Rote-Bete-Knödel
Vibrant pink beetroot bread dumplings, known in Italian as canederli di barbabietola. A modern South Tyrolean classic served with horseradish cream and melted butter.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 45 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 460 kcal
Equipment
- •Large stockpot
- •Slotted spoon
- •Food processor or blender
- •Large mixing bowl
- •Small saucepan
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 460 kcal
- fat
- 21 g
- carbs
- 54 g
- fibre
- 5 g
- protein
- 14 g
- calories
- 460 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Place the dry bread cubes into a wide mixing bowl.
- 2
Melt 20 g of butter in a pan and cook the onion until soft and sweet without colouring.
- 3
Purée the cooked beetroot, eggs, milk, and salt in a blender until completely smooth.
- 4
Pour the pink beetroot purée and cooked onion over the bread cubes.
- 5
Add the flour and mix gently with your hands until the liquid is evenly absorbed.
- 6
Leave the mixture to rest for 15 minutes so the bread softens thoroughly.
- 7
Shape the mixture with wet hands into eight smooth, compact round dumplings.
- 8
Mix the sour cream, grated horseradish, and a pinch of salt together in a bowl.
- 9
Bring a large pot of salted water to a gentle, steady simmer.
- 10
Lower the dumplings into the water and simmer gently for 15 minutes until they float.
- 11
Melt the remaining 40 g of butter in a small pan until foaming.
- 12
Serve the hot dumplings with horseradish cream, melted butter, grated cheese, and chives.
Chef's tips
Handle the dough lightly without mashing the bread completely, preserving a light interior texture. If the mixture feels too wet after resting, add a tablespoon of flour; if too dry, add a splash of milk.
Ingredient substitutions
- fresh horseradish (Kren) → jarred prepared horseradish, drained of excess liquid
- sour cream → thick Greek yoghurt, though the sauce will be slightly more tart
Storage
Keep cooked dumplings in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days.
Reheating
Steam gently for 5 minutes or slice in half and pan-fry in foaming butter until hot.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Boiling the water violently instead of simmering, which causes the dumplings to break apart.
- •Using soft fresh sandwich bread, which turns into a soggy paste rather than holding structure.
Serving suggestions
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