A green plate with Russian pelmeni garnished with dill

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This recipe is for Russian Pelmeni along with a NEW dough recipe! This dough is softer, tastier and has more exact measurements. I strongly recommend a KitchenAid Mixer for the job. It’s the workhorse of the kitchen. A pelmeni mold also speeds up the process.

They can be purchased on Amazon. Pelmeni are a royal pain in the bottom to make. They are however, cheap and tasty – and you’ll recall your childhood (detstvo vspomnish). You will have enough for about 6 dinners with this recipe, so if you are up for suffering through the process once, you will have a nice stash of these in the freezer.

Serve these in a good quality chicken broth, or boil and butter them up, then dip in sour cream, vinegar or ketchup.

Ingredients for Russian Pelmeni Dough:

2/3 cups buttermilk
1 Tbsp sour cream
2 large eggs
2 cups warm water
1 1/2 tsp salt
7 cups plus 6 Tbsp unbleached all-purpose flour

Ingredients for Pelmeni Filling:

1 lb ground turkey
1 lb ground pork
1 medium onion, finely diced
1 Tbsp olive oil
3 garlic cloves, pressed
1/2 tsp ground pepper
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp hot sauce, optional

Ingredients/ Ideas for Toppings:

Butter, melted
Sour cream, vinegar, ketchup

How to Make Basic Vareniky or Pelmeni Dough:

1. Using the whisk attachment on medium speed, mix together: 2/3 cup buttermilk, 1 Tbsp  of sour cream  2 cups warm water, 2 eggs and 1  1/2 tsp salt until well blended (please excuse the fact that this picture has the paddle attachment – I hauled my mixer to my sister’s house to make these and forgot the whisk!).

Two eggs and milk in a mixer

Salt added into mixing bowl with Russian pelmeni mixture

2. Switch to dough hook and add 4 cups flour. Mix on speed 2 until well blended.

Floured added into a mixing bowl

A mixing bowl with mixture for pelmeni dough

3. Add 3 more cups of flour (one cup at a time and wait for the dough to become well blended with each cup). Add the rest of the flour 1 Tbsp at a time, until the dough is no longer sticking to the sides of the bowl (I used 6 Tbsp). Once it is no longer sticking to the bowl, continue to mix 5 minutes. (Total mixing time is about 20 minutes from the time you start adding flour).

A mixing bowl with pelmeni dough

4. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface.

How to Make Pelmeni Filling:

1. Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a medium skillet. Add onion and saute until golden and soft. Add garlic and saute another minute.

Onions being sautéed in a skillet

2. Mix together pork, turkey, onion & garlic mix, 3/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp ground pepper and 1 tsp hot sauce (optional).
The KitchenAid is very useful for mixing meat as well, so your hands don’t freeze even if your meat is cold.

Meat mixture in a mixer for Russian pelmeni  

If using a pelmeni mold:

1. Cut off about tennis-ball-size chunks of dough and roll out into a circle.

2. Place over mold. Place 1/2 tsp meat into each pocket space on the mold.

A pelmeni tray with dough on it and meat being filled into the holes

3. Roll out another chunk of dough and place over the mold.

4. Use a rolling pin, roll the top, working from the center – outwards until the pelmeni are well-defined.

Pelmeni being shaped in a mold

5. Turn the pelmeni maker over and push the pelmeni out onto a well-floured cutting board.

Pelmeni being taken out of a mold

6. Arrange pelmeni evenly on the cutting board, sprinkle with flour and place in the freezer. Pinch together any open edges on pelmeni or the meat will float out during cooking.

Pelmeni on a floured cutting board

7. Once they are fully frozen, put them in large ziploc bags, sprinkle with flour and freeze them for future enjoyment.

If making pelmeni by hand:

1. Shape a portion of the dough into a 1 to 2 -inch thick log. Cut off 1 piece at a time (about gum ball sized) and roll into disks to form a 1.5-inch circle with rolling pin. Sprinkle rolling pin and surface with flour if needed.

2. Place 1 tsp pelmeni filling in the center,

A dough circle with meat being placed into the center

3. lose the edges and pinch together.

A Russian pelmeni being shaped by hand

4. Pinch the corners to gether to form, well… a diaper shape.

Handmade and shaped pelmeni

5. Place pelmeni onto a well-floured cutting board. Arrange pelmeni evenly on the cutting board, sprinkle with flour and place in the freezer.

6. Once they are fully frozen, put them in large ziploc bags, sprinkle with flour and freeze them for future enjoyment.

To Cook Pelmeni:

Bring a pot of water to boil (add 1 Tbsp salt for a large soup pot, or 1 tsp salt for a smaller 4 quart pot). Add FROZEN pelmeni and return to a boil. They should float to the top, then boil for 3 minutes longer (or until meat is fully cooked). Drain pelmeni and place them in a clean bowl. Toss pelmeni with butter and sprinkle with dill (optional). Serve them warm with ketchup, sour cream or vinegar (my personal favorite).

Natasha's Kitchen Cookbook

Russian Pelmeni Recipe + New Dough Recipe!

4.92 from 87 votes
Author: Natasha of NatashasKitchen.com
Prep Time: 2 hours
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes

Ingredients 

Servings: 180 + pelmeni

Ingredients for Pelmeni Dough:

  • 2/3 cups buttermilk
  • 1 Tbsp sour cream
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 cups warm water
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 7 cups plus 6 Tbsp unbleached all-purpose flour

Ingredients for Pelmeni Filling:

  • 1 lb ground turkey
  • 1 lb ground pork
  • 1 medium onion, finely diced
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 3 garlic cloves, pressed
  • 1/2 tsp ground pepper
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp hot sauce, optional

Ingredients/ Ideas for Toppings:

  • Melted butter, sour cream, vinegar, ketchup

Instructions

How to Make Basic Vareniky or Pelmeni Dough:

  • Using the whisk attachment on medium speed, mix together: 2/3 cup buttermilk, 1 tbsp of sour cream 2 cups warm water, 2 eggs and 1 1/2 tsp salt until well blended
  • Switch to dough hook and add 4 cups flour. Mix on speed 2 until well blended.
  • Add 3 more cups of flour (one cup at a time and wait for the dough to become well blended with each cup).
  • Add the rest of the flour 1 Tbsp at a time, until the dough is no longer sticking to the sides of the bowl (I used 6 Tbsp). Once it is no longer sticking to the bowl, continue to mix 5 minutes. (Total mixing time is about 20 minutes from the time you start adding flour).
  • Place the dough on a lightly floured surface.

How to Make Pelmeni Filling:

  • Heat 1 tbsp oil in a medium skillet. Add onion and saute until golden and soft. Add garlic and saute another minute.
  • Mix together pork, turkey, onion & garlic mix, 3/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp ground pepper and 1 tsp hot sauce (optional).

If using a pelmeni mold:

  • Cut off about tennis-ball-size chunks of dough and roll out into a circle.
  • Place over mold. Place 1/2 tsp meat into each pocket space on the mold.
  • Roll out another chunk of dough and place over the mold.
  • Use a rolling pin, roll the top, working from the center - outwards until the pelmeni are well-defined.
  • Turn the pelmeni maker over and push the pelmeni out onto a well-floured cutting board.
  • Arrange pelmeni evenly on the cutting board, sprinkle with flour and place in the freezer. Pinch together any open edges on pelmeni or the meat will float out during cooking.
  • Once they are fully frozen, put them in large ziploc bags, sprinkle with flour and freeze them for future enjoyment.

If making pelmeni by hand:

  • Shape a portion of the dough into a 1 to 2 -inch thick log. Cut off 1 piece at a time (about gum ball sized) and roll into disks to form a 1.5-inch circle with rolling pin. Sprinkle rolling pin and surface with flour if needed.
  • Place 1 tsp pelmeni filling in the center,
  • Close the edges and pinch together.
  • Pinch the corners together to form, well... a diaper shape.
  • Place pelmeni onto a well-floured cutting board. Arrange pelmeni evenly on the cutting board, sprinkle with flour and place in the freezer.
  • Once they are fully frozen, put them in large ziploc bags, sprinkle with flour and freeze them for future enjoyment.

To Cook Pelmeni:

  • Bring a pot of water to boil (add 1 tbsp salt for a large soup pot, or 1 tsp salt for a smaller 4 quart pot). Add FROZEN pelmeni and return to a boil. They should float to the top, then boil for 3 mintues longer (or until meat is fully cooked). Drain pelmeni and place them in a clean bowl. Toss pelmeni with butter and sprinkle with dill (optional). Serve them warm with ketchup, sour cream or vinegar (my personal favorite).
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Russian, Ukrainian
Keyword: Russian Pelmeni
Skill Level: Medium
Cost to Make: $

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Natasha Kravchuk

Welcome to my kitchen! I am Natasha, the blogger behind Natasha's Kitchen (since 2009). My husband and I run this blog together and share only our best, family approved and tested recipes with YOU. Thanks for stopping by! We are so happy you're here.

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Comments

  • Brooke
    February 17, 2024

    Oh, pelmeni… I love you so much, but you are such a chore to make!
    I didnt want to use the mold, so I started by hand. That did not last long.
    Thanks for the great recipe!

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      February 17, 2024

      You’re welcome, Brooke!

      Reply

  • Tanya
    January 29, 2024

    Do not fry onion, gave me such heartburn after making this recipe… use raw onion in meat. Where did you ever get this idea? I googled recepies in Russian and no recepie says to fry onion. I am not trying your other recepies, too busy posting and not paying attention to such important step

    Reply

    • Natasha
      January 30, 2024

      Hi Tanya, Pre-sautéing onions before adding them to the meat in pelmeni can actually help reduce the likelihood of heartburn for some people. Raw onions contain sulfurous compounds, that can contribute to heartburn in sensitive individuals. When you sauté onions, it helps to break down these compounds, reducing their potential to cause GI discomfort. It also reduces the changes of those yucky burps that adding raw onions causes. Of course you can add them raw but if you’re sensitive, you might just skip them. Also keep in mind it could be a dipping sauce if you used one? heartburn is no fun. I hope that helps you.

      Reply

      • Holly
        February 25, 2024

        You are way too kind, Natasha. I applaud your restraint. 😂

        Reply

  • Nicole
    December 29, 2023

    Hi Natasha! I love pelmeni. I even have a press and have only made them with chicken, but I’m looking for a different recipe to try. I don’t eat pork, which makes it tricky. Have you tried this recipe using all turkey? Thank you.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      December 30, 2023

      Hi Nicole, you can try turkey and chicken together. Or chicken and beef if you enjoy that flavor. Turkey and beef work together well also. Turkey is very lean, I worry it will be too dry on its own. I hope you love this recipe.

      Reply

  • Mila
    November 8, 2023

    We haven’t made pelmeni in soo long..cause it’s so much work! Until we tried this version with kitchen aid! My teenagers Andrew and Sofia have made these twice now, when I’m at work, absolutely delicious, freeze well, soft yummi dough, easy to make. Thank you!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      November 8, 2023

      That’s aweosme, Mila! I love that your kids got in on the action too! That’s a great skill to learn! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.

      Reply

  • Lana
    November 7, 2023

    Great pelmeni dough recipe. Cooks and tastes great. The only thing that i would say, maybe will be helpful for someone. For this amount of dough you need at least 3 to 3 1/2 pounds of meat. I did it few times already and its way too much dough for just 2 lb of meat as it states in a recipe. I use a mold and i don’t roll out the dough very thin.

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      November 8, 2023

      Thank you for sharing, we appreciate it!

      Reply

  • Elena
    August 31, 2023

    It works great! The dough tastes really good with chicken inside and the pelmeni didn’t open up during boiling. We used a mold and made some by hand too.

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      August 31, 2023

      Great to hear that you enjoyed this recipe, Elena!

      Reply

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