Cuisine: The Polish Palate
Course: Main Courses
Diet: Vegetarian, High-Carb, High-Satiety, Pescatarian
Occasion: Summer Harvest, Autumn Harvest, Comfort Food, Culinary Heritage, Dessert & Tea Time, Milk Bar Classics, Dinner, Supper

Knedle ze Śliwkami (Traditional Polish Plum Dumplings)

Soft, pillowy potato dumplings encasing sweet, tart prune plums, finished with toasted buttery breadcrumbs.
Prep time 30m
Cook time 1h
Rest time 30m
Total 2h
Yield
4
Per serving:
810 kcal
135g Carbs
13g Protein
23g Fat
By Adam Dworak
Published: 21 August 2026
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Last Updated: 09 September 2026

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Ingredients

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Kitchen Kit

  • Large Pot
  • Potato Masher
  • Frying Pan
  • Slotted Spoon
  • Peeler
  • Paring knife
  • Chopping Board
  • Small bowl
  • Wooden Spoon
A pair of hands wrapping soft potato dough around a fresh prune plum stuffed with cinnamon and sugar.

Method

  1. Chuck the peeled potatoes into a large pot. Pour over 2000ml of the water and add half of the salt. Bring to a rolling boil on the stove and cook until tender to the core (about 20-25 minutes).
  2. Drain the potatoes thoroughly, return them to the hot, empty pot off the heat, and let them steam dry for two minutes. Mash them until perfectly smooth using a potato ricer or heavy masher. Spread the mash out on a tray to cool completely.
  3. While the potato cools, prepare your plums. Slice them gently down one side to remove the pit, keeping the two halves attached at the base like a hinge. Mix the sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl, and tuck a hearty pinch of the mixture into the cavity of each plum.
  4. Get a large, wide pot on the stove with the remaining 4000ml of water and the rest of the salt. Slap a lid on it and fire up the heat to bring it to a rolling boil.
  5. Tip the cooled mashed potatoes onto a clean, heavily floured work surface. Make a well in the centre. Crack the egg into the well, scatter over the potato starch and plain flour, and pour in 30g of the butter, melted (leaving the remaining 70g aside for the topping).
  6. Bring the dough together quickly with your hands. Do not over-knead it, or the gluten will make it tough—just work it gently until it forms a cohesive, smooth, slightly tacky ball.
  7. Tear off a plum-sized piece of dough, flatten it in the palm of your hand, and place a stuffed plum in the centre. Wrap the dough around the plum, pinching the edges to seal it completely, and roll it gently between your palms into a smooth sphere. Repeat until all the plums are swaddled.
  8. Carefully drop the dumplings into the boiling water in batches, taking care not to overcrowd the pot. Give them a gentle nudge with a wooden spoon so they don't stick to the bottom. Once they float to the surface, drop the heat to a simmer and cook for 4-5 minutes until the dough is cooked through and the plum inside has softened.
  9. While the dumplings are simmering, melt the remaining 70g of butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Chuck in the breadcrumbs and toast, stirring constantly, until golden brown, foaming, and nutty.
  10. Scoop the cooked dumplings out of the water with a slotted spoon, drain them briefly, and toss them straight into the frying pan to coat generously in the buttery breadcrumbs. Serve immediately.
Chef's Note & Storage
Fridge 2 days. Toss in a little neutral oil or melted butter before storing to prevent sticking. Reheat by gently frying in a pan with butter until golden and crisp on the outside.
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A close-up cross-section of a traditional Polish plum dumpling showing the soft potato dough enclosing a sweet, cinnamon-scented plum centre.

The Late Summer Ritual

There is a very specific window in late August and early September when the markets overflow with small, firm prune plums. This is when Knedle ze Śliwkami becomes mandatory. These traditional Polish dumplings are a masterclass in contrasting textures and flavours: a warm, pillowy potato dough giving way to a sharp, jammy, cinnamon-scented plum centre. Smothered in toasted buttery breadcrumbs, it blurs the line between a humble main course and an indulgent dessert.

CHEF'S SECRET: The potato-to-flour ratio depends entirely on the moisture in your spuds. Boil them, drain them well, and let them steam dry in the hot pot before mashing. Most importantly, let the mash cool completely before adding your flour and eggs. A warm potato demands more flour to bind, which will guarantee heavy, leaden dumplings. Patience yields a lighter dough.

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The Perfect Plum

Do not attempt this with massive, watery dessert plums; they will bleed through the dough and disintegrate into mush. You are looking for Węgierki—freestone prune plums (often labelled as Zwetschge or Damson-types). They have a firm, greenish-yellow flesh that holds its shape under heat and a natural tartness that requires the sharp counterpunch of the cinnamon sugar tucked into their centres.

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