Nokedli Recipe (Hungarian Dumplings)
Published September 30, 2022. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
This tasty easy-to-make nokedli recipe, also known as Hungarian Dumplings, comes together in under 20 minutes. You will be surprised and just how delicious these are and how many dishes you can serve them with.
I believe side dishes to any main entrée can greatly enhance the dining experience. If you want to try out some new recipes, check out my Potatoes Anna or Roasted Brussels Sprouts.
Nokedli
Nokedli is a traditional Hungarian dish consisting of boiled dumplings consisting of flour, water, salt, and eggs, that are sometimes enhanced with thyme and whole milk. They are similar in ingredients, flavor, and preparation to spaetzle and can be made with a spaetzle maker.
There is another technique to make the nokedli using a spoon and a cutting board if a spaetzle maker is unavailable. These are commonly served with Chicken Paprikash, and you can see this technique in that video. The other way to do it is by pushing the dough through a perforated pan into the boiling water using a rubber spatula.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Flour – Regular all-purpose flour is all you need for this.
- Water – Cold water is perfect.
- Eggs – Large eggs at either room temperature or chilled are fine.
- Salt – I always use sea salt in my cooking.
How to Make Nokedli
In a medium-sized bowl, beat the eggs and water until combined.
Next, whisk in the salt.
Add the flour in 3 batches until the water, salt, eggs, and flour are combined and smooth. Let the dough rest for about 10 minutes. In the meantime, bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Spread a small amount of dough out onto a smaller cutting board and then position it at an angle over the boiling salted water.
Using a regular spoon, thin out the dough a bit at the end closest to the water and cut off small little pieces while frequently dipping the spoon into the water to ensure the dough does not stick to the spoon to make small nokedli dumplings.
Cook the nokedli until they float to the top.
Drain them and toss with melted unsalted butter and season with salt and pepper, and serve.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: If you cool this right after boiling, you can make these up to 2 days ahead. Reheat in butter and serve.
How to Store: Coat with a small amount of oil, cover and keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Once cool, coat in a small amount of oil, cover, and keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator for 1 day before reheating.
How to Reheat: Heat a large frying pan with 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter until melted. Add the strained and cooled nokedli to the pan and cook for 2 to 4 minutes or until hot. Season with salt and pepper, and serve.
Chef Notes + Tips
- You can also make the batter in a stand mixer or with electric hand beaters.
- It is also common to toss the cooked nokedli with sour cream.
- Feel free to make these in a spaetzle maker for ease.
- You could also add the dough to the pot of boiling water through a cheese grater.
- Use a slotted spoon if you do not have a strainer that fits in your pot.
- Serve nokedli with Chicken Paprikash.
More Side Dish Recipes
Nokedli Recipe (Hungarian Dumplings)
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons water
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
Instructions
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the eggs and water until combined.
- Next, whisk in the salt.
- Add the flour in 3 batches until combined and smooth. Let the dough rest for about 10 minutes.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season it with salt.
- Spread the dough out onto a smaller cutting board and then position it at an angle over the boiling water.
- Using a regular spoon, thin out the dough a bit at the end closest to the water and cut off small little pieces while frequently dipping the spoon into the water to ensure the dough does not stick to the spoon to make small nokedli dumplings.
We Polish call kluski . We serve them with milk soup, fruit soup, black soup, tomato soup or broth, as an use to the second main course or fried with soft white cheese and sugar. The dumplings are delicious and they remind me of my childhood. 🤤🤗
Our Hungarian grandmother would make chicken paprikash with these noodles. The gravy (made with the chicken broth, paprika and sour cream) was the best!
She passed the recipe down and I have been making it for family for years.
Thanks for sharing this recipe!!!
Excellent recipe easy to follow
I would definitely make this again. Perfect comfort food!
so good!!
So simple and worth the effort!
so good!!