Lithuanian Cepelinai Dumplings (Printable)

Classic Lithuanian dumplings from potatoes filled with seasoned pork and beef, served with rich sour cream and bacon sauce.

# What you need:

→ Dumplings

01 - 3.3 lb starchy potatoes, peeled
02 - 2 medium boiled and mashed potatoes
03 - 1 tsp salt
04 - 1 tbsp potato starch (optional)

→ Meat Filling

05 - 9 oz ground pork
06 - 5 oz ground beef
07 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
08 - 1 clove garlic, minced
09 - 1 tsp salt
10 - ½ tsp black pepper

→ Sauce

11 - 5 oz bacon or smoked pork belly, diced
12 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
13 - 1¼ cups sour cream
14 - 1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Grate raw potatoes finely. Place in cheesecloth and squeeze out excess liquid. Reserve the liquid to extract potato starch by letting it settle, then pour off water and keep the sediment.
02 - In a bowl, combine squeezed grated potatoes, mashed boiled potatoes, salt, and reserved potato starch. Mix until dough forms, adding extra potato starch if needed to achieve firmness.
03 - Combine ground pork, ground beef, chopped onion, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper in a bowl. Mix thoroughly until evenly incorporated.
04 - With wet hands, shape a portion of dough roughly the size of a large egg into a flat patty. Place about one heaping tablespoon of meat filling in the center, then encase it carefully, forming an oval-shaped dumpling and sealing the edges completely. Repeat for remaining dough and filling.
05 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a gentle simmer. Add dumplings in batches, avoiding overcrowding. Simmer for 25-30 minutes until dumplings float and are firm to touch.
06 - Fry diced bacon over medium heat until crisp. Add onions and sauté until golden. Stir in sour cream and chopped dill, warming gently without boiling.
07 - Plate dumplings hot, topped generously with the bacon and sour cream sauce.

# Expert tips:

01 -
  • These dumplings are impossibly hearty and filling, the kind of food that stays with you long after the meal ends.
  • The contrast between tender potato and savory meat makes every bite feel like a small celebration.
  • The bacon sour cream sauce is so good you'll want to spoon it over everything in sight.
02 -
  • Never let the water boil hard or your dumplings will burst open and spill their filling into the pot.
  • Wet hands are the secret to shaping without the dough sticking to your palms and fingers.
  • Reserve that potato starch from the squeezed liquid because it's stronger than store bought and keeps everything together.
03 -
  • Use the finest grater you have so the raw potato shreds are almost paste like, which makes the dough smoother and easier to seal.
  • If your dough feels too loose, refrigerate it for 20 minutes to firm up before shaping.
  • A wide shallow pot works better than a tall narrow one because the dumplings need room to float without crowding.
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