Georgian Khinkali Broth Soup

About This Recipe

Khinkali, Georgia's famous pleated dumplings, are prized for the savory broth that pools inside them, formed as the seasoned meat filling releases its juices during steaming. This soup version takes that same broth concept and turns it into a spoonable dish, simmering small, tightly pleated dumplings directly in a rich beef and black pepper broth rather than steaming them dry, so the whole pot becomes an extension of that beloved khinkali broth. The filling stays true to tradition: coarsely chopped or ground beef and pork mixed with plenty of black pepper, onion and a splash of water, which is what creates the signature broth inside each dumpling as it cooks. Pleating khinkali properly, twisting a knot at the top with as many folds as possible, is considered a mark of skill in Georgian home cooking, though for this soup format a simpler pleat works fine since the dumplings will be eaten with a spoon rather than by the topknot. Served in deep bowls with extra cracked black pepper and fresh herbs, this soup captures everything people love about khinkali — the juicy filling, the peppery broth — in a format that's easier to eat than the traditional hand-held version, where the etiquette calls for holding the dumpling by its thick knot and never using a fork.

Ingredients

Serves 5

• 3 cupsall-purpose flour
• 1 cupcold water
• 0.5 tspfine sea salt(for the dough)
• 300 gground beef
• 200 gground pork
• 1onion(very finely chopped)
• 3 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 1 tspblack pepper(freshly cracked, plus more for serving)
• 1 tspfine sea salt(for the filling)
• 0.5 cupcold water(for the filling)
• 6 cupsbeef stock
• 2 tbspchopped fresh dill or cilantro

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the dough

   Mix flour, water and salt into a firm dough. Knead 8 minutes until smooth, cover, and rest 30 minutes.

2. 2

   Mix the filling

   Combine ground beef, pork, onion, garlic, black pepper and salt. Mix in cold water gradually until the filling is loose and juicy.

   The water is essential — it's what creates the pocket of broth inside each dumpling as it cooks.

3. 3

   Shape the dumplings

   Roll the dough thin and cut into small rounds. Place a spoonful of filling in the center of each, gather the edges up around the filling and twist tightly to seal, forming a knotted top.

4. 4

   Simmer the broth

   Bring the beef stock to a gentle simmer in a large pot.

5. 5

   Cook the dumplings in the broth

   Carefully drop the dumplings into the simmering stock and cook 8 to 10 minutes until they float and the filling is fully cooked through.

6. 6

   Serve

   Ladle the dumplings and broth into bowls, finishing with extra cracked black pepper and fresh herbs.

Variations

• •

  Use a lamb and beef mix for the filling instead of beef and pork for a more traditional mountain-region flavor.

• •

  Add finely chopped mushrooms to the filling for a vegetarian-adjacent version, though true khinkali is always meat-filled.

• •

  Skip the soup format and steam the dumplings dry in the traditional style, eating them by hand with the knotted top discarded.

Storage

The dumplings are best cooked and eaten fresh, since the pleated dough softens quickly once simmered; if needed, refrigerate uncooked dumplings up to 1 day or freeze up to a month, cooking directly from frozen with a few extra minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions