Warm up with a big bowl of creamy knoephla soup, loaded with chewy, yet tender knoephla dumplings, chicken, and potatoes. It’s made in under an hour, and step-by-step photos are included!
The hearty aroma of chicken noodle soup filling the house on a chilly day is one of my favorite smells! A rich, creamy, stick-to-your-ribs soup like knoephla soup is even better!
It’s a popular soup in North Dakota, particularly during the cold winter months. My husband introduced me to this hearty soup years ago, and it’s become one of my favorites ever since!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Easy soup from scratch: Don’t let the idea of making knoephla dumplings from scratch scare you off. This easy knoephla soup recipe comes together with simple pantry ingredients and just one bowl, making it perfect for home cooks of all skill levels.
- Perfect for leftovers & meal prep: This big-batch soup makes a generous portion, making it ideal for family dinners, meal prep, and leftovers. Like many creamy soups, the flavor only gets better the next day.
- Comfort food classic: A traditional North Dakota soup, this creamy, cozy soup has warmed my family on cold winter nights for generations. It’s the kind of hearty homemade soup that brings everyone back to the table.
The next time you’re craving a comforting meal, make a big pot of knoephla soup, and serve it with a chunk of homemade sourdough bread for good measure!
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Pin ItWhat is knoephla soup?
Knoephla soup is a creamy dumpling-and-potato soup, similar to chicken-and-dumpling soup. It became popular in the midwestern United States thanks to German immigrants from Russia.
Knoephla refers to the chewy yet tender dumplings made with flour, milk, and egg. They’re dropped into the simmering soup to cook alongside the chicken and vegetables, delivering irresistibly satisfying, pillowy bites!
Key Ingredient Notes
For the knoephla:
- All-purpose flour – Make sure you measure the flour correctly using a kitchen scale or the spoon and level method.
- Egg creates structure by holding the dumplings together.
- Milk adds moisture and richness. I prefer whole milk, but 2% or low-fat milk is also okay.
For the soup:
- Bacon fat – I love using bacon fat for sauteing the vegetables. It adds richness and savory flavor to the soup. You can substitute an equal amount of butter.
- All-purpose flour is for thickening the soup.
- Garlic – Freshly pressed garlic cloves provide an irresistible aroma and robust flavor.
- Vegetables – Carrots, celery, and russet potatoes bulk up the soup, making it a more satisfying and complete meal.
- Chicken breast – Not all knoephla soup recipes include chicken, but I like adding it in for an extra boost of protein.
- Unsalted chicken stock – I prefer to use unsalted stock to control the amount of added salt in the soup. Salted chicken stock is okay, too, but you might want to skip the added salt in the recipe if you’re using salted stock.
- Milk – Whole milk delivers the creamiest mouthfeel. Reduced-fat milk is okay if you’re willing to sacrifice some of the thick, creamy texture!
How to make knoephla soup
Before you get started, chop the chicken, celery, carrots, and potatoes into bite-sized pieces.
1. Prepare the knoephla (dumpling) dough
- Combine the dumpling ingredients in a mixing bowl.
- Knead until an elastic dough forms.
- Cover the dough, and let it rest while you make the soup.
- While the soup is cooking, knead the dough into a smooth ball.
- Divide into 2 equal parts and roll into skinny, long logs, about ½-inch thick.
- Then cut into small bite-sized pieces.
2. Make the soup
- Melt the bacon fat in a large soup pot over medium-high heat.
- Add the carrots, celery, and potatoes.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes.
- Stir in the flour, garlic, and salt.
- Cook for another 3 minutes to toast the flour. Flour should be evenly dispersed.
- Pour in the chicken stock slowly while continuously stirring the vegetables.
- Add the chopped chicken.
- Bring the mixture to a boil. Then, reduce the heat to a simmer, and continue cooking until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.
- Pour in the milk.
- Then carefully drop the dumpling, one by one, into the soup.
- Cook the knoephla soup for 10-15 minutes or until the dumplings float to the top of the pot and are cooked through.
Expert Tips
- Rest the knoephla dough for at least 10 minutes. At first, your dough ball will look rough and not as smooth. And when you knead it after resting, it’ll turn into a nice smooth ball.
- Aim for uniformly sized dumplings so they cook evenly.
- To prevent the dumplings from sticking together in one big clump, drop them into the soup a few at a time, instead of all at once.
- Don’t add ice-cold milk to the hot soup. This can cause the milk to curdle and separate into a lumpy, unappetizing texture. Instead, let your milk come to room temperature, warm it slightly in the microwave, or temper it by mixing a few tablespoons of the hot soup broth into the milk first.
Make-Ahead
You can make the soup portion of this knoephla soup recipe 1-2 days in advance, saving the dumpling preparation for the day you plan on serving the soup.
- Make the soup as instructed, without the dumplings. Then, store the soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- When you’re ready to serve your knoephla soup, warm it gently on the stovetop over medium to low heat. While the soup is warming, prepare the dumplings.
- Then, cook the dumplings in the soup as instructed.
Storage
You can store leftover knoephla soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
To reheat, warm it on the stovetop over medium to low heat until warmed through. If the soup has thickened too much, add a splash of water, milk, or broth to thin it back out.
Knoephla FAQs
You won’t find knoephla in most grocery stores unless you’re in North Dakota or Minnesota. If you happen to be in the Midwest, you might just get lucky and find knoephla in the freezer aisle or even for sale at a local diner!
Every Midwest family puts their own unique twist on knoephla. However, knoephla is typically made using flour, milk, and eggs. Dried herbs, such as parsley, dill, and thyme, are added for flavor.
The literal translation of knoephla is “little button” and is derived from the German word “knöpfle,” which means “small buttons.” When Americans talk about knoephla, they’re referring to the small dumplings used in knoephla soup recipes.
More Hearty SouRecipes
Knoephla Soup Recipe
Ingredients
For knoephla:
- 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup (60 ml) milk Note 1
- ¼ teaspoon coarse kosher salt
For soup:
- 4 tablespoons (30 g) bacon fat
- ½ cup (60 g) all-purpose flour
- 3 garlic cloves pressed
- 1 cup chopped carrots 2-3 medium carrots
- 1 cup chopped celery 3-4 celery stalks
- 2 cups chopped russet potatoes 2-3 medium potatoes
- 1 chicken breast cut into bite sizes Note 2
- 4 cups (1 L) unsalted chicken stock
- 1 cup (240 ml) water
- 2 ¼ teaspoons coarse kosher salt
- 2 cups (480 ml) milk
Instructions
To make the knoephla dumplings:
- In a mixing bowl, combine the dumpling ingredients and mix into a ball.
- Cover the dough and let it rest while you make the soup.
- While the soup is cooking, knead the dough into a smooth ball.
- Divide into 2 equal parts and roll into skinny, long logs, about ½-inch thick.
- Then cut into small bite-sized pieces.
To make the soup:
- In a large pot, melt the bacon fat over medium-high heat.
- Add the carrots, celery, and potatoes. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes.
- Stir in the flour, garlic, and salt. Cook for another 3 minutes to toast the flour. Flour should be evenly dispersed.
- Pour in the chicken stock slowly while continuously stirring the vegetables.
- Add the chopped chicken. Bring the mixture to a boil. Then, reduce the heat to a simmer, and continue cooking until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.
- Pour in the milk. Then carefully drop the dumpling, one by one, into the soup.
- Cook the knoephla soup for 10-15 minutes or until the dumplings float to the top of the pot and are cooked through.
⭐️ Did you make this recipe?
Please leave a review and let us know how you liked it!
Tips & Notes
– Refrigerate leftover knoephla soup in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
– To reheat, warm it on the stovetop over medium to low heat until warmed through. If the soup has thickened too much, add a splash of water, milk, or broth to thin it back out.
– I don’t recommend freezing knoephla soup.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published on January 19th, 2016.
this is an amazing recipe! Sometimes I make Big spaetzle type dumplings. Awesome your from North Dakota!
Hi, Stephanie!! So gald you love my recipe. And thank you for your feedback!!
Loved loved loved the soup! But… my Grandma’s knoephla is never chewy or herbie.
But I will continue to make the soup. Without the chicken….knoephla soup never has meat.
Added the things I had, but I didn’t have chicken. Phenomenal!
Thank you for your feedback, Barbara!!
Uhm “aka chicken and dumpling”????
Thats a completely different soup, traditional knoephla never has meat in it.