Russian Pelmeni Dumplings (Printable)

Tender dumplings filled with seasoned pork and beef, served hot with rich sour cream and fresh dill.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Dough

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 cup cold water
03 - 1 large egg
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Filling

05 - 7 ounces ground pork
06 - 7 ounces ground beef
07 - 1 small onion, finely grated
08 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
10 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
11 - 2 tablespoons cold water

→ Sour Cream Sauce

12 - 1 cup sour cream
13 - 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped (optional)
14 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

# How To Make It:

01 - In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Add the egg and gradually mix in the cold water. Knead for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 20 minutes.
02 - In a medium bowl, combine ground pork, ground beef, grated onion, garlic, salt, pepper, and cold water. Mix thoroughly until sticky and well combined.
03 - Roll the dough on a floured surface to about 1/16 inch thickness. Using a 2.5-inch round cutter, cut out circles.
04 - Place 1 teaspoon of filling at the center of each dough circle. Fold in half to form a half-moon and pinch the edges tightly. Bring the corners together and pinch to seal, creating the traditional pelmeni shape.
05 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pelmeni in batches, stirring gently to prevent sticking. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes until they float and are cooked through.
06 - Remove pelmeni with a slotted spoon and serve hot, topped generously with sour cream and dill.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They're small enough to pop into your mouth but substantial enough to feel like real comfort food.
  • Once you master the folding, you can freeze batches and have a homemade meal ready in minutes.
  • The sour cream topping transforms these simple dumplings into something elegant enough to serve guests.
02 -
  • The dough must rest for at least 20 minutes, and this isn't something you can skip—it genuinely changes how easy the dough is to work with.
  • Roll your dough thin, thinner than seems reasonable, because thick dough makes the pelmeni heavy and doughy instead of delicate.
  • Don't overfill each dumpling; one teaspoon is the sweet spot, and overstuffing causes them to burst open during cooking.
03 -
  • Keep your work surface and dough cutter lightly dusted with flour to prevent sticking, but don't use so much that it dries out the dough edges.
  • If you're making large batches, arrange your cut pelmeni on parchment-lined trays as you go so they don't stick to each other before cooking.
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