Easy Kreplach Recipe with Beef Filling

Kreplach are tender dumplings plump with meat or vegetable fillings. They are served either in broth or fried with applesauce or sour cream (for the vegetarian versions!) for dipping. This recipe is for meat kreplach made with ground beef.

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They’re the best kind of Jewish grandmother food.

Kreplach are a favorite food for the Jewish holiday Purim and are also eaten on Erev Yom Kippur. But they make a great comforting meal any time of year.

They’ve been called Jewish pierogis, Jewish ravioli, or Jewish wontons. And like those other delicious recipes, they are made by wrapping a savory filling in dough and boiling or frying the packets.

Of course, making the dough for a kreplach recipe is always the hardest part. The trick is making it tender and also rolling it very thin. A bit of sour cream in the dough can make it super tender, though is forbidden if you’re filling them with meat.

A pasta maker can help you roll the dough super thin—if you happen to have one (I don’t!). Or maybe you are blessed with endless patience for rolling dough (I am not!)

So what is a person to do?

Well, I’ll tell you what I did. After spending an entire frustrating day (and a whole lot of flour and eggs)  trying to perfect the dough, I gave up.

I decided to make my kreplach with wonton wrappers. Is my Jewish grandmother rolling over yet? Probably.

Yes, it’s cheating, but who has time these days to slave over homemade dough when you can pick up a packet of perfect wrappers at the supermarket for $2? I am all for taking the easy route if it means that I get to eat a delicious meal of dumplings without breaking a sweat.

What ingredients do you need to make kreplach?

I love that this Kreplach recipe requires so few ingredients.

• Wonton skins
• Olive oil (or schmaltz)
• Onion
• Garlic
• Ground beef
• Paprika
• Salt & pepper

How do you make them?

If you’re making your own dough, you’ll want to start by mixing up the dough ingredients and then letting the dough rest for a while.

If you’re taking my easy way out, using wonton skins in place of dough made from scratch, you can start right in on making the filling.

1. Heat olive oil in a skillet.
2. Add the onions and sauté until softened.
3. Add the ground beef, salt, and pepper and sauté until the meat is browned.
4. Drain off excess fat and then let the filling cool for several minutes.
5. Arrange wonton skins on a work surface.
6. Dollop about 1 heaping teaspoon of filling on each wonton skin (place it towards one of the corners).
7. Moisten the 2 edges of the wonton skin adjacent to the filling and then fold the wrapper over to form a triangle encasing the filling. Press the sides together to seal them well.
8. Heat a pot of lightly salted water to a low boil. Add the kreplach and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 to 3 minutes, until the wrapper is tender. Drain.
9. Serve the kreplach in chicken soup garnished with fresh dill or on their own.

How do you serve kreplach?

I like to serve kreplach in a simple chicken soup made with sliced carrots. I garnish it with chopped fresh dill to add both color and that fresh herb flavor.

You can also serve boiled kreplach on their own.

Or you can fry them and serve them with applesauce for dipping. Vegetarian kreplach can be served with sour cream, too!

What can you fill them with?

I often fill my kreplach with the ground beef mixture in this recipe. You can also use ground or minced chicken or turkey in place of the beef. If you have leftover brisket, you can dice it up and use that for a delicious twist.

To make vegetarian kreplach, I use a mushroom filling, made by sautéing mushrooms with onions, garlic, fresh herbs, and a bit of cream or sour cream.

What is Purim?

Purim is a Jewish holiday celebrating the time the Jews overthrew an evil plot to have them exterminated. It’s a heavy story, but the holiday calls for a joyful celebration full of pranks and merriment.

For my quick breakdown of the holiday, check out my post on Hamentashen, the triangle-shaped cookies that are popular on Purim.

Why do we eat kreplach on Purim?

You’ll find lots more information about why we eat triangular foods on Purim in my Hamentashen post (linked above), but here’s the short answer.

Triangular foods are eaten on Purim because they represent either the evil Haman’s hat or his ears. Haman was the guy who plotted to kill the Jews but was foiled. Triangular foods are a symbol of spite for Haman.

This kreplach recipe is a perfect example of a food that can be made into triangles for Purim. You can also use round potsticker wrappers and fold them over like crescents.

Beef-Filled Borekas or Pastelicos are another great Purim recipe. They use puff pastry dough (homemade or store-bought) to enclose a savory beef-and-onion filling in flaky, golden brown triangles.

Kreplach Story