Pelmeni Soup (Russian Dumpling Soup)

This post may contain affiliate links. Read our full disclosure.

Not only is this Pelmeni soup very quick to make, but it’s so flavorful and quite healthy as there is no oil or frying involved. 

It’s a very light soup, yet filling from the meat Pelmeni. My meat dumplings recipe makes a lot (perfect for freezing)!

All it really is is making a simple onion broth, adding some European-style spices (like Vegeta, I make it at home using nutritional yeast), and it makes a delicious savory soup.

 After attending a Russian church supper, I fell in love with this soup! Light, pillowy al dente dumplings, packed with a flavorful broth that I can drink alone!

It’s simple, requires a few ingredients, and is a pretty thoughtless soup to put together (minimal work).

Make it even quicker by using frozen pelmeni from a European market. But I will say, there’s nothing like homemade pelmeni!

This soup takes a total of 20 minutes to cook and is satisfying in a very good way! Serve with crusty bread and give it a try!

Ingredients and Substitutes for Pelmeni Soup:

• Meat Dumplings- are called Pelmeni in Russian and Ukrainian communities. You can find them uncooked and frozen at European markets filled with beef, chicken, or pork. I like the pork and chicken combo best!
• Onion Broth- is flavored water infused with a whole onion and bay leaves.
• Seasonings and Spices- I use homemade Vegeta seasoning, salt, and pepper for the spices. The best alternative to Vegeta is Mrs. Dash (just add more salt if using the salt-free version). You can pull this soup off with just salt and pepper. However, I do think the seasoning blends add more flavor because they do contain dried vegetables.
• Garnish and finishing touches- The soup is complete with the addition of fresh dill and garlic. It’s got to be fresh for the best flavor!

How to make Pelmeni Soup:

Let’s walk through how to make Pelmeni soup step-by-step. You can make pelmeni soup with premade pelmeni from the store or use homemade ones that were frozen.

Pelmeni usually come frozen in different meat fillings, my favorite are the mixed ground pork and chicken ones. Beef pelmeni tend to have a stronger gamey-meat flavor.

In a large pot, bring 11 cups of water to a boil with a peeled onion and 2 bay leaves. Once the water boils, reduce the heat to med-high heat and simmer for 15 minutes. This is basically an onion broth-base for the meat dumplings. It’s going to be very flavorful!

After the whole onion and bay leaves have boiled for 15 minutes, add the frozen meat pelmeni, salt, Vegeta seasoning (can use Mrs.Dash), and ground black pepper. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Don’t overcook the dumplings (pelmeni)! They can get overly soft and fall apart, we want al dente dumplings.

After the pelmeni have cooked for 5 minutes, turn off the stove and add freshly minced garlic and fresh dill. Cover and allow the soup to sit for a few minutes for the flavors to blend together.