Mushroom Kroppkakor (Swedish Dumplings)

A plate with four filled dumplings, one split to show filling, and lingonberry sauce.

Mushroom Kroppkakor (Swedish Dumplings)

Vegetarian mushroom kroppkakor, or Swedish dumplings, are a filled potato dumpling. This version uses wine, fried mushrooms, and herbs.

Course Autumn, Main Course, Mains

Cuisine European, Scandinavian, Swedish

Diet Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Prep Time 45

Cook Time 25

Total Time 1 10

Servings dumplings

Calories 74kcal

Author Alexandra Daum

Ingredients

Dumplings

750 grams (26 oz.) starchy potatoes* scrubbed and cut into 3cm (~1 in.) pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil or butter
½ teaspoon sea salt
90 grams (½ cups) potato starch
2 large egg yolks

Mushroom Filling

2 teaspoons oil
200 grams (2 cups) chestnut mushrooms finely chopped
1 small onion finely chopped
1 clove garlic minced
2 tablespoons dry red or white wine
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

Metric - Cups

Instructions

Dumplings

Place the prepared potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold, well-salted water. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to a low boil and cook, covered, until soft, about 15 minutes.
750 grams (26 oz.) starchy potatoes*
Once the potatoes are cooked, drain well and set aside to dry for a couple of minutes. Once dry, add the oil and salt. Use a potato masher to mash until very smooth. Taste at this point and add more salt if there wasn't enough in the cooking water.
1 tablespoon olive oil, ½ teaspoon sea salt
Once smooth, add the starch and egg yolks. Stir very well with a wooden spoon to combine. The mixture should form a large ball. Set aside to cool slightly while you prepare the filling.
90 grams (½ cups) potato starch, 2 large egg yolks

Mushroom Filling

Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Once hot, add the oil, followed by the mushrooms. Cook the mushrooms for 5-6 minutes, or until most of the water has evaporated from the pan.
2 teaspoons oil, 200 grams (2 cups) chestnut mushrooms
Stir in the onions and cook for another 5 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for another minute. Stir in the wine (this will deglaze the pan, lifting any stuck bits). Add the salt, pepper, and thyme, and stir to combine. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
1 small onion, 1 clove garlic, 2 tablespoons dry red or white wine, ½ teaspoon sea salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

Forming Dumplings

Start by lining a baking sheet or large tray with a sheet of parchment paper, and set aside.
This should make about 18 dumplings, with each dumpling about the size of a tennis ball (about 6.5 cm or 2.5 in. diameter) once filled. Don't worry if yours are a little larger or smaller, but note that you'll have to adjust the cooking time if that's the case.
Take a portion of the dumpling mixture and flatten into a thick pancake shape with your hands. Add a heaping tablespoon of the mushroom filling to the middle of the dumpling, then carefully bring the edges together to form a rough ball. Make sure none of the filling is sticking out and patch and holes that might form.
Roll the dumpling gently between your hands to form a nice round ball, then set onto the lined tray. Repeat this process until all of the dumpling mixture and filling has been used.

Cooking Dumplings

Bring a large pot of water to a simmer and salt as you would for pasta or potatoes. There should be small bubbles forming in the water but it shouldn't boil.
Add several dumplings to the pot (usually around six can fit comfortably). Make sure the water stays at a simmer, adjusting the heat if needed.
Cook for 10-12 minutes. The dumplings will get quite a bit larger as they simmer. Don't be tempted to cook for a shorter period – while all of the ingredients seem cooked, they will taste very starchy if cooked for too short a time.
Transfer the cooked dumplings to a plate or bowl and continue with the remaining dumplings. They will stick together slightly but that's normal.
Serve hot with lingonberry sauce or gravy. Leftover dumplings can be kept in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to three days and freeze well.

Notes

* This is about 10 small-medium potatoes, but weighing will be much more accurate.

I've been a bit generous with the prep time here as dumplings can take some time to form if you've never made them before. Be patient and remember you can always just roll the dumplings into balls and boil without filling if it's becoming too fiddly for you.

If you are more experienced, you can do some more multitasking here. This is how I usually make these: while the potatoes are cooking, prep and cook the mushroom filling. Both should be ready at about the same time, so you can set the filling aside. Drain the potatoes and follow the same directions for mashing and mixing. The dumpling mixture will still be hot, but you can fill and form the dumplings as outlined. This saves about ten minutes but only works if you can 1. do many things at once while cooking, and 2. have the leathery heat-resistant hands of an experienced cook (lol).

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