Mom's Knoephla Soup

Knoephla soup is one of my favorite comfort foods.

During my college years, my mom would always have a huge steaming pot of homemade knoephla soup simmering on the stove every time I came home for a holiday break. 

If you’ve never had knoephla soup, it’s basically a German dumpling soup (many recipes call for potatoes & other veggies) that is similar to Chicken & Dumpling Soup, though the dumplings are smaller and denser and the soup is cream based.

I’ve included two recipes for Knoephla soup, the classic, which begins with a homemade stock and the weeknight version with a few shortcuts for a faster (but equally delicious) homemade soup!

Classic Knoephla Soup

Recipe from my mom

1 gallon water

1 whole chicken, rinsed

1 small onion, chopped

1 whole carrot

1 tbsp salt

2 tbsp chicken bullion granuales

1 cup cream or half and half

5 cups flour

1 – 1  ½ cups warm water

Bring the water to a boil in a large stock pot.  Add the chicken, onion, carrot, and salt, return to a boil.  Reduce heat to a simmer.  Simmer the stock for 1 ½ - 2 hours.

Remove the carrot and discard.  Remove the chicken, discard skin and bones, set meat aside.

Place the flour in a medium bowl.  Add just enough water to form dough.  Use your hands to knead several times.  Then turn out the dough onto a work surface.  Use a rolling pin to roll the dough about ¼-inch thick.  Next, use a pizza cutter to cut the dough into small squares, no larger than ¾-inch on each side.

Bring the stock to a rapid boil and stir in the chicken bullion.  Add the knoephla pieces 1 or 2 at a time, maintaining a rapid boil the whole time.  Eventually the knoephla pieces will begin to float in the boiling water.  Cook the knoephla for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Turn the heat down to low, so the soup is no longer boiling.  Stir in as much of the reserved chicken as desired, then stir in the cream.  Heat through and serve.

Serves 8

Weeknight Knoephla Soup

2 quarts chicken stock (homemade or store bought)

½ lb boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 2)

1 tbsp chicken bullion granuales

2 ½ cups flour

½ - ¾ cup warm water

½ cup cream or half and half

Bring the stock to a boil.  Add the chicken bullion and the chicken breasts.  Cook for 20 minutes.  Remove the chicken and shred.

Place the flour in a medium bowl.  Add just enough water to form dough.  Use your hands to knead several times.  Then turn out the dough onto a work surface.  Use a rolling pin to roll the dough about ¼-inch thick.  Next, use a pizza cutter to cut the dough into small squares, no larger than ¾-inch on each side.

Return the stock to a rapid boil.  Add the knoephla pieces 1 or 2 at a time, maintaining a rapid boil the whole time.  Eventually the knoephla pieces will begin to float in the boiling water.  Cook the knoephla for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Turn the heat down to low, so the soup is no longer boiling.  Stir in shredded chicken and the cream.  Heat through and serve.

Serves 4