Meatballs and Dumplings pairs pillow-soft dumplings with meatballs simmered in a flavorful tomato sauce. Perfect comfort food recipe that is easy enough for a weeknight meal!
![Meatballs and Dumplings - recipe for pillow soft dumplings served with meatballs simmered in tomato sauce. Perfect recipe for a weeknight meal! thewoodenskillet.com #foodphotography #foodstyling](https://thewoodenskillet.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/1-IMG_1457.jpg)
Wow – these meatballs and dumplings. Just. Wow. If pillow-y, dough-y, scrumptious-y dumplings are your thing (and why wouldn’t they be) then keep reading. And if you like pillow-y, dough-y, scrumptious-y dumplings cooked in a homemade tomato sauce that hand-made meatballs have been simmering in…. also keep reading.
This is absolutely one of my all-time favorite recipes. It is consistently served on weeknights at our house and yes, it is kid-friendly my friends. (I also throw in a tip for when you don’t feel like making homemade tomato sauce……) So, basically, this is just the best recipe ever. There. I said it.
I am so excited to be (finally) sharing this recipe with you guys! It is just so good! Not going to lie, I almost feel like I should never share the dumpling recipe …. I am having a Gollum in the Lord of the Rings moment … But I love you guys too much so I am spilling the beans!
First thing is to make your tomato sauce, which is really just tomato paste, water, petite diced tomatoes, sugar and salt.
Next, make your meatballs.
![Meatballs and Dumplings - recipe for pillow soft dumplings served with meatballs simmered in tomato sauce. Perfect recipe for a weeknight meal! thewoodenskillet.com #meatballs](https://thewoodenskillet.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/1-IMG_1048-1067x1600.jpg)
![Meatballs and Dumplings - recipe for pillow soft dumplings served with meatballs simmered in tomato sauce. Perfect recipe for a weeknight meal! thewoodenskillet.com](https://thewoodenskillet.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/1-IMG_1071-1067x1600.jpg)
Add in your sauce.
![Meatballs and Dumplings - recipe for pillow soft dumplings served with meatballs simmered in tomato sauce. Perfect recipe for a weeknight meal! thewoodenskillet.com #meatballs](https://thewoodenskillet.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/1-IMG_1079-1067x1600.jpg)
Simmer.
Next make your dumpling dough.
![How to make dumplings. thewoodenskillet.com](https://thewoodenskillet.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/1-IMG_1123-1067x1600.jpg)
Then take a large spoon and drop about 2 Tablespoons-sized chunks of dough all over your meatballs.
![Meatballs and Dumplings - recipe for pillow soft dumplings served with meatballs simmered in tomato sauce. Perfect recipe for a weeknight meal! thewoodenskillet.com](https://thewoodenskillet.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/1-IMG_1150-1067x1600.jpg)
There isn’t a wrong way to do this – I swear.
Cover.
![How to make meatballs and dumplings. thewoodenskillet.com](https://thewoodenskillet.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/1-IMG_1158-1067x1600.jpg)
Voila. Dinner is served.
![Meatballs and Dumplings - recipe for pillow soft dumplings served with meatballs simmered in tomato sauce. Perfect recipe for a weeknight meal! thewoodenskillet.com #foodphotography #foodstyling](https://thewoodenskillet.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/1-IMG_1188-1600x1067.jpg)
![Meatballs and Dumplings - recipe for pillow soft dumplings served with meatballs simmered in tomato sauce. Perfect recipe for a weeknight meal! thewoodenskillet.com #foodphotography #foodstyling](https://thewoodenskillet.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/1-IMG_1441-1067x1600.jpg)
![Meatballs and Dumplings - recipe for pillow soft dumplings served with meatballs simmered in tomato sauce. Perfect recipe for a weeknight meal! thewoodenskillet.com #foodphotography #foodstyling](https://thewoodenskillet.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/1-IMG_1457-1067x1600.jpg)
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Meatballs and Dumplings
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: American
Description
Meatballs and Dumplings – a cozy dish that is major comfort food! Fluffy dumplings with amazing meatballs in a tomato sauce!
Ingredients
Meatballs:
- 1.5 lbs ground beef
- 1/2 Teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1/2 Teaspoon ground black pepper
Tomato Sauce:
- 2 6oz cans tomato paste (and 4 cans of water)
- 1 14.5oz can petite diced tomatoes (do not drain)
- 1/4 Teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 Tablespoon sugar (coconut sugar works)
- 2 Teaspoons + 1/4 Teaspoon kosher salt
Dumplings:
- 2 cups flour
- 4 Teaspoons baking powder
- 1 Teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup unsweetened/unflavored almond or soy milk (regular milk works as well)
- 4 Tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Take ground beef and form approx. 22 meatballs.
- Place in skillet and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Cook, covered, on medium heat turning periodically until cooked thoroughly.
- Only drain off some of the grease, ensuring there is approx. 1/4 cup or more remaining in the skillet.
- In mixing bowl, combine all ingredients listed under Tomato Sauce above and mix thoroughly.
- Add tomato sauce to skillet and use a wooden spoon to scrape off all of the meat from the bottom of the pan.
- Continue to simmer, uncovered, for 10-15 minutes mixing every so often.
- Combine all Dumpling ingredients listed above (note: mixture should be moist – if you feel it is too dry, add additional almond milk 1 Tablespoon at a time).
- Take large spoon and drop approx. 2 Tablespoons of Dumpling dough on top of the meatballs.
- Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes. You will know the dumplings are done when you lift the lid and carefully touch the dumplings – they should be firm (not hard, just firm). If you dumplings are really big, then the cook time will most likely be closer to 20-25 minutes. Test periodically to check firmness and continue cooking in 5 minute increments until they are firm.
- Serve immediately and sprinkle with parsley for garnish.
Katie says
The best comfort meal EVER that I don’t feel guilty about.
Erin says
This is one of my favorite recipes of all-time!! So glad you are enjoying it!!