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A cherished traditional German dish with a long history, this authentic Königsberger Klopse recipe, or German meatballs in white cream sauce, features tender meatballs in a creamy caper-studded, lemon-flavored sauce.

koenigsberger klopse recipe german meatballs white sauce capers anchovies sardines traditional authentic

What Are Königsberger Klopse?

Königsberger Klopse (“Koenigsberg meatballs”), also known as Soßklopse (“sauce meatballs”) in parts of Germany and Saure Klopse (“sour meatballs”) in earlier recipes, is a very traditional German dish consisting of meatballs in a creamy sauce studded with capers and flavored with lemon juice. The sauce is creamy, though it is not predominantly a “cream sauce”, the bulk of the liquid being beef broth with some cream added to it. The meatballs were traditionally made with veal, prized for its delicate flavor and tender texture, though nowadays a combination of ground beef and pork are used. Finely chopped anchovy filets were traditionally added to the meat mixture though today that’s likewise less common.

Something that distinguishes Koenigsberger Klopse from other meatballs is that instead of being fried or baked, they are simmered in broth, rendering them moist and tender. The sauce is basically a thinner version of a bechamel sauce that starts with a roux of butter and flour and then some reserved meatball broth and a smaller quantity of heavy cream is added. Once the sauce is thickened an egg yolk is stirred in along with capers, lemon juice, sometimes a little white wine, and salt and pepper. The meatballs are served with the creamy sauce.

These German meatballs originated in the former German city of Königsberg and is one of the best known examples of East Prussian cuisine. Königsberg was a city with a long and rich history and full of stunning architecture (later nearly all of it destroyed). It was founded in 1255 and was built on the site of an Old Prussian settlement dating back to the Teutonic Knights during the time of the Northern Crusades. It was a thriving Baltic port city and was also an important German intellectual and cultural center, home to Albertina University which was founded in 1544. It was home to a many notable philosophers, poets, musicians, artists, mathematicians, and scientists. It had been Germany’s largest easternmost city until it was taken by Russia at the end of WWII (now called Kaliningrad). Now nearly 80 years later, though the city is no longer part of Germany, Konigsberger Klopse still remains a cherished tradition throughout the rest of Germany.

koenigsberg germany — Königsberg Castle in 1895

Though my Oma and Opa were originally from Silesia (Breslau) and Pommern, considerably far south of Königsberg, my Oma gave me an old Ostpreußen Kochbuch (East Prussian cookbook) many years ago with her inscription in it that I cherish to this day. The first edition of the cookbook dates back to 1902 and Königsberger Klopse is one of the many recipes in it. In this cookbook there are two versions of Königsberger Klopse given (called Saure Klopse at that time). One is a basic version where sauce is made with a roux of butter and flour and the meatball broth along with egg yolk, capers, and lemon juice – no cream. The second version is referred to as a “feine” one (more upscale) and includes both cream and white wine. That latter is the version I’ve based my recipe on.

How to Serve Koenigsberger Klopse

Königsberger Klopse are traditionally served with boiled potatoes (firm, yellow waxy ones) and pickled beets (interesting so are Swedish Kalops, though I don’t know that there is any culinary connection). Those continue to be the most popular sides of choice though some cooks also serve Koenigsberger Klopse with rice or buttered noodles.

Königsberger Klopse Recipe

Let’s get started!

Place all of the ingredients for the meatballs in a large mixing bowl and knead it together really well to form a pasty, uniform mixture. Form into meatballs, about an inch in diameter or larger if you prefer. (These can be made in advance and covered and refrigerated until ready to cook.)

preparing meat mixture and forming into meatballs

Place the beef broth, onion, bay leaves, cloves and peppercorns in a medium-sized pot and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat and carefully lower the meatballs in the broth. Return the meatballs to a very low simmer, never boiling, cover the pot, and let them gently cook for 20 minutes.Transfer the meatballs to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm. Pour the broth through a fine-meshed strainer and reserve 1 1/2 cups of the strained cooking broth.

simmering koenigsberger klopse meatballs in broth

To make the lemon caper cream sauce: Melt the butter in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and use a wire whisk to blend it with the butter. Let the mixture bubble for one minute, continually whisking. Gradually add the reserved cooking broth while continually whisking to prevent lumps and continue to whisk until smooth. Add the heavy cream, white wine, capers, salt, pepper and sugar, and simmer for a couple of minutes until thickened. Add the lemon juice a little at a time, adding more as desired. Add more salt, pepper, and sugar to taste. Turn off the heat and whisk in the egg yolk. Place the meatballs in the sauce to coat.

Serve the meatballs and sauce garnished with chopped parsley or chives. Serve with salted boiled potatoes (preferably a firm, yellow variety such as Yukon Gold) and pickled beets (the traditional sides of choice).

Enjoy!

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