25 Delicious Dumpling Recipes From Around the World

Wor Tip Dumplings — The Spruce Eats / Abbey Littlejohn

Dumplings are the ultimate comfort food, and a great way to take a trip around the culinary world without ever leaving your kitchen table. Nearly every cuisine features some form of dumpling, and we're fans of them all—Polish pierogi, Chinese dim sum, Caribbean cornmeal dumplings, and even Jewish matzo balls (yes, those are dumplings, too).

Whether steamed, boiled, or fried, savory or sweet, doughy, or light as air, served in a soup or eaten with a sauce, there is something to love about every type of dumpling. We've collected our favorite recipes from around the globe in this food enthusiast's guide to dumplings.

A Dipping Sauce That Complements Every Type of Dumpling

A dumpling secured with chopsticks above a dipping sauce

01 of 25

Wor Tip (Cantonese Pork and Chicken Potstickers) Recipe

The Spruce Eats / Abbey Littlejohn

Cantonese-inspired steamed dumplings filled with ground pork and bok choy have a wonderful texture thanks to the cooking technique. They're steamed on one side, and pan-fried on the other, for a chewy-crispy experience you'll go back to again and again. Enjoy them as a hearty appetizer, with soy sauce or rice vinegar for dipping.
02 of 25

Houskovy Knedlík (Czech Bread Dumplings) Recipe

The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

Traditional Czech bread dumplings are simple to prepare using stale bread cubes, flour, milk, and eggs. The easy dough is shaped into small loaves, which are boiled, and sliced for serving. Enjoy them in stews or as a side for meat dishes.
03 of 25

Yuanxiao Dumplings for Chinese Lunar New Year Recipe

The Spruce Eats / Nita West

Yuanxiao dumplings are sweet, glutinous rice balls filled with a sweet black sesame paste (or sometimes red bean paste), and cooked in boiling water. They are a traditional treat eaten at the annual Lantern Festival, on the last day of the Chinese Lunar New Year season, when paper lanterns fill the night sky with beautiful lights. The sweet round dumplings symbolize family happiness, and good luck in the coming year.
04 of 25

Caribbean Cornmeal Dumplings Recipe

The Spruce Eats / Christine Ma

Caribbean cornmeal dumplings are airy and light, with a hint of sweetness and spice from cinnamon and sugar in the batter. They make a delicious addition to fish chowders, oxtail soup, or just about any Caribbean stew.

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05 of 25

Momos (Indian Steamed Dumplings) Recipe

The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

Enjoy steamed pork dumplings flavored with Indian spices in a bowl of clear broth for a comforting lunch or light dinner, or as a main dish, topped with spicy tomato sauce. Make them in under an hour, and serve immediately.
06 of 25

Xiao Long Bao (Chinese Soup Dumplings) Recipe

The Spruce Eats / Brian Yong

Xiao Long Bao (soup-filled dumplings) are a remarkable invention from China that has delighted eaters for more than a millennium. These tantalizing small bites are delicately pleated, steamed buns enveloping a seasoned pork filling, and hot, flavorful soup broth. While the recipe takes time and patience to master, the reward of biting them is a culinary experience unlike any other.
07 of 25

Jewish Sweet Potato and Mushroom Kreplach Recipe

The Spruce Eats / Miri Rotkovitz

Sometimes called "Jewish wontons", kreplach are an Ashkenazi Jewish specialty that will remind you of Polish pierogi. Traditionally eaten in soups, they can also be tossed in butter, and served as a side dish topped with sour cream and herbs. While most old-school versions contain meat, we've taken them vegetarian with a savory filling of roasted mashed sweet potato, savory sautéed onions, and mushrooms.
08 of 25

Knedle s Sljivama (Croatian Plum Dumplings) Recipe

The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

With a dough formed of mashed potatoes, these plum-filled dumplings are a uniquely sweet-meets-savory dish. Use small damson or Italian prune plums for these tasty snacks that can be eaten as a meatless main course, served as a fruity starch to accompany meat main dishes, or sprinkled with sugar and eaten as a dessert.

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09 of 25

Pierogi Ruskie (Polish Potato-Cheese Dumplings) Recipe

The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

Polish pierogi dumplings have gained worldwide popularity in recent years. What's not to like about soft, doughy dumplings with savory potato and cheese filling? Make a big batch in about an hour, to enjoy topped with sour cream, and optional crumbled bacon.
10 of 25

Jiaozi (Chinese Meat Dumplings) Recipe

The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

Chinese dumplings (jiaozi) filled with ground pork or beef, cabbage, bamboo shoots, scallions, ginger, and garlic are a popular dish at dim sum restaurants and Lunar New Year celebrations. Serve them as an appetizer, with an easy tangy dipping sauce made from soy sauce and rice wine vinegar.
11 of 25

Thanksgiving Dumplings Recipe

The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

These Asian-inspired Thanksgiving dumplings are a good way to use up all the delicious leftovers from a holiday dinner. There are no set rules as to what you include in your pockets of dough—everything from stuffing to cranberry sauce is fair game. They are sautéed and steamed in the same manner as Chinese potstickers.
12 of 25

Slovak Halusky Dumplings Recipe

The Spruce Eats / Eric Kleinberg

Hearty halusky dumplings served with crunchy bacon bits and chives are one of Slovakia's national dishes. To make them, potatoes are grated and formed into a simple dough with salt and flour. The hand-shaped dumplings cook in boiling water in just a few minutes. Enjoy them as a filling meal or as a starchy side dish alongside meaty mains.

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13 of 25

Japanese Shrimp Gyoza Recipe

The Spruce Eats / Ahlam Raffii

Japanese shrimp gyoza are wonderfully crunchy little bundles of seafood wrapped in pasta-like skins, and fried until golden brown. Our yaki-style version is equivalent to a potsticker, and the dumplings are surprisingly easy to make at home. They make a fantastic appetizer or light lunch, with some ponzu or soy sauce for dipping.
14 of 25

Pelmeni (Russian Meat Dumplings) Recipe

The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

Make the dough and filling for these savory Russian meat dumplings up to a day ahead, for boiling quickly just before serving. They taste great topped with melted butter, red wine vinegar, or sour cream.
15 of 25

Madombi (Botswanan Steamed Dumplings) Recipe

The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

In Bostwana, madombi served in stew are a staple comfort food. The large, hearty, slightly sweet African dumplings are easy to prepare with a six-ingredient yeast dough that you can mix up with your hands (no food processor required). The kneaded and risen dough is then rolled into balls, for steaming atop a bubbling pot of stew. They make a great topping for chicken pot pie, too.
16 of 25

Yachae Mandoo (Korean Vegetarian Dumplings) Recipe

The Spruce Eats / Ana Maria Stanciu

Nutritious vegetarian dumplings are a popular Korean dish. They typically include tofu, eggs, glass noodles, and vegetables, but you can vary the veggies to suit your tastes. The dumplings can be steamed, pan-fried, deep-fried, or boiled in soup.

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17 of 25

Varenyky (Ukrainian Blueberry Dumplings) Recipe

The Spruce Eats / Ana Zelic

Ukranian boiled dessert dumplings are similar to Polish pierogi, but are filled with fresh, ripe blueberries. Feel free to add a splash of brandy, or lemon juice, to the berries, and serve dumplings topped with the included blueberry sauce.
18 of 25

Har Gow (Chinese Shrimp Dumplings) Recipe

The Spruce Eats / Maxwell Cozzi

Delicate, steamed shrimp dumplings, lightly seasoned with rice wine and sesame oil, are one of the most popular items on dim sum menus. Make them at home with this recipe and an expert tip: Keep both your hands and the steamer basket well-oiled, to prevent the dumpling dough from sticking.
19 of 25

Kopytka (Polish Mashed Potato Dumplings) Recipe

The Spruce Eats / Sonia Bozzo

The Polish name for these traditional boiled dumplings means "little hooves," for their shape. They are easy to make with cooked mashed potatoes, and have a texture similar to Italian gnocchi.
20 of 25

Uszka (Polish "Little Ears" Dumplings) Recipe

The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

These miniature savory soup dumplings, called "little ears" for their shape, are typically filled with meat. This equally tasty recipe calls for a delicious mushroom, breadcrumb, and parsley stuffing, making them suitable for vegetarian diets.

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21 of 25

Jewish Instant Pot Matzo Balls in Chicken Soup Recipe

The Spruce Eats / Diana Rattray

Matzo balls are soft, fluffy dumplings made from matzo meal that are traditionally floated in hot chicken soup, and enjoyed on Passover (and year-round as a popular delicatessen lunch). Our quick and easy Instant Pot recipe produces matzo balls with the perfect texture that you can mix and shape in minutes, for simmering to perfection in a flavorful homemade chicken stock.
22 of 25

Siu Mai (Chinese Dumplings With Pork and Shrimp) Recipe

The Spruce Eats / Maxwell Cozzi

Flavorful pork and shrimp dumplings are a popular dim sum dish, and surprisingly easy to make at home. Form them with ground pork, and a filling of minced shrimp, mushrooms, and Chinese flavorings, rolled in wonton wrappers and steamed.
23 of 25

Vegan Potstickers With Mushroom and Tofu Recipe

The Spruce Eats / Christine Ma

Vegans and vegetarians can enjoy Asian-inspired potstickers with this meat-free recipe. They're extra-hearty thanks to a savory filling made from crumbled tofu, mushrooms, napa cabbage, ginger, garlic, scallions, soy sauce, and sesame oil.
24 of 25

Vegan and Vegetarian Pumpkin Dumplings Recipe

The Spruce Eats

Vegan and vegetarian pumpkin-filled dumplings make a fabulous first course for autumn dinners, or an inspired appetizer for Halloween parties. Make them easily using canned pumpkin puree and a few other ingredients.

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25 of 25

Jamaican Spinners Recipe

The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

Jamaican spinners are dense dumplings that require only three ingredients. The dough is shaped into long, tapered strands that spin and sink while they cook, instead of floating on top of liquid. Enjoy them cooked in soups or stews.

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