Kniddelen (Luxembourgish Dumplings)

A recipe for Kniddelen (Luxembourgish Dumplings)! These homemade dumplings are served in a bacon cream sauce for quite the comforting meal.

Eat the World

It is time again for the #EattheWorld Recipe Challenge created by Evelyne of Culture Eatz! 

Each month we are assigned a different country as inspiration and post on the 10th. This month, we are celebrating Luxembourg and I made Kniddelen (Luxembourgish Dumplings) for the event.

Kniddelen (Luxembourgish Dumplings)

I grew up not too far from Luxembourg in Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany. We visited a few times when I was a child, but unfortunately I was too young to remember.

The closest I have gotten so far as an adult is Trier only about 7 miles (12 kilometers) from the border. Hopefully I get to visit again someday, but in the meantime I am excited to try all the amazing food at home!

For today’s event, I am sharing one of my absolute favorite Luxembourgish meals- Kniddelen mat Speck (dumplings with bacon). This dish is such an incredible comfort food, especially during the cold winter months.

The dumplings come together easily with a simple combination of flour, salt, eggs, and milk. Mix together until smooth to create a thick batter, then allow to rest covered at room temperature for about 30 minutes.

Drop spoonfuls of the rested dough into boiling water and simmer until tender. Serve warm with a rich bacon cream sauce and a sprinkling of fresh parsley or chives. They are also delicious paired alongside an apple compote.

A Few Kniddelen Tips

Some recipes use sparkling water in addition to/in place of the milk to bring the dumplings together. Others also include a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg.

As the water comes to a boil, I like to place some of the hot water in a small heat-safe glass and put it near the bowl of batter. Dip the spoon in the hot water between dumplings to help keep the batter from sticking. If it does stick a little, use a second spoon to gently push it off into the water.

After adding the batter to the pot, stir the bottom to keep any dough from sticking to the sides.

Cook the Kniddelen in batches to keep the pot from overcrowding and cooling off the water. It usually takes me 3-4 batches for this recipe.

I served the dumplings in a bacon cream sauce, but you can also simply pair the Kniddelen with bacon, butter (I particularly enjoy brown butter), and a sprinkling of fresh chives. 

The sauce can either be poured over the tender dumplings or everything can be tossed together in the pan to coat thoroughly.

Have leftover Kniddelen? I especially love to pan-fry them the next day in a little oil over medium heat until crisp around the edges.

Looking for more European dumplings?

Try my:

• Kartoffelknödel (German Potato Dumplings)
• Spinach Spätzli with Sage and Speck
• Tiroler Speckknödel (Austrian Speck Dumplings)

Check out what everyone else made:

• Kniddelen (Luxembourgish Dumplings) from Tara’s Multicultural Table
• Gromperekichelcher from Magical Ingredients
• Luxembourg Sweet Love Pretzels from Sugarlovespices
• Chicken in Riesling from Palatable Pastime
• Bouchée à la Reine (Vol-au-Vent) from Amy’s Cooking Adventures
• Bouneschlupp- Luxembourg Green Bean Soup from Pandemonium Noshery
• Bou’neschlupp from Culinary Adventures with Camilla 
• Stäerzelen (Buckwheat Dumplings) from Kitchen Frau
• Gromperekichelcher (Potato Pancakes) from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Gromperekichelcher- Luxembourg Potato Fritters from Sneha’s Recipe
• Coq Au Riesling from Making Miracles

Kniddelen (Luxembourgish Dumplings) Recipe

Adapted from Apron & Whisk

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Kniddelen (Luxembourgish Dumplings)

A recipe for Kniddelen (Luxembourgish Dumplings)! These homemade dumplings are served in a bacon cream sauce for quite the comforting meal.

Course Main

Cuisine Luxembourgish

Keyword bacon, cream, dumpling, Luxembourg, Luxembourgish, pasta, speck

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Resting Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Servings 4 -6 Servings

Ingredients

Kniddelen:

• 4 cups (500 grams) all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup (250 milliliters) milk

For Serving:

• 1 tablespoon (15 grams) unsalted butter
• 8 ounces (226 grams) bacon sliced or cubed
• 1 cup (250 milliliters) cream
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Freshly chopped parsley or chives for garnish

Instructions

• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.
• Mix in the eggs and milk to create a thick batter without any lumps. Cover and allow to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Pour some hot water into a heat-proof small glass and place nearby.
• Dip a small spoon into the hot water, then pull a teaspoon-sized piece of dough from the batter and drop into the pot. Repeat with a few more pieces, dipping the spoon into the hot water in-between to prevent sticking. Be careful to not overcrowd the pot (I usually do this in about 3 batches). Stir gently to make sure no batter is sticking to the sides of the pot.
• Simmer the dumplings until they rise to the surface, then a further 30 seconds after that to make sure they are tender. Use a slotted spoon to drain and transfer the dumplings to a serving platter. Repeat with remaining batter.
• While the dumplings are simmering, prepare the bacon cream sauce.
• In a large pan, melt butter over medium heat. Once melted, add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp and the fat has rendered.
• Drain excess fat, then add the cream to the pan over medium low heat. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Simmer the cream sauce with bacon briefly until slightly thickened. Keep over low heat until remaining dumplings have cooked.
• Top the warm dumplings with the bacon cream sauce and serve immediately with a sprinkling of parsley.