A specialty of the Bavaria region of southern Germany, drenched in gravy these famous SemmelKnödel (German Bread Dumplings) are pure heaven! Learn how to make these Knoedel from scratch!
These Semmelknödel (Bavarian potato dumplings) have always been a favorite mine. It doesn’t matter what they’re served with – drenched in gravy these Knoedel are pure heaven!
Semmelknödel (also called Klöße) are a specialty of the Bavarian region of Germany. My mother is from Bavaria, a favorite family vacation destination from where I grew up a little further north in Swabia. My mom also spent several years of her childhood in Thüringen (Thuringia) where the other famous German dumplings come from: Kartoffelklöße (potato dumplings) – (recipe coming soon!). Both kinds of dumplings are exquisite and I grew up with my mom and Oma cooking both kinds. Today we’re featuring the former, Bavarian Semmel Knoedel.
Beautiful Königssee in the Berchtesgarden region of Bavaria, where I spent many summer and winter vacations.
The Semmel Knoedel recipe is pretty standard: Diced hardened bread rolls, onions, butter, fresh parsley, milk, eggs, salt, pepper and often a dash of freshly ground nutmeg.
Another variation, Speckknödel (bacon dumplings), are prepared exactly the same way only they have the addition of cooked bacon. That option is included in our recipe.
German Semmel Knoedel are easy to make and they also freeze well, so I like to double or triple the batch, cook them, freeze them separated on cookie sheets, and then transfer them to ziplock freezer bags. Then when I need them all I have to do is thaw and reheat them covered in the microwave. They’re as good as new!
Let’s get started!
Let the rolls/bread sit out for a few days until hard. Chop the hardened bread into small cubes and place them in a large bowl.
Note: It’s much more convenient to use bags of unseasoned bread stuffing – it’s already cubed, simply let it dry out a little longer. (I do not advise using croutons though as they’re too hard.)
Pour the hot milk over the bread, cover, and let sit for 20-30 minutes or until softened.
Heat the butter in a frying pan and cook the onions just until transparent, do not brown them.
Add the cooked onions to the bread mixture along with the eggs, cooked bacon (if using), parsley, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Knead the mixture together with your hands until very thoroughly combined, breaking up as many of the bread cubes as you can until it’s a soft and chunky-smooth consistency. If the dough is too wet, add breadcrumbs (not flour).
Wet your hands to prevent the dough from sticking and form Knödel about the size of a tennis ball (they will expand slightly when cooked). Press the Knoedel between your palms to make sure they’re nice and compact.
Bring a large, wide pot of lightly salted water to a very light simmer – not boiling but just on the verge of boiling with lots of tiny bubbles floating up.
Carefully drop the Semmel Knoedel in the water and let them lightly simmer for 15-20 minutes. Do not at any point let the water boil or you risk your Knödel losing shape or falling apart. Carefully lift them out with a slotted spoon.
To Freeze The Semmelknoedel: Let them cool completely, place them spread apart on a cookie sheet and freeze them, then transfer them to a freezer bag or container. To reheat, let them thaw and reheat them covered (to create some steam) in the microwave.
Makes 6-7 Semmelknödel, depending on the size.
Enjoy!
Karl Allgaeuer / Shutterstock
These German Bread Dumplings are served with anything “saucy”. Here are a few serving recommendations:
Serve them with….Authentic German Sauerbraten:
…and of course you can’t have Sauerbraten and Knödel without Homemade German Rotkohl!
Serve the Knoedel with German Jägerschnitzel (Schnitzel with Mushroom Gravy)
…with Geschnetzeltes (Creamy German Hunter’s Sauce with Pork):
…or with German Senfbraten and Sauerkraut(Pork roast with mustard gravy)
…and my all-time favorite: Rouladen! (recipe coming soon!)
Semmelknödel (German Bread Dumplings)
Ingredients
- 11 ounces of white crusty bread (traditionally Brötchen/crispy bread rolls are used) , left to sit out for a few days to get hard and then diced into small cubes
- Note: It's more convenient to use bags of unseasoned bread stuffing - it's already cubed, simply let it dry out a little longer. (I do not advise using croutons though as they're too hard.)
- 1 cup hot milk
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 3/4 cup very finely diced yellow onion
- 4 strips bacon, diced and fried until crisp , optional for a variation called Speckknödel (Bacon Bread Dumplings)
- 2 large eggs , lightly beaten with a fork
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon salt (you can use less if using bacon)
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
- breadcrumbs, as needed
Instructions
- Chop the hardened bread into small cubes and place them in a large bowl. Pour the hot milk over the bread, cover and let sit for 20-30 minutes or until softened.
- Heat the butter in a frying pan and cook the onions just until transparent, do not brown them. Add the cooked onions to the bread mixture along with the eggs, cooked bacon (if using), parsley, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Knead the mixture together with your hands until very thoroughly combined, breaking up as many of the bread cubes as you can until it's a soft and chunky-smooth consistency. If the dough is too wet, add breadcrumbs (not flour).
- Wet your hands to prevent the dough from sticking and form Knödel about the size of a tennis ball (they will expand slightly when cooked). Press the Knoedel between your palms to make sure they're nice and compact. Bring a large, wide pot of lightly salted water to a very light simmer - not boiling but just on the verge of boiling with tiny fizzy bubbles floating up. Carefully drop the Semmel Knoedel in the water and let them "steep" 15-20 minutes. Do not at any point let the water boil or you risk your Knödel losing shape or falling apart. Carefully lift them out with a slotted spoon. Serve with Rouladen, Sauerbraten, Senfbraten, Geschnetzeltes, Jaegerschnitzel, etc.
- To Freeze The Knödel: Let them cool completely, place them spread apart on a cookie sheet and freeze them, then transfer them to a freezer bag or container. To reheat, let them thaw and reheat them covered (to create some steam) in the microwave.
- Makes 6-7 Semmelknödel, depending on the size.
Nutrition
Brandon says
Ich möchte Ihr Kartoffelklöße Rezept. Ich habe in Norddeutschland gelebt und sie waren häufiger. I love these recipes. They remind me of the time I lived in Germany for two years.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Brandon! Yes, Kartoffelklöße are generally more common in North Germany and Semmelknödel are more common in southern Germany, especially in Bavaria. Two years in Germany…LDS mission by chance?
Joyce says
My mother and grandmother made something similar using raw grated potatoes. They added dry bread cut into cubes, an egg to bind them, salt and pepper. They would shape them into balls about the size of tennis balls and put them on top of sauerkraut that covered pork ribs. They were cooked by simmering for an hour, and it was important not to lift the lid the entire time. The dumplings steamed on top of the sauerkraut, picking up the flavor of the kraut, and expanded slightly with cooking. Oh so good!
I’ve never found a recipe using this method and I am wondering if you were familiar with it. They called them “knodels”.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Joyce, yes, those are called Thüringer Klösse and are from the German region of Thuringia. They are a potato knoedel made with raw potatoes and the dried bread cubes are pressed into the center of the knoedel (or “kloesse”). Though my mom is from Bavaria (home of the Semmelknödel), she spent several childhood years in Thüringen and these potato knoedels are her favorite version. They are delicious!
vivian meyer says
Best recipe and so easy to follow! I wish I could buy a cook book from you!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thank you so much, Vivian! :)
Karin Weinzierl says
Being a Bavarian myself (Born and raised in Berchtesgaden / Bischofswiesen), I must say your recipes are spot on. Thank you for keeping them authentic GERMAN and Bavarian… :)
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thank you, Karin! :)
Kyle H says
This is very close to a recipe that my dad brought back from Austria after he lived there for a couple of years. His is very plain, just dry cubes of bread, some egg, milk, marjoram, thyme, and occasionally a bit of flour to help with the consistency. He cooks them in broth usually, and serves it with a cream sauce made with mustard and the fonde from making a ham steak. Thank you for making this version available. I always appreciate learning more about where the flavours of my childhood come from.
Lucy Hauber says
Love your recipe. Tastes wonderful and made me very proud to be a German. The recipe is just as good as my mother’s. She was from Schondorf, Germany.
If you ever make a cook book, let your viewers know. It will be a hit!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks so much, Lucy, I’m happy you enjoyed it!! <3
Heike says
Thanks so much for the recipe! It’s Sunday and I’m planning to eat them on Thursday. Will they keep or shall I freeze them in between? Cheers
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Heike, yes, you can freeze them after they’re cooked and fully cooled. Place them – separated – on a sheet pan and once they’re frozen you can transfer them to a ziplock freezer bag. Then just let them thaw and microwave until heated through.
Teresa Ly says
Degree of difficulty should I make a trial batch if doing for Christmas with duck?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Teresa, if you’re making something for the first time for guests I would recommend giving it a trial run first, then you can proceed with confidence the day of the dinner.
Linda says
I cannot wait to make these. Thanks for the wonderful recipes on your site. Do you think that chiabatta rolls would work for these knoedel? I want to use the perfect bread so the outcome is optimal.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Linda, yes, ciabatta will work well. Happy cooking!
Paem: says
Alright – I seem to be the only one to have had problems with this – my dumplings fell apart in the water – what went wrong? – can anyone help me
Angie says
My mom and dad always added a little flour to help them stick but too much will make them tough. Perhaps you let the water turn to a rolling boil which you shouldn’t.
Svetlana says
Thank you for the post, it made my day. Not just because of the Knödel, wonderful recipe, but the picture. I went to boarding school in Berchtesgaden, Jugenddorfwerke Christophorus Schule Obersalzberg, up the mountain. For ages I’ve now lived in Chicago and at times get very homesick for BGD.
Take care.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thank you so much, Svetlana, and I completely understand the homesick sentiment for beautiful Berchtesgaden!
Philip Ygnacio says
Awesome
Beth says
I just whipped up a batch of semmelknödel to go with some chicken soup. I made them with gluten free bread, and as a substitute for my grandma’s rolled dumplings, which don’t hold up well with gf flour. We love these. The nutmeg makes them next-level good. Thanks for sharing!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic, Beth, I’m so glad they were a success, thank you!
Jesse Nachtigal says
I was delivering grain to the local hutterite colony and they invited me to lunch. They served these and they told me I wasn’t really German if I didn’t like these. I loved them and will definitely need to make them for my family.
My ancestors immigrated to the United States in the late 1800s and I can’t think of anything cultural that we hung on to. I love finding some things I can introduce to my family that shows parts of their heritage.
deeba says
These are soooo good! I also added chopped liebstockl and roasted garlic. Lecker!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thank you, deeba, I’m so glad you enjoyed them! I LOVE Liebstöckel and virtually no one knows what it is here in the U.S.! You can’t buy it anywhere so a few years ago I finally decided just to grow my own. Now it gets a good 7 feet high every year and I have far more than I can manage, lol! :)
Monica Frame says
My Mother passed away 40 years ago and took her “dumpling” recipe with her. They were one of my favorite and have missed eating them all these later. One week ago my husband was put on low-carb diet for health reasons. I am going to have to make these anyway in remembrance of my Mother. Thank you.
P.S. She also made an oatmeal cookie with Anise seeds and I can’t remember what else. If you know that recipe I would love to see it.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I hope you enjoy these, Monica, and that they bring back warm memories for you. I’m afraid I’m not familiar with a German oatmeal-anise cookie.
Nina Gillispie says
My mother-in-law makes these. She grew up calling the naddles (?), her grandmother was a transplant from Germany and taught her how to make them. Sometimes her’s are good, sometimes not so good, bland as anything plain you can imagine. For example plain oatmeal. Haha! My husband and I ordered some in Munich that were out of this world. He also ordered some in Austria, but they had liver in them, so that was a hard pass for me, instead I had schnitzel! My husband has always teased me that I need to make them and I think that your recipe looks the most authentic (best) that I have come across, but I do have a question. Have you ever considered boiling them in a broth instead of water? I’m just curious if you think it would ruin the consistency? Thank you!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Nina! Yes, you can simmer them in broth if you prefer. But they’re already well-seasoned and flavorful if that’s your concern – they’re not remotely bland like the “naddles” you described :) Happy cooking and Guten Appetit!
Anonymous says
My dry bread was too hard & not softening after an hour soak. I heated the bread in milk on the stove & it very quickly became soft enough to use. Part of my heritage is to make use of everything possible. I wasn’t going to let that hard bread go to waste. Maybe the info will help the next person.
Judy Fleming says
Love your recipes
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks so much, Judy! :)
Jacqueline says
Hello, I just found your site! Can I reheat in the oven? Thank you
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Jacqueline, yes, just keep them well covered so the moisture doesn’t escape or they will dry out.
Angie says
You can also slice them up and quarter them and make a cold dish with a little oil and vinegar or even fry them in the pan the next day as they will be firmer. My mom and dad used to do that.
Monika Felicella says
Hello, I am enjoying your site and I would love to see your potato knödel recipe. I plan on making Roladen soon with rotkohl as my friend grew up in a german household and has not had his fav german dishes for a long time. Also do you have a streudel recipe as well. Would love to have it. I am from Elmshorn 40 K’s from Hamburg. I came to Canada very young 6 years old but remember all the great german food my parents used to make. Thanks for all your recipes . Tschüss Monika
Monika says
Unbelievably good! Just like my dad used to make! Funnily enough we recently went to Germany and most restaurants we serving pre made dumpling….so disappointing….these are 100 times better and so easy to make. Made these with a pork roast and your Rotkohl recipe (equally great recipe…very authentic) so pleased I found your site. Thank you 😊
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
That’s fantastic, Monika, I’m so glad you enjoyed both recipes, thank you! And what is up with those restaurants?? So glad you found our site, thanks again!
Susanne says
If you have Semmelknödel-leftovers: slice them and roast them in clarified butter. Lecker on a mixed salad. Or you add onions, bacon, scrambled egg and a bit of parsley to the frying pan (then you get “Gröstl”)
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thank you for the tips, Susanne!
Rebecca says
I have made these twice now very delicious . Tastes just like my Omas Knödel !
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic, Rebecca, thanks so much!