German bacon dumplings are bread-based dumplings that are perfect in a hearty beef broth or served with Rinderrouladen (beef rouladen), German pork goulash or Kohlrouladen (stuffed cabbage rolls). Speckknödel dumplings are easy to make, heat up great, and are super delicious and satisfying.
They are a great alternative to German spätzle noodles or potato dumplings.
How to eat German bacon dumplings
You can serve the German bacon dumplings in broth as either a starter or entree, your choice.
If you're not in the mood for soup, simply dish up the dumplings as a side with your next pot roast and use them to soak up all that yummy sauce. Think of them like an American dumpling-shaped stuffing equivalent.
Homemade bacon dumplings are better
In Germany you can buy them dehydrated and prepackaged and all you do to make them is soak them in hot water. But just like with so many other German food items that aren't readily available in the United States, German bacon dumplings are also impossible to find.
So I had to come up with a recipe. And guess what, the result is BETTER than the prepackaged ones! You can actually taste the work and love that goes in them!
If I had to compare them to anything American, I would say stuffing with bacon in dumpling shape. This soup is incredible and perfect for any bacon lover.
German Bacon Dumplings (Speckknödel)
Ingredients
- 300 grams old bread either white bread or any kind of bread you have leftover. If you don't have old bread, just use fresh bread and reduce the amount of milk for soaking
- 240 milliliters milk
- 2 eggs
- 100 grams bacon
- 1 yellow onion on the smaller side
- 3 Tablespoons flour you may need more
- parsley fresh or dried
- salt
- pepper
- nutmeg
Instructions
- Soak the bread in barely warm milk and eggs for 30 minutes.
- In the meantime, small dice the bacon and sauté with the small diced onion over medium high heat. Season to taste with salt, pepper and nutmeg, allow to cool for a bit, and add to the soaked bread.
- Dust with flour, add in chopped parsley (I used about a handful, but you can use more or less depending on taste).
- Using your hands, combine until you have a thick kneadable, slightly sticky dough consistency. You don't want your dough to be too wet, so you may need to add a little more flour. There will still be some bread chunks in the dough and that is actually okay and desired.
- Shape small bread dumplings by hand. It helps to have a bowl of water closeby to keep your hands wet, so the dough doesn't stick as much.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Reduce heat to low. The water should stop simmering, but stay hot.
- Add in the dumplings and soak for 15 minutes. Remove with a skimmer.
- Serve in hot beef broth with cut up chives, leeks or both or as a side with your favorite roast, German pork goulash, beef rouladen or cabbage rouladen or a German roast.
