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Tiroler Knödel from Austria

Tiroler Knödel

📍 Austria that ★ 4.3
Last updated Aug 13, 2026 · Reviewed by the WhatWhereVacay editorial team

Tiroler Knödel is a traditional dumpling from Austria.

About Tiroler Knödel

Tiroler Knödel is a traditional dumpling from Austria. Key ingredients include eggs, milk, cheese and onions.

🏛️ History & Culture

Tiroler Knödel trace their roots to the frugal Alpine peasant cuisine of the Tyrol region, which spans present-day Austria and Italy. The dish was born from the practical need to use up stale bread, binding it with milk, eggs, and cheese to create a filling, economical meal; its exact invention date is not documented, but it is a centuries-old staple of the mountainous area.

Regional variations exist between North and South Tyrol, with South Tyrolean versions often served in broth or with sauerkraut, while Austrian preparations typically pair them with salad or as a side to roasts. Culturally, these dumplings are a symbol of rustic Alpine hospitality and wintertime comfort, and they remain a beloved fixture on traditional menus, particularly during ski season and festive gatherings.

🍳 How to make Tiroler Knödel

AI-assisted, not kitchen-tested

Tiroler Knödel (Tyrolean Cheese Dumplings)

Soft, bread-based dumplings from the Austrian Tyrol, bound with eggs and studded with cheese and lightly browned onions. Traditionally served in clear beef broth or alongside sauerkraut and salad.

Prep
25 min
Cook
20 min
Total
45 min
Serves
4 (makes 8 dumplings)
Difficulty
Medium

Recipe ingredients

  • 250 g (8½ oz (about 5 cups cubed)) stale white bread, 1–2 day-old rustic white loaf, crusts on, cubed
  • 250 ml (1 cup) whole milk, lukewarm
  • 60 g (2 oz (about ½ cup grated)) Tyrolean mountain cheese (Bergkäse), substitute with Gruyère or Emmentaler if unavailable
  • 2 whole (2 large) eggs, size L, at room temperature
  • 1 medium (1 medium (about 90 g)) yellow onion
  • 20 g (1½ tbsp) unsalted butter, for sautéing the onions
  • 2 tbsp chives, finely snipped, optional
  • 1 tsp fine sea salt
  • white pepper, ¼, or freshly grated nutmeg
  • 2 L (8½ cups) salted water or beef broth, for poaching; broth is traditional

Steps

  1. 1 Peel and finely dice the onion. Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium-low heat and sauté the onion for 6–8 minutes until soft and pale golden; do not brown deeply. Set aside to cool slightly.
  2. 2 Place the cubed bread in a large bowl. Pour the lukewarm milk evenly over the bread, toss gently, and let it soak for 10 minutes so the cubes soften but still hold their shape.
  3. 3 In a small bowl, lightly beat the eggs with the salt and pepper (or nutmeg). Grate the Bergkäse finely.
  4. 4 Add the beaten eggs, sautéed onions (with all the butter from the pan), grated cheese, and chives to the soaked bread. Mix with your hands or a wooden spoon just until everything comes together into a cohesive, slightly sticky mass. Do not overmix, or the dumplings will be dense.
  5. 5 Cover the mixture and let it rest for 15 minutes at room temperature so the bread fully absorbs the liquid.
  6. 6 Bring the salted water or beef broth to a gentle simmer in a wide pot (do not let it boil hard, as this can crack the dumplings).
  7. 7 With wet hands, shape the mixture into 8 equal balls, about 90 g / 3 oz each. Press each ball firmly so it holds together; there should be no cracks.
  8. 8 Lower the dumplings into the simmering liquid. They should simmer, not boil. Cook for 15–18 minutes total; the dumplings are done when they float to the surface and feel springy but firm when pressed with a spoon. Internal temperature should reach at least 85 °C / 185 °F on an instant-read thermometer.
  9. 9 Lift the dumplings out with a slotted spoon, drain briefly, and serve hot in warm beef broth, or with melted butter and a green salad and sauerkraut on the side.
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