Turkey & Mushroom Dumplings

I want to start off this recipe with a disclaimer that homemade dumplings are kind of a thing. They take awhile, and they take some patience (especially if you’re planning on making these with children), but they are SO worth it. The dumpling wrappers come together with just two ingredients and a little handiwork, and the filling gets cooked down to concentrate the flavors so much that even mushroom-haters will have their mouths watering.

If you actually can’t stand mushrooms and aren’t willing to give them a try, you can substitute them. You could just use more ground turkey, or try something different such as ground pork or another vegetable (perhaps finely chopped broccoli or cauliflower).

In this recipe, we add the coconut aminos (or soy sauce, if using that) in two parts. The first two tablespoons are added at the beginning of cooking to concentrate flavor. The second two tablespoons are added just before filling the dumplings, to ensure that the mixture stays moist while we fry the dumplings. Don’t skip out on this step, or your filling may be too dry.

If it feels like your dough is too dry, feel free to add more water little by little. A stand mixer is very helpful here, but don’t feel intimidated if you don’t have one. Your hand will work just fine, keeping in mind that it may take a little elbow grease to get the dough mixed through.

These dumplings are perfect to make over the weekend when you have time to dedicate, but with the right amount of planning you could totally do these on a weeknight. Make the filling ahead of time and store it in the fridge, then you just need to make the dough and fry them before eating. These dumplings are a great way to take your mind off of being stuck at home, and a really fun project if you’ve never made your own. I hope you enjoy this recipe!

As always, if you make them, share and tag me @theardentcook on Instagram!

For the filling

1lb ground turkey

One 3.5 oz container shiitake mushrooms, chopped

2 scallions, finely sliced, plus more for garnish

1.5 inch piece ginger, grated

2 cloves garlic, minced or grated

½ cup cilantro, finely chopped

4 TBSP coconut aminos or low-sodium soy, divided

1 TBSP toasted sesame oil

1 tsp Sambal or similar chile paste

1 TBSP honey

1 TBSP olive oil, for pan frying

For the dough

1.5 cups AP flour

1 cup Whole Wheat flour

¾ – 1 cup water, depending on absorbency of your flour

Instructions

Prepare filling. In a medium skillet, begin to brown turkey. When turkey is about halfway cooked and slightly pink, add mushrooms, scallions, ginger, garlic, and 2 TBSP of the coconut aminos or soy sauce. Stir to combine and saute on low for about 15 minutes to allow the flavors to concentrate.The mixture will look moist but not wet. Let cool.
While filling cooks, combine flour and water in a large bowl or stand mixer with dough hook attachment. If using a stand mixer, mix on low until flour is just combined, being careful not to overwork the dough. If using hands, gently knead dough, occasionally folding it over itself to combine. Regardless of the mixing method used, you may need to add a few tablespoons of additional water to get the dough to a consistency that can be easily rolled out.
On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to about ¼ inch thick. Cut small circles, approximately 1.5 inches in diameter, using a small cookie cutter or glass (a shot glass works well for this). Then, roll each circle out as thin as possible without tearing.
To the cooled filling mixture, add the remaining 2 TBSP coconut aminos, chopped cilantro, sesame oil, Sambal or chile paste, and honey. Stir to combine. Taste mixture and add additional salt and/or Sambal to your taste preference.
Moisten the edges of a dumpling wrapper with water and scoop about 1.5 tsp of filling into the center of the wrapper. Fold the edges of the wrapper over, creating a half-moon dumpling shape, and press with your fingers to seal the edges. Do not overfill the dumplings, as they could tear. Repeat the process until all dumpling wrappers are filled. This recipe will yield about 30 dumplings. If extra dumpling filling remains, enjoy it as a filling for lettuce wraps, or served over rice with some steamed broccoli!
In a large nonstick skillet, add olive oil to coat the pan. Pan-fry dumplings over medium heat until golden and crisp on one side, approximately 5 minutes. Flip dumplings over and add a few tablespoons of water to the pan and cover to steam for another 5 minutes. Once the time is up, uncover the pan and allow dumplings to finish cooking until the water has evaporated and the dumplings are soft. Time may vary for this step, so it is best to judge by how the dumplings look and feel. If the bottoms are burning, lower the heat and add a bit more water to the pan to insulate.
Serve dumplings with dipping sauce of your choice. For a quick and delicious sauce, combine 2 TBSP coconut aminos, 1 tsp sriracha, 1 tsp honey, ½ tsp grated garlic, ½ tsp grated ginger, and toasted sesame seeds.