Norwegian Potato Dumplings (Klub)
Norwegian recipe week is winding down (sad face), but I’ve got a killer recipe to leave you with: Potato dumplings.
I never used to appreciate potato dumplings, but in recent years I have grown to love them. This is perhaps because my mom is crazy about them. Excitement about particular foods can be contagious.
What Are Norwegian Potato Dumplings?
Norwegian potato dumplings (potet klub) are made from a mixture of grated potato, flour, and egg. A piece of pork is placed in the center of each dumpling, and then they are boiled for about 30 minutes. The dumplings are served with LOTS OF MELTED BUTTER, salt and pepper.
I like topping mine with a few fresh herbs, namely parsley and green onion.
Oddly enough, these potato dumplings call for the same ingredients as gnocchi: Potatoes, flour, and eggs. I wouldn’t say they taste like gnocchi, but the texture is similar. The biggest difference is that gnocchi is made with cooked mashed potatoes, and the dumplings are made with raw, grated potatoes.
How does your family make it? I have learned that there are a million different variations on potato klub. See comments below for a great variety of reader variations.
I make potato dumplings about once a year, usually for Syttende Mai (Norwegian Constitution Day) which is celebrated in my hometown.
I am lucky to get help from my mom when I make them – she is happy to help out and expedite the process! They’re not particularly hard to make, but they are a bit messy. You have been warned.
Get the other traditional Norwegian recipes:
- Norwegian flatbread (flatbrød)
- Norwegian cream pudding (rømmegrøt)
- My Norwegian grandma’s meatball recipe (kjøttkaker)
- Norwegian sweet soup (sot suppe)
- Norwegian rice pudding (risgrot)
- Sweet soup (sot suppe)
- Almond kringler
- Norwegian almond cake
- Krumkake
- Goro (cookies made on an iron)
- Lefse (no special equipment needed!)
- A Nordic-inspired appetizer platter
- How to make Norwegian egg coffee
These recipes are naturally cheap because they use common ingredients in creative ways. The dumplings are extremely cheap – right around $3.00 for the whole recipe that feeds four or five people.
I even found a boxed mix for old-fashioned Scandinavian potato dumplings. Has anyone tried this?
If you make any of these recipes yourself, please share a photo with me! I would love to feature it on my social media channels.
Also, be sure to stay in touch by following Cheap Recipe Blog on Instagram!
Norwegian Potato Dumplings (Potato Klub)
Please note: The flour amount is approximate. You want the ingredients to stick together. I used about 2 cups of flour, but start with one and go from there.
Ingredients
- 5 large Russet potatoes, peeled and grated
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 pork chop, cut into bite-sized pieces (or meat from a pork hock, ham or bacon)
- For serving: Butter, salt and pepper, chopped parsley and/or green onion
Instructions
- Prepare mixture: Place grated potatoes in a large mixing bowl. Add eggs and mix with your hands (I find this is the easiest way given the thick, heavy batter). Add 1 cup of flour - and then keep adding flour until the potato mixture sticks together. This was about 2 cups when I made it.
- Form into balls: Take about 1/2 cup of the potato mixture. Place piece of pork chop in the middle and form into a ball. Repeat until all of the potatoes have been used.
- Cook dumplings: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add potato dumplings one at a time. Cook for 30 minutes in simmering water. At 30 minutes, take one dumpling out and test to see if the meat inside is cooked. If not, cook for a little longer. My batch took 30 minutes.
- Serving: Serve hot, topped with melted butter, salt and pepper, and parsley and/or chopped green onion.
violet — April 13, 2015 @ 5:27 am
You can’t believe how good these are!! Yum! (and filling) They make me hungry just looking at the pictures.
Eileen — April 14, 2015 @ 2:51 am
These sound so intriguing! They almost remind me of a steamed bun or a pierogie. Super interesting.
NellieBellie — April 17, 2015 @ 8:02 pm
Definitely need to make these! How inexpensive, and they look absolutely delicious!!! Norwegian week was a winner; sad it’s over 🙁
Joanne Myrol — November 29, 2015 @ 7:46 am
Try boiling the dumplings in a home made ham bone broth. It’s very important to have the ham broth to flavour the dumplings. It will be completely different. I can’t imagine cooking them in water. We have also stuffed it with a chunk of ham. Enjoy!
Joanne
gloria stiel — February 10, 2016 @ 4:12 am
Does anyone have a recipe for potatoe dumplings that uses only potatoes, flour and melted butter. They are boiled..
Daren D. Theige — February 26, 2016 @ 9:46 pm
My Mother would make similar Potato Dumplings only sans the Pork. She would also cook them differently by letting them simmer in hot Milk for about an hour rather than boiling them and serve them in a dish with the milk included, kind of like a Stew.
Georgie — April 3, 2016 @ 1:35 am
I don’t know what part of Norway we are from, but we call it Kumra. 5 lbs grated potatoes, 1 cup of oatmeal, 5-6 cops of flour, 1tsp baking powder, some salt and pepper, and spare rib pork. Assembled, balled and boiled 45 minutes. It looks exactly like your finished product. Cut up and add butter. In the morning we slice it and fry in butter. So yummy. I have changed it by adding another cup of oatmeal. More oatmeal makes the ball less floury tasting. My great aunt likes to make sweet and sour cabbage to serve with it, but I don’t like that stuff. I’ve had polish kopytka with gravy but that still tastes a little too floury for me.
Haley replied: — April 5th, 2016 @ 10:21 pm
Wow, the oatmeal addition sounds really interesting! I might have to prepare it that way for my mom and see which one she prefers 🙂
RUBY MAYBEE — April 22, 2016 @ 9:11 pm
I am looking for a recipe for a “potato cake” that you bake in the oven. My grandmother would shred raw, peeled potatoes,add baking soda, flour, crumbled bacon and bake in a greased iron skillet for x min., flip cake over and bake for x min, then pour a little milk over the cake, cover. bake for 10 min. You eat it with butter. Good.
Haley replied: — April 25th, 2016 @ 6:14 pm
Hi Ruby – I wish I knew the recipe you were referring to, but I don’t. I asked my parents but they had never had that either. Good luck! Let me know if you find it.
Linda Quammen — August 17, 2016 @ 6:52 am
George, in my dad’s family it was called Kumla, similar to your family’s Kumra. I wonder if the name of the dish got changed or transposed a bit as it moved from one mountain valley to another. I think our Kumla came from the ancestors in the Hallingdal region. We don’t use eggs, oatmeal or any kind of meat inside it and we boil in a broth from a ham bone. Also, we flatten ours out instead of making a ball. We don’t bother melting the butter as it melts immediately on the hot Kumla anyway since a full platter is emptied in minutes. It is served with ham sometimes but is still delicious by itself.
Haley replied: — August 29th, 2016 @ 3:16 am
This is so interesting, Linda! Thanks for sharing your story. It sounds similar. I’m sure different regions had different takes on this dish. I’ll have to try yours sometime soon.
Betty Capps — September 11, 2016 @ 4:44 am
I make mine using whole wheat flour and all-purpose flour, then use raw bacon pieces or ham chunks to put inside. OMG I love this and probably make some tomorrow. Lefse is another favorite.
Lori Jorgensen — December 6, 2016 @ 6:39 pm
We made this with a small piece of salt pork in the middle. we diced the remaining salt pork block up and fried until crunchy and saved the fat, When Kumpa was finished we drizzled the fat and some of the diced pork and a little sugar…..It is to die for. Any remaining Kumpa would be fried and used any remaining pork and fat on top.Wonderful!!!!!
Another favorite,Sylteflesk!!!!
Haley replied: — December 19th, 2016 @ 3:56 pm
Thanks for sharing! I’ve learned that there are many ways to prepare this dish…
Tina — December 11, 2016 @ 4:50 pm
These are delicious. Our family’s favorite for the holiday along with lefse. We add white onion to the mix and even substituting with a gluten free flour is still just as yummy. I have never tried with green onions, so I will try that! (great pictures and details.. thank you!)
Haley replied: — December 19th, 2016 @ 3:55 pm
Adding onion would be so delicious! Thanks for the tip.
Jen Riesen — December 28, 2016 @ 1:19 am
My family has always called it Klub but we never used eggs in ours, and we used salt pork or ham. Not every dumpling got a piece of the meat it was a surprise and bonus when you got one with the meat.
Suzi — January 28, 2017 @ 3:33 pm
Our family has made this for years, and call it Krub. I am making a batch as I type. Love this stuff. I peel and grate an entire small bag of potatoes, add salt to taste and stir/knead in flour until it is not sticky – makes about 45 balls. Then make into tennis ball sizes and stuff cubed piece of Salt Pork in the middle and boil in water about 3 hours, stirring in between. Enjoy with a lot of butter! Slice and fry in butter the next day until crispy for breakfast.
Haley replied: — January 30th, 2017 @ 2:29 am
Yum! Thanks for sharing your family’s take on krub 🙂
Maja — February 22, 2017 @ 9:15 pm
There are regional varieties, for sure, and it has many different names: Klubb, raspeball, komle, kompe, etc. They are all potato dumplings, but for instance the “Klubb” my mum makes (we’re from a village near Trondheim) doesn’t have any meat inside it, but we have bacon bits on the side, as well as a sauce based on Norwegian brown whey cheese / goat cheese.
Haley replied: — February 24th, 2017 @ 2:55 pm
They all sound wonderful 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
Grace — May 10, 2017 @ 8:26 pm
LOVE these!! We have to tripple the batch so we can have more the next day…cut up and FRIED!!! Fried in butter until crunchy on the outside but still creamy and soft on the inside. Because we add the salt, pepper and garlic when we fry them, we dolop sour cream on top. Of course swimming in melted butter is always a winner too!!!!!
Fran — May 28, 2017 @ 12:01 am
Love love love these! My family is Swedish but my family has made these forever. I can smell just looking at the picture. We use ground pork and allspice to season the meat mixture in the center.
Haley replied: — May 29th, 2017 @ 8:13 pm
Awesome, Fran! Seems like everyone does it a little different – the allspice addition sounds great!
Bettina — July 21, 2017 @ 4:20 pm
Different regions have different names and very different accompaniments to this dish. In Kristiansand/south Norway where my mom is from they call it Kompe. There it is huge and softer and made with a sizable nugget of salty fatty pork (flesk) inside, and served with butter and sugar or tyttebær and sometimes bacon crumbles. In Nordfjord where my dad is from they call it Klubb. It’s a little smaller and harder with salty meat (usually lamb) on the side and served with a glass of kefir. In Bergen where I lived as a child it was called Raspeballer and was served with melted butter, sausages (vossakorv), salty lamb meat, bacon, rutabaga (boiled or mashed) and potatoes. In Stavanger / southwestern Norway they call it Kumle and sere it similar to in Bergen. In Trønderlag they also call it Klubb serve it with a sauce called duppe (Klubb og duppe) which is a white sauce with added brown cheese, and top it off with crispy bacon crumbles.
Haley replied: — February 25th, 2018 @ 2:09 am
Thank you for the information! That’s fascinating. My ancestors are from Tronderlag, so that explains why I know this as Klub(b).
Bettina — July 21, 2017 @ 4:26 pm
Forgot to add – most versions I am familiar with bouid them in broth, not water. The egg addition is definitely new to me, but might make them easier to shape (otherwise it can take quite a bit of elbow grease). In most regions it’s common to pan fry the fleftovers. I like mine fried leftovers served with butter, sugar, sourcream and salted meats.
Madeline — July 21, 2017 @ 9:52 pm
Lithuanians make a variety of these called Ceppelenai (like little zeppelins) and you drain the potatoes after grating but reserve the starch at the bottom of the bowl and add it back in along with a touch of onion powder, cream of tartar for whiteness, filled with a ground meat /onion mixture and boiled, topped (like all things lithuanian) with sauteed bacon & onions and sour cream. Don’t get your blood tested for cholesterol for a few days after.
Madeline — July 21, 2017 @ 10:05 pm
Also, no flour in the lithuanian receipe 🙂
Taylor — November 6, 2017 @ 9:51 pm
Super excited to try these I just pulled them off the stove!
Haley replied: — November 7th, 2017 @ 7:39 pm
Wonderful! Let me know how they turned out 🙂
Olaf — November 18, 2017 @ 9:40 pm
My grandfather immigrated from Vik I sogn in Western Norway. He called it Klub
Sarah — November 23, 2017 @ 9:21 am
My family omitted the eggs also. Just potato, flour and salt. They served it with fried bacon on the side. We call it Krub. Another thing my grandmother said was that it was better to grind the potatoes rather than shred them, and to make sure to squeeze out all the extra liquid from the potatoes before adding the flour. I am in my 40s now and have never made them on my own. You’ve inspired me.
Leah — November 26, 2017 @ 4:39 pm
My grandparents are 1 from Sweden and 1 from Norway, Swedes call it pult and they grind it, I prefer the texture Norwegian krub that’s shredded, but the Swedes also top it with the grease from the salt pork inside, or lots of butter, and we also use sugar on top Mmmm. Next day it’s chopped, fried, then cream added to make a gravy – so delicious!!
And we also make lefse – it’s our favourite holiday treat, and krumkake
Glad to have come across this post!!
Thank you!!
Karli — December 6, 2017 @ 11:01 pm
Have not used egg before ,but will try it. We would put cloves in the mixture and they turn grey. The next day we would slice the balls and fry in butter. My mouth is watering thinking them.
Brad Solberg — December 27, 2017 @ 6:44 am
We called it Krub (not Klub like in the description) We ate this a lot growing up, but there was no addition of pork. It was just shredded potatoes, and alot of flour.
Made into balls and boiled until done. Served in milk gravy, lots of melted butter and salt and pepper. Sköl!!
Dawn Mix — December 31, 2017 @ 6:14 pm
What kind of potatoes ate best to use? Also, why would there be s!all black or actually just gray areas in the dumplings the next day?
Haley replied: — February 25th, 2018 @ 2:07 am
I use russet potatoes. Also, I haven’t had that problem (turning black or gray the next day). I know that happens with raw grated potatoes, but not sure why it would happen after they’re cooked.
Mike Heller — January 22, 2018 @ 4:52 am
I make kumla – grated potatoes and salt/pepper seasoned flour to form balls put in boiling broth made with ham or smoked hock which is served with the dumplings. Usually serve with slow-cooked pork chops in mushroom gravy, and got to have that butter. Great next morning sliced and fried with some eggs and more ham..
Tom olson — April 3, 2018 @ 2:06 am
I’m 71 and eaten klubb a couple of times every year. Many of my farming relatives
Would add blood from butchered animals for inexpensive protein. Always boiled in a big pot with a ham with bone in. I love it (without the blood)
Tom olson — April 4, 2018 @ 12:36 am
We always make Cole slaw for balance. The sweetness matches the klub’s buttery and saltness flavors
Haley replied: — April 6th, 2018 @ 10:16 pm
Interesting… that sounds like a good combination!
Nancy Fleener Evans — April 5, 2018 @ 4:45 pm
WE use a grinder and the Klubs seem to have a smoother consistency ….we also use Salt Pork which gives the Klubs a better flavor, we make extra so in the morning we slice them and fry them in butter until crispy and then we fry eggs, so good, my mouth is watering right now, LOL
Haley replied: — April 6th, 2018 @ 10:13 pm
Sounds SO good, Nancy! Thanks for sharing your version.
Wendy — May 6, 2018 @ 12:00 pm
My family called it Krub. It did not have eggs in it. Mom would dice up ham, and fry with onions, before putting a spoon full in the middle. She would then make a milk gravy with the leftover ham and onion mixture. This would get served, with butter, over the Krub. Leftovers would be sliced and fried the next morning for breakfast.
Brooke — July 2, 2018 @ 9:28 pm
Been eating this as the ultimate comfort food my whole life (76) yrs. My mom made it without eggs and used salt pork pieces in the center. She called it Kumerla. I think she got the recipe from a Swedish neighbor and maybe misunderstood Kumla as the woman had an accent. Either way they’ve been a family favorite for all these yrs.
Haley replied: — July 23rd, 2018 @ 2:24 am
Love it – thanks for sharing your story! The ultimate Scandinavian-American comfort food 🙂
Our Norwegian cuisine night – Over the Teacups — August 11, 2018 @ 3:52 am
[…] Potato dumplings […]
Cheryl Stransky — September 4, 2018 @ 5:19 am
I use my grandmother’s recipe for Kumla that came from her Norwegian mother-in-law. As she did, I use my Universal grinder to grind the potatoes and onion. Flour, baking soda and salt. Salt pork in the middle. I have used bacon when I couldn’t find the salt pork. I’ve only boiled in water. Delicious right out of the pot with butter but the best when refrigerated, sliced and fried in butter or bacon grease. To die for!!
Cheri Hoglund — October 2, 2018 @ 4:41 pm
Can you use red potatoes instead of russet potatoes?
Haley replied: — October 12th, 2018 @ 4:28 am
I’ve never tried, but I don’t see why not. Let us know if you try!
Barb Ponto — October 21, 2018 @ 1:07 am
It was called Kumasi in our family, boiled in pork broth………..ancestors are from Drammen
Dal Watt — November 17, 2018 @ 5:53 pm
My aunt made these as i was growing up but i never knew how to make them, thank you so very much now i know and cant wait to try.
KENNETH DANDURAND — November 18, 2018 @ 3:04 am
I am 75 and I learned from my mother. She is first generation American, but then my grandmother was 2 when she came to America. They were from Gol on her dad’s side and Bagn on her mother’s side. I have made it the same way for my whole life and to my knowledge all my cousins make it the same way. One thing my mother said was to NEVER make it with New Potatoes…and I have remained true to that ever since. Yes, we grind our russets and use AP flour, pinch of salt, sometimes with or without baking powder. Blood Krub or Klub was made by my uncles and taken with on their hunting trips. I have had it and liked it, but do not make it myself (Hard to get fresh blood in town).
One thing I have learned over the years is that there are as many ways to make it as there are last names….Norsk AND Chinese. Probably the thing that ticks me the most is the myriad of ways that people swear by their way. I guess it is just to each their own. My kids and grandkids don’t like it, but that is fine. For years, I have not made it, but today, I did. We don’t make small balls, ours are big snowball types with several cubes of salt pork. I hate it when I go to fork a last piece of Klub and there is no salt pork for that bite. I am also half French….so, I get the best of both worlds.
Linda Pollock — November 24, 2018 @ 4:02 pm
What kind of gluten free flour would you substitute in this recipe?
Haley replied: — December 3rd, 2018 @ 6:19 am
I’ve never tried it, and I don’t have much experience cooking with GF flour. I’d maybe just try a GF flour blend and go from there.
Bruce Mace — December 1, 2018 @ 9:53 pm
I love these, I grew up with my mother and grandmother cooking them. They were from Stavanger and they called them Klub. My grandmother always boiled them with pork neck bones and onions which gave the broth such a great flavour. She would also use eggs and her recipe she used a mix of mashed potatoes and raw grated potatoes. I just made a batch and they turned out amazing!!