In the Bavaria of my childhood, Sundays felt ceremonial. The day began with church bells echoing across the village, followed by kitchens bustling to life. By late morning, the aroma of Schweinebraten — Pork Roast with crackling skin — mingled with simmering red cabbage and always included Potato Dumplings.
Potato Dumplings – A Taste of Home, Tradition, and Sunday Comfort
“Halb und halb,” meaning “half and half,” was the version my family made: half raw potatoes, half cooked. Their texture was unlike anything else — tender yet slightly springy, with a delicate chew that made them perfect for soaking up gravy. As a child, I would stand on a stool beside my mother, watching her grate the raw potatoes with practiced rhythm, her hands moving quickly while she told stories about her own childhood meals. The kitchen would grow warm and steamy, the windows fogging as the dumplings simmered gently on the stove. Those moments were as nourishing as the meal itself.
Even now, living far from Bavaria, making these dumplings brings me right back to that table — to the laughter, the clatter of plates, and the comfort of a meal that felt like home.
Cut up old bread for croutons 
Fried croutons in butter 
Boil potatoes. Can be done a day ahead. Peel 
Mash peeled cooked potatoes 
Mashing cooked potatoes 
Peel the raw potatoes 
Grate additional raw potatoes 
Squeeze grated raw potatoes in bowl 
Place the mashed, grated potatoes and the starches in a bowl with eggs and spices. 
Knead the mixture, it needs to have the right consistency 
Place croutons in the middle of Potato dumplings before placing in boiling water 
Form Potato dumplings and place on cutting board while you heat up the water 
Boil water with or without steamer 
Place the potato dumplings into the pot 
Steam (or boil) potato dumplings for at least 20 minutes 
Potato dumplings with gravy 
Potato dumplings with Gulasch
German Potato Dumplings halb und halb—literally “half and half”—are a beloved side dish made with a mix of raw and cooked potatoes, giving them a tender yet slightly chewy texture.
What Makes “Halb und Halb” Dumplings Special
Bavarian potato dumplings come in several regional variations, but “halb und halb” is beloved for its balance. The cooked potatoes give the dumplings their softness, while the raw grated potatoes add structure and that signature elasticity. Many families, especially in Franconia and Upper Bavaria, tuck toasted bread cubes into the center — a tiny buttery surprise that melts into the dumpling as it cooks.
In Bavaria, Thuringia, and Franconia, it is a cherished tradition and long-standing custom that delicious dumplings are filled with croutons in the center.
These dumplings are traditionally served with pork roast and plenty of gravy, but they’re equally at home beside Sauerbraten, venison, mushroom ragout, or even just a generous spoonful of browned butter. In many Bavarian households, they’re as essential to a Sunday feast as the roast itself.
Recipe: Bavarian Potato Dumplings (Halb und Halb)
Begin by preparing the crouton filling. Dice a stale roll or a piece of Baguette into small cubes, then fry them in a tablespoon of butter or oil until they turn golden and crisp. Set them aside to cool while you prepare the potatoes.
Wash one and a half pounds of Russet potatoes or Yukon Gold (add more starch with the latter) and cook them in a pot of water for about twenty minutes, just until tender. Drain them and allow them to cool completely. Once cooled, peel them and press them through a potato ricer into a large mixing bowl, where they will wait for their raw potato counterpart.
For the raw portion, line a bowl with a clean cotton flour towel, letting the edges drape over the sides. Peel and wash the remaining two pounds of potatoes, then grate them finely directly onto the towel. Gather the towel and squeeze out as much liquid as possible, catching the potato water in the bowl beneath it.
Transfer the squeezed potato pulp to the bowl with the riced potatoes. Let the potato water rest for a few minutes so the natural starch can settle at the bottom. Carefully pour off the liquid, then scoop out about three tablespoons of the starch.
If you prefer, you can replace this with potato starch or cornstarch.
Add the starch to the potatoes along with a teaspoon or two of salt, a dash of freshly grated nutmeg, and one egg. Using your hands, gently knead everything together until the mixture forms a smooth, cohesive dough. It should feel soft but hold its shape.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a gentle simmer and form a small test dumpling. Let it cook slowly until it floats, then give it a few more minutes to finish. If it falls apart, simply knead a little more starch into the dough.
Once the dough feels right, shape it into about ten dumplings. Flatten each portion in your hand, place two or three toasted croutons in the center, and fold the dough around them, smoothing the surface as you go.
Lower the dumplings carefully into the simmering water, making sure it never boils vigorously.
Let them cook gently for fifteen to twenty minutes, depending on their size, until they rise to the top and feel firm yet tender. Lift them out with a slotted spoon and allow them to drain briefly.
Serve the dumplings immediately with Pork Roast or Franconian Schäufele with plenty of gravy, and sweet‑and‑sour red Cabbage or savory Wirsinggemüse. This trio defines so many Bavarian Sundays.
Storage and Leftovers
These dumplings keep well in the refrigerator for up to three days and freeze beautifully. Leftovers are wonderful sliced and fried in butter until golden, a simple pleasure that often tastes even better the next day.
Making potato dumplings can be quite challenging. If you use too little starch, they might disintegrate during cooking. I suggest dropping a test dumpling into the simmering water. Once it floats to the top, remove it. Check its consistency. Ideally, it should remain intact. If it falls apart, incorporate more potato starch into the mixture and try again. Due to this difficulty, I prefer making Semmelknödel, or bread dumplings.
German Potato dumplings (half and half)
Ingredients
- 3.5 pounds Russet potatoes
- 1 egg
- dash of salt
- dash of Nutmeg
- 2 to 3 tbsp Potato starch (or substitute with cornstarch)
- Croutons:
- 1 tbsp butter
- Stale roll or baguette bread (for croutons)
Instructions
- Croutons:
- Dice 1 roll from the day before.
- Heat 1 tbsp butter or oil in a pan and toast the bread cubes in it.
- Potato dumplings:
- Wash 1 ½ pound russet potatoes.
- Cook in water covered for about 20 minutes.
- Set aside and let cool.
- Place a clean cotton flour towel in a bowl so that it hangs over the edge.
- Peel and wash and additional 2 pound of potatoes and grate them directly into the cloth.
- Use the cloth to squeeze out the grated potatoes, catch the potato water in the bowl and set aside.
- Place the grated potatoes in another bowl.
- Peel and push the boiled potatoes through the potato press.
- Add the boiled potatoes to the grated ones.
- Carefully pour off the potato water, so that the lighter starch on the bottom remains (or substitute with cornstarch)
- Scoop out and add about 3 tablespoons of the starch
- Add the starch, 1-2 teaspoons of salt and freshly grated nutmeg, 1 egg to the potato mixture.
- Knead everything to get a good consistency with your hands to a smooth dough.
- Bring plenty of salted water to boil in a large saucepan.
- Form 1 sample dumpling and let it simmer in the boiling water for 15 minutes (do not boil bubbly!) until it floats on the surface.
- Then let it steep for another 5 minutes. If the test dumpling falls apart, knead more potato starch into the mass.
- Shape the mixture into approx. 10 dumplings, put 3 croutons in each center.
- Place carefully into boiling water, reduce heat to medium low.
- Let the dumplings boil on medium low for 15 to 20 min depending on size.
- Lift the potato dumplings out of the water one by one with a slotted spoon, allow them to drain and then serve.
Notes
Store in refrigerator up to 3 days or freeze. Can be sliced and fried in butter when eaten as leftovers
