Whether fried or boiled, filled or doughy, homely or origami-perfect, dumplings the world over are almost always comforting tidbits that are handmade with love.
The deeply satisfying combination of potatoes, bacon, caramelized onion, and sour cream featured in this rustic old-country recipe came to Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains via Eastern Europe. Get the recipe for Halusky (Boiled Potato Dumplings) »Todd Coleman
Soft dumplings of Corsican fresh cheese and wild herbs highlight the natural culinary products of this beautiful Mediterranean island. Get the recipe for Strozzapreti »Beth Rooney
This popular Indian fried pocket of spiced potatoes, onion, and peas pairs perfectly with sweet and hot tamarind chutney. Get the recipe for Samosas »Penny De Los Santos
Pork Pot Stickers
Pot stickers, with their crispy seared edge and juicy filling, are the perfect bite-sized balance of texture and flavor. This recipe comes from New York’s Buddakan restaurant. Get the recipe for Pork Pot Stickers »Maxime Iattoni
Pillowy gnocchi in a deliciously simple pesto sauce is light enough for a first course to a homemade Italian dinner. Get the recipe for Gnocchi al Pesto »Penny De Los Santos
Maple Syrup Dumplings
These dumplings hailing from Quebec are a delightful dessert treat, especially drenched in butter and maple syrup. Get the recipe for Maple Syrup Dumplings »Landon Nordeman
Malfatti (Ricotta and Swiss Chard Dumplings)
Chef Anna Klinger of Al Di La in Brooklyn, New York, flavors these dumplings with nutmeg. For the best results, drain the ricotta overnight and squeeze all the moisture out of the Swiss chard. Get the recipe for Malfatti (Ricotta and Swiss Chard Dumplings) »Todd Coleman
These Roman-style gnocchi aren’t the usual potato, ricotta, or squash kind. The recipe for these flat semolina gnocchi is an adaptation of one in David Downie’s Cooking the Roman Way (HarperCollins, 2002). Get the recipe for Gnocchi alla Romana »Andre Baranowski
Ripe plantains and yucca stand in for potatoes in this version of gnocchi from the Dominican Republic, which is served with short rib ragù. A long, slow braise with red wine, cayenne, and paprika results in tender, fall-off-the-bone morsels of meat; bolstered with cream, the rich sauce is then ladled over the slightly sweet, fluffy dumplings. Get the recipe for Plantain Gnocchi with Short Rib Ragù »Farideh Sadeghin
Xiao Long Bao (Shanghai Soup Dumplings)
There’s an art to eating these dumplings. Resist the temptation to pop one whole into your mouth; you’ll almost certainly burn your lip. Instead, set a dumpling on a deep-bowled soup spoon, nibble a small hole near the top of the wrapper, and carefully slurp out the hot soup. Then finish off the dumpling, dunking it into the dipping sauce if you like. Look for pork skin at Asian meat markets or at butcher counters. See also: How to Make a Soup Dumpling »Get the recipe for Xiao Long Bao (Shanghai Soup Dumplings) »Steve Giralt
An ideal stew for a snowy winter’s night, the combination of tender veal and dense potato dumplings make a warm evening at home that much more homey. Get the recipe for Veal Stew with Potato Dumplings »Helen Rosner
Thin noodles and hearty liver dumplings make this rich, hearty soup a mainstay of the 86-year-old Klas Restaurant in Cicero, Illinois. Just outside Chicago, Cicero was once home to a thriving Czech community, reflected in Klas’s old-world d¿cor and cuisine. For more about Klas Restaurant and other delicious stops on the road, see Adventures in Good Eating. Get the recipe for Beef Noodle Soup with Liver Dumplings »Penny De Los Santos
These delicious Malaysian dumplings stuffed with minced shrimp, scallions, water chestnuts, and bamboo shoots are easy to make with store-bought gyoza (pot-sticker) wrappers. Get the recipe for Har Gao (Shrimp Dumplings) »Todd Coleman
Spinach and Potato Dumplings with Cold Tomato Sauce
A chilled tomato sauce with sundried tomatoes makes a pleasant contrast to these hot potato and spinach dumplings, which chef Josita Hartanto of Berlin’s Lucky Leek binds together with firm tofu and durum wheat semolina. Dry the potatoes and spinach thoroughly so the dumplings will hold their shape. Get the recipe for Spinach and Potato Dumplings with Cold Tomato Sauce »Matt Taylor-Gross
