Cheese Dumplings
This vegetarian builds white crustless bread, cubed, grated cheese and fresh parsley, chopped into a fuss-free meal you can have ready in about 65 minutes. You'll find the full ingredient list (with a scaler to change the servings), 7 steps of method, substitutions, and ideas for what to serve alongside.
You'll mainly reach for frying pan / skillet and pan. At medium difficulty across 7 steps, it's manageable with a little attention. As written, it's meat-free.
What you'll need
Shopping list (3)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
Diet: vegetarian — no meat or fish, based on every ingredient listed below.
Contains: Gluten Dairy Egg
Allergen labels are informational and may not cover cross-contact; verify every package and consult a qualified professional for medical dietary needs. Diet labels are derived from the ingredient list on this page — how we verify diet and allergen labels.
Food-safety and allergen information is general, not medical advice. Follow current guidance from your local food-safety authority, verify product labels, and seek qualified advice for allergies or health conditions.
How to make it
- Place the cubed bread in a large bowl, pour over the milk, and let it soak for about 15 minutes until softened, mashing lightly with a fork into a coarse paste.
- Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a small pan and gently fry the onion over medium heat for 5 minutes until soft, then stir it into the soaked bread.
- Beat in the eggs, grated cheese, parsley, salt and a few grinds of pepper, then sprinkle in the flour and mix to a soft dough that just holds its shape; chill for 15 minutes if too loose.
- With wet hands, roll the mixture into walnut-sized dumplings, adding a little more flour if they will not hold together.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a gentle boil, then lower in the dumplings in batches and simmer gently for 10 to 12 minutes until they float and are cooked through.
- Lift the dumplings out with a slotted spoon and drain well on a clean towel.
- Melt the remaining butter in a wide pan until lightly golden, roll the warm dumplings through it to coat, and serve hot.
You'll use: Frying pan / skillet · Pan · Large pot · Saucepan
Ingredient substitutions
- Milk
- any unsweetened plant milk · ½ cup evaporated milk + ½ cup water
- Eggs
- ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce (baking) · 1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water per egg
- Butter
- olive oil (¾ the amount) · coconut oil · margarine
Tips & common questions
How long does Cheese Dumplings take to make?
About 65 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 7 steps and 10 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
What can I use instead of milk?
Try any unsweetened plant milk. See the substitutions section above for more swaps.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes — use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
Is Cheese Dumplings vegetarian?
Its ingredients contain no meat, fish or shellfish, so it is suitable for vegetarians. Check any cheese for animal rennet if that matters to you.
Related recipes
Adapted recipe — rewritten in our own wording from an open-licensed community cookbook, not yet independently kitchen-tested by Consomee. How we source, test & correct recipes.
Cheese Dumplings is adapted by Consomee from the Wikibooks Cookbook, rewritten in our own wording and used under CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo: 02026 dumplings stuffed with sheep cheese and bacon, skyr.jpg by Marsilar, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure — how we source recipes.