MIni German Potato Dumpling Recipe (Klößchen)
Making Klößchen is hard work, but I was a bit blind to that fact until I started making them on my own. That’s when I started to understand why my Oma was sighing rather heavily whenever we begged her to make them.As with so many of her meals, the ingredients aren’t too complicated, but it’s all about how those ingredients come to life. It’s the method. It’s the work that you can taste in every bite.Oma’s bite-sized, finely shredded potato dumplings are cooked with eggs in a skillet and topped with caramelized onions and crisped bacon. Klößchen was my Oma’s signature meal. And it feels like a hug from her whenever I make them for my family.Invite some family or friends to help you, just like my sister and I used to help my Oma make them. The help makes it half the work and double the fun.Also try my classic German potato dumplings, Semmelknödel (bread dumplings), which make great side dishes to a German beef roast.Find this and more traditional German recipes in my cookbook 'German Home Kitchen'!
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 1140kcal
Equipment
- 1 Box Grater this is my favorite one!
- 1 Cheesecloth for squeezing out the liquid from the shredded potatoes.
- 1 protective glove for saving your knuckles while shredding!
Ingredients
- 2 kilograms starchy potatoes peeled and finely grated
- 35 grams potato starch can use cornstarch instead
- 4 teaspoons salt
- 2 yellow onions large, sliced into half-moons
- ½ kilogram slab bacon cut into ½-inch (1 cm) strips (this is also known as lardons)
- 60 grams unsalted butter divided
- 4 eggs for frying right before serving
Instructions
Dumplings
- Working in batches, strain the grated potatoes. Place orange-sized portions in a thin linen towel or cheesecloth and wring out as much water as you possibly can.2 kilograms starchy potatoes
- To a large bowl, add the strained potatoes, potato starch, and salt and, using your hands, knead together until a just barely sticky dough is formed. If the potato dough feels too wet, try to wring out more water or add in more starch.35 grams potato starch, 4 teaspoons salt
- Heat a large pot of salted water to boiling over high heat. Place a colander in a large bowl; set aside.
- On a small cutting board, spread out a layer of potato dough, about ½ inch (12 mm) thick. Dip a soup spoon into the boiling water and, working in batches, scrape small dumplings directly from the cutting board into the boiling water, wetting your spoon with the boiling water in between.
- Let the dumplings boil until they float to the top, about 3 minutes.
- Using a skimmer, transfer the dumplings to the prepared colander.
Toppings
- In a large skillet over medium-low heat, add 2 tablespoons of the butter and the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until caramelized, about 30 minutes.2 yellow onions
- Line a large plate with paper towels. In a small skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon (no additional oil or butter needed) until crispy, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to the prepared plate.½ kilogram slab bacon
- In a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, then add the drained potato dumplings. Cook, stirring occasionally, until just starting to adopt a golden color, about 3 minutes. Crack the eggs directly into the skillet and stir until the eggs are scrambled and cooked through 1 to 2 minutes. Season with salt to taste.60 grams unsalted butter, 4 eggs
- Serve on individual plates, topped with the caramelized onions and bacon. Danke, Oma.
Notes
Use Protection: Without fail, I cut my finger and/or knuckles on the grater. I highly recommend you use a protective glove!
Nutrition
Calories: 1140kcal | Carbohydrates: 105g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 66g | Saturated Fat: 26g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Monounsaturated Fat: 27g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 278mg | Sodium: 3249mg | Potassium: 2565mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 665IU | Vitamin C: 33mg | Calcium: 119mg | Iron: 6mg