Ricotta-Spinach Dumplings

5 Reviews
ADD YOUR REVIEW
Hands-on Time
50 Mins
Total Time
50 Mins
Yield
Serves 6 (serving size: 6 dumplings and about 1/4 cup sauce)
By Cheryl Slocum
October 2015
RECIPE BY Cooking Light

Choose a low-moisture ricotta. If you can't shape a loose ball with the cheese, place it in a strainer, and drain the excess liquid for about an hour.

Ingredients

  • 1 (10-ounce) package frozen spinach, thawed
  • 1.5 ounces (about 1/3 cup) plus 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided
  • 1 1/2 cups part-skim ricotta cheese (such as Calabro or Polly-O)
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 2.25 ounces Parmesan cheese, shredded
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 1/2 cups lower-sodium marinara sauce

Nutritional Information

  • Calories 234
  • Fat 11g
  • Satfat 5.8g
  • Monofat 3.4g
  • Polyfat 0.7g
  • Protein 16g
  • Carbohydrate 18g
  • Fiber 2g
  • Cholesterol 119mg
  • Iron 3mg
  • Sodium 438mg
  • Calcium 387mg

How to Make It

Step 1

Cook spinach in microwave according to package directions; cool slightly. Place spinach in a clean kitchen towel. Squeeze until very dry.

Step 2

Weigh or lightly spoon 5 ounces flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, spinach, ricotta, and next 6 ingredients (through 1 egg) in a medium bowl. Stir gently just until combined.

Step 3

Sprinkle 1/4 cup flour on a baking sheet. Drop ricotta mixture by tablespoonfuls onto floured pan to make about 36 dumplings. Sprinkle dumplings with remaining 1 tablespoon flour, and very gently shape each into a ball; gently roll on pan to lightly coat with flour. (Dumplings can be shaped ahead and stored in the refrigerator overnight.)

Step 4

Place marinara in a large skillet over medium heat; cover and keep warm.

Step 5

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add 9 dumplings to water; cook 5 to 6 minutes (do not boil). Remove dumplings from pan with a slotted spoon, and place in marinara; keep warm. Repeat procedure 3 times with remaining dumplings.

Chef's Notes

MyRecipes is working with Let's Move!, the Partnership for a Healthier America, and USDA's MyPlate to give anyone looking for healthier options access to a trove of recipes that will help them create healthy, tasty plates. For more information about creating a healthy plate, visit www.choosemyplate.gov.

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Ratings & Reviews

disaster dinner

LauraD318
September 22, 2015
I made the recipe as written and my dumplings did not hold together.  To salvage dinner, I just dropped them in the marinara sauce and simmered until cooked through.  Maybe the dumpling needs more flour?

Fun recipe!

faerie2323
September 27, 2015
I was really nervous after reading the first review, but mine turned out great! My ricotta and spinach were really dry. I confess I used full fat ricotta. It was local, and since the calorie count was low anyway I was not deterred. It was time consuming, but so worth it! I was really excited when the little dumplings floated to the top of the water while cooking! Cooking Light, you're the best!

Just No

Bathtubjinn
September 28, 2015
This was tasteless mush - the middle layer of a spinach lasagna at best. What did I expect from cheese soaked in hot water?

Good recipe

Mindy
September 30, 2015
Mine also turned fine but I added a few steps at the instructions in order to dry well the mixture.1) I dried ricotta in a coffe filter before I add it to the mixture2) Once the mixture was ready I put it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to become firmer3) After shaping the dumplings, into the refrigerator for 15-30 minutes againYou get a very good result. Flour them good in order not to be sticky as well. I froze some of them and boiled them later for a few minutes more and the result was great as well :)I used the cooking light marinara recipe and it's very good also.

Delicious!

lexy7070
October 12, 2015
I made these by following the recipe exactly and they turned out great!  I did make them a day ahead and had them in the refrigerator overnight before cooking. They also warm up really well so you can make them the night before or heat up the leftovers.  

Meh

anasta3d
October 12, 2015
These were a little weird. I followed the recipe with the exception that I cooked them in chicken stock. Mine help their shape alright and the flavor was good I was just a bit underwhelmed by the final product. If I were to make this again, which I probably won't, I would take the suggestion of the reviewer who refrigerated the dough and dumplings prior to coking. I just did not feel like these were as spectacular as the amount of work and hat went into them. 2.5 stars

For kids only?

SkinnyJeans5
September 30, 2016
Didn't read reviews prior to trying. Have to agree with those who described it as messy, time consuming, difficult to form, and overall not worth the effort. Don't know that I'll try again.