Sourdough Dumplings (Quick & Easy Discard Recipe) - Hopewell Heights (2024)

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This quick & easy sourdough dumplings recipe made with sourdough discard is the perfect addition to any dumpling soup, especially bone broth chicken soup which is the ultimate comfort food and a favorite hearty meal in my home!

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When it comes to homemade dumplings, I’m team biscuit dumplings all the way. Noodle dumplings are good, don’t get me wrong. But you just can’t beat fluffy, buttery, biscuit dumplings, in my opinion.

Especially these sourdough discard dumplings which are a great way to use up extra starter or even cold ferment your dumplings for a few days to get some of that tangy sourdough flavor.

These dumplings are so quick and easy, that they’re a staple in wintertime soups around here. A big bowl of soup with pillowy dumplings is such a comforting meal in the cooler months of the year Sometimes I double or triple the batch and freeze the extra for a quick partially prepped meal add-in during busy seasons. As I write this, baby number five’s arrival is getting closer and I need to think about food prepping. Making and freezing a huge batch of these easy sourdough dumplings is definitely on my to-do list.

This is my absolute favorite soup to add these dumplings to – homemade chicken and dumpling soup!

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Why You’ll Love this Sourdough Dumplings Recipe

  • This recipe is just a modification of my favorite biscuit recipe. This biscuit recipe is so versatile, it can be used in a number of recipes. So, if you like these dumplings – try cutting the dough into biscuits and baking them instead!
  • These dumplings are not at all gummy or doughy. They cook so well when added to a large pot of soup and turn out pillowy and buttery every time.
  • This recipe can be used for drop dumplings too. Just mix the dough ingredients in a large mixing bowl and drop a tablespoon of dumpling dough in a large soup pot full of soup that’s boiling at medium-high heat.
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Spend a late fall day cooking from scratch with me in my homestead kitchen. I’ll show you what we eat in a day, which includes chicken dumpling soup made with these easy sourdough dumplings.

What You’ll Need

Dumpling Dough Ingredients

1 1/4 cup flour = 155 grams

1/2 teaspoon sea salt = 3 grams

1 teaspoon sugar = 4 grams

2 teaspoons baking powder = 8 grams

6 tablespoons cold butter, cubed or grated = 85 grams

1/2 cup sourdough starter = 120 grams

1 egg = 50 grams

1/4 cup milk = 60 grams

Tools

Large Mixing Bowl

Rolling Pin

Bench Scraper

Pizza Wheel

Step-by-Step Instructions for Making Sourdough Dumplings

Mix the dry ingredients. Add flour, salt, sugar, and baking powder to a large bowl and whisk to combine.

Add cold, grated/cubed butter and cut into the flour mixture with a fork.

Add the egg, sourdough starter, and milk to the bowl and stir with a spoon until the dough is shaggy.

Do not knead. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and fold the dough a few times to work all the flour in.

Roll the dough out into a square so it’s about 1/4” thick. Use a pizza cutter or bench scraper to cut the dumplings to be 1/2” x 1/2”.

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Add to your favorite soup that’s boiling at medium heat to medium-high heat immediately or save for later use.

FAQ

  • What is sourdough?
    • Sourdough is a type of dough made using wild yeast for fermentation and leavening. A sourdough starter is needed to make sourdough recipes. Sourdough discard is inactive sourdough starter. When sourdough discard is used in a recipe, an additional leavening agent such as commercial yeast or baking powder must be used as well.
  • How do I make a sourdough starter?
    • To make a sourdough starter, mix equal parts water and flour in a jar, cover with a loose fitting lid, and allow to ferment at room temp for 24 hours. Discard half of the mixture after the 24 hours is up, “feed” the starter equal parts water and flour, cover with a loose fitting lid, and allow to ferment at room temp for 24 hours. Repeat this process of discarding, feeding, and fermenting for 1-2 weeks and you will have a mature sourdough starter ready to bake with. See my detailed blog posts onhow to make and maintain a sourdough starter.
  • How long does it take to make sourdough dumplings?
    • Since this is a discard recipe, these sourdough dumplings are quick & easy and only take 10 minutes to make plus an additional 15-20 minutes to cook once added to your favorite dumpling soup in a large soup pot.
  • Can I use all-purpose flour to make sourdough dumplings?
    • Yes. This recipe works well with all-purpose flour. Any high-quality flour will work well in this recipe, just adjust and add less flour when using whole grains.
  • Can I long-ferment sourdough dumplings?
    • These dumplings can be cold-proofed in the fridge overnight or for a few days. Just wrap the dough ball in plastic wrap and store it in the fridge until you’re ready to roll and cut it into dumplings.
  • Can I freeze sourdough dumplings?
    • Yes, sourdough dumplings can be frozen before cooking. To freeze, toss the dumplings in 2T flour so they are well coated and do not stick together. Spread evenly on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and freeze for 6 hours. After the dumplings are frozen, seal them in an airtight container and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
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Tips for making homemade dumplings

  • Use very cold butter and work quickly when mixing, rolling, and cutting the biscuit dough so the butter doesn’t melt. This will result in more pillowy dumplings.
  • Add some herbs and black pepper to your dumpling dough when mixing the dry ingredients for extra flavor.
  • Add these easy sourdough dumplings to homemade chicken soup made from a whole chicken for a rich, flavorful, hearty meal.

Storage

These sourdough discard dumplings can be stored in the fridge for 5-7 days in an airtight container. They can also be frozen. To freeze, toss the dumplings in 2T flour so they are well coated and do not stick together. Spread evenly on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and freeze for 6 hours. After the dumplings are frozen, seal them in an airtight container and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Sourdough Dumplings (Quick & Easy Discard Recipe) - Hopewell Heights (6)

Sourdough Dumplings (Quick & Easy Discard Recipe)

Yield: 4 cups sourdough dumplings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

sourdough dumplings made with sourdough discard are a quick & easy way to make your favorite soup the ultimate comfort food!

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cup flour = 155 grams
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt = 3 grams
  • 1 teaspoon sugar = 4 grams
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder = 8 grams
  • 6 tablespoons cold butter, cubed or grated = 85 grams
  • 1/2 cup sourdough starter discard = 120 grams
  • 1 egg = 50 grams
  • 1/4 cup milk = 60 grams

Instructions

  1. Combine flour, salt, sugar, and baking powder in a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine.
  1. Add cold, grated/cubed butter and cut into the flour mixture with a fork.
  2. Add the egg, sourdough starter, and milk to the bowl and stir with a spoon until the dough ball is shaggy.
  3. Do not knead. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and fold the dough a few times to work all the flour in.
  4. Roll the dough out into a square so it’s about 1/4” thick. Use a pizza cutter or bench scraper to cut the dumplings to be 1/2” x 1/2”.
  5. Add to a large pot of boiling soup immediately on medium heat to medium-high heat or save for later use. 15 minutes after you add the dumplings to the soup, use a soup spoon to lift a couple of dumplings out of the pot and test them with a fork to make sure they are done. If not, turn the dumpling soup down to low heat, wait 5 minutes, and check again.

Notes

These sourdough discard dumplings can be frozen. To freeze, toss the dumplings in 2T flour in a medium bowl so they are well coated and do not stick together. Spread evenly on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and freeze for 6 hours. After the dumplings are frozen, seal them in an airtight container and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 189Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 47mgSodium: 333mgCarbohydrates: 22gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 4g

Did you make this recipe?

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Sourdough Dumplings (Quick & Easy Discard Recipe) - Hopewell Heights (2024)

FAQs

Why are my drop dumplings tough? ›

Don't Overwork the Dumpling Dough

Stir everything together until the wet and dry ingredients are combined and you don't see any more dry flour. The dough might look a little lumpy, but that's okay! Overworking the dough is one of the easiest ways to end up with tough dumplings.

How do you keep drop dumplings from dissolving? ›

Lower your heat so that your broth is just barely barely barely boiling and drop these pieces in one at a time. It is important that you DO NOT STIR. We are not going to stir these as we don't want our dumplings cooking up. If you do stir, you will basically cause your dumplings to dissolve.

How to make crispy dumplings from frozen? ›

Essentially, you fry the frozen dumplings, then add water to the pan and cover them to steam through, then fry them again once the water evaporates. This double-frying creates an extra-crisp bottom crust.

How do I steam dumplings? ›

Fill your pan or pot with water that is about 1 inch deep and bring to a boil. Place the steaming vessel over the boiling water, cover, and steam for about 10–15 minutes (this depends upon what you have inside—if you have raw ingredients like meat, steam for longer, whereas cooked ingredients will take less time).

Do you cook dumplings with the lid on or off? ›

When the stew has about 30 mins to go, arrange the dumplings on top and cover with a lid. With the oven at 160C/140C fan/gas 3, cook the stew and dumplings for 20 mins, then remove the lid and cook for another 10 mins until they're brown and puffed up.

How to make dumplings taste better? ›

A pinch of salt seasons the dumplings and enhances the flavors of the other ingredients. Cold butter or margarine is cut into the flour mixture to bind the dry ingredients together. It also keeps the dumplings light and tender. Whole milk helps create a smooth, moist dough.

How do you know when drop dumplings are done? ›

Steamed dumplings require a test so simple that the only tool you need is a toothpick! Pierce the dumpling with a toothpick and if it comes out clean, you're good to go.

Why do my dumplings fall apart when I cook them? ›

Homemade dumplings can fall apart for a number of different reasons, or any combination of them. Often they burst during cooking because they have too much filling for the amount of dough. Some doughs are too dry, so the dumplings won't stay sealed. Others can be too wet and sticky and end up tearing.

How do you crisp the bottom of dumplings? ›

As the video shows using Trader Joe's gyoza, all you need to do is put a little oil in a nonstick pan, add the dumplings, add a little water, and cover to let the tops steam for a minute. Then you add what the video calls the “secret ingredient”: a slurry of flour and water, which gives it a nice, crispy bottom.

How do you make frozen dumplings more flavorful? ›

Rather than simply steam or pan-fry the dumplings, I stir-fried them in a hot skillet with sliced bell peppers and scallions, drizzled in some chili crunch and soy sauce, and now can no longer look back. It was so delicious! Frozen dumplings are a true lifesaver on the busiest nights when you're at your most tired.

Do you thaw frozen dumplings before cooking? ›

No, you do not need to defrost frozen dumplings before cooking, you can take them straight from the freezer to the pan. If you wanted a faster cooking time, let the dumplings partially thaw for 10 minutes before cooking.

Is it better to steam or boil dumplings? ›

Steaming is quicker than boiling, but you'll need a bamboo steamer. This cooking method yields dumplings with a silky wrapper that is firmer and more stretchy than boiled ones. Steaming works well with most types of dumplings, from har gow to bao zi.

Can I use aluminum foil for steaming dumplings? ›

All you'll need to steam the soup dumplings is a plate, a shallow pan, and three balled-up pieces of aluminum foil. The aluminum foil balls should all be roughly the same size. To get started, place your aluminum foil balls in the pan. Fill the pan with about 1.5 inches of water, and turn on the heat.

Are steamed dumplings healthy? ›

Steamed or boiled dumplings are healthy options, but do not forget about your fillings and serving sizes as well. One of the more popular options when it comes to dumplings are meat filled ones. Now there are many options of dumplings especially when it comes to fillings and how they are cooked.

How do you keep dumplings from getting tough? ›

Don't overwork the dough. Overworking the dough will develop the gluten, making it tough and chewy. This can also cause the dough to shrink when cooked, which can lead to the dumplings falling apart. Fill the dumplings loosely.

What causes dumplings to be chewy? ›

To achieve the desired chewiness, the main ingredient at play is gluten—the protein responsible for creating elasticity in dough. In Northern Chinese dumplings, the predominant use of wheat flour ensures a higher gluten content, imparting a hearty and chewy texture to the wrappers.

Can dumplings be overcooked? ›

Yes, dumplings that are overcooked will begin to fall apart and disintegrate into the soup, so try to stick to the cooking time. I always use a timer.

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