Knödel (Bavarian dumplings)
Photo: Afrank99 · CC BY-SA 2.5

History

Knödel are the Alpine answer to pasta or rice, made from stale bread (Semmelknödel), grated potato (Kartoffelknödel) or both. Bavarian recipes date to at least the 17th century. Munich's Wirtshaus tradition uses Knödel as the universal side for Schweinsbraten and Schweinshaxe, with sweet plum Knödel (Zwetschgenknödel) as a seasonal autumn dessert.

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Common allergens: Gluten, Egg, Dairy

Make it at home

Yield 4Hands-on 30 minTotal 60 minDifficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 400g stale white bread rolls (Semmel), cubed
  • 250ml whole milk, warm
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 small onion, finely diced
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • Small bunch flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
  • Pinch of nutmeg
  • Salt and black pepper
  • 2 tbsp plain flour

Method

  1. Soak the cubed bread in warm milk for 15 minutes until soft but not soggy. Squeeze gently.
  2. Sweat the diced onion in butter until translucent, 5 minutes. Add to the bread.
  3. Add eggs, parsley, nutmeg, salt and pepper to the bread. Mix by hand until uniform.
  4. Add flour if the mixture feels too wet. Rest 10 minutes for the bread to absorb.
  5. Wet your hands. Form 8 dumplings the size of a tennis ball. Press firmly so they hold.
  6. Simmer (never boil) the dumplings in salted water 18 minutes; they float when done. Lift out with a slotted spoon.

Tip from the editors. Boiling the dumplings hard breaks them up. Keep the water at a bare simmer, just shy of a roll.

Where to eat knödel (bavarian dumplings)

Knödel (Bavarian dumplings) in Munich

Wirtshaus in der Au ★ 4.3

€€ BavarianAu Giesing

Wirtshaus in der Au on Munich's Lilienstrasse, between Deutsches Museum and Gasteig, is the city's best room for Knödel and dumpling sampler plates.

OrderThe Knödel sampler: spinach, semmel and sweet plum dumpling for dessert.

TipOpen evenings only weekdays; Saturday and Sunday lunch is the easier reservation.

Directions

Andechser am Dom ★ 4.0

€€ BavarianAltstadt Lehel

Andechser am Dom pours the Andechs Monastery's beers a minute from Munich's Frauenkirche; the casual Bavarian room locals send out-of-towners.

OrderSchweinshaxe with potato dumplings and a half-litre of Andechser Doppelbock.

TipDaily 10:00-01:00; the Weinstrasse-side terrace catches sun till evening in summer.

Directions

Augustiner-Stammhaus ★ 4.2

€€ BavarianAltstadt Lehel

Augustiner-Stammhaus on Munich's Neuhauser Strasse pedestrian zone has been pouring Augustiner since 1829; the city's oldest Augustiner room.

OrderSchweinsbraten with two dumplings; pair with Augustiner Helles tapped from the wooden cask.

TipAsk for the Muschelsaal (Seashell hall) when reserving; it is the most moody room.

Directions

Spatenhaus an der Oper ★ 4.3

€€€ BavarianAltstadt Lehel

Spatenhaus an der Oper, opposite the Bavarian State Opera in Munich's Altstadt, pours Spaten beer and cooks classic Bavarian; the suckling pig.

OrderThe Wiener Schnitzel with cucumber salad; the suckling pig with braised red cabbage if you want one big plate.

TipBook the upstairs room for opera pre-shows; the ground floor is the casual side.

Directions Book

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