Caribbean Boiled Dumplings (2024)

The Deliciousness of Caribbean Boiled Dumplings

These Caribbean dumplings are soft doughy discs or small logs made with flour, water, and salt and often eaten with stews and soups, such as curry channa and aloo and ogbono soup.

Like fufu, these dumplings are a popular Caribbean staple. Boiled dumplings are sometimes called spinners, while the fried version with cornmeal is called festivals.

Recipe Ingredients

I mentioned kneading earlier, but let that intimidate you because it feels like playing with the dough until it comes together. Plus, you only need four ingredients for these. I told you it’s simple!

• Flour – Is our key ingredient and the body of our dumplings. As we all know, flour is somewhat flavorless, so we’ll add a little bit of salt for flavor.
• Cornmeal – This one is optional, but adding cornmeal will give your Jamaican dumplings a richer flavor.

How to Make Boiled Dumplings

Make the Dough

1. Combine – Pour the flour, cornmeal, and salt into a bowl and mix thoroughly.
2. Add Water – Add water a little at a time, pulling the flour from the sides of the bowl into the center to form a dough.
3. Knead the dough for 5-6 minutes. (It’s therapy!)
4. Rest the Dough – Cover the bowl with a cloth and let the dough rest for 10- 15 minutes so that it gets softer and easier to handle.

Shape and Cook

1. Roll – Pull apart dough to the desired size, roll it into a ball and flatten the middle with your thumb.
2. Heat the Water – Bring water to a boil in a pan and add oil.
3. Cook the Dumplings – Carefully place the dumplings into the boiling water and boil for 20-25 minutes till they start to float. (You can boil them in two batches, depending on the size of your pan).
4. Remove – Use a slotted spoon to remove them from the water and place them on a plate.
5. Serve – Serve hot with your preferred stew or veggies. Enjoy!

Recipe Variation

1. Coconut Dumplings – Coconut milk instead of water adds a milky and creamy flavor to our spinners. You can also add shredded coconut to add more flavor and texture. Yum!
2. Cassava Dumplings – Making dumplings with cassava flour is fantastic. However, you’ll still need to add flour or gluten-free flour to manage the gumminess.
3. Gluten-Free Dumplings – Replace the flour with gluten-free flour using a 1:1 ratio, and you’re all set to enjoy a guilt-free and gluten-free dumpling. Oh yes!
4. Green Banana Dumplings – Aside from coconut and cornmeal, you can also add pounded or grated green banana to add a sweet fruity flavor.
5. Potato Dumplings – Mashed potatoes make soft bread and delicious dumplings. Add an egg and baking powder for scrumptious Jamaican dumplings.

Tips and Tricks

1. You can add your dumplings to soup instead of boiling them in water. Make sure to add them 15 minutes before the soup is done to allow the dumplings to cook thoroughly.
2. Try to make the dumplings in uniform shapes and sizes for even cooking.
3. Give your dumplings a little stir while cooking so they won’t stick to the bottom of the pot.
4. How much water that’s needed depends on the flour used. Adjust with more water if the dough is too dry, and add a bit of flour if it’s too sticky.

Make-Ahead Instruction

And yes, these doughy treats can be made ahead. Just make them as instructed, shape them, store them in an airtight container, and keep them in the fridge or freezer. Making a big batch is a great idea so that you can enjoy them anytime you want. Or make them in different versions to double the fun. 😉

Serving and Storage Instruction

Serving – Aside from enjoying these boiled dumplings as a side dish, you can also add them to your stews and soup, like what I did in Jamaican Stewed Peas. Everything just blends in like a perfect harmony. I wouldn’t blame you if you ate them every day. 😉

Storing – If you’re lucky enough to have leftovers, I suggest keeping them in an airtight container or freezer-safe resealable bag. Remember to drain them well and allow them to cool completely before storing them. You can refrigerate them safely for up to 4 days and 2 months in the freezer.

Reheating – Boil a pot of water and the leftover spinners or festival and let them simmer until they are heated through. I recommend thawing the frozen dumplings inside the fridge overnight to facilitate quick reheating. But if you forget to thaw them the night before, you can boil them directly; however, cooking time will be longer.

FAQs

What to Serve with Caribbean Boiled Dumplings

There are many ways to enjoy our Jamaican boiled dumplings, but my favorite is eating them with the savory dishes below. Aah! Such a delightful experience!

1. Jamaican Ackee and Saltfish
2. Chicken Stew
3. Jamaican Beef Stew
4. Collard Greens
5. Fish Stew

More Incredible Caribbean Dishes to Try

1. Caribbean Coleslaw
2. Pholourie
3. Doubles (Curry Chickpeas and Spicy Flat Bread)
4. Jamaican Callaloo and Saltfish
5. Curry Chickpeas Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Conclusion

These boiled dumplings make a great starter if you are new to Caribbean cuisine. They are easy to make, affordable, and incredibly tasty. What do you plan on having them with? Comment below and let me know.

Watch How to Make It

[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”QrKKdO02″ upload-date=”2022-05-25T14:22:02.000Z” name=”BOILED DUMPLINGS UNTITLED.mp4″ description=”Caribbean Boiled Dumplings are soft and chewy dough balls of happiness with simple pantry-staple ingredients.” player-type=”collapse” override-embed=”false”]