When the temperatures drop and the crisp fall and winter air settles in, it’s soup season in my kitchen. And one soup always tops my list: knoephla soup — a hearty German potato and dumpling dish that brings me straight back to my North Dakota roots.
When my daughter decided to explore her German heritage for a school project and needed an ethnic dish to share, knoephla soup was the obvious choice. While I can’t remember exactly where we found the original recipe we used, we’ve made it our own over the years — vegetarian, sometimes dairy-free, but always comfort in a bowl. (See my recommendations for vegetarian and dairy-free substitutions at the end of the recipe.) If you’re craving a little comfort on a chilly day, give it a try — you won’t be disappointed!
Knoephla Soup
⏲️Prep Time
30 minutes
⌛Cook Time
30 minutes
🍴Serving
4-6
🍽️Meal Type
Soup
Ingredients
- 5 cups water
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 large onion, diced
- 4 stalks celery, sliced (or diced)
- 4 carrots, peeled and diced
- 3 cups potatoes, diced
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. pepper
- 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 1/2 c. cream
- 3 cups flour
- 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 3/4 tsp. salt
Directions
In a big soup pot, sauté onions, celery, and carrots until tender. Add water, broth, bay leaves, seasonings and potato. Bring to a rapid boil and cook until potatoes are done (12-15 minutes).
While potatoes are cooking, prepare the knoephla dough dumplings. Mix flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl or stand mixer. Add enough water to make the dough stiff, approximately 3/4 cup. Roll dough into 1/2 inch rope and cut into 1/2 inch pieces with a pair of scissors.
Add knoephla and cream to soup and simmer for 30-40 minutes.
Recipe Variations
For a vegetarian, dairy-free option, I make substitutions for both the broth and cream.
- Broth | Gardein Plant-Based Chick’n Broth, McKay’s Chicken Seasoning
- Cream | Country Crock Plant Cream or Silk Heavy Whipping Cream
- Knoephla | While I haven’t been able to find it here on the East Coast, many stores in North Dakota sell Baker Boy’s frozen dumpling dough, which is pre-made and just needs to be added to the soup. When available, I’ll use that instead of making my own.
Amy's Assessment 