Let’s bring on the Oktoberfest fall vibes with this classic, comforting German-style meal made simply enough for a weeknight dinner. Tender gluten-free dumplings are made with an easy mix and drop method then combined with smoked sausage and sauerkraut for a wholesome, family-friendly dinner.
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Oktoberfest Gluten-Free Dumplings, Sauerkraut, and Sausage
If you are looking for a go-to gluten-free dinner idea to check all the boxes, this easy gluten-free dumplings, sausage, and sauerkraut has my official stamp of approval. It’s an all-in-one skillet dinner, full comfort vibes, appeals to everyone (GF diet or not), and completely kid-approved.
I might have gotten some raised eyebrows on that last declaration, but hear me out. Kids and carbs? You know that’s always a solid match. Plus it brings a nice satiating heartiness to the dish. For the gluten-free dumplings, just mix the batter, plop in boiling water, and cook in a few minutes.
I use smoked Kielbasa sausage, which I know isn’t technically German, but I think it falls into the realm of Oktoberfest recipes, don’t you? Families love the mild flavor, while I love that it only requires slicing and a brief spin in the pan to brown.
Now for the doubts – sauerkraut? Full yes. My mom always makes gluten-free dumplings and sauerkraut for holiday meals and even those who flat out refuse to “like” sauerkraut, are convinced. Time and again she earns the “I told you so.”
How? She boils the sauerkraut before adding to the dumplings. I wanted to simplify the recipe, making it easy enough to pull off for a weeknight. Turns out a simple rinse gets the job done just as well. Of course if you love the taste of sauerkraut, just drain slightly and dump in.
A mixture of homemade dumplings and sausage can be a meal all on its own, but if you’d like some easy side ideas, we’ve done either steamed, buttered corn, roasted carrots and apples (yummy hint of sweetness – chef’s 💋), or really hone into the themed dinner with crispy potato rösti served with applesauce.
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(Below shows step-by-step photos and modified instructions. For the complete recipe, along with ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card.)
Yes. Gluten-free dumplings are this easy.
Ready for this? Mix gluten-free flour (I use and highly recommend Cup4Cup for best texture), baking powder, salt, and pepper. Stir in an egg, milk, water, and that’s all for the dough. It will form a soft, sticky ball.
Drop and cook method
Boil a large pot of water and put a scoop of dumpling dough onto a spoon. Use another spoon to scrape it into the water. Boil until they float to the top, about 2 minutes. Flip the dumplings over and cook for another 60-90 seconds. Cooking slightly longer works better for the GF dough.
Use a slotted spoon to pull the dumplings out of the water, transferring to a colander to cool slightly while the rest of the dough cooks.
Finish dumplings, start sausage and onions
As the dumplings are cooling, begin the rest of the recipe. Sauté the onion in butter and then add the sliced sausage to brown.
While that’s cooking, chop up the cooked dumplings into smaller bite-sized pieces. If you have larger dumplings you may notice some of the centers are undercooked. This is especially a problem when using gluten-free flour.
However, I don’t worry about it too much because in the final step, the dumplings are added to the sausage and onions to cook a second time.
Finish with sauerkraut
Add the dumplings to brown and finish cooking with the butter, onions, and sausages. Finally, add the sauerkraut along with a little bit more seasoning. If there is a lot of liquid left in the sauerkraut, you may want to let it simmer for about 5 minutes to reduce.
What About Making This Ahead of Time?
This gluten-free dinner idea also makes a great freezer meal. The whole dish can be prepared, cooled completely, and then frozen. When ready to serve, thaw and reheat in a skillet.
Or simply make the GF dumplings ahead of time, cool, chop into smaller pieces and freeze. When ready to serve, cook the onions, sausages, then add the thawed dumplings to the skillet to brown.
Ingredient Tips and Swaps
I’ve found some sauerkraut brands are more mild, while others have a stronger taste. I really like the Bavarian-style sauerkraut sold at Aldi. Generally all brands should be safe for a gluten-free diet, but I have seen some with beer added, so steer clear from those.
For the sausage, I used smoked Polish kielbasa, but this recipe works with a variety of sausages (be sure to read ingredient labels.) If you are using a raw sausage just be sure to cook through before adding the remaining ingredients.
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German-Style Gluten-Free Dumplings and Sausage
Ingredients
Gluten-Free Dumplings
- 1 cup all-purpose gluten-free flour , I recommend Cup4Cup gluten free flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- pinch of pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup milk
- ¼ cup water
Sauerkraut and Sausage
- ½ cup butter
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 14 ounces smoked kielbasa sausage , ½ inch slices
- 24 ounces sauerkraut, drained and rinsed
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Start with boiling water in a medium pot. Meanwhile, combine the flour, salt, pepper, and baking powder in a medium bowl. Stir in the eggs, milk, and water until a large, stiff ball forms. If it is too thick, add a bit more liquid, and if too sticky, add a little more flour.1 cup all-purpose gluten-free flour , ¼ teaspoon salt, pinch of pepper, ⅛ teaspoon baking powder, 1 large egg, ¼ cup milk, ¼ cup water
- When the water is boiling, add 4 spoonfuls of dumpling mixture to the water, scraping off with another spoon. After about 30 seconds, move around slightly to make sure they are not sticking to the bottom of the pan. They will float to the top (takes about 2 minutes), then boil for 60-90 seconds longer. Use a slotted spoon to move to a colander while cooking the remaining dumpling dough. Set aside to cool slightly, while rest of recipe is prepared.
- In a large deep skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until tender, about 4 minutes. Add the sliced sausage and brown slightly, about 2-3 minutes.½ cup butter, 1 large onion, 14 ounces smoked kielbasa sausage
- While the onions and sausage are cooking, move the dumplings to a cutting board and cut into bite-sized pieces. If you come across dumplings that are not cooked through all the way, they will finish cooking in the next step.
- Add the dumplings to the onion / sausage mixture and sauté until they start to turn lightly brown, about 5 minutes. Finally, add the rinsed sauerkraut, sugar, salt, and pepper to the skillet. Stir to combine. Cook until heated through, stirring occasionally.24 ounces sauerkraut, 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, ¾ teaspoon salt, ⅛ teaspoon pepper
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