Laurent Mariotte’s Easy, Tasty Recipe for Stale Bread Goes Viral!

In a world where earning one’s bread requires hard work, discarding stale bread feels almost indecent. A study conducted by Too Good To Go and Appinio in March 2025, reported by France Bleu, reveals that about 60% of French people are guilty of food waste. Astonishingly, 41% admit to throwing away more than half a baguette each month, citing premature staling as the main reason. This waste not only affects our wallets but also the planet. According to data from the anti-waste app, each discarded baguette represents a loss of 155 liters of water, equivalent to a full bathtub.

There are numerous tricks to breathe new life into leftover stale bread. While French toast and breadcrumbs are common solutions, there’s also a more unique dish from German and Austrian cuisine that’s easy to make, discovered by Laurent Mariotte during a trip to Berlin: knödel. These rustic, economical dumplings are made from stale bread and are poached in boiling water, served as a main dish with sauce or on a bed of salad.

Start by heating 250 ml of whole milk with 2 bay leaves and 3 cloves, then let it steep for 10 minutes. Cut 250g of stale country bread (crust removed) into large cubes and place them in a mixing bowl. Pour the hot, strained milk over the bread and let it soak. Meanwhile, peel and chop 2 onions and sauté them in a pan with 30g of butter for about ten minutes until caramelized, then add them to the rehydrated bread along with freshly chopped herbs of your choice (Laurent Mariotte used 1/2 bunch each of tarragon, flat-leaf parsley, and chives). Mix everything by hand before incorporating 1 whole egg, and season with salt and pepper.

Let the mixture rest for about 30 minutes before forming it into balls (wet your hands to make it easier) and dropping them into a large pot of simmering salted water. Cook for 8 to 12 minutes depending on the size and then drain. A simple and delicious recipe that’s almost too good to be true!