith Cortland, McIntosh, Pink Lady, or Braeburn), peeled and thickly sliced into wedges (about 3 apples)
- Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, and ground nutmeg
Instructions
- In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, melt 2 tablespoons (28 grams) of butter. Add the onions and cook until crispy and browned (but not burned), about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, add potatoes and apples to a medium pot or large saucepan, add salt, and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook until potatoes and apples are fork tender, 10 to 15 minutes. The apples will soften faster than the potatoes and may start to fall apart.
- Drain, then return back to the pot and add the remaining 2 tablespoons (28 grams) of butter, salt, pepper and nutmeg and mash. The mixture can be smooth or chunky based on your preference. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Cover and set aside to keep warm until ready to serve.
- Top the mash with the onions to serve.
Notes
- Himmel und erde is an excellent side dish for cooked sausages (particularly bratwurst), fried slices of blood sausage, or pork chops.
- The apples will soften faster than the potatoes and may start to fall apart. Be careful when draining the apple and potato mixture. If the holes in your colander are particular large, the broken up apples can slip through.
Nutrition
*All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.*
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