Best Dumplings With Green Lentils You Have Ever Tried!

Let me introduce to you this fabulous recipe for dumplings with green lentils. It’s time-consuming but incredibly flavorful, perfect for cozy winter days to enjoy with your family. I promise the final result is worth all the time spent making them! You can make a bigger batch, freeze them, and enjoy them in the following days!

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Have you ever tried any kind of dumplings? I am sure that at least you have heard about them.

If the answer is no, please, my dear friend, reserve some time to make these dumplings with green lentils, and I know you will not regret it! This is probably my favorite dumpling feeling, but you can make many variations and enjoy different flavors. I will share some tricks on making the best dumpling dough, what works best, what to avoid while making them, and how to get through the process to reach the most satisfying result.

Slavic countries have a lot in common when it comes to food. Dumplings are familiar in many countries; everyone uses different spices, fillings, and flavors. In Poland, where I come from, the most traditional form of eating dumplings is with cottage cheese, mashed potatoes, and onion (plus black pepper and salt to spice it up). This is how I got used to eating them, and I posted the whole recipe for homemade Polish dumplings here (plant-based version).

As the traditional way is delicious, I love experimenting with different flavors. During Christmas, eating dumplings with stewed cabbage and mushrooms is popular, which is only some people’s favorite filling, especially for kids. I remember that I wasn’t a fan of that combination, but with time, I liked it.

For example, you can make them sweet with strawberries and forest berries and top with yogurt or cream. These are my childhood memories when I remember we often had them during summertime with my family. My brother and I were so excited when we saw our mom making them, especially when they were sweet.

Today, I am sending you a fantastic recipe for dumplings with green lentils and potatoes. It is full of flavors, perfect for the fall and winter days, and I am sure you and your family will love it!

Something interesting about green lentils

Lentils and legumes, in general, are considered the best plant-based protein sources. That’s true. If soy is not GMO, it is probably the best source of protein; why? In several studies, the presence of essential amino acids was confirmed except for tryptophan (read more).

Daily legumes are crucial if someone decides to be on a completely plant-based diet. However, legumes are not just a great source of protein but so much more. When we look at the green lentils that we use in this recipe, they have polyphenol-rich content. Several studies have demonstrated that the consumption of lentils is immensely connected to reducing the incidence of diseases such as diabetes, obesity, cancers, and cardiovascular diseases due to their bioactive compounds. The predominant proteins in lentils are globulin (47% of the total seed proteins) and adequate albumin (read more).

Everything you need to make dumplings with green lentils

FOR THE DOUGH

• Organic wheat flour
• Wholegrain flour (to add more nutritional value but also for the better taste)
• Oil (rapeseed oil or olive oil)
• Salt
• Hot water (this is the trick to make the dough tastier)

FOR THE FILLING

• Cooked potatoes (best cooked the day before and cooled down before using)
• Cooked green lentils
• Onion
• Leek
• Oil
• Majroram (best spice for legumes!)
• Bulion powder
• Salt

HOW TO MAKE THE DUMPLING DOUGH?

STEP 1:

Prepare a large mixing bowl, add wheat (400g) and wholegrain (100g) flour, and mix them with your hands. Then, create a small hole in the middle and add oil. Mix the oil (80g) with the flour, but do not knead with your hands. I like to go around with my finger and incorporate fat into flour.

STEP 2:

In the meantime, when you prepare everything, boil water. You can do it in a pot or a kettle and let it rest for 10-15 minutes before adding to a dough. Mix flour and oil when ready, and add 230 ml of hot water.
This is the trick for making the dough better in taste and texture. I have learned it from my dear friend, with whom I had the privilege of working for a few months. She made probably thousands of dumplings and had such excellent knowledge.

STEP 3:

After adding hot water to your flour-oil mix, add 1 tsp of salt, combine all ingredients, and knead the dough. I like to start kneading in a bowl if the dough is too dry or too wet; then, I can easily add more flour or water without making my work surface dirty. Every flour is different, so you must watch for your dough while mixing. You will add more water if needed. Learning how to feel your dough is the most important. It should be stretchy and quite soft.

Knead the dough for about 10 minutes until you see that all ingredients are well incorporated and create an excellent shape, smooth bowl.

Leave it to rest while preparing the green lentil filling.

Marjoram; the best spice for legumes

In my opinion marjoram is one of the best dried herb and spices to add to any legume dish. It works just perfectly with beans and lentils. You can add this to any stew, soup and patties or spreads, and it will improve the flavor drastically.

For our dumpling filling, I used marjoram as the significant flavor profile. I also added herbal pepper and bullion powder. I must say, it makes such a difference what kind of bullion powder you use. If possible, look for some without glutamine or other unnecessary components. I found the best one is this: check it out here.

HOW TO MAKE GREEN LENTIL DUMPLING FILLING?

STEP 1:

Chop onion and leek finely and add to a preheated frying pan. Dry fry for a few minutes. Dry frying is an excellent method to let onion and leek soften before adding oil. The process draws out all the moisture, so the final result is browned, super crispy, and tender. After a few minutes, add oil and continue frying.

Add spices (marjoram, bullion powder, and salt) and continue final frying for another few minutes. This will create a flavor profile for your filling. Let this stage go slowly. Fry it on a low heat.

STEP 2:

Get your cooked potatoes and green lentils ready. I cook potatoes and green lentils the day before and cool them down. This process helps create resistance starch in potatoes (which is better for diabetes; read more here) and makes working with them much more accessible.

Use potato ricer for lentils and potatoes. This is an excellent tool for making any filling with potatoes. I recommend you buy them if you plan on making them more often; the overall texture of the filling is much better. If you do not have that, use a fork.

STEP 3:

Add mashed green lentils and potatoes to a medium-sized mixing bowl and combine them with your hands.

STEP 4:

Add sauteed onion and leek to a potato-green lentil dough. Mix gently with your hands to combine everything. Try it if you are satisfied with salt and spiciness.

I often take some stuffing on a spoon and shape it into small rolls to make it easier. This helps with stuffing dumplings and not getting messy hands. I put it on the plate and use it whenever I am ready. You can see in the pictures below.

Set it aside and prepare a working surface.

STEP 5:

Divide the dough into three parts. Roll out the first part. Try to roll the dough so it is thin but not to the point that it falls apart.
When rolling, sprinkle flour on the counter and not on the dough.
You can also grease the rolling pin with flour to prevent the rolling pin from sticking to the dough while rolling.

STEP 6:

When you reach the appropriate thickness of the dough, cut it into an oval shape using a cup or a unique tool. Sprinkle the countertop with flour to make it easier for the dough not to stick to it.

STEP 7:

Time to shape your dumplings!

Take one piece of dough and put the previously formed stuffing inside. Close both sides of the dumpling, pressing firmly to seal both ends tightly.

Prepare tray, line it with kitchen towel and put dumplings there before cooking. This will prevent from sticking.

STEP 8:

It’s time to cook your dumplings, finaly..!

Prepare medium-size cooking pot and boil enough of water. Add salt to it, it will help with the final taste.

When the water is boiling, add dumplings and cook them for about 1-2 minutes, or until you notice they float on the surface. You can add them partly, not all at once.

Prepare also separate two bowls and drainer. When they are done, gently remove them from the water and put them in a filter, and the strainer is placed in a bowl. This will help remove excess water. Then add them to another bowl, pour some oil, and stir them to coat. Then, cover the bowl with a lid and continue with cooking.

STEP 9:

We have come through a lot, but we are closing this process successfully and are ready to assemble and enjoy our dumplings with green lentils.

You can enjoy them straight out of the water and fry them with some oil. I did that, as you can see in the final pictures. It makes the taste even better.

Serve it with yogurt (catch this perfect parsley yogurt recipe) and chopped green onions or sauteed onion.

Try This homemade polish pierogi Recipe (plant-based version)

https://limelavender.com/homemade-polish-pierogi-you-need-to-try-plant-based/

I hope you enjoyed these dumplings with green lentils and learned something new today. Let me know in the comments below if you made them and how it turned out. If you have more questions, do not hesitate to contact me. I would love to connect with you and improve everything I share because I am still on the journey, like you!