Description

These soft, tangy sourdough drop dumplings are a comforting, flavorful addition to soups and stews. Made with sourdough discard or active starter, they offer a delicious way to reduce waste and elevate traditional dumpling recipes. The fermentation adds a subtle tang and helps create a tender texture that holds up well in broth. Perfect for using up extra starter, these dumplings come together quickly and cook right in the pot—no rolling or shaping required. Whether you’re serving them in chicken soup, hearty beef stew, or a vegetarian broth, sourdough dumplings bring an extra layer of homemade comfort to your favorite dishes.

Ingredients

Scale

50 g Butter cold and chopped into small cubes
150 g All Purpose Flour
6 g Baking Powder (1 teaspoon)
6 g Salt (1 teaspoon)
1 tablespoon Fresh thyme or other fresh herbs of choice
150 g Sourdough Starter or sourdough discard
1 Egg

Instructions

Make sure your butter is really cold and cut into small cubes or grated. You can pop it in the freezer to cool it faster if you need to.
Add flour and butter to a mixing bowl and rub the flour into the butter using your fingertips. The mixture should be crumbly, but still feel cold.
Add the baking powder, salt and herbs to the flour mixture and gently stir through with a spatula or spoon.
Now whisk the egg and sourdough starter together and then pour into the centre of the dry ingredients.
Gently bring the wet and dry ingredients together to form a dry dough (don’t overwork it or your dumplings will be tough).
Using your fingers, form 12 small balls of dough (they don’t have to be perfect and they might seem crumbly, that’s perfectly ok).
If you are going to do the long ferment method, refer to notes below for instructions.
Make sure your soup is gently simmering (not boiling). Carefully drop the dumplings into the soup. They might sink at first – don’t panic, they’ll pop back up in a minute or two.
Pop the lid on the soup and leave to gently simmer for 10 to 12 minutes.
Serve your soup and dumplings!

Notes

Sourdough Discard vs. Active Starter: Discard will give you a tangier flavor and requires baking powder for leavening. Active starter adds more natural lift and a milder taste.
Texture Tips: The dough should be thick but scoopable—similar to biscuit dough. Add extra milk or flour as needed to reach the right consistency.
Flavor Variations: Stir in fresh herbs, grated cheese, or spices like garlic powder or smoked paprika for a twist.
Cooking Tip: Always keep the lid on while cooking the dumplings. Steam is essential for even cooking—avoid lifting the lid for at least 10 minutes.
Storage: Store leftovers in broth in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat gently in simmering broth.
Serving Suggestions: Ideal for pairing with chicken soup, lentil stew, mushroom broth, or creamy chowders.