A recipe for Kasnocken- Austrian dumplings tossed with cheese in a cast iron skillet, cooked until golden, and topped with caramelized onions.
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Pinzgauer Kasnocken are small pasta dumplings covered in cheese and onions from the mountainous regions of Austria. This dish is traditionally cooked completely on the stove, combining the pillowy dumplings with caramelized onions in a cast iron skillet and stirring in the cheese (usually Pinzgauer Bierkäse) until it melts.
After the cheese has completely melted, stop stirring and allow the dumplings to sit against the sides of the pan to develop a crispy, golden crust before removing from heat. This meal is a definite favorite of mine. Leftovers were also still great the next day.
Bierkäse is a semi-soft white to light yellow cheese made from cow’s milk. It has a strong smell, but mild taste. If you are unable to find bierkäse, Gruyere or another Alpine cheese can be substituted.
I made the Kasnocken with a Spaetzle press, but you can also use a colander. Make sure it has holes large enough to push the dough through with a wooden spoon or spatula.
Want to add a bit more flair? Instead of caramelizing the onions, coat them in flour and fry until golden. Stack in a pile on top of the Kasnocken right before serving.
Looking for more dumpling recipes?
Try my
- Spinach Spätzli with Sage and Speck
- Spätzlesalat (German Spaetzle Pasta Salad)
- Bryndzové Halušky (Slovak Potato Dumplings with Sheep Cheese).
Kasnocken (Austrian Dumplings with Cheese and Onions) Recipe
Adapted from Global Table Adventure
Kasnocken (Austrian Dumplings with Cheese and Onions)
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Pinch freshly ground black pepper
- Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Topping:
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- 1 medium onion thinly sliced into rings
- 1 cup shredded or cubed Pingauzer Bierkäse or Gruyere/Alpine cheese
- Thinly sliced chives for garnish
Instructions
- In a large bowl, beat together the eggs, milk, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Gently stir in the flour, a little at a time, until just combined. Do not overmix. If too thick, add a little more milk. If too thin, add a little more flour. Let sit for 20 minutes.
- In a large cast iron or nonstick skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium-low heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and caramelized. Remove to a plate.
- While the onions are caramelizing, bring a large pot of water to a simmer. Place a spaetzle press or large-holed colander over the pot and fill with batter. Slide the press back and forth or use a wooden spoon to press the batter through the holes of the colander to create the dumplings. Cook until the dumplings float to the top. Remove with a strainer and drain well.
- Place the skillet over medium heat and melt the remaining tablespoon of butter. Once thoroughly heated, add the cooked dumplings and toss with the cheese until melted. Leave the pan undisturbed for a couple of minutes to create a golden brown crust along the bottom and sides of the dumplings.
- Remove from heat and serve hot topped with the caramelized onions and chives.
Agness of Run Agness Run
I am so glad I stumbled upon this recipe, Tara! It looks delicious and worth making.
Tara
Thanks Agness! It is a favorite of mine. I hope you like it!
Cathleen
There used to be a restaurant by my old house that had this on the menu, and I used to get it all the time. Since I moved away, I have been missing it!! Will definitely give this a go now, thank you so much for this recipe 🙂
Ben M
Such a neat and great tasting recipe. I was familiar with the lovely Spaetzle and just had to give this a try. It ended up tasting great and was easy enough to make. Thanks for sharing.
Alice | SkinnySpatula
I love Gruyere so much and this looks like a recipe in which the cheese would shine. Pinning to make soon!
Kara
This is like the best mac and cheese ever. I didn’t have a spaetzle press so I just pushed the batter through a ricer. It didn’t look quite as nice but tasted sooo good.
Emily
The whole family loved this recipe, such great flavor and simple enough to make!
Marilyn
I even have a Spaetzle press ! Gruyere cheese is a bit pricey, about 16$ per lb. Can I use a good quality Swiss as a sub? TY for a response.
Tara
Hi Marilyn! Yes that will work as long as it melts well. Hope you love it!