TikTok's Viral Potato Dumplings Are the Perfect Winter Snack: Recipe (2024)

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Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner

TikTok's Viral Potato Dumplings Are the Perfect Winter Snack: Recipe (1)

Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner

Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner is a writer and recipe developer. She's a regular contributor to The New York Times, Time Out New York, Forbes, and many more publications. She also writes the food newsletter, Specialty.

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Published on March 13, 2023

TikTok potato recipes are always a hit, and the latest viral potato dish is fun to make, especially if you’re into cooking with your hands. The trending TikTok potato dumplings take just two ingredients—whole potatoes and potato starch—and create versatile dumplings that can be used in a variety of sauces and soups, with flavors from cuisines from around the world.

Hailing from Germany, these potato dumplings are similar to the flour-based dumplings found in American-style chicken and dumplings soup, but less dense and naturally gluten-free. They only take a few minutes to make (though almost all of that time is hands-on) and are so satisfying to eat in so many different ways. Standard Russet potatoes work well here, though most potatoes will work in this recipe (more on that later).

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TikTok's Viral Potato Dumplings Are the Perfect Winter Snack: Recipe (2)

TikTok Potato Dumpling Recipe

Here’s how to make the viral potato dumplings that pack in the potato-y flavor.

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
  2. Wash and peel your potatoes. This is a recipe of ratios, so you can make the batch as big or little as you want. Start with about 3 potatoes, so you’ll have a manageable amount of dough, but enough to make a two-serving meal or a side to share. Peel off the potato skin and dice potatoes into 1-inch chunks.
  3. Add potatoes to boiling water, stirring occasionally until they are cooked through. You’ll know they’re done when you can poke a fork through easily. Drain the water and add cooked potatoes to a large mixing bowl. Smash with a potato masher, or use a ricer or food mill, if preferred, so all potatoes are mashed. Add 3 tablespoons of potato starch per potato used, season with salt, and stir to incorporate.
  4. Boil a fresh pot of salted water.
  5. Shape potato mixture into small balls. If desired, use the mouth of a long necked bottle to slightly indent the top of each dumpling. If the dough feels too dry, add a bit of water.
  6. Add dumplings to boiling water, stir and cook until floating. Immediately remove from water to prevent overcooking.
  7. Optional: Test potato mixture before cooking the batch by adding one dumpling to boiling water, cooking through, and taste testing for texture and seasoning.

Here’s How To Make the TikTok-Viral Crispy Potatoes

And now the fun part, the toppings! Melted butter works well as a dressing for these, and butter with fresh herbs in it, like dill and parsley, makes this extra fancy. You can also add shredded cheese on top. Or, go ahead and add the cooked dumplings directly to soup or to chicken broth for a quick and nourishing meal. You can also dress these dumplings with chili crisp from a jar, or make your own by pouring hot oil over minced garlic and chilies and stirring in the dumplings. Not a fan of spice? Make a peanut butter sauce to coat the dumplings in and serve topped with cilantro. Because these dumplings are a blank canvas, the variations are truly endless.

Potato Dumpling Modifications

Once you master the basic recipe, you’re free to try dozens of variations that best suit your palate. For example, try making these potato dumplings with sweet potatoes or carrots! Any starchy root vegetable will work.

If you’re a cheese fan, fold a small piece of cheese, like fresh mozzarella, into the center of each potato dumpling for a melty treat when you bite in.

Or stir ¼ cup chopped herbs into the dough to add a little sprinkle of green to every bite.

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Instead of rolling the dough into balls, roll it into long, udon-esque noodles, boil, and serve as a potato noodle!

If you prefer to cook your potatoes with the skins on and then remove them, go for it. Some cooks prefer this method because it keeps even more starch in the potato.

And if you’re craving a good crunch, sear your cooked dumplings in oil or butter for a crisp bottom.

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TikTok's Viral Potato Dumplings Are the Perfect Winter Snack: Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the meaning of potato dumpling? ›

Potato dumplings, known as Kartoffelklöße, are common in Bavaria, Thuringia, and the Rhineland areas, but they are also consumed all over the country. They generally consist of a combination of cooked and raw potatoes that are cooked in a salted water or pan-seared in butter.

Why are my potato dumplings gummy? ›

If your potato dumplings are gummy, it is likely the potatoes were overworked, or the dough was overmixed.

Why do my potato dumplings fall apart? ›

Why do my potato dumplings fall apart? Too little potato starch in the dough, too many dumplings added at once or the water was not hot enough.

How do you cook frozen potato dumplings? ›

The Two Easiest Ways to Cook: Boiling and Steaming

Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Add as many dumplings as can fit comfortably in a single layer in the pot and cook them until they float. Let them cook an additional two to three minutes. Fish them out with a strainer, drain them, and serve.

Where did potato dumplings come from? ›

Following the introduction of the potato to Europe, the German “kartoffel klöße,” or potato dumpling, emerged in northern Germany13.

What does lazy potato mean? ›

A couch potato is a lazy person. If your friend calls you a couch potato, she's criticizing the amount of time you spend lying on your couch watching television.

What are German potato dumplings made of? ›

They are actually quite easy to make, they are just a combination of cooked riced potatoes, blended with potato starch, eggs and seasonings. They are formed into balls about 2 inches in diameter, and then lowered into a pot of boiling water to simmer till cooked through, about 15 minutes.

What is a potato dumpling made of? ›

Potato dumplings are made with riced potatoes, potato starch, and eggs for binding. They are often topped with toasted breadcrumbs or stuffed with a toasted bread crouton.

Why are my dumplings hard and chewy? ›

Don't Overwork the Dumpling Dough

Stir everything together until the wet and dry ingredients are combined and you don't see any more dry flour. The dough might look a little lumpy, but that's okay! Overworking the dough is one of the easiest ways to end up with tough dumplings.

What is a substitute for potato starch in dumplings? ›

1. Cornstarch. Often used as a thickener, an anticaking agent, and a gluten-free baking staple, cornstarch is one of the best substitutes for potato starch when you're in a pinch. You can use cornstarch in place of potato starch in a 1:1 ratio.

Are potato dumplings done when they float? ›

Once water reaches a rolling boil, gently add each dumpling and continue to boil until the dumplings float. Remove the dumplings from the water using a slotted spoon or strainer spoon and place in serving dish. Best served hot with gravy or sauerkraut. Dumplings also make one of the best leftover breakfast items ever!

How do you make dumplings without falling apart? ›

The steam that builds up by covering the pot is what cooks the dumplings. Don't boil or stir the dumplings. Vigorous boiling and stirring will cause the dumplings to fall apart.

How do you make frozen dumplings more flavorful? ›

Rather than simply steam or pan-fry the dumplings, I stir-fried them in a hot skillet with sliced bell peppers and scallions, drizzled in some chili crunch and soy sauce, and now can no longer look back. It was so delicious! Frozen dumplings are a true lifesaver on the busiest nights when you're at your most tired.

How do you add flavor to frozen dumplings? ›

I boil the dumplings directly in a flavorful broth, such as chicken broth or instant beef bone broth, along with a few greens, like bok choy, and I can enjoy tender, boiled dumplings with delicious broth at once within minutes.

Do you thaw frozen dumplings before cooking? ›

Do you need to defrost frozen dumplings? No, you do not need to defrost frozen dumplings before cooking, you can take them straight from the freezer to the pan. If you wanted a faster cooking time, let the dumplings partially thaw for 10 minutes before cooking.

What is the meaning of dumplings? ›

dumpling, small mass of leavened dough that is either boiled or steamed and served in soups or stews or with fruit. Dumplings are most commonly formed from flour or meal bound with egg and then simmered in water or gravy stock until they take on a light cakey texture.

What is the original meaning of dumplings? ›

The most popular tradition we see today is to eat them with the Lunar New Year celebrations. Dumplings slightly resemble the shape of a type of golden ingot that was used as a currency in China hundreds of years ago. For this reason, dumplings are a symbol of wealth and prosperity.

What is the other meaning of dumplings? ›

: a casing of dough enclosing a typically savory filling (such as meat or seafood) and cooked usually by boiling, steaming, or pan-frying see gyoza, pot sticker, wonton. c. : a usually baked dessert of fruit wrapped in dough.

What do Chinese dumplings Symbolise? ›

The dumplings, often shaped to look like boat-shaped silver ingots, an ancient Chinese currency, are symbolic of prosperity and wealth due to their auspicious shape.

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