Potato Dumplings
Boiled potato, flour and egg shaped into balls and simmered until they float. Four servings in 55 minutes.
Photograph credit: Saarländischer Gefillder - filled potato dumplings from Saarland, Germany uncut by Bdx · CC0 1.0 · Wikimedia
Before You Start
Use floury potatoes for a light result.
Test one dumpling before shaping the rest.
Keep the water at a gentle simmer; a boil breaks them.
Cooking Potato Dumplings
Tap a step to highlight it, or turn on Cook Mode for large type and step-by-step focus.
-
Boil the potatoes in their skins for 25 minutes until tender. Peel while hot and mash very finely or press through a ricer. Cool for 20 minutes.
-
Mix the potato with the egg, flour, salt and nutmeg to a soft dough. Do not overwork.
-
Shape into 12 balls with floured hands. Drop one into simmering salted water to test; adjust the dough if it breaks.
-
Simmer the dumplings in batches for 12 minutes, until they float and are firm. Lift out, drain and toss with the melted butter.
Why the Method Works
Floury potatoes, boiled in their skins, mashed while hot and cooled before mixing: that is the foundation. The dumpling is only as light as the potato is dry.
Press the potatoes through a ricer or mash them very finely. Lumps show in the finished dumpling as hard white pieces.
Add the egg and flour with a light hand, and stop mixing the moment the dough comes together. Overworked dough gives rubbery dumplings. It should feel soft and slightly tacky, and hold a ball shape.
Test one first. Drop a single dumpling in simmering water: if it falls apart, add a spoonful more flour. If it holds, shape the rest. Simmer, never boil. They are done when they float, about 5 minutes later. Dumplings suit rich dishes that have plenty of gravy, such as roast pork or a stew. Leftover dumplings can be sliced and fried in butter the next day, which turns them into a second meal.
Storage and Reheating
Keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a pan with butter, or slice and fry.
Serving Potato Dumplings
- Roast pork
- Gravy
- Red cabbage
- Sausages
Questions and Answers
How long does Potato Dumplings take to make?
About 50 minutes in total — 30 minutes of preparation and 20 minutes of cooking. The recipe serves 4.
What are the key tips for making Potato Dumplings?
Use floury potatoes for a light result. Test one dumpling before shaping the rest. Keep the water at a gentle simmer; a boil breaks them.
What should I serve with Potato Dumplings?
Roast pork; Gravy; Red cabbage; Sausages.
How should Potato Dumplings be stored?
Keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a pan with butter, or slice and fry.
Is Potato Dumplings suitable for a special diet?
This recipe is vegetarian and no added sugar. Those labels are checked against the ingredient list, so a dish is only marked when nothing in it contradicts the claim.
How many calories are in Potato Dumplings?
About 362 kcal per serving, with 10 g protein, 67 g carbohydrate and 6 g fat. The figures are calculated from the ingredient list and are an estimate.
The Numbers per Serving
Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.
Reader Reviews
Cooked this? Leave a review
Written and tested by Turab
One person, one kitchen — no test kitchen, no team. How every recipe on this site is checked before it goes up.
Related Recipes
More German cooking and dinner ideas from Weekly Delight.
German Pork Schnitzel
Pork loin beaten thin, breadcrumbed and fried in a shallow pool of butter and oil so the coating puffs away from the…
Pork Schnitzel
Pounded thin, breaded loosely and fried in a generous amount of fat so the coating puffs away from the meat. That…
Bavarian Soft Pretzels
Chewy, deep-mahogany Bavarian pretzels with a distinct alkaline tang, from a food-grade lye or baking soda bath…
Black Forest Cake
Chocolate sponge soaked in kirsch, layered with sour cherries and unsweetened whipped cream, finished with chocolate…