If making soup in the winter is like taking a midday nap on a plush, well-worn sofa, then Sourdough Dumplings are like fluffy pillows, providing even more comfort and support. You can have it all, you know. If you eat a big bowl of soup with Sourdough Dumplings before you lay down to nap, you’ll fall into a peaceful slumber asking yourself, How did I get so lucky?
So, if you’re a sourdough baker and you haven’t made fermented Sourdough Dumplings, you must try this recipe. It’s so easy and takes no time at all. The sourdough notes are distinctive, and the sumptuous dumplings are tender and and soft. You can use any dried or fresh herbs, depending on what type of brothy soup you’re serving. Hearty Italian soups call for oregano. Delicate French soups may call for Herbs de Provence. Lemony Chicken Soup would love some tarragon. Fresh chives are my favorite – they’re are lively and fresh, a perfect complement to my Umami Broth recipe.
Your sofa is waiting.
Sourdough Dumplings
Ingredients
- 4 T cold butter
- 150 g all-purpose flour
- ½ t baking powder
- 1 t salt
- ½ cup fresh chives, minced
- 150 g active sourdough starter
- 1 egg
- your favorite brothy soup
Instructions
- Chill the butter and mince the chives – Stash the butter in your freezer for about 30 minutes to ensure that it's really cold. Then, cut into ¼-inch cubes. While the butter is chilling, mince the chives.
- Combine the butter with the flour – Add the flour and butter cubes to a mixing bowl and rub the flour into the butter using your fingertips. Alternatively, you can pulse the flour and butter together in your food processor and then pour the mixture into a bowl.
- Mix the dough – Add ½ teaspoon of baking powder, 1 teaspoon of salt and the minced chives to the flour mixture and gently stir. Whisk the egg and sourdough starter together and then pour into the center of the dry ingredients. Gently bring the wet and dry ingredients together to form a dry dough, taking care not to overwork it. Form into a ball and wrap with plastic wrap.
- Overnight Ferment; form the dumplings – Place the dough ball into the fridge for up to 2 days. When you want to cook the dumplings, take the dough out of the fridge and allow it to sit for about an hour, to come to room temperature. Then, gently pinch the dough into small, 1-inch balls. Let them rest for 30 minutes or so to relax and puff a bit. They'll puff up even more as they cook.
- Cook the dumplings – Bring your brothy soup to a gentle simmer, then carefully drop the dumplings into the cauldron. Cover the pot and gently simmer for 10 to 12 minutes.
INGREDIENT NOTE: I adapted this recipe for Sourdough Dumplings from the Pantry Mama’s recipe, which includes quick discard and overnight methods. She explains in her post that you can use either unfed sourdough discard or active sourdough starter, because the baking powder is the leavening agent. Based on this, I’m guessing that the baking powder isn’t necessary for the overnight method that I use, but I leave it in. The results are so light and fluffy – I don’t want to mess with success.
Despite this, I always work with an active, bubbly starter that’s been recently fed when making Sourdough Dumplings. I’m I’m opting for a long, overnight fermentation, to ensure that Ron’s gluten-sensitivity isn’t triggered. I try to feed my starter daily to keep it strong and happy, whether or not I’m baking that day. Sourdough Dumplings are a great way to use that excess. Please note that I’m not calling it discard…
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