Cheesy Ham Knoephla Soup – Potato Dumpling Soup

Knoephla soup is a potato dumpling soup that is creamy, cheesy, and we added in some diced ham for heartiness. This comfort food soup screams fall and winter. Give this dumplin’ soup a try today.

A ham and potato soup that is cheesy and then topped with homemade dumplings that are light and fluffy. A must make winter soup recipe to dive into! This is a recipe our mom taught us how to make. It is so.

This Knoephla soup is a cheesy version but leave the cheese out for a traditional white sauce mixture. We just prefer it with cheese.

Why Try Out This Soup

• Creamy Soup
• Full of Flavor
• German dumpling soup
• You can do a vegetarian soup, do ham like us, toss in diced chicken, etc.
• Reheats nicely the next day
• Great for entertaining guests

Ingredients Needed

Butter – Salted or unsalted butter works for this recipe. We recommend real butter not margarine. The butter adds richness to the soup.

Evaporated Milk – This is what our mother always uses. We think you could easily swap with regular milk, but it will alter the flavor a bit.

Ham – The ham is optional but it is one of our favorites.

Onion – Yellow or white onion is best, as you don’t want the onion to overpower the rest of the ingredients in the soup.

Sharp Cheese – We recommend using off the block cheese where you grate yourself. But as you can see we were in a rush so we used bagged. It just changes the texture a bit.

Potatoes – Yellow or white potatoes are best. Russets, Yukons, etc. work best. The potatoes will hold up best when cooked.

Seasonings – Parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper are what we used.

Dumplings – Now you can make homemade or make dumplings from the Bisquick box. It is up to you. We made homemade dumplings.

Variations To Recipe

• Leave out the ham if you want.
• Toss in some diced carrots, celery or other veggies for added flavor.
• Swap ham with shredded cooked chicken.
• Leave out the cheese if you don’t want a cheesy potato and ham soup.
• Change up spices and seasonings used if you want to change up the flavor.

How to Make

1. Start by peeling and dicing up potatoes and bring to a boil.
2. In another saucepan add oil and onions and saute till softened, this takes 4-5 minutes.
3. Add in the evaporated milk, ham, seasonings, and shredded cheese. Stir and simmer on low heat.
4. When potatoes are close to done, whip up your dumplings, and drop in the boiling potato water.
5. Place lid on and let them cook 8-10 minutes, do not stir.
6. Once done, drain, and then mix with the sauce mixture.
7. Serve with extra cheese, parsley, and dive in.

Storing Leftovers

Store any leftovers of your potato soup with dumplings in the fridge in an airtight container. This soup will store for 2-3 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.

This is not a freezing soup, as the dairy and dumplings will not freeze and thaw well. The texture will alter quite a bit.

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Practical notes

What is Knoephla soup made of?

Knoephla soup is a German soup that is typically made with chicken, potatoes, and dumplings. We prefer to use diced ham in the soup. It is creamy and made with a white sauce.

Why are our dumplings chewy?

Overmixing, or over-cooking can cause the dumplings to become chewy. You will find some people boil dumplings and others steam in a pot. Either method works, it is what you prefer to do.

Are gnocchi and dumplings the same thing?

Gnocchi are an Italian dumpling. Most gnocchi are made with flour and potato. Where classic dumplings are flour based. The texture between the two are also different.

How do you tell if dumplings are fully cooked?

Dumplings are done when you remove one and slice into it, and the inside is cooked through. The outside will be sticky but the center will have a flour biscuit style texture and be soft.

Ingredients

Makes 6 -8 servings

• 3 tablespoons stick butter
• 1 small onion, diced
• 8 ounces ham, diced
• 1 can evaporated milk, 12 ounces
• 1 cup shredded cheese
• 5-6 small potatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon freeze dried parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 cups flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup milk

Equipment

• Vegetable Chopper
• Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven, 7-Quart, Sapphire Blue

Method

1. Start by peeling, rinsing, and dicing up the potato into small bite size pieces. Place in a pot with a splash of oil (optional) and water. Bring to a boil and let it cook for 5-8 minutes.
2. While potatoes are cooking add butter to skillet on stove and add diced onions. Saute for 4-5 minutes.
3. Then you will add in the ham, evaporated milk, seasoning, and cheese. Lower the heat to a simmer and let the sauce cook as the potatoes are cooking.
4. In a bowl you want to add your flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix. Then create a well in the center.
5. Add in the egg and milk and lightly mix till combined. Then with a scoop or two spoons open up the potato pot, and make sure pot is boiling. Drop in the dumplings all over the top. Don’t stir, THIS IS IMPORTANT – or it turns to gravy.
6. Place lid on the pot and cook for 5-10 minutes. Depending on size of dumplings the cook time varies. Mine cooked in about 6-7 minutes.
7. Once dumplings are done, drain the liquid off potatoes and dumplings, pour in the ham and cheese sauce, and serve!
8. This knoephla soup is great topped with cheese and parsley.

Kitchen notes

Dumplings

– To know when the dumplings are done, you will remove one, slice and find the center if done being fluffy and the outside will feel stick. Depending on the size of dumplings the cook time will vary. Meat – You can replace the ham with diced or shredded cook chicken for a more traditional recipe. Vegetarian Knoephla – If you don’t want meat, leave it out, and just make the soup the same way but without the ham.