Oma’s German Potato Noodles (Schupfnudeln)

by: Gerhild Fulson  / Oma Gerhild shares German recipes rooted in family tradition.

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Potato noodles, made from scratch, just like Oma. So, so good! These noodles can be found all through Germany, and are recognizable with their unusual shape.

Similar to Italian gnocchi potato dumplings, these German potato noodles, Schupfnudeln, are a traditional side or main dish in southern Germany. So easy to make! Really! 

Popular in the Baden-Württemberg area, but also found throughout Germany, these potato noodles are recognizable with their unusual shape.  

Because they almost look like little fingers they are also known as "Fingernudeln" or "finger noodles". Yes, there are also some names that aren't quite appropriate to mention 😉.

Especially if you are looking for kid-friendly dinner recipes, these fun-shaped noodles are also a great way to use up leftover potatoes.

I never realized as I was growing up that noodles were among the traditional German foods. I used to think I was eating "Italian" when Mutti made what I now know as German noodles!

The fact that these Schupfnudeln are similar to the Italian gnocchi, shows the similarity between foods in the European region. With shared history and culture, there's going to be an overlapping of cuisines.

What Type of Potatoes to Use

The best kind of potatoes for this are starchy ones, such as russets. Can't get russets. I find that the Yukon golds are a good all-purpose potato that will work for this as well. A bonus is the lovely yellow color that they give.

If your potatoes aren't starchy enough, you may need to add a bit extra flour to get the right consistency. Potato flours works for this as well.

The exact amount of flour to use for this recipe is impossible to predict. It depends upon the moisture content of the potatoes. Potatoes have differing amounts of moisture depending upon the time of year. 

Add just enough flour so that the dough doesn't stick to your hands.

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A Bit about Schupfnudeln

This particularly delicious type of noodle is one that is often served just by itself! It's also the perfect accompaniment for pork, duck, lamb or sauerkraut.

Not only that, but it's also perfect for dessert! Sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar and then served with applesauce, you'll find it the culmination of a traditional German meal.

Schupfen means "to push or throw". In this case, little bits of dough are rolled between the hands and thrown off into finger-shaped noodles, hence its popular name of Fingernudeln, finger noodles, since this classic shape has the ends narrower than the middle. 

Print Recipe

Oma’s Schupfnudeln – German Potato Noodles

Similar to Italian gnocchi potato dumplings, these German potato noodles, Schupfnudeln, are a traditional side or main dish in southern Germany. So easy to make! Really! 

Prep Time:

40 minutes

Cook Time:

35 minutes

Total Time:

1 hour 15 minutes

Servings:

Makes 2-4 servings

Ingredients:

• 1½ pounds (681 grams) Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and quartered
• 2 teaspoons (12 grams) salt
• 2 large egg yolks
• 4 tablespoons (32 grams) all purpose flour, plus more if needed
• 2 tablespoons (19 grams) potato starch or (16 grams) cornstarch
• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• freshly ground nutmeg, to taste
• 2 tablespoons (28 grams) butter

Instructions:

1. Cook the potatoes in boiling water until tender, about 20 minutes.
2. Drain the potatoes and let the steam escape to dry the potatoes (put the pot of potatoes back on the burner, briefly, to evaporate the moisture, shaking the pot frequently so the potatoes don’t burn).
3. Put a large pot of water on to boil. Add the salt, cover, and set it to simmer.
4. Mash the potatoes or put them through a ricer.
5. Once the potatoes have cooled, add the egg yolks, flour, and potato starch. Mix it all together using your hands. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
6. Gently knead the dough, adding more flour as needed so that the dough doesn’t stick to your hands.
7. Using floured hands, form half the dough into a log shape, about ½ an inch thick. Cut the log into 1-inch pieces. Roll each piece into a finger-sized noodle by rolling the dough between your hands. If the dough is too sticky, add a bit of flour. Each noodle should be thicker in the middle and tapered at the ends. Repeat with the remaining dough.
8. Drop half the noodles into the pot of simmering water. Cook them until they f loat, about 5 minutes. Remove the noodles and drop them into a bowl of cold water. Once cool, drain the noodles and set them aside. Repeat with the remaining noodles.
9. Just before serving, melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the cooled, drained noodles and sauté them for about 5 minutes, until golden brown, and serve immediately.

Hints:

• Serve Schupfnudeln along side perfect pork, duck, lamb or sauerkraut.
• These also make a delicious light lunch all by themselves.
• Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar and serve with applesauce for a dessert.
• Russets or other starchy potatoes work best. I also use Yukon Gold, which is a good all-purpose potato.
• Got extra mashed potatoes? Turn them into the traditional German potato dumplings.

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Unless otherwise noted recipe, images and content © Just like Oma | www.quick-german-recipes.com

Updated on January 19, 2026

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Hi, I'm Oma Gerhild! As a food writer and cookbook author, I'm always looking to find ways to pass on my German heritage using local ingredients. Quick and easy. That's my goal. Wunderbar food. That's the result.