Thanksgiving Dumplings Recipe

By
Patty Lee
Patty Lee
Patty Lee
Patty was a Senior Food Editor for The Spruce Eats, where she oversaw recipe developers and food writers in creating delicious recipes and helpful cooking guides.
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Updated on 11/15/22
Thanksgiving dumplings recipe

The Spruce / Diana Chistruga
Prep: 40 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Total: 55 mins
Servings: 40 servings
Yield: 40 dumplings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
51 Calories
2g Fat
7g Carbs
2g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 40
Amount per serving
Calories 51
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 2g 2%
Saturated Fat 0g 2%
Cholesterol 4mg 1%
Sodium 95mg 4%
Total Carbohydrate 7g 3%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 2g
Vitamin C 0mg 2%
Calcium 6mg 0%
Iron 0mg 1%
Potassium 32mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

We've all been there. It's the weekend after Thanksgiving and the mountain of leftovers is as daunting as ever, but you cringe at the thought of yet another turkey sandwich. Enter the Thanksgiving dumpling. It not only makes leftovers feel exciting and—dare we say it—crave-worthy—dumpling making is a fun hands-on activity for the whole family.

While this recipe calls for stuffing, turkey, and green beans, feel free to mix and match from what's sitting inside your fridge. That can be mashed potatoes and roasted root vegetables or even the remnants of grandma's sweet potato casserole. The amounts to use are also flexible—taste as you combine ingredients together and see if you need more or less of each. The only required addition for savory dumplings is chicken broth, which will help add moisture to the filling.

Your leftovers will likely have enough flavor already, but feel free to add extra seasonings. Hot sauce can give your dumpling filling a nice kick or, as we've done here, grate some ginger into cranberry sauce to create a zingy dip. The beauty of dumplings—Thanksgiving inspired or not—are the endless possibilities.

4:01

Watch: How to Make Thanksgiving Leftover Dumplings

Ingredients

  • 2 cups stuffing

  • 1 cup leftover turkey

  • 1 cup leftover green beans

  • 3/4 cup chicken broth

  • 40 round dumpling wrappers (1 package)

  • 1/4 cup leftover cranberry sauce

  • 1 small piece ginger

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients. 

    Ingredients for Thanksgiving dumplings
    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga 

  2. Prep your leftovers. Break up the stuffing and chop up the turkey and green beans into tiny pieces.

    Cut leftovers
    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  3. Place the stuffing, turkey, and green beans in a mixing bowl. Add the chicken broth and stir to combine.

    Place stuffing, turkey, and green beans in bowl
    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  4. Fill a small bowl with cold water.

    Fill a small bowl with water
    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  5. Place a teaspoon of the filling onto the center of a dumpling wrapper.

    Place a teaspoon in center of dumpling wrapper
    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  6. Dip your finger into the water and wet the entire rim of the wrapper.

    Place in middle
    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga 

  7. Fold in half and pinch one side close.

    Fold dumpling
    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  8. Pleat the side of the wrapper facing out, pinching it closed as you go along until you reach the other end. 

    Pleat side of wrapper
    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga 

  9. Repeat until you run out of filling.

    Fold dumpling
    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  10. To cook the dumplings, heat up a medium frying pan. Add a tablespoon of oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan.

    Frying pan
    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  11. Place as many dumplings as you can into the pan. Pour in 1/2 cup of water.

    Dumplings in pan
    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  12. Cover with a lid and let cook for 5 to 6 minutes, until the water has been absorbed and the bottoms are golden and crispy.

    Cover with lid
    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  13. As the dumplings cook, make the dipping sauce. Grate some ginger and stir into the leftover cranberry sauce.

    Make dipping sauce
    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  14. Serve and enjoy!

    Thanksgiving dumpling
    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

Tip

  • Like all dumplings, these freeze beautifully. Just line the dumplings up on a tray and pop in the freezer for half an hour. Once they're solid, you can then transfer them to a container or freezer-friendly storage bags and fry up a batch when the craving for the comforts of Thanksgiving dinner hits you.