Viral Blanket Dumplings

No ratings yet

My take on the viral trend inspired by deconstructed Turkish manti—juicy kebab-style dumplings tucked under a soft wrapper and finished with garlicky yogurt and paprika brown butter.

Prep Time15

Cook Time7

Total Time22

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Asian, Turkish

Keyword: steamed dumplings

Servings: dumplings

Author: The Modern Nonna

Equipment

Ingredients

The Dumplings

olive oil small drizzle
1 lb ground chicken (450g) or any ground meat
1 small red bell pepper
4 large shallots
5 peeled garlic cloves
¼ cup chopped parsley
1 teaspoon kosher salt
21 dumpling wrappers

The Yogurt Sauce

1 cup plain yogurt
2 garlic cloves minced
salt to taste

Paprika Brown Butter

4 tablespoons butter
½ teaspoon paprika
garnish dill or parsley

Instructions

The Yogurt Sauce

In a bowl, mix together the yogurt, salt, and garlic and set aside.

The Paprika Butter

In a small pot on the stove over medium heat, add the butter and let it melt. Next, add in the paprika and cook for about a minute or until the butter is lightly golden (not burnt). Take it off the heat.

The Dumplings

In a food processor, add the shallots (or onion), garlic cloves, and diced bell pepper. Process until it forms a paste.
Pour the veggie mixture into a cheesecloth over a bowl and squeeze out as much water as possible.

Tip: Removing the extra moisture keeps the dumpling filling flavorful and prevents the meat from steaming instead of browning.

Next, add the squeezed veggies to a mixing bowl with the ground meat and salt. Mix well.
To a pan over medium heat, add a small drizzle of olive oil. Once the oil shimmers, use a small ice cream scoop to form evenly sized meatballs.
Add the meatballs straight into the pan making sure you space them apart. I like to cook in batches of 7 meatballs at a time.
Now take a dumpling wrapper and place it directly onto each meatball, just like a “blanket.”
Pour 1/2 cup of water in the pan and cover. Cook for exactly 6 minutes or until the water evaporates.

Extra Crispy Bottom: After the water evaporates, let the dumplings cook another 30-60 seconds in the pan to get a deeper golden crust on the bottom.

Once cooked, take the dumplings off the heat and top with the yogurt sauce, brown paprika butter (or chili oil), and fresh dill. Repeat in batches of 7 until you have 21 dumplings in total. Enjoy!

Notes

Protein Options: Ground chicken keeps the dumplings light, but ground turkey, pork, beef, or lamb all work well. Ground pork is especially juicy and flavorful if you want a richer dumpling.
Vegetable Swaps: If you don’t have red bell pepper, you can use grated zucchini (squeezed very dry), carrot, or finely chopped mushrooms. Green onions also work beautifully in the filling.
Herbs: Parsley adds freshness, but cilantro, dill, or chives all work nicely in the dumpling mixture.
Sauce Variations: The yogurt sauce can be made with Greek yogurt, labneh, or even sour cream. For extra brightness, add lemon juice or a drizzle of olive oil.
Butter Swap: Instead of paprika brown butter, you can drizzle chili oil, hot honey, or garlic butter over the dumplings for a different flavor profile.
Make it Spicy: Add chili flakes, Aleppo pepper, or a spoon of chili crisp to the meat mixture or the butter sauce.
Dairy-Free: Use a dairy-free yogurt for the sauce and replace the butter with olive oil or plant-based butter for the paprika drizzle.
Storage and Reheating: Store cooked dumplings in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of water and a lid to warm them through, then uncover briefly to crisp the bottoms again. Freeze uncooked dumplings in a zip-top bag for up to 2 months.

Nutrition