If you haven’t noticed, I’m on a roll with all things wrapped in dough these days. Remember the manty and vareniki earlier this week? This time it’s the Siberian Pelmeni – one of the most classic and delicious Russian dumplings filled with a mix of ground meat.
Unlike vareniki, pelmeni are always made with ground meat. Although any kind of ground meat can be used – beef, pork, lamb, chicken, turkey or a mix of any different kind of meat in any proportions – the traditional Siberian Pelmeni are made with half-and-half mix of beef and pork.
Growing up in a very eastern european household, we had homemade dumplings at least once a month. Steamed manti, vegetarian vareniki, pelmeni with meat filling, you name it.
These classic Russian pelmeni have thinner skin than vareniki or manti. We’ve been making this classic pelmeni recipe for a long time. A LONG time. I remember sitting on a stool in my grandmother’s kitchen in Ukraine, learning to fold these…my little fingers clumsily stumbling over everything…getting the wrappers way too wet and putting in too much filling.
The dough is super easy and ideally made in a standing mixer or bread maker, but a pair of strong hands will do just fine 🙂
I prefer making pelmeni by hand, but there are also some time-saving gadgets. Like this pelmeni maker
A little folding, a little pressing, a little dropping of the filling on the floor for your drooling dog and after 10 minutes of boiling you are going to have the most delicious Russian dumplings.
Pelmeni can be served many different ways and every person has their own favorite. Some people serve pelmeni in the broth that they cooked in. Others fry them in a pan with some clarified butter. Some like eating pelmeni with a little bit of vinegar, and others like putting ketchup on them. There are countless ways of eating pelmeni, but my personal favorite is having pelmeni with a large dollop of sour cream.
Ingredients (filling):
1/2 lb ground beef
1/2 lb ground pork
2 medium onions, purred or finely chopped
2-3 cloves garlic cloves, pressed
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
few bay leaves and peppercorns
butter, sour cream and chopped parsley (to garnish)
Ingredients (dough):
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup cold water
2 tbsp cooking oil
1 tsp salt
To prepare the dough, combine all dough ingredients in a mixing bowl and kneed the dough until a smooth dough ball forms, about 10 minutes. Cover, and set aside, letting the dough rest until ready to use.
While the dough is resting prepare the filling by mixing ground meat, finely chopped onion, pressed garlic and season everything with salt and pepper. Mix well.
Divide the dough into 4 equal portions and roll each portion out into 1/8″ thick over a lightly floured non-stick surface. Using a jar top or a small glass (about 2.5 inch in diameter) cut out the circles of the dough and place 1/2 teaspoon of the filling on each circle. Simply fold the edges together and seal pressing tightly, then seal the two endings together as well.
Repeat to use the remaining of the filling and dough. Place the finished pelmeni on a well dusted cutting board (make sure they don’t touch each other) until ready to boil or freeze for 1 hour uncovered. Then transfer pelmeni into a large plastic bag. They would last for months.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add bay leaves and peppercorns. Place pelmeni in a boiling water. After they float to the top, cook for 5 more minutes, then remove them with a slotted spoon to a bowl.
Add butter and mix to coat pelmeni in butter. Serve garnished with sour cream and fresh parsley.
- Filling:
- 1/2 lb ground beef
- 1/2 lb ground pork
- 2 medium onions, purred or finely chopped
- 2-3 cloves garlic cloves, pressed
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- few bay leaves and peppercorns
- 2 tbsp butter, sour cream and chopped parsley (to garnish)
- Dough:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup cold water
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
- 1 tsp salt
- To prepare the dough, combine all dough ingredients in a mixing bowl and kneed the dough until a smooth dough ball forms, about 10 minutes. Cover, and set aside, letting the dough rest until ready to use.
- While the dough is resting prepare the filling by mixing ground meat, finely chopped onion, pressed garlic and season everything with salt and pepper. Mix well.
- Divide the dough into 4 equal portions and roll each portion out into 1/8″ thick over a lightly floured non-stick surface.
- Using jar top or a small glass (about 2.5 inch in diameter) cut out the circles of the dough and place 1/2 teaspoon of the filling on each circle.
- Simply fold the edges together and seal pressing tightly, then seal the two endings together as well. Repeat to use the remaining of the filling and dough.
- Place the finished pelmeni on a well dusted cutting board (make sure they don’t touch each other) until ready to boil or freeze for 1 hour uncovered. Then transfer pelmeni into a large plastic bag. They would last for months.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add bay leaves and peppercorns.
- Place pelmeni in boiling water. After they float to the top, cook for about 5 more minutes, then remove them with a slotted spoon to a bowl.
- Add butter and mix to coat pelmeni in butter.
- Serve garnished with sour cream and fresh parsley.
Love your writing style – I could definitely imagine a young you at your grandmother’s making these. 🙂 I’ve never made these myself before, but your photos have convinced me to try! Thanks for sharing.
hehe thanks Pamela! I hope you like making them 🙂 Enjoy!
I think some of the most beautiful recipes shared are those based on family memories! These look and sound delicious, like the Russian version of meat pies I would make with my family as a little girl.
Thanks Mary!
Though I don’t eat meat or gluten anymore, the holiday tradition of rolling and stuffing pelmeni has always been one of my favourite family pastimes! Thank you for bringing back these beautiful memories.
Thanks Ksenia! 🙂 Appreciate that!
Hello! I made these last night and they were awesome! I have a few questions though I’m wondering if you can help me with:
* I only used about a quarter of the meat before I ran out of dough:: is this a sign I didn’t roll out out the dough thin enough?
* Do you throw in the bay leaves and peppercorn as the water heats up or only just before you throw in the dumplings?
*Finally, mine turned a strange shade of gray:: any thoughts as to why they may have turned gray?
Hi Katie! Sorry for long reply, just noticed I missed your comment. Thanks so much for your feedback! What was the size of the circles you made? They need to be small, and the end product should look like the one I am holding on the picture. My circles are usually no more than 2.5 inches in diameter. Fo the peppercorns and bay leave – added it when the water begins to boil and before you throw in the pelmeni. They grey color could be a result of meat staining the dough.
Have noticed that at times when I make perogies that they turn a bit grey and I cannot figure that out. I wish someone would tell me if that is normal or am I overworking dough, or what exactly I am doing to cause this.
Hmm not sure, Carol. Have you tried different brand of flour?
The proportions in this recipe are off. Like Katie, I ended up with less than half my meat used when I ran out of dough. I ended up with 18 2″ dumplings, rolling as thin as possible (probably more like 1/16″).
Sorry you are having troubles Joel! Have you used the dough scraps as well? I always kneed and re-roll the dough after cutting out the circles.
I did re-roll the scraps, yes. (That got me to about 24 dumplings, I believe.) I ended up having to make two full recipes of the dough, and still had two cups of filling left over.
My son and I just finished making these. We also only used about a third to half of the filling mixture before we ran out of dough. Next time we will definitely double the dough recipe!!
I have had Pelmeni at many different Russian restaurants in Washington D.C and NYC. It is my favorite Russian dish and this recipe tastes exactly like what one would experience ordering Pelmeni at a Russian restaurant. The only thing I changed in making this recipe is I boiled my Pelmeni in chicken broth to add more flavor- but just water with the added bay leaves and peppercorns tastes just as good! I do recommend a pasta maker/machine to get that nice, thinned out dough, it really helps and saves a bit of time. Cooking is the easiest, assembling takes a bit of time so make sure you have a couple hours to spare!
Thank you for sharing this recipe! It is very good and I make it quite often.
I’m so thrilled to read your review Ashley! Thanks so much! Enjoy!
Sooooo good. I have it with just soy sauce and pepper, instead of sour cream. My dough to meat ratio was spot on. Not sure why others had issues. My grandma used to make these for me. Sour cream and butter is super good too. Just soy sauce brings back nostalgia. Would love to hear if you make peroshki? Prob spelled wrong lol
Forgot to put up stars. 🙂
Thank you so much Isaac! So happy to hear this! Yes, there a few pirozhki recipes on the site too! Cheers!
I used to make these with my grandmother growing up as well. This recipe is so close to the one we use…we use all beef and no pork. I remember making ground beef from a chunk of beef in a hand grinding apparatus. So much love always went into these. Not to mention this is my favorite food of all time. Thanks so much for sharing, I love the story that came along with this recipe 🥰
Aww thank you so much Elizabeth! Love it!
This is a fantastic recipe! I turned to your recipe, when I couldn’t find my mom’s – but this is almost an exact replica. Easy to make and so delicious. I have made this at least four times now!
A note to others: you have to roll out the dough as THIN as possible – almost as thin as tissue paper, which is the key to perfect pelmeni. I actually roll the dough out, cut it with a smaller cookie cutter, then roll each cut circle again. Yes, it takes longer, but who wants a doughy dumpling?? Thank you for sharing!