This Knoephla Soup recipe features soft, pillowy dumplings balanced by a creamy broth that stays rich without feeling heavy. Flavor is built directly into the dumplings using fresh herbs and a simple stovetop method that keeps them tender.
This recipe is written to solve the most common knoephla problems before they happen, especially dense dumplings and a broth that turns heavy or starchy.
- Rolling and cutting the dough to a consistent size helps the dumplings cook evenly and stay soft.
- Potatoes are fully tender before the dumplings go in, keeping the broth from turning gluey.
- Cream is added at the end to keep the soup rich without breaking.
After testing a few variations, this order and method consistently produced dumplings that held their shape and a soup that tasted just as good the next day.
Knoephla soup is a traditional German-American potato soup with dumplings, most commonly associated with North Dakota and the Upper Midwest. While it's often called potato dumpling soup or German potato soup, the defining feature is the soft flour dumplings cooked directly in the broth.
Ingredient Insights
The recipe card at the bottom of this post includes the complete list of ingredients, measurements, and instructions.
Potatoes: Yukon Gold potatoes are my personal favorite for this soup because of their buttery flavor, but Russet or red potatoes are fine to use as well.
Bacon: I like to add bacon to this soup for flavor and richness, but it's still great if you skip it.
Herbs: I chose parsley, dill, and thyme because they are classic knoephla soup herbs, but you can experiment with other fragrant herbs. Oregano makes a great substitution!
Tips to Make the Best Homemade Knoephla Soup
Make the Soup Broth
- Cut the potatoes into evenly sized cubes so they soften at the same rate and don't break down unevenly.
- Keep the broth at a gentle simmer, not a rolling boil. Boiling causes the potatoes to release excess starch, which thickens the soup before the dumplings are added.
- Make sure the potatoes are fully tender before moving on. Once the dumplings go in, the soup won't cook much longer.
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Prepare the Dumpling Dough
- When mixing in the milk and eggs, stop as soon as a shaggy dough forms. Overmixing can make your dumplings dense.
- The dough should look shaggy and feel soft. A smooth or stiff dough will cook up chewy.
Cut the Dough
- Use only enough flour to prevent sticking, so the dough doesn't become dry or tough.
- You can roll the dough into ropes and cut your pieces from there, but I think cutting from a rectangle is easier than a rope.
Cook the Dumplings and Finish with Cream
- Add the dumplings in small batches, stirring gently between additions to prevent sticking and clumping.
- Lower the heat before stirring in the cream, then heat just until warmed through to keep the broth smooth and balanced.
Top Tip!
The broth must be gently simmering, 180°F–205°F (82°C–96°C), before adding dumplings. Cooler broth causes them to absorb liquid instead of setting, which leads to dense or raw centers.
Make Ahead ⏳
You can freeze the shaped dumplings in a single layer, then store them in a freezer bag. When you are ready to make the soup, add the dumplings straight from the freezer.
Recipe
Creamy Knoephla Soup (Potato and Dumplings)
Recipe by:Ingredients
Soup
- 8 ounces (225 grams) bacon chopped
- 2 tablespoons (28 grams) butter
- 1 cup (160 grams) chopped onions 1 small
- 1 cup (128 grams) chopped carrots 2 medium
- ½ cup (85 grams) chopped celery 2 stalks
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ⅓ cup (43 grams) all-purpose flour
- 2 bay leaves
- 8 cups (2 liters) low-sodium chicken broth (2 quarts)
- 2 pounds (900 grams) potatoes cubed (about 3 large potatoes)
- 1 cup (250 ml) heavy cream
- salt and pepper
Knoephla Dumplings
- 3 cups (390 grams) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons (8 grams) baking powder
- 1 ¼ teaspoons (7.5 grams) kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon (1 gram) chopped parsley
- 1 teaspoon (1 gram) chopped dill
- 1 teaspoon (1 gram) chopped thyme
- 1 cup (250 ml) milk
- 1 egg
Instructions
- Place bacon in an 6-quart stockpot or Dutch oven and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently. Once the bacon is crispy use a slotted spoon or scoop to remove the bacon and place it on a paper towel.8 ounces bacon
- Discard about half of the bacon grease, leaving 3 tablespoons in the pan. Add butter to the 3 tablespoons of grease and melt on medium-low heat.2 tablespoons butter
- Add the chopped onions, carrots, and celery and increase the temperature back to medium heat. Cook until the onions are soft, 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook an additional 30 seconds1 cup chopped onions, 1 cup chopped carrots, ½ cup chopped celery, 2 cloves garlic
- Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring continuously, then add the chicken broth, bay leaves, and potatoes. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil, then reduce to low heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes, until the potatoes are soft.⅓ cup all-purpose flour, 2 bay leaves, 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth, 2 pounds potatoes
- While the soup simmers, prepare the Knoephla. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, and herbs.3 cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoon chopped parsley, 1 teaspoon chopped dill , 1 teaspoon chopped thyme
- Whisk the egg and milk in a small bowl or measuring cup. Then fold into the flour using a rubber spatula. The dough will be shaggy.1 cup milk, 1 egg
- Once combined, knead for 5 minutes by hand on a floured surface, or knead using the dough hook of your electric mixer on low speed.
- Roll dough ½" thick, then slice into ½" squares.
- Drop the dough one at a time into simmering soup. (It should be between 180°F to 205°F (82°C to 96°C.) Let them cook for about 5 minutes, or until the dumplings rise to the surface of the soup.
- Stir in heavy cream and cook until heated through. Remove the bay leaves then taste the soup and add additional salt and pepper, if desired. Top with bacon to serve.1 cup heavy cream, salt and pepper
Notes
To make this soup vegetarian, omit the bacon, add an additional 3 tablespoons of butter, and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. If using frozen dumplings, add the herbs to the sauteed onion mixture with the flour.
Equipment
Nutrition
The nutritional facts provided are only estimates. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Karla says
I'm pretty sure they're called "knoepfla", which matches the Swabian "Knöpfle", not "knoephla", which matches nothing in any German dialect. We love our Spätzle, Knöpfle and Knödel in Swabia! There are several dishes with some kinds of dumplings or spätzle (basically tiny dumplings, although we rather see them as a special type of pasta made from liquid batter) combined with potatos. Gaisburger Marsch for example, which also contains beef.
As a Bavarian-Swabian woman, I'm going to cook this American version of dishes from my childhood, I think that's fun. 😊
Erin Gierhart says
That's so interesting, Karla! You're absolutely right about Knöpfle being the origin. This version of the soup came from German and Scandinavian immigrants who settled in the Upper Midwest, and over time the spelling shifted to knoephla. I love that connection between the traditional Swabian dishes and this American adaptation. I hope it brings back a little taste of home for you!
Mel says
This sounds great . Could I boil chicken breast in the broth until they are cooked then shred them and add them back in instead of using bacon?
Erin says
Sure! Once the chicken is cooked and removed for shredding, add the dumplings to the broth so they can cook perfectly. Then stir the shredded chicken back in at the end.
Raven says
Would I be able to make the dumplings ahead of time and freeze them on a cookie sheet after I shape them? Then store in ziploc bag to have available anytime I need them. Then just throw the frozen dumplings directly in the soup.
Erin says
Yes, make sure they aren't touching on the cookie sheet so that they do not stick together.
Wendy Hall says
I want to make this for our Bible study soup night. Can I make the day before and the day of put in crockpot and heat it up then serve from there?
Erin says
I've not tried reheating it in a crockpot but I think it would be fine.
Eli V.B says
Great recipe! I love the dumplings and personally enjoy adding a good amount of black pepper with a dash of oregano
Erin says
Perfect additions!
Sammie Braddock says
My husband does most of the cooking. Looking for different recipes to try so our meals will be more Dr versified. Right now, we are in a rut where we are eating the same thing all the time.
Erin says
I hope you enjoy this soup!
BETH says
Very nice recipe, enjoyable soup, nice and creamy and filling and while it may be overkill I bake a loaf or two of bread to go with it. also I like to get out my spaetzle maker and thin out the knoepla to spin into the soup. Nice and easier than making the noodles and gives a lot of yummy noodles!
Thank you for having a website that isn't so overwhelmingly filled with ads that they cover the recipes.
Erin says
Hi Beth! Thanks for your sweet review. What a great idea to use a spaetzle maker! Perhaps not traditional dumplings, but so easy and still tasty. And in my opinion, fresh made bread is never overkill! Sounds perfect!
Terri says
Your reply to Justin about how to make sure the broth is hot enough for the dumplings to cook in,
this is so crucial in making the soup ….such excellent advice!
Thank you for your reply with this matter!
It is Very helpful.
Erin says
I'm so glad that you found it helpful, Terri!
Hannah Doerner says
I’ve grown up eating knephla soup and have always used the family recipe but my recipes are all in storage and so I used this one. Hands down way better lol. I did omit the butter and cream and used a can of cream of chicken at the end. Sooooo good! Thank you!
Erin says
I'm thrilled to hear it! Thank you, Hannah!
Justin says
I was really excited about this recipe but I had major problems with the dumplings. They simply would not cook. I boiled them for 30 minutes in the soup, taking one out and checking the middle every 5 minutes. I finally gave up when the soup started burning and removed all of the dumplings and boiled them by themselves in plain water for 15 more minutes but they were still all raw in the middle. The soup itself was good though. What did I do wrong?
Erin says
Hi Justin! This can happen if your broth is not hot enough before adding the dumplings, or if you add too many dumplings at once (as it brings down the temperature of the broth). The broth needs to be hot enough that the dumplings cook quickly on the outside. If the broth is too cool then the dumplings absorb the moisture from the broth and do not set, even if they are technically cooked through.
Jennifer says
My bf and I are both if German descent and had never heard of this soup. I made it and we both loved it! Making it again on this snowy night. Last time I made the dumplings a bit too big and didn’t use all the dough. Tonight I’ll make them smaller and I’m using all the dough! So good!
Erin says
It's perfect for snowy weather, isn't it? Thank you, Jennifer, for letting me know that you love it!
gina says
This is on the top of my list to try this fall if GA ever gets cool weather. 😉
Erin says
Yay! You'll have to let me know when you do!