This Uzbek Manti Steamed Dumplings Recipe (Манты) is one of the many recipes that reminds me of my childhood. A staple across Central Asia and Russia (Kazakstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan...) perfect to meal prep, freeze and pull out for an easy midweek dinner. Or make Lazy Manti rolled up!
Are Manti Russian? No. I search for Russian Manti (Russische Manti) because when you look on Google, you usually find the Turkish recipe. If you're Slavic, you might be looking for this Uzbek Manti recipe, which is popular in Russia. Manti are a recipe that you prepare ahead of time, and place into the freezer for an easy meal later. Not much different than preparing Pelmeni or Vareniki.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Authentic Taste - made the way my parents and grandparents made with Meat, Onion and Pumpkin - plus steaming makes them healthy
- Central Asian Comfort Food - a hearty and meaty dumpling that fills you up, perfect on a cold day when you crave comfort food
- Family Activity - everyone helps. Love eating Manti? Better learn to love making Manti! A whole family affair, many hands make light work from grandparents to children, goes faster!
- Make Ahead - prepare on trays, freeze them and place into Ziploc bags. Such and easy dinner to make in the steamer
Manti with Pumpkin
I love this version of Manti, as it's very juicy with Pumpkin and has a great flavor. Quite often, Uzbek Manti made with only Chopped Beef/Lamb and Onion, but adding Pumpkin is tastier in my opinion!
You want to use a sweet Pumpkin for Manti, the sweeter the better. My mom went digging through the pile of pumpkins in the store to find the sweetest Pumpkin. I have no idea how she knew, but the Pumpkin we used was perfect. It's best to finely chop the Pumpkin into tiny pieces, but that takes so long. We just used a food processor, but don't turn them into mush, leave some chunky small pieces.
Ingredients
- Dough - Flour, Egg, Oil, Salt and Water
- Meat - Chopped Beef or Ground Beef (can use Lamb)
- Pumpkin - finely chopped
- Onion - diced like Pumpkin
- Seasoning - Salt and Pepper
- Vegetable Oil
- Water
How to Make Uzbek Manti
- Prepare Dough - In a bowl, mix together the flour salt and water until dough forms. Transfer to a work surface and knead the dough until smooth, about 5 minutes Cover with cling wrap and rest dough for 1 hour.
- Prepare Filling - Dice pumpkin into small cubes (can use a food processor to pulse Pumpkin). Finely dice Onions. Using your hands, mix together Meat, Pumpkin, Onion, Salt, Pepper, Oil and Water until combined. Set aside.
- Roll Dough - using a rolling pin, roll out the dough into a thin layer (about ⅛"). Alternatively, roll a piece of dough through a Kitchen-Aid Pasta Roller (or a hand pasta roller) on setting 1.
- Cut Dough Circles - Use a large metal can or a drinking glass for cutting the shape of the dough circles. We used a Metal Can which has a 4 inch (10cm) diameter. Cut circles with the can. Combine the off cuts into a ball, knead and roll out again. This process always easier with 2 people. One rolling, one cutting, then making Manti together.
- Shape Uzbek Manti - place a generous tablespoon of meat filling into the circle piece of dough. Be careful for the meat not to touch the sides of the dough or it won't stick shut. Pinch and close the opposite sides of the dough together (corner to corner) until you have a little pinched dough pocket.
- Freeze - place on a baking tray and put in the freezer until frozen solid. Put in Ziploc bags until ready to steam (or you can eat them fresh).
- Steam -bring water in your Steamer (Mantavarka) to a boil. Spread oil on the steamer to prevent sticking. Place Manti in the steamer trays put over the water. Steam for about 40 minutes, until the meat is cooked.
- Serve - Serve with Sour Cream and fresh Dill, or Lazadhzan, or with Ketchup.
Manti Have Different Shapes
Yes, that is true. Not all Manti have the same shape like dumplings. These came in different shapes and sizes. I have 2 favorite styles that we use. We always grew up eating the centre pinch Manti, as pictured in the main photo. Put about a tablespoon of meat mixture into the circle piece of dough, careful for the meat not to touch the sides of the dough or it won't stick shut. Pinch and close the opposite sides of the dough together (corner to corner) until you have a little pinched dough pocket. It's kind of similar to making Piroshki.
The other way we make it, I call them the star shaped pillow Manti. Put about a tablespoon of meat mixture into the circle piece of dough, careful not to touch the sides of the dough or it won't stick shut. Pinch the middle of the dough together in the centre. Pinch the adjacent sides together, meeting in the centre, pinching all edges of the dough closed. It kind of looks like a star shaped pillow.
There is yet more ways to fold Manti, as if this wasn't enough! This last method doesn't use circles as the dough, but squares. If you roll out the dough by hand, cut it uniformly into about 4" squares. Put about a tablespoon of meat mixture into the square piece of dough, careful not to touch the sides of the dough or it won't stick shut. Pinch 2 opposite corners together at the centre, and again with the other corners, all meeting at the middle. Seal to pinch the dough shut. it will look a bit like a pyramid Manti. To complete the shape, just pinch together 2 corners of the dumpling, which will make a shape of a circle on the outer edge of the Manti. Repeat on the other side.
The whole family can help make the Uzbek Manti, everyone gathered around the table, pinching the pillows of dough. They come in many different shapes, from Star shapes, fancy Roses shaped, Oval, Square, Round, and all look different depending on how you pinch them shut.
Manti Filling Variations
- Chopped Meat Manti - the original version uses Chopped Meat, not Ground Beef or Lamb. You'll taste the difference but it is time consuming to hand chop meat.
- Lamb Manti - classic version made with Chopped Lamb, mixed with Onions and Black Pepper
- Potato Manti - add shredded or diced Potato (a great budget buster)
- Cabbage Manti - add some shredded Cabbage to your meat
- Chicken Manti - used diced or ground Chicken
- Horse? - traditionally, Kazakhs will add Horse Meat as well
Recipe Tips and FAQs
- Don't Defrost - place the frozen Manti onto the greased steamer and cook for about 45 minutes from frozen. If unsure if cooked, remove from steamer, cut in half and check that meat isn't pink in the middle.
- Cooking Spray - this is an easy time saver to spray the steamer with. Alternatively, you can use a paper towel dipped in vegetable oil.
- Spray the Dough - if dough dries out and isn't sticky to seal the edges, gently mist with water which makes dough sticky (like in this Pelmeni video)
- Don't Overcrowd Steamer - Manti will expand when cooking. To ensure even cooking, leave space between them to allow steam to circulate.
- Pumpkin to Meat Ratio - MAXIMUM: you want to Pumpkin to Meat ratio to be 50:50. The meat is the hero of the recipe, and should not overpower the meat. Adjust to your own ratios.
Can I Make Uzbek Manti in Advance?
Yes, this is the preferred method. Assemble Manti and place on a tray. Place in freezer until completely frozen. Transfer to a Ziploc bag and keep frozen for up to 6 months. When cooking, add another 5 minutes to steaming time.
How to Cook Manti?
Manti are steamed in a multi level steamer called a mantavarka. They usually sell the steamers in Asian shops. I'm lucky that I came across several steamer disks that fit over my large stock pot, which works great. The reason you need a multi-level steamer is because you need to feed more people than will fit in a single steamer. Manti aren't boiled but need to be steamed.
Manti Sauce Ideas
There are many ways to sauce up manti. The common Russian way is to eat with Smetana or Sour Cream. I like to eat them with Lazadzhan, an Uyghur Hot Sauce. When we were kids, we always ate them with Ketchup. Drizzle with this tasty Garlic Yogurt Sauce or this Indonesian Sweet and Spicy Sauce called Sambal Kicap (not traditional but tastes amazing with dumplings).
Storage and Reheating
- Fridge - place in an airtight container and keep refrigerated. Enjoy within 3 days.
- Reheating - place in microwave or pan fry with butter for an extra crispy twist.
Dumpling Recipes You'll Love
- Hanum or Orama - Lazy Manti
- Pelmeni - Russian Dumplings
- Khinkali - Georgian Dumplings
- Pierogies with Potatoes and Cheese
- Vareniki with Tvorog Cheese
- Galushki Dumpling Soup
- Pelmeni using a Mold
- Turkey Wonton Soup
- Easy Sheet Pan Gnocchi
The kids keep asking, can we eat Manti today? But I'm still slowly rationing until we can make more. It's a labor of love, the perfect meal prep dinner that you can enjoy for many meals to come. A taste of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Central Asia that everyone will love. Bon Appetit! Приятного аппетита!
Equipment
- food processor optional
- Multi Level Steamer Mantavarka
- Tray for freezing
- Rolling Pin or Pasta Roller
- Ziploc Bags
- 4 inch Metal Can or Cookie Ring
Ingredients
For the dough
- 5 cups Flour all purpose
- 1 tablespoon Oil
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 Egg
- 1½ cups Water
For the filling
- 3-4 large Onions
- 1½ lbs (750g) Pumpkin
- 1½ lbs (750g) Ground Beef or Lamb (mixed)
- 1 tablespoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
- ½ cup Oil
- ¾ cup Water
Instructions
- In a chopper or food processor, pulse the Pumpkin and Onion separately, not too finely, still in small chunks. Alternatively, cut into small cubed pieces. Mix together with the Meat, Salt, Pepper, Oil and Water, using your hands, until combined. Set aside.
- Mix dough ingredients together and knead on the counter for about 5 minutes, until dough it's a smooth ball. Let the dough rest for half and hour and give it a good knead again for a few minutes. Cover with a bowl and let it rest for at least 1 more hour.
- Cut dough into pieces. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough into a thin layer (about ⅛"). It's much easier to use a pasta roller, or I use a KitchenAid Mixmaster pasta roller attachment. Take the cut piece of dough, roughly roll with a rolling pin until it's able to be rolled through the pasta maker. First time, I rolled it on a thicker setting #1, then follow through with a thinner setting #2, which gets you to the desired thickness. Sprinkle flour on the pasta pieces to prevent them from sticking to the table.
- Use a large can or a glass for cutting the shape of the dough circles. We used a Metal Can which has a 4 inch /(10cm) diameter. Cut circles with the can, combine the off cuts into a ball, knead and roll out again. This process always easier with 2 people. One rolling, one cutting, then making Manti together.
- There are many ways to shape manti, here are my 2 favorites. Put about a generous tablespoon of meat mixture into the circle piece of dough, careful for the meat not to touch the sides of the dough or it won't stick shut. Pinch and close the opposite sides of the dough together (corner to corner) until you have a little pinched dough pocket. Place on a tray and put in the freezer until frozen solid. Put in ziploc bags until ready to steam (or you can eat them fresh as in the next step).
- Put about a generous tablespoon of meat mixture into the circle piece of dough, careful not to touch the sides of the dough or it won't stick shut. Pinch the middle of the dough together in the centre. Pinch the adjacent sides together, meeting in the centre, pinching all edges of the dough closed. It's going to kind of look like a star shaped pillow. Place on a greased steamer disks, about ½" apart from each other. Some use butter, but I generously sprayed oil.
- Bring water in your Steamer (mantavarka) to a boil. Place the Steamer Trays over the water and steam Manti for about 40 minutes, until the meat is cooked.
- Serve with Sour Cream and fresh Dill, or Lazadhzan, or with Ketchup.
©PetersFoodAdventures.com *originally posted May 2016, updated February 2025
