Serve with rye bread for an authentic taste of Eastern Europe.
You are probably familiar with pierogi, the famous Polish dumplings. The thing is the cuisines of Eastern European countries are filled with all types of dumplings. Some are plain and doughy and others are filled with all kinds of delicious stuff. Ukrainian vareniki usually have a vegetarian fillings like potatoes, cheese or blueberries. Russian Pelmeni dumplings are stuffed with a mixture of beef, pork and onions. They are usually boiled and eaten with sour cream and a sprinkling of herbs. They are also served either in clear broth or in a soup.
Siberian Pelmeni
Hailing from Siberia, pelmeni were undoubtedly influenced by the neighbouring Chinese cuisine several centuries ago. Since then, they’ve spread far and wide. These little dumplings are definitely at the heart of Russian table. And although they are eaten regularly, most often people buy them frozen rather than making them from scratch. Just like Italians buy their pasta instead of making fresh pasta and tortellini at home, which is quite labour intensive and time consuming. We are living busy lives! In the UK you can buy pelmeni in most Eastern European shops. In the US they are now available at Trader Joe’s. That being said, if you decide to try your hand at dumpling making, help is at hand. This recipe will guide you through the ingredients and will show you various ways of shaping them.
Soup Tips and Notes
The ingredients for this soup are very similar to my chicken noodle soup since the dumplings are made of pasta dough and meat filling. I like to start my soups with the holy trinity of carrots, onions and celery to build the flavour. In this recipe, I swapped onions for leeks. Similar but more delicate flavour and they cook faster! Adding dried or fresh herbs is one of the ways to amp the flavour of your homemade soups. I love adding thyme in the winter and I nearly always sprinkle my soups with fresh parsley or dill right before serving.
Using good quality chicken stock is paramount to superior taste. If you have homemade stock stashed in the freezer, even better! Finally, pelmeni cook quickly from frozen. Once your stocks boils, drop them in and then will sink as they are quite heavy. Make sure to stir them with a spoon, so none of them stick to them bottom. Once they float, cook for 3-5 minutes longer depending on the size. I always take one out and cut in half to ensure the dough is cooked through. If pelmeni are difficult to find, replace with tortellini or Chinese dumplings. Pelmeni soup is traditionally served with sour cream on the side. Each person can add a dollop and stir it in for a creamier broth. Don’t add the sour cream to the whole pot. The image below shows what the soup with look like with sour cream stirred in.
Leftover and Storage
As with all pasta recipes, and I include dumplings in the same category, pelmeni soup will not last terribly long. I personally don’t like eating leftover pasta as it tends to get too soft, even though my husband says I am too picky. This soup is not exception. The longer the pelmeni spend in the broth, the softer they get and not in the good way. I recommend making just enough for one meal. After all, this soup is so quick to make! Favourite Soup Recipes to Try:
Leftover Turkey Soup Recipe Chicken and Dumpling Soup Classic Borscht Pasta e Fagioli Soup
