Pelmeni Recipe

Pelmeni, topped with dill and sour cream, in a dark blue bowl.

5 from 3 votes

Pelmeni are a must-try traditional Russian meal! Similar to dumplings, these are made with tender and juicy meat wrapped in dough and cooked in boiled water. They are perfect for a meal prep, as you can freeze them and then cook in just 10 minutes!

Prep Time2

Cook Time10

Total Time2 10

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: Russian/Ukrainian

Servings: people

Calories: 555kcal

Author: Veronika's Kitchen

Ingredients

Ingredients for the dough:

4 cups all-purpose flour
1 large egg
1 cup whole milk
½ cup water
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon granulated sugar

Ingredients for the Filling:

1 pound ground pork
1 pound ground beef
1 medium onion grated with juices
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together an egg, milk, water, salt, and sugar. Add half of the all-purpose flour and using a spatula, fold it in. Then add the rest of the flour and mix.
Transfer the dough to a counter and knead for about 7-10minutes, until the dough is soft and elastic. Wrap it with a plastic wrap and let it rest on the counter for about 40-50 minutes.
In another mixing bowl, add ground pork, ground beef, grated onion, salt and pepper. Using a spatula or your hands, mix everything until evenly combined.
When the dough is ready, knead it again until it’s soft and elastic, adding some more flour. Cut a piece of the dough (about an apple size) and roll it evenly until about ¼-inch thin.
Cut the circles from the dough using a glass or a special circles cutter. Put about 1 teaspoon of meat mixture in each circle and make the shape of the pelmeni. (you can watch my video tutorial)
When the pelmeni are ready, you can cook them right away or put them in the freezer. Whether you decide to cook them fresh or frozen, the technique and timing will be the same. It’s similar to cooking pasta.
Boil a large pot with water over high heat. When the water starts boiling, add frozen or freshly made pelmeni and stir, so they don’t stick together. Cook for about 10 minutes or until the dumplings start to float on top.
You can scoop them out of water with a strainer ladle or drain the liquid like you would do it for pasta.

Video

Notes

Depending on the flour brand you are using and how much moisture it has, you might need more or less of it. I usually add one cup of flour at a time and mix well before adding more.
Keep the counter surface and a rolling pin well-floured while working with the dough, so it won’t stick.
Don’t overcook pelmeni, otherwise they will fall apart.
Make sure you grate the onion and don’t just chop it for the filling. The onion juices will help the meat stay soft and tender.
When you cook these raviolis from the freezer, you don't need to defrost them. Just put them into the boiling water and cook for 10 minutes just as you would the fresh ones. They will come out delicious!

How to freeze? Traditionally, people make a big batch of these meat dumplings and freeze them. To do so, place pelmeni first of a baking sheet sprinkled with flour and put in the freezer for about 30 minutes. Then you can portion and transfer them into zip-locked bags and freeze for up to 2-3 months.

How to serve? Usually, they are served in a bowl with a spoonful of sour cream and sprinkled dill on top. You also can serve some dips, like ketchup, mustard, vinegar, or horseradish relish.

How to store? If you have any cooked leftovers, you can refrigerate them in an air-tight container for a couple of days. You can reheat them in a frying pan, using a bit of butter. They also will get a delicious golden crust.

Nutrition