Homemade Potato Dumplings (Kartoffelknödel) Recipe
on Jan 16, 2023
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Potato dumplings (Kartoffelknödel) are a traditional side dish in Germany, but this is just one type of dumpling. There are endless variations of this potato dumpling recipe.
Read on to learn how to make this German potato dumpling recipe all year long, for mere pennies per serving.
About these
Homemade potato dumplings are easy to make, and few side dishes or main entrées say comfort any louder than delicious potato dumplings made from scratch. We love serving these with almost any meat dish like our simple Swiss steak, classic beef bourguignon, or braised beef.
There are many different types of dumplings recipes, and this simple recipe is similar to what you would expect with a chicken and dumplings dish. This version is less floury and more potato-forward than those types of dumplings.
What’s in this kartoffelknödel recipe
- Russet Potatoes
- Eggs and Egg Whites
- Potato or Corn Starch
- Flour
- Water
- Butter
- Seasonings
How to make potato dumplings
(Full recipe and complete directions are found at the end of this post.)
We like to use Russet potatoes to make these because they are starchy potatoes. Yukon-Gold potatoes are also a good choice as an all-purpose potato.
1. Start by washing between two and three pounds of Russet potatoes. Use a fork to poke some ventilation holes in the raw potatoes and then place them in a hot oven for about an hour.
2. When they are done, allow them to cool slightly. The best way to mash the potatoes is with a
potato ricer3. Next, you are going to evenly distribute the riced potatoes on a baking sheet and then allow them to dry out overnight in the fridge, or place them in the freezer for 20 minutes.
4. While the potatoes are chilling, mix up the other ingredients.
5. Place the chilled riced potatoes in a large bowl and slowly incorporate the flour mixture with the potatoes.
6. When the mixture looks uniform, add the eggs, working them in with a fork until just mixed.
7. Once everything is mixed, use both hands to form the potato mixture into a ball. Knead it lightly a few times until it forms a homogenous, smooth dough.
8. Using light and even pressure, form the potato dumplings. Break off small pieces of the potato dough to form potato balls about the size of golf balls.
Now you’re ready to cook them in a pot of water with a little bit of salt.
9. Once you add the dumplings to the boiling water, reduce to medium heat to a low boil. A hard boil can cause them to break apart, which you don’t want!
Just like magic, they will begin to float to the surface of the water as they cook. You’re going to allow them to rest on the top surface for six minutes before removing them from the pot.
10. Use a slotted spoon to place the cooked potato dumplings in a Dutch oven
Melt butter and slather the potato dumplings.
How to season these
We like to add some parsley, chives, or other fresh herbs to these potato dumplings. Some other ideas might include:
- Parmesan cheese
- Tomato sauce
- Gravy
Use whatever sounds tasty to you and then cover them and place in a hot oven for six or seven minutes.
What to serve with potato dumplings
This is a popular side dish in our home. We like to serve potato dumplings with a savory meat entrée, like our braised pork shoulder recipe. Our fried red cabbage recipe also makes for a nice compliment, full of color and savory flavor.
Crusty bread and homemade dinner rolls are also great choices to go with these!
Our Creamy Mushroom Sauce also goes well with these.
Common questions about these
You can store these for 3 or 4 days in the refrigerator in an air-tight container. To reheat potato dumplings, simmer them in a saucepan with a little water added until the middle of the dumpling is warm.
You can reheat these in a microwave on low power for 1 to 2 minutes.
Yes! You can freeze potato dumplings for later use. These make a great addition to stews and soup. Just be sure to freeze them.
Potato dumplings and Italian gnocchi are both made out of potatoes. They can both be served as a main dish or a side. That’s about all they have in common.
Potato gnocchi is much smaller and rolled to hold the sauce. Dumplings are quite a bit larger and not usually served with a sauce.
Are you looking for some more easy potato side dishes? Here are a few of my favorites!
Download a free shopping list for this potato dumpling recipe and use it the next time you go to the grocery store!
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Homemade Potato Dumplings (Kartoffelknödel) Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 lbs Russet potatoes, baked, peeled, cooled, riced.
- 2 eggs
- 2 egg yolks
- 3/4 cup flour, all-purpose
- 2 tbsp potato starch, or corn starch
- salt and pepper
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 4 quarts water
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
- 2 tbsp parseley, fresh chopped
- 1 tbsp chives, freash chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400° F. Wash potatoes, pierce the skins with a fork and place on a baking sheet. Bake for about an hour or until you can easily pierce through the potatoes with a paring knife.
- Allow the potatoes to cool slightly. Remove skins and then use a potato ricer to end up with 24 oz. of riced potatoes.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil and evenly spread the riced potatoes in a single layer on the baking sheet. Place in the refrigerator overnight, uncovered to use the next day, or in the freezer for 20 minutes if you are making these the same day.
- Using a small mixing bowl, beat the eggs and egg yolks together until blended. In a separate mixing bowl, mix the flour, potato starch, nutmeg, and salt and pepper (to taste).
- Transfer the chilled potatoes to a medium-size mixing bowl and add the flour all at once and gently cut it into the potatoes until evenly combined. Do not over-mix. Then add the eggs.
- Use a fork to uniformly combine the mixture. Then take both hands and form a ball, lightly packing it together.
- Place water in a large pot, add a little salt, and bring the salted water to a boil. In the meantime, break off small pieces of the potato dough and form golf ball-sized dumplings of similar sizes, between the palms of your hands, using light but firm pressure.
- When the water comes to a boil, place half the dumplings into the pot and reduce heat to a low boil. When the dumplings float to the top, leave in the water for six more minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and place in a Dutch oven. You should end up with about 24 dumplings and can boil them in two batches. Preheat the oven to 400° F.
- Slather the melted butter over the dumplings, then add fresh herbs and gently stir the dumplings to ensure even an even distribution. Cover the dumplings and place in hot oven for about seven minutes. Remove from oven and then serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- Russet potatoes will give you a nice starchy mix to work with for this recipe.
- When boiling the dumplings, replace any water that may be lost to evaporation.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Thank you! life changing. Probably a whole lot of people know about potato dumplings, but I did not. I used leftover mashed potatoes and a jar of sludgy canned potatoes. I made up 1/2 a batch into little balls and tried some in my chicken soup. They cooked up PERFECT. The rest went in the freezer for next time. I also grow potatoes in my garden. This will be great.
Julia, Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment; it sounds like these were a hit!
I’m going to make these tonight and serve them with homemade Salisbury steak. I’ll comment my reply with my verdict!
can these be made ahead a frozen
Yes. You can make the dough ahead, form them, then freeze them for up to 3 months. Wrap them in plastic kitchen wrap and make sure you get all the air out. Allow them to thaw in the fridge overnight and then finish making as directed.
My dumpling recipe came from my husband’s czechslovakian grandmother. Her ingredients were: 2 potatoes, 1 egg, 1/3 cup cream of wheat, 2 cups flour and caraway seeds. Put together, knead flour into potatoes and egg. Make into a long roll, slice into 1 inch slices, boil in saltwater for 10-15 minutes. Put into a bowl of sauerkraut, with more caraway seeds. Put into a casserole dish and bake for 30 minutes @ 350°. It’s wonderful!! A Thanksgiving tradition for many years.
That is not how my Czech grandma made dumplings! Sounds good though, and now I want to roast a duck.
I’ve tried several potato dumpling recipes over the years, and this is the 1st time I’ve had them turn out PERFECTLY! It’s also the 1st time I’ve come across the method of baking, and drying out the potatoes overnight. I really think that was key! Thank you so much, they were the perfect compliment to my Christmas day Sauerbraten!
My Grandma made similar but used Cream of Wheat instead of flour to extend the potatoes. They come out a little heavy, but are filling. We used to joke about not going swimming after eating a couple of these! Served with a roast chicken and used the chicken juice/ gravy instead of butter. Good the next day, sliced and fried with scrambled egg.
Great comments, Mark. Thanks for sharing!
I make my potatoes dumplings from my childrens great-grandmothers recipe. We boil potatoes and they sit unpeeled in the fridge for 3 days to get rid of all the moisture. We peel them then rice them and add 2 eggs and salt and lard then mix that together and add equal parts flour. Form a softball size portion. Then boil them in water til they float. They are great the next day sliced and fried in butter with syrup! Delicious