Vegetarian beetroot dumplings with Alpine cheese and brown butter

Vegetarian beetroot dumplings made from stale spelt rolls, cooked beetroot, eggs and Alpine cheese, topped with brown butter. A festive South Tyrolean-style dinner.

At a glance

• Serves 4
• Prep time: 35 min
• Cooking time: 20 min
• Total time: 55 min
• Calories: 444 kcal per serving
• Protein: 19 g
• Fat: 21 g
• Carbs: 43 g

Ingredients

• 250g spelt rolls
• 300g cooked beetroot
• 150ml milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 onion
• 80g Alpine cheese (such as Gruyère)
• 30g spelt flour
• 50g butter
• 1 bunch of chives
• 1 pinch of nutmeg
• 1 tsp salt

Method

You’ll need: saucepan · stick blender · chopping board · knife · grater

1. Cut the spelt rolls into small cubes, pour the warm milk over them and leave to soak for 15 minutes.
2. Finely dice the onion and cook it gently in 1 tsp butter until translucent. Finely purée the beetroot and grate 50 g of the Alpine cheese.
3. Mix the rolls, beetroot purée, onion, eggs, grated Alpine cheese, spelt flour, salt and nutmeg with your hands until you have a dough you can shape. With damp hands, shape 12 dumplings.
4. Let the dumplings cook gently in plenty of barely simmering salted water for 15 to 18 minutes, without letting the water bubble.
5. Heat the remaining butter until it's light brown and smells nutty.
6. Lift the dumplings out with a slotted spoon, pour over the brown butter and sprinkle with the remaining Alpine cheese and the chives.

Good to know

These pink dumplings are an eye-catcher on any festive plate. In South Tyrol they're called Rohnen-Knödel and are served with brown butter and cheese.

Swaps

Alpine cheese → vegetarian hard cheese (Parmesan-style; stronger in flavour). Spelt rolls → wholemeal rolls (also provide fibre). Butter → ghee. Beetroot → spinach or wild garlic for green dumplings.

Cooking tips

Make a test dumpling first. If it falls apart, knead in another 1 to 2 tbsp flour or breadcrumbs.

Storage

Cooked dumplings keep for 2 days in the fridge; sliced and fried in butter, they taste especially good the next day.

Allergens

Contains gluten, milk and egg; suitable for children and in pregnancy – choose Alpine cheese made from pasteurised milk.

Frequently asked questions

How long do beetroot dumplings keep in the fridge?

Cooked dumplings keep for 2 days in the fridge; sliced and fried in butter, they taste especially good the next day.