Finnish dumpling soup is everything you could want in cold weather food. Tender beef, potatoes and root vegetables plus the added comfort factor of dumplings make this traditional soup one you’ll reach for again and again.

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Tips & FAQs for Finnish Dumpling Soup

-including a soup bone is optional, but highly recommended: The soup is made with water, not packaged broth, so using a soup bone makes for a super nourishing homemade stock.

-The cook time on this one is long: the beef slowly cooks in the water, creating the broth and super tender meat. Make sure you start in with enough time, and as an added bonus, your house will smell delicious all afternoon.

Can I substitute the root vegetables?

Yes- Other root vegetables that make a great addition to this soup include celery root and rutabaga. You can add these to the vegetables listed below in the recipe or swap out ones you don’t wish to include. Sweet potato would make a delicious addition as well but be careful to wait to add this until later, since it can easily sog and crumble if added too early.

How should I serve & store Finnish dumpling soup?

I love that this hearty meat soup makes for a complete meal in a bowl! Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-4 days.

Tools & Equipment for Finnish Dumpling Soup

Large pot x2
Cutting board & knife
Colander or mesh strainer
Large plate or bowl for meat
Separate medium bowl for mixing dumpling batter
Two spoons for shaping dumplings

Ingredients for Finnish Dumpling Soup

Beef roast & soup bone (Chuck roast works well)
Yellow onion
Bay leaf
Peppercorns
Carrots
Parsnip
Potatoes
Leek
Kosher salt

For the dumplings:

Eggs
Milk
Sugar
Flour
Nutmeg– optional
Kosher salt & ground black pepper

The Process- How to Make Finnish Dumpling Soup

Cut your beef into large chunks and place it all into a large pot, including the soup bone if you have one. Cover the meat with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Pour the boiling water off, re-fill the pot with fresh water to cover the beef once again, and return the pot to the stove. Pouring off this initial water helps reduce the amount of foam and fat you’ll need to skim later.

Bring the pot to a simmer and add one whole peeled onion, two bay leaves and peppercorns to the pot. Simmer until the meat is fully cooked and fork-tender- about 3-4 hours, depending on the amount and the cut of the beef. If the water ever begins to get low in the pot, top it up. Periodically skim the fat off the top of the pot with a ladle.

Toward the end of the cooking time, peel and dice your carrots, parsnip, potatoes and leek.

When the meat is tender, use tongs or forks to lift it out of the pot onto a large plate or bowl. Strain the broth into a new pot, removing the onion, bay leaves, and peppercorns. Over medium heat, return the broth to a simmer, add the vegetables and season with a generous pinch of salt. Simmer until the vegetables are softening, but not fully cooked yet.

While the vegetables cook, removed the meat from the bones, remove excess fat, and cut the meat into bite size pieces. Sample your soup and add more salt if needed; add the beef back to the soup and allow to warm through, then make the dumplings.

Make the dumplings:

In a medium bowl, mix together the eggs, milk, flour, sugar, nutmeg if using, salt and pepper until thoroughly combined. It will be a stiff but sticky batter texture. Bring your soup up to a boil and use two spoons to scoop small balls of dough and drop them gently into the liquid. Repeat with all of the batter and let the dumplings cook for about 5 minutes. They will float when they are fully cooked.

When the dumplings are cooked through, remove the pot from the heat and serve.