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Khinkali are super flavorful, meat-filled dumplings that are similar to soup dumplings. They reheat well, making them great for meal prep and freezing!

If you love dumplings, you will also love these pelmeni which are the Russian version of boiled dumplings.

Khinkali in a seerving dish with herbs

What are Khinkali?

Khinkali are Georgian dumplings that are a favorite at dinner parties or supras. The most common version of them is meat-filled, like in this recipe. In addition to the meat, the dumplings have a brothy filling due to the juices that the raw ground meat produces when cooked.

While the soup filling is similar to Chinese soup dumplings, the dough is thicker and they are boiled, instead of steamed.

Khinkali are also similar to Manti which is a Turkish dumpling. Manti are also meat-filled but are cooked in broth and served with a yogurt sauce.

Love Georgian cuisine? Check out my take on Khachapuri-also known as Georgian cheese bread!

formed Khinkali in a floured surface

How to Make Khinkali Dough and Filling

  • To make the dough, mix together the flour and salt, then whisk in the eggs. Add the water and fold together until a dough forms. Finally, knead the dough until it is elastic.
  • To make the meat filling, mix together the ground meat (beef and chicken), onion, salt, pepper, and fresh herbs.

Hot Tip: My kids do not always like herbs in their dumplings. You can skip the herbs and serve them with fresh herbs instead.

whisked eggs inside flour in a bowl
Khinkali dough in a bowl
beef, chciken, onion, salt and pepper in a bowl
combined all the meat and seasoning in a bowl

How to Shape Khinkali

  • Roll the dough very thin and cut into circles 3 inches in diameter.
  • Add a dollop of the meat filling to a dough circle and fold the edges over. Pinch the edges together to seal. Repeat with the remaining ingredietns.
Khinkali in the making in hands
pinching edges of Khinkali
forming of Khinkali by hand
pinched together edges of Khinkali

Cooking Khinkali

Boil a large pot of water and add a few Khinkali at a time. The dumplings will eventually float to the top, then allow them to simmer for 2-4 minutes until cooked.

Khinkali in a seerving dish with herbs

FAQ

When was Khinkali invented?

Khinkali was invented in Georgia hundreds of years ago. Some say that it was the Mongols (Chinese influence) that brought the dumplings to the region, while others insist that they originated in Georgia.

How do you reheat Khinkali?

You can reheat Khinkali by pan frying them in a skillet on the stove with a little oil. The bottoms of the dumplings will become browned, crispy, and so good.

How to eat Khinkali?

To eat Khinkali, use your hands to hold the warm dumpling by its stem, sprinkle it with a little pepper, and take a bite from the side of the soft top. Then, suck out the broth (you can blow on the broth to cool) before eating the filling and the rest of the dumpling. You can discard the doughy dumpling stem, if you’d like.

formed Khinkali in a floured surface

How to Freeze Khinkali?

To freeze Khinkali, place on a floured baking sheet and freeze. Once they are frozen, you can place them in a zip lock bag to store in the freezer.

Cooking Frozen Khinkali: It may take a few minutes longer to cook the frozen Khinkali, but the instructions remain the same.

More Dumpling Recipes

Recipe

Khinkali in a seerving dish with herbs

Khinkali Recipe (Georgian Dumplings)

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Servings
30 dumplings
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Recipe contributed by: Natalya Drozhzhin
Khinkali are super flavorful, meat-filled dumplings that are similar to soup dumplings. They reheat well, making them great for meal prep and can even be frozen! Both the dough and filling are easy to make and they’re fun to assemble.

Ingredients

Khinkali Dough

Khinkali Filling

  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 lb ground chicken
  • 1 medium onion minced
  • 1 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 tbsp salt adjust to taste
  • 1 tbsp herbs (optional)
US Units – Metric

Instructions

Khinkali Dough

  • In a large bowl combine the flour with the salt. Make a well in the center and add the eggs. Whisk together using a fork.
    eggs added to the flour in a bowl
  • Add the water to the center and fold the flour into the liquid. Knead the dough by hand until it feels elastic.
    flour with wet ingredients in a bowl
  • Cover the kneaded dough and let it rest for at least 30 minutes.
    Khinkali dough in a bowl

Khinkali Filling

  • Combine the beef with the chicken, minced onion, salt and pepper.
    beef, chciken, onion, salt and pepper in a bowl
  • Roll out the dough as thin as you possibly can.
    rolled out Khinkali dough
  • Cut the dough into 3 inch circles. Place a dollop of the meat filling in the center.
    Khinkali dough cut out with a meat filling
  • Pull the edge over the filling and pinch all around, forming little pockets with meat.
    pinching edges of Khinkali
  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a few of the Khinkali at a time. Once they float to the top, give them 2-4 minutes to simmer.
    boiling Khinkali in a pot
  • Remove them from the water. Serve with butter, and fresh herbs.
    Khinkali in a seerving dish with herbs
Note: You can use any of your favorite combinations of ground meat. Such as beef, pork, turkey, chicken or even lamb.
Nutrition Facts
Khinkali Recipe (Georgian Dumplings)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 127 Calories from Fat 45
% Daily Value*
Fat 5g8%
Saturated Fat 2g10%
Trans Fat 1g
Cholesterol 35mg12%
Sodium 412mg17%
Potassium 149mg4%
Carbohydrates 13g4%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 7g14%
Vitamin A 27IU1%
Vitamin C 1mg1%
Calcium 10mg1%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Posted March 10, 2021

About Author

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Natalya Drozhzhin

Natalya founded Momsdish to demonstrate that placing a homemade meal on the table is not hard at all. Natalya makes cooking easier and approachable, by simplifying the ingredients, while still producing the same great taste.