Caribbean Flour Dumplings for Soups or Stews

By
Cynthia Nelson
Cynthia Nelson
Cynthia Nelson
Food columnist and blogger Cynthia Nelson is the author of "Tastes Like Home: My Caribbean Cookbook." Living in Barbados, Cynthia shares her love of the diverse food of the islands.
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Updated on 01/18/23
Jamaican pepperpot with dumplings on white plate
Philip Wilkins / Getty Images
Prep: 2 mins
Cook: 8 mins
Rest Time: 20 mins
Total: 30 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Yield: 12 dumplings

In the Caribbean, dumplings figure prominently in the cuisine. They are to be eaten in soups and stews or as a side dish with sautéed salt fish.

As one might imagine, there are as many dumpling recipes as there are countries in the Caribbean. The size and shape of the dumplings are determined by how they ultimately will be used—in soups and stews or to be eaten as a side dish with an entrée.

This simple four-step dumpling recipe is meant to be added to soups or stews.

Like many things, each household has its own recipe and that recipe is determined by the tastes of the people eating the dumplings. For example, some people make their dumplings with baking powder and some do not. Some let the dough rest after kneading and others do not.

This recipe features cinnamon, nutmeg, and optional baking powder along with flour, salt, sugar, and water.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour

  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • 1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg

  • 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1 teaspoon sugar

  • 1 teaspoon baking powder, optional

  • 5 tablespoons water

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients. 

  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, sugar, and baking powder if using. Make sure to whisk all the ingredients thoroughly.

  3. Add enough water, 1 tablespoon at a time, to make a dough.

  4. Knead for 1 minute and cover and set aside for 20 minutes or until ready to use.

  5. Divide the dough into 1-inch pieces and roll into balls if you like or add just as is to soups or stews 8 to 10 minutes before the soup or stew is due to finish cooking.

  6. When the dumplings are added to the pot, cover with a tight lid and do not open before the 8-minute mark.

Soups and Stew Perfect for Flour Dumplings

  • Trinidadian Callalou Recipe: Flour dumplings would be a delicious addition to Trini callaloo. This delightful concoction is made with dasheen (eddo and taro leaves), okra, crab, salt meat, onions, pimento peppers, Scotch bonnet peppers, green onions and thyme, all cooked in fresh coconut milk.
  • Caribbean Beef Soup Recipe:  Saturday is soup day in Jamaica and this soup made with beef stew meat is typical of the kinds of soups reserved for the weekend. It's a long-simmered soup that gets a boost from split peas, plantains, sweet potatoes, okra, carrots, and dumplings. The cooking process can be speeded up by cooking in a pressure cooker. 
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
118 Calories
0g Fat
25g Carbs
3g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 118
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 39mg 2%
Total Carbohydrate 25g 9%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 3g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 6mg 0%
Iron 1mg 8%
Potassium 34mg 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.)