Knedle
Boiled dumplings with sweet or savory fillings from Central Europe.
Knedle are boiled dumplings, typically round or oval, with a filling. Their dough may be made from potatoes, choux pastry, or sometimes curd cheese. Fillings vary widely and can include whole strawberries, prune plums, apricots, apple pieces, mushrooms, curd cheese, or meat. These dumplings are common across Central and Eastern Europe. When filled with fruit, they can be served as a dessert, a main course, or a side dish. The dish traces its origins to the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
Plum dumplings, known as Zwetschkenknödel in Austrian German, Zwetschgenknödel in German, szilvásgombóc in Hungarian, and by many other names across the region, are a popular variant. Their dough is usually made from mashed potatoes, eggs, and flour. The dough is rolled out and cut into squares, then each square is wrapped by hand around a plum. Often, the plum’s stone is removed and the fruit is stuffed with sugar. The wrapped dumplings are dropped into boiling water. Once cooked, they are taken out, sprinkled with sugar, and served. They may also be topped with breadcrumbs fried in butter and dusted with powdered sugar.
For apricot knedle, see Marillenknödel.
- origin
- Austro-Hungarian Empire
- type
- Boiled dumpling with filling
- dough types
- Potato-based, choux pastry, or curd-based
- common fillings
- Fruits, mushrooms, curd cheese, meat
- region
- Central and Eastern Europe
Quick Facts
- Region
- Europe
- Course
- Main course, dessert
- Main Ingredient
- Dough (potato-based, curd-based or choux pastry) and filling
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Knedle are a versatile dish with a dough that can be potato-based, choux pastry, or curd-based. They are filled with a variety of ingredients including fruits such as whole strawberries, prune plums, apricots, and apples, as well as mushrooms, curd cheese, and meat. The fruit-filled variant can be served as dessert, a main dish, or a side dish. The dish is popular across Central and Eastern European countries, with its origins traced to the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
Reader's Guide
Knedle hold significance as a traditional dish that reflects the culinary heritage of Central and Eastern Europe, particularly the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Their adaptability—using different doughs and fillings—allows them to appear in both sweet and savory contexts, from a dessert to a main course. The plum knedle, known by many names across languages (e.g., Zwetschkenknödel, szilvásgombóc, knedle sa šljivama), exemplifies this regional spread. The preparation method, involving a potato-based dough, hand-wrapping plums (sometimes stuffed with sugar), boiling, and serving with sugar or fried breadcrumbs, is a shared cultural practice. This dish not only provides a link to historical foodways but also continues to be a staple in home cooking and festive meals, showcasing the resourcefulness of using local fruits and simple ingredients. Its legacy lies in its enduring popularity and the many variations that persist across national borders.
Did You Know?
- Knedle dough can be potato-based, choux pastry, or curd-based.
- Fruit-filled knedle can be eaten as dessert, a main dish, or a side dish.
- Plum knedle are known as Zwetschkenknödel in Austrian German and szilvásgombóc in Hungarian.
- The preparation of plum knedle may include removing the stone and stuffing the fruit with sugar.
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