RECIPES: Rivels are easiest dumplings you’ve never made
Rivels are little dumplings dropped by hand or a spoon into boiling soup or liquid. They stem from Pennsylvania Dutch cooking and are descendants of German spaetzle. They are likely the easiest dumplings most people have never heard of nor made.
Rivels are a regional dish made mostly by Pennsylvania farming families between the late 1800s and 1980s. They were an easy and inexpensive way to augment a large pot of soup and feed a large family. Rivels are easy to prepare and quite economical. They require three simple ingredients: flour, eggs and milk. And they cook in 5 minutes.
I was reminded of rivels while looking through my great-great-aunt’s recipe book for a comforting meal. I recalled autumn Saturday mornings from my childhood in rural southeastern Pennsylvania when chicken corn soup simmered on my grandmothers’ stoves. Before serving, they would quickly mix the rivel dough and rub it through their hands over the pot to thicken the broth and make it more filling.
After cooking a few batches, I realized rivels are quite versatile. They can be used instead of potatoes, pasta or rice. And their flavor can be punched up with fresh herbs, lemon zest or spices.
I find forming rivels with various-sized spoons or an ice cream scoop to be easier than shaping by hand. Their size can be adjusted up or down, depending on if they are served in a main dish or as a side.
This chicken corn soup is similar to my family’s. I use green onions with garlic and a bay leaf for more depth of flavor. The rivels are dropped in with a teaspoon to prevent burning your hands.
The rivels with the slow-cooker short ribs are made larger with a tablespoon and served on the side with rich beef gravy poured on top.
For herb rivels, the dumplings are enhanced with parsley, chives and sage. They are prepared with a small ice cream scoop to make them bite-sized. These dumplings are boiled then tossed in a skillet with butter and garlic. Parmesan cheese, more herbs, and lemon zest are sprinkled on top with fresh black pepper.
Chadwick Boyd is a food and lifestyle expert, magazine contributor and cookbook author. Find his work at chadwickboydlifestyle.com.
RECIPES
Here are three ways to learn how to make and enjoy rivels this fall. Traditional chicken corn soup with rivels is updated with green onions, garlic and fragrant bay leaf for modern taste buds. The slow-cooker short ribs with rivels has a rich gravy with sweet and tangy notes, ideal for Sunday supper or make-ahead meal. The herb rivels appeal to pasta lovers thanks to aromatic fresh herbs, garlic butter, and a generous amount of grated Parmesan cheese.
Chicken Corn Soup with Rivels
This recipe uses hard-boiled eggs. Cook them ahead of time or use pre-packaged, hard-cooked eggs to save time. The soup can be made a day in advance. Add the rivels, though, just before serving so the broth doesn’t get too thick. Serve with a fresh green salad or sauteed greens to balance the heartiness of the soup.
- 1 (4-pound) whole chicken
- 5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced (separate white and green parts)
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 3 quarts water
- 1 1/2 cups chopped celery
- 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced carrots
- 3 cups frozen corn
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 3 hard-boiled eggs, cut into halves or quarters
- 2-3 tablespoons finely chopped Italian parsley
- Place the chicken in a 6-quart pot, then add the garlic, white parts of the green onions, bay leaf and 2 teaspoons salt. Pour in the water (it should just cover the chicken). Bring to a boil, then decrease the heat to medium. Cover slightly with a lid and simmer for 1 hour.
- Remove the chicken and place on a baking sheet to cool for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, add the celery, carrots and corn to the pot. Stir. Continue simmering over medium heat while the chicken cools and you make the rivel dough.
- To a medium-sized bowl, add the flour, the remaining 2 teaspoons salt, and pepper. Mix together with a fork. Add the beaten eggs and milk and mix again until all the ingredients come together. The dough should be smooth and stretchy. Set aside.
- Stir the soup once more and continue simmering with the lid slightly askew while you shred the chicken with a fork. Discard the skin and bones.
- Remove the bay leaf from the pot. Increase the heat to medium-high to bring the soup to a slow, rolling boil.
- Gather a small piece of dough with a teaspoon, roughly the size of a lima bean, but no larger. Drop into the soup. Repeat until the dough is used up. Stir the soup well with a wooden spoon. Cook 5 to 10 minutes until the soup is slightly thickened and the rivels float on top.
- Add the shredded chicken, hard-cooked eggs, green parts of the green onions and parsley. Stir gently. Serve immediately. Serves 6 to 10.
Nutritional information
Per serving: Per serving (based on 6 servings): 487 calories (percent of calories from fat, 21), 52 grams protein, 44 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams fiber, 11 grams total fat (3 grams saturated), 288 milligrams cholesterol, 1,798 milligrams sodium.
Slow-Cooker Short Ribs with Gravy and Rivels
These short ribs take more than 5 hours to prepare and cook. Have them in the slow cooker by lunchtime, and leave the slow cooker on low once it’s done until you are ready to serve for dinner. Two-inch pieces of beef chuck roast can be substituted for the short ribs to make the dish more budget-friendly.
- 4-5 pounds short ribs, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 5 1/2 teaspoons sea salt, divided
- 1 1/4 teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper, divided
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- 1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced
- 3 medium-size carrots, thinly sliced
- 4-5 mini sweet peppers, seeded and thinly sliced (can substitute 1 red or orange bell pepper)
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/3 cup blackstrap molasses
- 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 cups beef broth
- 2 cups dry red wine
- 1 1/2 cups plus 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped Italian parsley
- Season the short ribs with 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper, rubbing the seasoning on both sides.
- Heat a Dutch oven or 12-inch cast-iron skillet on medium-high for 1 minute. Add 1 tablespoon oil and turn the pot to coat the bottom.
- Using tongs, place half of the short ribs in the Dutch oven and sear for 4 minutes. Turn over and sear for 4 minutes more.
- Transfer the short ribs to a slow cooker. Add the remaining short ribs to the Dutch oven and sear both sides 4 minutes each. Place in the slow cooker.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the Dutch oven. Stir and scrape the bottom with a wooden spoon to pick up any browned bits. Add the onions and cook until soft, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the carrots, peppers and garlic and cook until soft, about 4 minutes. Transfer the vegetables to the slow cooker. Add the molasses, brown sugar, vinegar and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Pour in the broth and wine.
- Place the lid on the slow cooker. Turn the temperature to high. Cook for 4 hours then decrease to low setting and cook 1 hour longer.
- With tongs, remove the bones from the slow cooker and discard. Transfer the short ribs to a platter. Using a large slotted spoon, remove the vegetables and place on top of the ribs. Tent the platter with foil.
- Skim 1/4 cup of fat off the top of the drippings in the slow cooker. Discard. Place the remaining drippings in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil. Slowly whisk in 3 tablespoons flour and continue whisking until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Turn down the heat to low.
- Meanwhile, make the rivels: Fill a 4-quart pot with water and bring to a boil. To a medium bowl, add the remaining 1 1/2 cups flour, remaining 2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Mix together with a fork. Add the eggs and milk and mix again until the dough comes together. The dough should be smooth and stretchy.
- Using a tablespoon, drop the dough by the spoonful into the boiling water. Cook for 5 minutes; the rivels are done when they float to the top. Using a large slotted spoon, remove the rivels and place in a bowl.
- Spoon the gravy over top of the rivels. Garnish with the parsley. Serve immediately alongside the now-uncovered platter with short ribs and vegetables. Serves 6 to 8.
Nutritional information
Per serving: Per serving (based on 6 servings): 688 calories (percent of calories from fat, 47), 34 grams protein, 53 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams fiber, 35 grams total fat (14 grams saturated), 177 milligrams cholesterol, 1,602 milligrams sodium.
Herb Rivels with Garlic Butter
Bright and with fresh flavor, these herb rivels can be enjoyed as a side dish with grilled chicken, roasted pork tenderloin, or a large, vegetable-filled salad. They also can be served in bowls on their own for a warm, filling meal on a chilly evening.
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, divided
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped chives, divided
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped sage, divided
- 2 teaspoons sea salt, plus more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper, plus more to taste
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- 4 cloves garlic, very thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- Fill a 4-quart pot with water and bring to a boil.
- Meanwhile, to a medium bowl, add the flour, 2 tablespoons parsley, 2 tablespoons chives, 1 tablespoon sage, and the salt and pepper. Mix well with a fork. Add the eggs and milk and mix again until the dough comes together. The dough should be smooth and stretchy.
- Using a half-teaspoon ice cream scoop or half-teaspoon measuring spoon, scoop the dough, level it off and drop it into the water. Repeat until the dough is used up. Cook 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, melt the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in the garlic and cook until it softens, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Using a spider or large slotted spoon, transfer the rivels to the skillet. Toss in the garlic butter and continue cooking 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and serve in the skillet or transfer to a large plate.
- Sprinkle the remaining herbs, lemon zest and Parmesan cheese on top. Season with additional salt and pepper, if desired. Serves 6.
Nutritional information
Per serving: Per serving: 232 calories (percent of calories from fat, 42), 7 grams protein, 26 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 11 grams total fat (6 grams saturated), 86 milligrams cholesterol, 922 milligrams sodium.Sign up for the AJC Food and Dining Newsletter
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