Turkey Soup with Potato Dumplings

Christmas prep without Babcia cooking is like Christmas without snow — technically possible, spiritually wrong. But we're doing it. Mom and I divided the Wigilia menu between us. She's handling the non-Polish items (the turkey, which isn't traditional but which Dad insists on, the side dishes, the desserts she knows). I'm handling the Polish: mushroom soup, pierogi, barszcz with uszka, herring, and kutia. The uszka are new for me. I've never made them — the tiny mushroom dumplings that go in the beet soup. They're like pierogi but smaller, each one the size of a quarter. Babcia makes — made — them by hand, folding each one into a perfect little ear shape. I've watched her. I've eaten hundreds of them. But I've never made one. I practiced on Tuesday night. The dough is similar to pierogi dough but rolled thinner. The filling is finely chopped mushrooms and onions, cooked until dry. You cut small circles, place a tiny amount of filling, fold in half, then press the corners together to make the ear shape. My first batch was too big. Second batch was the right size but ugly — lumpy, uneven, the seal leaking. Third batch: better. Not Babcia-good. But recognizable. I brought the third batch to Babcia on Wednesday. She examined one, turning it over in her fingers. "Too much filling," she said. "And you're pinching too hard. Gentle. Like closing a prayer book." Closing a prayer book. That's the instruction. That's the technique. I went home and made a fourth batch. Gentle. Like closing a prayer book. They were right. Hockey playoffs: we made the semifinals again. Game on Thursday — we won 4-1. I had an assist and zero penalties. The enforcer, reformed. Instagram: I posted a video of making uszka — my hands folding the tiny dumplings, Babcia's voice in the background saying "Gentle. Gentle." The audio was accidental — I didn't know she was talking when I recorded it. 900 likes. 50 shares. People love her voice the way I love her voice. Sunday dinner: I cooked at Babcia's. She sat in her chair and directed me like a general directing troops. "More salt. Less heat. Stir from the bottom." The kitchen felt alive again. Not the same. But alive.

After four batches of uszka and Babcia’s reminder to fold “gentle, like closing a prayer book,” I have a new appreciation for any recipe that asks you to make something small by hand and drop it into a warm, fragrant broth. This turkey soup with potato dumplings isn’t barszcz—it won’t be on the Wigilia table—but it got me through the practice week: something to eat after the fourth batch, something that rewarded patience the same way uszka do. The dumplings here are forgiving in a way that’s good for a learner, and the broth is the kind of thing Babcia would approve of—clear, honest, nothing hiding.

Prep Time: 30 min | Cook Time: 45 min | Total Time: 1 hr 15 min | Servings: 6

Ingredients

2 lbs turkey breast or bone-in turkey pieces
8 cups low-sodium chicken or turkey broth
2 medium carrots, sliced into coins
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 medium yellow onion, quartered
3 cloves garlic, smashed
2 bay leaves
1 tsp whole black peppercorns
1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped (for serving)
For the potato dumplings:
2 cups mashed potatoes, cooled (about 2 medium russet potatoes)
1 cup all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
1 large egg
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp white pepper
Pinch of nutmeg

Instructions

Build the broth. Place turkey, broth, onion, garlic, bay leaves, and peppercorns in a large pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a low simmer. Skim any foam from the surface. Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.
Add the vegetables. Remove the onion quarters, bay leaves, and peppercorns. Add carrots and celery. Season with 1 tsp salt. Continue simmering 10 to 15 minutes until vegetables are just tender.
Shred the turkey. Remove turkey from the pot. When cool enough to handle, shred the meat into bite-sized pieces, discarding any bones or skin. Return shredded turkey to the pot.
Make the dumpling dough. In a medium bowl, combine cooled mashed potatoes, egg, salt, white pepper, and nutmeg. Add flour and mix until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms. Add flour a tablespoon at a time if the dough is too wet to handle. Do not overwork.
Shape the dumplings. Dust your hands and a work surface lightly with flour. Pinch off pieces of dough about the size of a large marble. Roll each gently between your palms into a small oval or round. Work with a light touch—pressing too hard makes them dense. You should get 24 to 30 dumplings.
Cook the dumplings. Bring the soup to a gentle boil. Drop dumplings in one at a time, working in batches so they don’t crowd. They will sink, then float to the surface in 3 to 4 minutes. Cook 1 minute more after they float, then transfer to serving bowls.
Finish and serve. Ladle hot broth, vegetables, and turkey over the dumplings in each bowl. Taste the broth and adjust salt. Top with fresh parsley and serve immediately.

Nutrition (per serving)

Turkey Soup with Potato Dumplings — Learning to Fold Something Small with Love