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Semmelknödel Autrichien

Soft, tender dumplings made from day-old rolls, milk, and eggs — the essential Austrian side for roasts, goulash, and anything with gravy.

⏱ 20 minPrep time
🔥 25 minCook time
🍽 6Servings
🏷 Austrian KitchenCategory
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Soft, tender dumplings made from day-old rolls, milk, and eggs — the essential Austrian side for roasts, goulash, and anything with gravy.

The bread that came back as a dumpling

Semmelknödel is the Austrian way of never wasting bread: stale rolls soaked in warm milk, bound with eggs and a little flour, simmered until fluffy. It’s the mandatory companion to Schweinsbraten and roast venison — and a dish grandmothers still judge at family gatherings.

Step by stepInstructions

  1. Place the bread in a large bowl and pour the warm milk over it. Let soak 15 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small skillet and cook the onion until soft and translucent, about 4 minutes. Cool slightly.
  3. Add the onion, parsley, eggs, salt, nutmeg, and pepper to the soaked bread. Mix with your hands, adding the flour gradually, until the mixture holds together when pressed into a ball.
  4. Shape into 8 large dumplings with wet hands.
  5. Bring a large pot of salted water to a gentle simmer. Slide in the dumplings and cook 15-18 minutes, until they float and are cooked through.
  6. Lift out with a slotted spoon and serve with roast pork, goulash, or any dish with gravy.

💡 Chef tips & storage

The mixture should hold together but stay loose — overworking it makes heavy dumplings. Simmer gently; boiling water makes them fall apart.

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Recipe details

Prep20 min
Cook25 min
Servings6
CategoryAustrian Kitchen
PublishedAugust 17, 2026
Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes

Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

Hi, I'm Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes. Simple, tested comfort food for real weeknights, written down the way grandma would. Pull up a chair. More about me →