Semmelknödel — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

Soft, fluffy dumplings made from day-old bread rolls, eggs, and milk, poached until tender — Bavaria's genius for transforming stale bread into comfort food.

Ingredients

6 day-old bread rolls (Semmeln), cubed
250ml warm milk
2 eggs
1 small onion, finely diced
2 tbsp butter
3 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
Salt, pepper, nutmeg
1-2 tbsp flour if needed

Instructions

1 Cut bread rolls into small cubes and place in a large bowl. Pour warm milk over and let soak for 15 min.
2 Sauté diced onion in butter until translucent. Add to the bread mixture.
3 Add eggs and parsley. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Mix well — the dough should hold together when pressed. Add a little flour if too wet.
4 With wet hands, form the mixture into tennis ball-sized dumplings, pressing firmly.
5 Gently place dumplings into simmering salted water. Cook uncovered for 20 min without letting the water boil vigorously.
6 Remove with a slotted spoon. Serve with gravy, mushroom sauce, or alongside roasted meats.

Did You Know?

In Bavaria, leftover Semmelknödel are never wasted — they are sliced and pan-fried in butter the next day, creating "Knödelscheiben," which many consider even better than the original.