A State-by-State Guide to the Most Iconic Foods in America

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North Dakota: Knoephla Soup

North Dakota’s culinary icon is a bowl of warm, creamy knoephla soup, a dish that reflects the state’s German-Russian immigrant roots. “Knoephla” (pronounced nef-lah) are small dumplings, and they are the star of this hearty soup that has comforted North Dakotans for ages. The soup is a rich chicken stock base enriched with cream or milk, filled with tender bite-sized knoephla dumplings made from flour, eggs, and water. It also typically includes potatoes (North Dakota grows plenty of them) and vegetables like celery, carrots, and onions, all simmered together. The result is a thick, stew-like soup almost akin to a chowder, with each spoonful offering a creamy mix of dumpling, potato, and veggies. Knoephla soup likely came to the Dakotas with ethnic Germans from Russia who settled on the plains in the late 1800s, and it stayed as a staple of farmhouse kitchens and small-town cafes. Many North Dakotans grew up with a family recipe for knoephla soup, often enjoying it during the cold winters. Today, asking for knoephla in North Dakota is sure to bring a smile – it’s the taste of home. This humble dumpling soup, not widely known outside the region, is a point of quiet pride for the state, representing the hearty, simple, and filling fare of the prairie.