Our annual tribute to one of everyone’s favorite foods returns, with all-new ways to get you pinching and pleating.
Whatever form they take, dumplings make you want to inhale as many as you can, one after another, stopping only to swipe through more sauce or exhale a dragon puff of steam. Eating them feels like tearing open gifts — but better. The wrapping is as amazing as what’s inside, and biting through it delivers a rush of satisfaction at the taste of something new.
For some, dumplings symbolize fortune for the Year of the Horse ahead. For everyone, they’re the best party food of any season (and make any regular meal feel like a party). Not to mention, in the late trudge of winter and amid the renewal of the Lunar New Year on Tuesday, they’re what we all want.
In our second annual Dumpling Week, a celebration of the most sublime savory bites, we’re continuing to honor dumpling traditions by embracing the creativity the form inspires, with recipes and accompanying videos. After all, they’ve traveled the globe and evolved in the hands of cooks for more than 1,500 years. We’re continuing that journey with these morsels.
Each of the dumplings below was created by longtime New York Times Cooking recipe developers, built on classic foundations and tiered with seasonings and techniques adopted over years of tasting, pinching and pleating dumplings with family and friends. We’ve drawn from experiences beyond our own homes and cultural traditions to stuff, seal and sauce original dumplings that reflect our embrace of tastes from around the world.
Read on to find out more about each, and watch the how-to videos to guide you as you form the five different shapes at home. They’re as fun to make as they are to eat, and there’s no better time to start than now.
Feeling Inspired? Here’s How to Host an Unforgettable Dumpling Party.
This is Sue Li’s version of a traditional pan-fried dumpling that she would buy from a stand at the base of Elephant Mountain, a popular spot in Taipei, Taiwan, after early morning hikes. The simple ground pork filling is flavorful and juicy thanks to garlic chives, a wide, flat variety with a strong garlic flavor and leeklike texture.
Recipe: Pork and Garlic-Chive Potstickers
Credit…Matthew Young
A savory filling is at the center of these sweet, fluffy buns, called “king,” or “wang” in Korean, — for their size, and not any royal status. The beef, mushroom and onion within this version from Eric Kim are not traditional, but together, taste familiar, like a good burger. A quick, salty-sweet soy-sauce pickle of red onion and jalapeño is a vibrant dipping sauce.
Recipe: Wang Mandu (King Dumplings)
Credit…Matthew Young
Eaten in Turkey, Armenia and across Central Asia, manti are typically meat-filled dumplings, which can be boiled, steamed or baked. Hetty Lui McKinnon’s vegetarian manti is inspired by the Turkish version, here filled with herby mushrooms and served with a sharp, garlicky yogurt and a spiced tomato sauce. While traditional manti are small and made with a flour, egg and olive oil dough, this recipe uses the shortcut of store-bought wonton wrappers, resulting in a more conventionally sized dumpling.
Recipe: Mushroom Manti With Garlic Yogurt and Tomato Sauce
Credit…Matthew Young
Kay Chun’s mom’s cabbage-potato soup and other similar dishes, like pierogi and knishes, inspired these dumplings. The savory filling combines creamy mashed potatoes and caramelized cabbage, seasoned with tangy sauerkraut, fragrant caraway, Parmesan and fresh dill. These dumplings are equally delicious boiled and tender or pan-fried and crisp. Leftovers can be cooked with vegetables in broth for a quick, satisfying soup.
Recipe: Cabbage, Potato and Cheese Dumplings With Dill
Credit…Matthew Young
Trade between China and Thailand began centuries ago, and with it came the commingling of people, culture and cuisine. Here, in Genevieve Ko’s recipe, the signature hot, sour, salty and sweet flavor profiles of Thai food take the form of super-savory dumplings with a chile-spiked dipping sauce. Formed into little round patties, these resemble a pan-fried dim sum dumpling filled with garlic chives.
Recipe: Thai Basil Chicken Dumplings With Rice Paper Wrappers
Credit…Matthew Young
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