Alma Bax 
Semmelknödel are a popular German dish, often served with sausage, sauerkraut, and potatoes. They are a thin square of dough that is boiled and cut into dumplings. They also can be steamed or fried (like pierogies) and sometimes eaten with applesauce.
Semmelknödel is one of Germany’s most quintessentially German dishes. This warm, soft, spicy bread pudding (similar to North American “stuffing”) is a traditional food served during the Christmas holidays. Once you’ve tasted it, you’ll understand why it is such a special part of German culture.
Bread dumplings, also known as Semmelknödel, are a German traditional food, which is also called a scone. The dumpling is a small delicious, soft, round, thin bread that looks like a half-moon. The bread is made from rye flour and it is filled with a mixture of cooked minced pork, veal or beef, and other ingredients such as eggs, onions, and potatoes. The dumplings are boiled in a large pot of water, and then are poured off a strainer, leaving the dumpling in one piece. The dumplings are served with a gravy, usually with herbs.
These Semmelknödel Are The Ideal Complement To A Hearty Meal!
Traditional German bread dumplings are the epitome of “full me up.”
These delectable boiling bread dumplings, known in German as Semmelknödel, are made with just a few simple ingredients: old buns, egg, onions, and parsley.
Semmelknödel go well with mushroom sauce or as a side dish with meaty dinners like roasts or even venison.
Semmelknödel straight from the pot!
Surprisingly, these bread dumplings are mostly consumed in Germany’s southern regions.
Lisa ate Semmelknödel on occasion as a child. However, since Kartoffelklöße (German potato dumplings) were more popular in the area where she resided, she generally ate them.
We also had genuine Semmelknödel at a Munich Brauhaus, which were extremely delicious.
On occasion, a dumpling known as “Serviettenknödel” will appear on the menu. It’s prepared using the same dough that these bread dumplings are produced with.
Instead of making tiny dumplings, you create one large dumpling and then slice it into pieces. Perhaps we’ll provide a separate recipe for it soon!
Serve these Semmelknödel with your main course and some parsley!
This bread dumplings recipe is really quite simple to make if you want to make a batch of Semmelknödel.
The most important thing to consider ahead of time is having firm bread rolls or French baguette on available.
This is significant since the Semmelknödel recipe does not work well with freshly baked bread rolls. You may also bake your own German bread rolls (Brötchen) at home and harden them up afterward.
Before you prepare Semmelknödel, think about what you’ll serve them with.
Again, meat dishes like roast beef, roast duck, or even German goulash go nicely with these dumplings, but there are many more choices.
Step-by-Step Instructions for Making German Bread Dumplings
You can find the recipe card at the bottom of this article if you wish to create wonderful Semmelknödel.
You can also follow along with the recipe instructions and process pictures below if you prefer to cook by sight.
You’ll be able to tell whether you’re on the correct road with your bread dumplings this way!
Begin with bread rolls that have been hardened.
You begin, make sure to utilize bread rolls or baguettes that have been hardened for at least a day or two.
Make tiny bits out of the rolls.
Place the hard bread rolls in a heat-resistant dish, cut into tiny pieces.
Bring the milk to a boil.
Fill a small saucepan halfway with milk and heat it on the stove until it barely begins to boil.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and pour the milk into the mixing bowl with the bread pieces.
Allow the bread to soak up the milk.
After a quick whisk, set the mixture aside for 15 minutes.
Prepare the parsley by chopping it.
Chop the parsley and onion into tiny pieces in the meanwhile.
Onions should be sautéed.
In a medium-sized frying pan, melt the butter and sauté the onion until it is transparent. Stir often.
Remove the skillet from the heat after the onion pieces are transparent and put the onion aside.
The eggs should be whisked together.
In a small dish, crack the eggs and whisk them with a fork until they are all the same hue.
Combine the remaining ingredients in a mixing bowl.
Add the sautéed onions, chopped parsley, whisked eggs, salt, pepper, and nutmeg to the bowl with the breadcrumbs after the bread has finished soaking.
Combine all of the ingredients.
Using a wooden spoon and/or your clean hands, combine everything.
To check the consistency of the dough, roll it into a tiny ball. It should be quite simple. Add a splash of milk if the mixture seems dry and crumbles.
If the mixture is too sticky, though, add additional breadcrumbs.
Bring the water to a boil in a large pot.
Bring a big saucepan of water to a boil with some salt in it.
Dumplings should be formed.
Form 8-10 dumplings in the palm of your palms as you wait for the water to boil. Make them as close to the same size as possible.
While you wait for the water to boil, put them aside on a dish.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the bread dumplings and the water.
Reduce the heat to medium-low after the water begins to boil.
You want the water to be slightly below boiling, with no big bubbles. This is known as “siedendes Wasser” in German.
Allow the dumplings to soak in the boiling water for about 20 minutes. Make sure there’s enough space for everyone to “swim at the top.” If you don’t have two pots, cook them in two batches.
A beautiful dish of German bread dumplings, ready to be paired with supper!
Remove them from the water when they’re done and serve them hot. They go well with any roast with gravy and a mushroom sauce for vegetarians, as previously stated.
If you have any leftover bread dumplings, keep them refrigerated overnight. The next day, cut them into slices and cook them in some oil or butter.
Enjoy our recipe for Semmelknödel!
Ingredients
- 6 firm crusty rolls (between 12-13 oz total in weight)
- 1 gallon of milk
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 yellow onion, medium-sized
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
- 2 eggs, medium size
- a half teaspoon of salt
- a quarter teaspoon of nutmeg
- salt and pepper to taste
- bits of bread (in case the mixture is too wet)
Instructions
- Make tiny cubes out of the hard bread rolls. Combine all of these ingredients in a large heat-resistant mixing bowl.
- In a small saucepan on the stove, heat the milk until it is just ready to boil. Remove the pan from the heat and pour the sauce over the bread. After giving everything a brisk swirl, set aside for 15 minutes.
- Chop the parsley and onion into very tiny bits in the meanwhile. In a medium-sized frying pan on the heat, melt the butter, then add the onion. On medium heat, sauté it until it becomes transparent. Stir often. Remove the onion slices from the pan after they are transparent and put them aside.
- In a small dish, crack the eggs and whisk them with a fork until they are all the same hue.
- Add the sautéed onions, whisked eggs, chopped parsley, salt, pepper, and nutmeg to the bowl with the bread cubes once the 15 minutes are up. Using your hands, combine all of the ingredients. Try rolling the dough into a tiny ball; it should be simple. If the mixture is too dry and crumbling, add a little more milk. Add some breadcrumbs if it’s too sticky.
- In a big saucepan, bring seawater to a boil. Meanwhile, in the palms of your hands, make 8-10 dumplings and place them on a big platter.
- When the water has reached a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and add the dumplings. Make sure there’s enough space for everyone to “swim at the top” simultaneously. If you don’t have two pots, cook them in two batches. Allow the dumplings to soak in hot (but not boiling) water for about 20 minutes.
- Take the dumplings out of the water and serve immediately. They work well with mushroom sauce, goulash, pig roast, and venison, among other meats.
Notes
- Allow new bread rolls to firm on the counter for 1-2 days before using. If you can’t find any bread rolls, you may bake your own or use a French baguette instead.
- Any leftover dumplings may be chopped up and fried in a little oil or butter the following day.
Information about nutrition:
Serving Size: 4 1 Serving Size: 1 Serving Size: 1 Serving Size: 1 Serving Size: 1 Serving Size: 1 Serving Size 245 calories 9g total fat 4g Saturated Fat 0g trans fat 5 g of unsaturated fat 94 milligrams of cholesterol 625 mg sodium 31g carbohydrate 3 g of fiber 2 g sugar 10 g protein
An online nutrition calculator was used to determine this nutritional information. It should only be used as a guideline and not as a substitute for expert dietary guidance. Depending on the particular components used, the exact values may vary.
How did this recipe turn out for you?
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Semmel is German for “bun.” It’s a common street food in Germany and Austria, usually made from a dough made from water, wheat flour and yeast. A filling is usually added to this dough. Sometimes the filling is made from a mix of grated cheese and ground sausage, and sometimes the filling consists of a mix of grated carrots, onions and spices. The dough is then boiled in water or broth, and once cooked is served with the filling. Semmel is usually served with butter.. Read more about types of german dumplings and let us know what you think.
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