14 Dumpling Recipes to Make for Any and All Occasions

We’re not afraid to play fast and loose with the definition of "dumpling." Some sort of filling—sweet or savory—wrapped in a doughy substance? Definitely a dumpling. A potatoey mixture that’s boiled or fried, à la gnocchi? Also a dumpling. Then there’s the chicken-and-dumplings style, which we wish were appropriate to put on top of more foods besides just chicken. Some people even go so far as to consider tamales a dumpling—and all that delicious filling tucked inside steamed, ground masa sounds an awful lot like a dumpling to us.

We’re not the first to say that dumplings are a sort of universal culinary language—every culture's got a doughy, delicious little lump of goodness that fills bellies and feels like the ultimate comfort food. Here’s the MUNCHIES collection of our favorite "dumplings" from around the world.

First things first: If you’re gonna make dumplings at home, you should really commit. Here's how to go all out and make your wrappers from scratch.

Half the fun of soup dumplings is getting a little messy as broth gets all over your face. Learn how to make your own, and you can at least do all of that in the privacy of your own home.

These sweet and savory dumplings are a pure classic from Sue Chan, a recipe by a home cook for a home cook. No chefy tricks here, just dumplings the way Sue’s mom used to make.

You think Sue would leave us without a dessert dumpling, too? A consummate host, she of course comes through in the clutch with a step-by-step tutorial and everything.

We call them pork and chive dumplings, but everyone always forgets the ginger. Just a little pop brightens up these crowd pleasers. Make a million and stick 'em in the freezer for a rainy day.

New York is a good town for dumplings, but most people who know what’s up know that the best of the best are in Queens. These lamb dumplings come straight from Helen You, the owner of Flushing’s Dumpling Galaxy.

Savory, spicy, and juicy is everything we want in potstickers, but it's the surprise crispy crepe layer binding them together that really takes this pork-filled dumpling recipe to the next level.

If you’re going to make your own shumai, you should probably make Nom Wah Tea Parlor’s shumai. They’ve been in the dim sum game for nearly 100 years, so you’re in good hands.

Most of us think probably think dumplings are filling because of the sheer magnitude of dumplings we can put down in one sitting. These fish and kimchi dumplings are plenty satisfying even in moderation—thanks to a filling mixture of tofu, fish, zucchini, and rice cakes.

Khinkali are supposed to be spicy, but if you don't enjoy spice, adjust the flavor to your taste. Some people add garlic or cilantro, but others think those additions are sacrilege. We aren't sticklers, so as long as your khinkali are well-seasoned and full of juice, they're a winner.

You'll need two lobsters, plus a little pork and the apple brandy known as Calvados, in order to make this recipe, so it's not exactly a chill weeknight meal. That said, these lobster pelmeni are as decadent as it gets. (And if you need a guide to Eastern European pierogi, piroshky, pelmeni, and paczki, we got you.)

These puffy potato pillows are a little closer to the chicken-and-dumplings school of spoon dumplings than the folded-and-pleated examples above, but again, all dumplings are beautiful, and they might just be the reason why we're so obsessed with this goulash recipe.

The Korean ingredient garaetteok is usually referred to as a rice cake, but cut into small chunks, they feel distinctly gnocchi-esque—which means we might as well consider them under the dumpling umbrella. That's how Houston chef Chris Shepherd serves them, alongside braised goat.

A hand pie is definitely a dumpling, and these fried mini apple pies are our favorite riff on the classic dessert. There's no soggy pie bottoms here, just plenty of crispy, cinnamon sugar-covered goodness.

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