If you like the Turkish cuisine, you may have come across Turkish Manti aka. Dumplings with Minced Meat Filling. Delicious little dumplings with a yogurt sauce on top, and bubbling paprika butter to finish the dish. A great combination of textures and flavors we love a lot. The dish takes a little longer to prepare, but it’s definitely worth the extra effort! So good!

Some time ago, so called »Turkish Pasta« did the rounds on social media – recipes for it went viral, and many people cooked the pasta at home. We couldn’t resist either and had to try it too. Our version ended up here on the blog as well. ;P
Take a look at the pasta dish mentioned and then take a look at the dumplings – you will find many similarities. A simple dough, minced meat, yogurt sauce, and paprika butter… should ring a bell in the back of your head, right? ;P If you put one and one together, you’ll quickly realize that one of these dishes is basically a slightly modified copy of the other.

In case you did not know – the dumplings aka. Manti are the original dish and the pasta is the copy. ;P Manti are a classic Turkish dish, and the pasta version is a simplified copy of that classic. A brilliant copy, to be honest. As a pasta dish, the classic is much easier to prepare. You get all the great flavors, but you don’t have to work that much. Win-win for everyone, isn’t it!
If you haven’t tried the »Turkish Pasta« yet, you should definitely do so. But of course you should also try this dish here at some point, otherwise it will be a bit difficult to compare. ;P
Admittedly, it takes a lot more effort to make Manti than pasta with crumbly fried minced meat and yogurt sauce on top. You first have to prepare a dough for the dumplings, then you have to shape and fill tiny little dumplings (this is the most time-consuming step), then you have to cook them and finally combine them with the sauces. It all takes a little time….

However, if you really like eating these dumplings, you can save some time with a little trick. OK, »saving time« is probably an exaggeration. You could organize yourself better for »the future enjoyment of tiny little dumplings«. That’s probably a more accurate way of putting it. ;P
The tiny dumplings take a little longer to prepare, there is no way around it. You could get some help and cut the preparation time in half, maybe, but what I actually was trying to say – the dumplings are perfect for freezing! Whenever you make these Manti, you could simply make more than needed that day and freeze leftovers. By doing that, you can enjoy them again some other day without all the hassle upfront. That has been done already by yourself in the past. Using frozen Manti is even quicker than boiling pasta and preparing meat, and sauces for the pasta version of the dish… ;P
We love Turkish and Arabic cuisine. The dishes are often quite simple to prepare and always tasty and well seasoned. In many countries in the region, meatballs (called Köfte or Kufta) and their plant-based counterparts, are very popular. Our Hummus Bowl with Salad & Kofta is a good example here. Easy to prepare and delicious!
In case you want to do something without meat, you could try our Tabouleh aka. Bulgur Salad. In summer, this might even be a better dinner option, because it doesn’t put as much stress on the stomach as meat dishes do. No matter what you choose – some bread on the side is never wrong. Turkish Bread Rings (Açma) are perfect for that. In case you never made them… change that! They are so good!
INGREDIENTS / ZUTATEN
(4-5 servings)
For the dough:
10.6 oz. (300g) all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup (120ml) water
1 medium egg
For the manti filling:
8.8 oz. (250g) minced meat (e.g. turkey or beef)
1 medium red onion, grated
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
For the yogurt sauce:
5.3 oz. (150g) Greek yogurt
2-3 garlic cloves, grated
1 tsp. lemon juice
salt, pepper
For the paprika butter:
2 tbsp. butter
2 tsp. paprika powder
some dried crushed mint for sprinkling (optional)
(4-5 Portionen)
Für den Teig:
300g Mehl (Type 405)
1/4 TL Salz
120ml Wasser
1 Ei (M)
Für die Manti Füllung:
250g Hackfleisch (z. B. Pute oder Rind)
1 mittelgroße rote Zwiebel, gerieben
1 TL Salz
1 TL schwarzer Pfeffer, gemahlen
1/2 TL Cayennepfeffer
1/2 TL Knoblauchpulver
Für die Joghurtsoße:
150g griechischer Joghurt
2-3 Knoblauchzehen, gerieben
1 TL Zitronensaft
Salz, Pfeffer
Für die Paprikabutter:
2 EL Butter
2 TL Paprikapulver
etwas getrocknete Minze zum Bestreuen (optional)

DIRECTIONS / ZUBEREITUNG
1. Combine flour and salt in a bowl. Add the water and egg and mix with the flour. Transfer everything to a lightly floured surface and knead the dough for 8-10 minutes to get a smooth and elastic dough. If you are not into manual labor, let a kitchen machine do the work for you. ;P Divide the dough into two portions, cover it with a damp kitchen towel and let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
2. While the dough is resting, prepare the filling. Add the ground meat to a bowl. Peel the onion, grate it and add it to the bowl with the meat. Add the salt, ground black pepper, cayenne pepper, and garlic powder and mix everything until well combined.
3. Take the first dough portion and roll it out thinly on a lightly floured surface. If the dough is not willing to stay where it should, let it sit for a moment to relax again and then continue rolling it out. You want the dough to have a thickness of about 1.5-2 mm. Use a sharp knife or pizza roller and cut out 3 cm wide strips, then cut those strips into 3×3 cm big squares. Place small amounts of filling on each square (about the size of a hazelnut). Fold the opposite corners of the dough squares over the filling and connect them in the center, then press the sides of the squares together to create tiny little parcels. Make sure everything is well sealed or the Manti might open when cooked in boiling water.
4. Collect dough scraps, combine them with the second dough portion and roll out as well to create more Manti. When everything is done, you can either continue by cooking the Manti right away or freeze them for later. If you want to freeze them, I recommend placing them on a board or plate and freeze them for 20 minutes or so, before adding them to a freezer bag or container so they don’t stick together.
5. To cook the Manti, bring a large saucepan with salted water to a boil, add the dumplings, reduce the heat slightly and let them cook/simmer for 3-4 minutes or until they come up to the surface. If you have frozen Manti, cook them for 7-8 minutes, or until they start floating on top of the water. Use a slotted spoon and remove the Manti from the water, drain them and add them to a large plate – keep ’em warm. Save some cooking water.
6. For the yogurt sauce, peel and grate the garlic, add it together with the lemon juice to the Greek yogurt and season with salt and pepper to your liking. Add about 1-2 tablespoons of the hot cooking water and mix in.
7. For the paprika butter, add the butter and paprika powder to a small saucepan and heat up until the butter has melted and starts bubbling.
8. Add the yogurt sauce on top of the Manti, pour the bubbling paprika butter on top and sprinkle with some dried crushed mint (optional). Enjoy!
1. Mehl und Salz in einer Schüssel vermischen. Wasser und Ei dazugeben und mit dem Mehl verrühren. Alles auf eine leicht bemehlte Fläche stürzen und in etwa 8-10 Minuten zu einem glatten und elastischen Teig verkneten. Wer keine Lust hat, das per Hand zu tun, kann natürlich auch eine Küchenmaschine verwenden. Den Teig in zwei Portionen aufteilen, mit einem feuchten Küchentuch abdecken und dann für etwa 10 Minuten ruhen lassen.
2. Während der Teig ruht, die Füllung vorbereiten. Das Hackfleisch in eine Schüssel geben. Die Zwiebel schälen und rein reiben, zum Fleisch dazugeben und mit Salz, Pfeffer, Cayennepfeffer und Knoblauchpulver würzen. Alles gut vermengen und zur Seite stellen.
3. Die erste Teigportion auf einer leicht bemehlten Fläche dünn ausrollen. Sollte sich der Teig stark zusammenziehen, einfach noch einmal ein wenig ruhen lassen. Der Teig sollte eine Dicke von etwa 1,5-2 mm haben. Mit einem scharfen Messer oder Pizzaroller 3 cm breite Streifen zuschneiden und diese dann in 3×3 cm große Quadrate schneiden. Auf jedes Teigquadrat ein wenig Füllung aufsetzen (etwa so groß wie eine Haselnuss). Die gegenüberliegenden Ecken der Quadrate über der Füllung in der Mitte zusammenbringen und die Seiten der Teigquadrate dann zusammendrücken – die Teigtaschen sollte wie kleine Pakete mit quadratischer Grundfläche aussehen, bei dem alle vier Seiten in der Mitte zusammenkommen (s. Fotos). Die Kanten gut zusammenpressen, damit die Manti beim Kochen nicht versehentlich aufgehen.
4. Teigreste sammeln und mit dem verbliebenen Teig erneut ausrollen und weitere Manti mit der Füllung formen. Wenn die Teigtaschen fertig sind, kann man sie entweder sofort kochen, oder für eine spätere Verwendung einfrieren. Wer die Manti einfrieren möchte, sollte sie erst einmal auf ein Brett oder einen großen Teller legen und für etwa 20 Minuten einfrieren – danach kann man sie dann in eine Tupperbox oder einen Gefrierbeutel umfüllen, damit sie nicht zusammenfrieren.
5. Um die Manti zu garen, einen großen Topf mit Salzwasser zum Kochen bringen. Die Teigtaschen ins Wasser geben, die Hitzezufuhr leicht reduzieren und für etwa 3-4 Minuten köcheln lassen – wenn sie an die Oberfläche kommen, sind sie fertig. Wer gefrorene Manti verwendet, muss die Kochzeit auf etwa 7-8 Minuten verlängern – auch hier sind die Manti fertig, wenn sie an die Oberfläche kommen. Mit einem Schaumlöffel aus dem Wasser holen, ein wenig abtropfen lassen und auf einen großen Teller geben. Bis zum Servieren warmhalten. Ein wenig vom Kochwasser zurückhalten.
6. Für die Joghurtsauce den Knoblauch schälen und rein reiben/pressen, dann zusammen mit dem Zitronensaft zum griechischen Joghurt geben und nach Belieben mit Salz und Pfeffer würzen. Etwa 1-2 Esslöffel des heißen Kochwassers ebenfalls dazugeben und unterrühren.
7. Für die Paprikabutter, die Butter und das Paprikapulver in einen kleinen Topf geben und erhitzen, bis die Butter geschmolzen ist und zu blubbern beginnt.
8. Die Joghurtsauce auf den Manti verteilen, die blubbernde Paprikabutter darüber gießen und mit etwas getrockneter Minze bestreuen (optional). Servieren und genießen!


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Here is a version of the recipe you can print easily.
Print
Turkish Dumplings (Manti) with Meat Filling
- Prep Time: 00:45
- Cook Time: 00:04
- Total Time: 01:00
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Cuisine: Türkiye
Description
A delicious dish from Türkiye we love – Manti are small dumplings served with yogurt sauce and paprika butter. So good!
Ingredients
For the dough:
10.6 oz. (300g) all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup (120ml) water
1 medium egg
For the manti filling:
8.8 oz. (250g) minced meat (e.g. turkey or beef)
1 medium red onion, grated
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
For the yogurt sauce:
5.3 oz. (150g) Greek yogurt
2–3 garlic cloves, grated
1 tsp. lemon juice
salt, pepper
For the paprika butter:
2 tbsp. butter
2 tsp. paprika powder
some dried crushed mint for sprinkling (optional)
Instructions
1. Combine flour and salt in a bowl. Add the water and egg and mix with the flour. Transfer everything to a lightly floured surface and knead the dough for 8-10 minutes to get a smooth and elastic dough. If you are not into manual labor, let a kitchen machine do the work for you. ;P Divide the dough into two portions, cover it with a damp kitchen towel and let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
2. While the dough is resting, prepare the filling. Add the ground meat to a bowl. Peel the onion, grate it and add it to the bowl with the meat. Add the salt, ground black pepper, cayenne pepper, and garlic powder and mix everything until well combined.
3. Take the first dough portion and roll it out thinly on a lightly floured surface. If the dough is not willing to stay where it should, let it sit for a moment to relax again and then continue rolling it out. You want the dough to have a thickness of about 1.5-2 mm. Use a sharp knife or pizza roller and cut out 3 cm wide strips, then cut those strips into 3×3 cm big squares. Place small amounts of filling on each square (about the size of a hazelnut). Fold the opposite corners of the dough squares over the filling and connect them in the center, then press the sides of the squares together to create tiny little parcels. Make sure everything is well sealed or the Manti might open when cooked in boiling water.
4. Collect dough scraps, combine them with the second dough portion and roll out as well to create more Manti. When everything is done, you can either continue by cooking the Manti right away or freeze them for later. If you want to freeze them, I recommend placing them on a board or plate and freeze them for 20 minutes or so, before adding them to a freezer bag or container so they don’t stick together.
5. To cook the Manti, bring a large saucepan with salted water to a boil, add the dumplings, reduce the heat slightly and let them cook/simmer for 3-4 minutes or until they come up to the surface. If you have frozen Manti, cook them for 7-8 minutes, or until they start floating on top of the water. Use a slotted spoon and remove the Manti from the water, drain them and add them to a large plate – keep ’em warm. Save some cooking water.
6. For the yogurt sauce, peel and grate the garlic, add it together with the lemon juice to the Greek yogurt and season with salt and pepper to your liking. Add about 1-2 tablespoons of the hot cooking water and mix in.
7. For the paprika butter, add the butter and paprika powder to a small saucepan and heat up until the butter has melted and starts bubbling.
8. Add the yogurt sauce on top of the Manti, pour the bubbling paprika butter on top and sprinkle with some dried crushed mint (optional). Enjoy!
Notes
Let your creativity shine in the kitchen!
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