Description
Knoephla Soup is a comforting German-inspired creamy potato dumpling soup popular in North Dakota. This hearty soup features tender potatoes simmered in a flavorful broth with soft flour dumplings cooked directly in the soup, enriched with cream and milk for a luscious texture. Garnished with fresh parsley, this traditional dish is perfect for warming up on a chilly day and can be easily made vegetarian or enriched with chicken or bacon for added depth.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup Base
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 cups potatoes, peeled and diced
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Dumplings
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup milk
Instructions
- Prepare the base: In a large pot, heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion and cook for about 4 minutes until softened and translucent. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for an additional minute to release its aroma.
- Cook the potatoes: Add the peeled and diced potatoes to the pot along with the chicken broth. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 10 to 12 minutes until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.
- Make the dumpling dough: While the potatoes are cooking, combine the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt for the dumplings in a medium bowl. Stir in the milk gradually until a soft dough forms that is easy to drop by spoonfuls.
- Add dumplings to soup: Reduce the heat to medium-low to maintain a gentle simmer. Drop small pieces of the dumpling dough into the simmering soup using a spoon, ensuring they are bite-sized to cook evenly.
- Cook dumplings and finish soup: Let the dumplings cook in the simmering soup for 8 to 10 minutes until they are tender and cooked through. Stir in the heavy cream and whole milk. Season with salt, black pepper, and dried thyme. Simmer for another 3 to 4 minutes, allowing the soup to thicken and become creamy.
- Serve: Remove from heat and garnish with chopped fresh parsley before serving warm. For additional richness, consider adding diced cooked chicken or bacon as desired.
Notes
- Knoephla soup is a traditional German-inspired soup popular in North Dakota, known for its creamy texture and tender dumplings.
- For a richer flavor, add diced cooked chicken or bacon to the soup.
- Ensure dumplings are small to cook evenly and fully inside the soup.
- This recipe can be made vegetarian by substituting chicken broth with vegetable broth.
