Polish Meat Dumplings (Kołduny)
kołduny Say it: kow-DOO-nih
Kołduny are small, delicate Polish meat dumplings, closely related to Lithuanian koldūnai and traditionally eaten in the north-eastern borderlands. A thin egg-and-water dough is filled with finely minced raw beef, often mixed with lamb, onion and marjoram, then folded into neat half-moons. They are poached until tender and tossed with nutty browned butter and sweet fried onions. The result is juicy, peppery and comforting, with a pleasing contrast between silky pasta and rich meat — a dish for Sunday dinners and festive tables.
Polish Meat Dumplings (Kołduny)
kołduny
Pronounced kow-DOO-nih
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 45 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 1 hr 5 min
- Level
- Medium
Also nut-free.
Allergens: contains gluten, milk, egg. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
For the dough
For the filling
To serve
Method
Mix the flour and salt in a bowl, make a well in the center, and add the egg and warm water. Stir until a shaggy dough forms, then knead on a floured surface for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
For the filling, combine the beef, grated onion, softened butter, salt, pepper and marjoram in a bowl. Mix until sticky and evenly blended, adding the cold water only if the mixture feels dry. Keep the filling cold while you roll the dough.
Roll out half the dough at a time on a floured surface to about 1/8 inch (2–3 mm) thick. Cut into 3-inch (7.5 cm) rounds, keeping the remaining dough covered to prevent drying.
Place a slightly rounded teaspoon of filling on each round. Fold the dough over into a half-moon, press out any air, and seal the edges firmly with your fingers; crimp if you like. Set the dumplings on a floured tray.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a gentle boil. Add the dumplings in batches, stir once, and cook for 2–3 minutes after they float, until the dough is tender and the filling is cooked through. Lift out with a slotted spoon.
While the dumplings cook, melt the butter in a wide skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and cook for 8–10 minutes, until golden, soft and sweet.
Add the drained dumplings to the skillet and toss gently with the butter and onions for about 1 minute. Sprinkle with parsley and a little extra pepper, then serve hot.
Regional variant: Lithuanian Koldūnai (Koldūnai)
Make the same dumplings but use a mix of pork and beef for the filling. Fry 4 slices (about 4 oz/115 g) bacon until crisp and serve the dumplings with the bacon, its fat and 1/2 cup (120 ml) sour cream; omit the butter-fried onion garnish.
Cook's notes
- Keep the filling very cold and the dough covered as you work; warm filling is harder to seal and dry dough tears easily.
- Press out air before sealing each dumpling, and pinch the edge firmly so they do not open during poaching.
- Cook in small batches in gently simmering water rather than a rolling boil, which can tear the delicate dough.
Serve with
Melted butter and fried onions; a crisp green salad or sour cream on the side.
Make ahead and storage
Uncooked dumplings can be frozen on a floured tray, then boiled from frozen; cooked dumplings reheat gently in butter.
