Dumplings are a typical side dish in Czech cuisine. The most famous are bread dumplings (houskové knedlíky) made of yeast dough, but potato dumplings are equally as popular in the Czech Republic. One of the most famous potato dumplings variants are the so-called "Chlupaté knedlíky" which are described by this recipe.
What Are Chlupaté knedlíky
Chlupaté knedlíky dumplings are a Czech type of dumplings whose main ingredient is raw potatoes. Flour, egg, and salt are added to the grated potatoes. The resulting dough is then shaped out with a spoon small dumplings, which are then boiled in water.
The chupaté knedlíky dumplings are usually served as a side dish with meat dishes. However, they can also form a separate dish when cut in half and served with braised sauerkraut.
GOOD TO KNOW: The literal translation of the Czech phrase "chlupaté knedlíky" is "fluffy dumplings".
Other purely Czech poetic names for these dumplings are “frncouchaté knedlíky”, “chlupaté buchty” or “chlupáčky”.
TIP: Here is also a recipe for classic Czech potato dumplings made with cooked potatoes.
Ingredients
- Raw potatoes; any all-purpose potatoes will work well, e.g., Yukon Gold potatoes in the U.S.
- All-purpose flour; 2 cups or a bit less – the more flour, the denser are the dumplings; however, too little flour will cause the dumplings to fall apart when cooked. In my opinion, a bit less than two fully loaded cups of flour are just right.
- Egg
- Salt; for dough + extra to salt the water in which the dumplings are cooked
- Pork lard; or unsalted butter, to fat the dumplings after cooking
✅ You’ll find the exact amount of ingredients below in the recipe card, which you can also print out.
Instruction with Photos
STEP 1: Peel the potatoes and grate them finely.
TIP: Learn, how to shred potatoes
STEP 2: Put the grated potatoes in a sifter and press them to squeeze out the excess fluid.
STEP 3: Transfer the squeezed potatoes to a bowl, add an egg, salt, and flour. Mix the ingredients until you have a thicker dough.
STEP 4: Using two spoons dipped in cold water, shape out small dumplings.
STEP 5: Cook them in simmering salted water for about 10-15 minutes (depends on their size). The dumplings will stick to the bottom after you put them in a pot. Use a fork to peel them off so they can float to the surface.
STEP 6: Take out the cooked dumplings using a sieve or a slotted spoon. Place them in a bowl and brush with lard. Keep them in a warm place until you serve them.
Serving
Serve the "chlupaté knedlíky" warm as a side dish instead of the classic potato dumplings. You can take a look below at our weekend lunch: smoked meat with red cabbage and these chlupaté potato dumplings.
As a separate dish, serve chlupaté dumplings with chopped onions fried in lard. Another option is to slice them, cover them with sauerkraut, and top them with fried bacon pieces.
Chlupaté knedlíky replace the classic potato dumplings and can be a welcome change in your kitchen.
MY TIP: Chlupaté potato dumplings pair great with this pork roast belly!
Cook's Tips
- To be sure that the cooking itself will be up to par, cook one piece of chlupatý knedlík first as a test. If it falls apart, work additional flour into the dough. If the dumpling is too hard for your taste, add a little butter to the dough.
- Either all-purpose potatoes or those with more starch are suitable for making dumplings. Waxy potatoes are less appropriate.
How to Prevent Grated Potatoes from Turning Brown
The fact that grated potatoes start to turn brown is a natural enzymatic process. Don't worry; the potatoes are perfectly edible, the browning is no blemish.
You can grate the potatoes in cold water with a tablespoon of vinegar to slow the browning. But then they will require special treatment – you must squeeze the water out very thoroughly and then pour a little hot milk over them and squeeze one more time.
This way, the grated potatoes will retain their light color.
More Czech potato recipes:
- Bramboráky – fried potato pancakes
- Baked smashed potatoes – Czech "brambory v troubě"
- Šťouchané brambory – crushed potatoes
Recipe card
Potato Dumplings Czech Chlupaté knedlíky
Ingredients
- 1 and ¾ lb (790 g) raw potatoes
- 2 cups (260 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 egg
- 1 and ½ tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp pork lard or unsalted butter
Instructions
- Peel the potatoes and grate them finely.
- Put the grated potatoes in a sifter and press them to squeeze out the excess liquid.
- Transfer squeezed potatoes to a bowl, add an egg, salt, and flour. Mix the ingredients until a thicker dough is created.
- Using two spoons dipped in cold water, shape small dumplings.
- Cook them in simmering salted water for about 10-15 minutes (depends on their size). The dumplings will stick to the bottom after you put them in a pot. Use a fork to peel them off so they can float to the surface.
- Take out the cooked dumplings using a sieve or a slotted spoon. Place them in a bowl and brush with lard. Keep them in a warm place until you serve them.
Notes
- Makes about 24-30 potato dumplings (depending on their size).
- Serve the "chlupaté knedlíky" dumplings warm as a side dish instead of the classic potato dumplings.
- To be sure that the cooking itself will be to your satisfaction, cook one piece of chlupatý knedlík dumpling first as a test. If it falls apart, work additional flour into the dough. If the dumpling is too hard for your taste, add a little butter to the dough.
- Either all-purpose potatoes or those with more starch are suitable for making dumplings. Waxy potatoes are less appropriate.
DISCLAIMER: Because I come from Central Europe, my recipes are based on metric units such as grams or milliliters. Check out how I convert metric units to the U.S. system:
Conversion chart
Daniela
I love love love Chlupate Knedliky. I left Czechoslovakia in 1982 and this is one meal I have always made by heart because I remembered it so well. Many of my friends here (in Canada and USA) always want me to give them a recipe but I just tell them to come and watch me make them and take notes...haha...but NOW I can send them your recipe!!! Thank you for posting it. I grew up in Praha but spent all of my childhood summers in Polubny Hory...I think you live close to that area. I have sweet memories from there...so many memories :). I love your site, photos and recipes.
Petra Kupská
Oh, Daniela! Horní Polubný is a village in the Jizera Mountains! I live only about 30 km (18 miles) away! In the Kořenov area, that's where I often go on trips with my kids 🙂 Nature here is simply magical; the Czech mountains have a unique charm, and I love them very much.
About the chlupaté knedlíky dumplings – you are right, they are a typical Czech side dish. In the mountains, people often ate potato dumplings because potatoes thrived there. Some people make chlupaté knedlíky with raw potatoes, others with boiled potatoes, or half and half. In our house, the dumplings are usually made with raw potatoes and taste great!
Daniela
Yes, we always make them with raw potatoes also 🙂 You cook all the recipes exactly the way my mom did, that is why I love following you. It's like my mom's cooking!
Petra Kupská
Thank you, Daniela! ????
LeAnn
Yesss, this is exactly how my grandmother made them except she would drain the potatoes in a flour sack towel after grating them. By draining them you don't have to use as much flour for binding and the potato really shines through.
Petra Kupská
Ahoj LeAnn, you're right, this is a very interesting tip, thank you for it!
Mary Alyce
I make something similar (my husband's Mother's way), but put in a greased 7x11" glass dish and bake at 350º for about 35-45 minutes.
Then we just cut them in squares to serve. Love, love, love them!!
Mary Alyce
I forgot to add. . .she called them TOC and pronounced that as "thutch".
Petra Kupská
That's an interesting tip, thank you very much! In our house, we make polenta on a baking sheet, a cornmeal porridge that solidifies as it cools. We then cut it into pieces/squares and serve it as you write, like dumplings! 🙂
Diane Delkettie
My mom taught me how to make these dumplings, but she served them with halusky's? Can wait to make them again.
Petra Kupská
Hi Diane, thank you for your comment. Halusky, as they are known in modern Czech gastronomy, are tiny water-cooked dumplings. They are formed with potato dough that has been made of grated raw potatoes. The traditional recipe for halusky comes from Slovakia, a country with which the Czech Republic shares a border and with which we Czechs were united as one state from 1918 until 1992.
Haluski (with the letter "i" at the end of the word), for example, is a dish of boiled pasta served with stewed white cabbage and bacon strips in Poland.
Mk
Mom recipe was in her head. Grandparents from Kutna Hora region. She made dumpling log cut up with knife before adding to boiling water.
Petra Kupská
Kutna Hora is one of the most beautiful Czech cities, I have been there a few times. As for the potato dumplings, there are several ways to prepare them. From boiled or raw potatoes. Made as a whole log or pre-cut pieces just as you describe. I think our mothers and grandmothers each had a recipe they had tried over years of kitchen practice that worked for them and their loved ones liked it!
S brickman
Can these be made a day in advance? How would you recommend reheating?
Petra Kupská
For sure you can make these potato dumplings a day in advance. To reheat, I recommend slicing and steaming them; just a regular pot with a suitable steaming insert (not a big investment). Alternatively, I put the sliced dumplings in a plastic bag, splashed them with a few drops of water, and put them to reheat in the microwave. Hope this helps and good luck making the dumplings!
Shelly Lightowler
Thank you for the recipe. My mother used to make these and mix them in with fried bacon and home canned tomatoes, or fresh if in season. We all just loved this dish. Where it came from I don’t know just glad to see the recipe for the dumplings. Now can try to copy her dish.
Petra Kupská
Thank you for your nice feedback, Shelly!