Kartoffelknoedel (Potato Dumplings)

These potato dumplings are the kind that show up next to schnitzel, sauerbraten, or rouladen on every German Sunday table, built to soak up brown gravy like a sponge. The Swabian version starts with potatoes that have already been boiled in their skins and cooled completely. The cooling step is critical, freshly cooked potato is too wet and starchy and the dumplings will fall apart in the water.

Beating the butter and egg together first before adding the cold grated potato is the technique that gives Knoedel their characteristic light, almost cloud-like interior. Skip the beating and you get dense, gluey dumplings.

The right dough texture is the whole game. Too firm and the dumplings turn tough, too pasty and they disintegrate when they hit the simmering water. Use breadcrumbs first, then add a tablespoon of flour at a time only if the potatoes are watery.

Chef Tips

• Boil the potatoes a day ahead, refrigerated potato shreds bind together better than same-day boiled potatoes
• Grate the potatoes on the large holes of a box grater rather than pressing them through a ricer, the texture stays more dumpling-like and less mashed-potato-smooth
• Test one dumpling first by cooking it in barely simmering water, if it falls apart add more breadcrumbs or flour to the rest of the batch
• Never let the water boil hard, a rolling boil shreds the dumplings. Aim for a gentle quiver on the surface
• Eat them the moment they’re done, leftover Knoedel can be sliced and fried in butter the next day for crisp golden rounds

Variations

• Hide a crouton (a small cube of bread fried in butter) in the center of each dumpling for the traditional Bavarian touch
• Stuff each one with a small piece of cooked bacon for richer flavor
• Add 2 tablespoons of finely chopped fresh parsley or chives for green specks and herbal lift