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Georgia · Meskheti

Meskheti Mountain-Style Khinkali with Lamb

Make round Georgian khinkali with a lamb, onion and thyme broth filling, pleated dough and clear step-by-step boiling cues

Georgian home recipeGeorgian dish
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Wide platter of Georgian lamb khinkali, with a cut dumpling showing the juicy meat filling.
Yield8 portions (24 large khinkali)
Serving3 dumplings per portion
DifficultyModerate; shaping takes practice
DietContains wheat (gluten) and lamb
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The dish

About Meskheti Mountain-Style Khinkali with Lamb

Round Georgian dumplings with thyme-scented lamb and a spoonable pocket of broth.

Khinkali are shaped around a juicy meat filling, then boiled until the pleated dough is tender and the centre is hot. This measured home version uses lamb, finely diced onion and dried thyme. The cold water mixed into the meat loosens the filling and becomes the broth inside each dumpling.

Meskheti is associated with a distinct goose apokhti khinkali: rectangular parcels made with salted, dried goose. This recipe is different. It is a round, pleated lamb version in the wider Georgian mountain-style family, offered as a practical home variation rather than a historic Meskhetian formula.

Allow time to roll and pleat all 24 dumplings. Keep the meat cold while working, close each top firmly so the broth stays inside, and boil in batches rather than crowding the pot. Serve them hot and plain so the thyme and lamb broth remain clear.

Cook the dish

Ingredients

Meskheti Mountain-Style Khinkali with Lamb

Dough

  • 900 gstrong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting
  • 420 mlcold water
  • 15 gfine salt

Lamb filling

  • 1 kgground lamb shoulder, chilled; preferably one coarse grind
  • 250 gyellow onion, very finely diced
  • 240 mlice-cold water
  • 9 gfine salt
  • 2 gdried thyme, crumbled
  • 2 gfreshly ground black pepper
  • 1 gred pepper flakes, optional

For boiling

  • 4 Lwater
Method

Method

  1. Make the dough. Mix the flour and 15 g salt in a large bowl. Add 420 ml cold water and knead for 10–12 minutes, until firm, smooth and elastic. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

  2. Mix the filling. Keep the lamb at or below 4°C. Combine it with the onion, 9 g salt, thyme, black pepper and optional pepper flakes. Gradually mix in 240 ml ice-cold water until the filling is moist and spoonable, not soupy. Cover and keep chilled.

  3. Divide the dough. Cut the rested dough into 24 equal pieces and keep them covered. Work with a few pieces at a time so the rest do not dry out.

  4. Roll and fill. Roll each piece into a round about 15 cm across, leaving the centre slightly thicker than the edge. Place about 60 g filling in the centre. Gather the rim into 18–20 pleats, pinch firmly closed and twist the top. Set each dumpling on a lightly floured tray with space between them.

  5. Boil in batches. Bring 4 L water to a rolling boil in a large stockpot. Lower in 8 khinkali at a time and gently move the pot by its handles so they do not stick to the bottom. Once they float, boil for 7–9 minutes. Keep the water at a steady boil without crowding the pot.

  6. Check and serve. Check the centre of the largest dumpling with a thin-tip thermometer; the ground lamb must reach 71°C and the dough must be cooked through. If needed, boil for another minute and check again. Lift with a slotted spoon and serve hot. Repeat with the remaining dumplings.

Practical guidance

Tips for success

  • Keep the filling cold and mix in the ice-cold water gradually. It should be moist and spoonable, not runny.
  • Leave the centre a little thicker than the rim when rolling each dough round; this helps support the filling.
  • Pinch the pleats firmly together and give the top a final twist to seal it against leaks.
  • Boil three batches in a roomy pot so the dumplings can move freely.
Practical guidance

Practical guidance

Keep the dough covered. A dry rim is harder to pleat and may split during boiling. Cover unused dough pieces and shaped dumplings with a clean towel while you work.

Seal in the broth. Add about 60 g filling to each round, then pinch every fold firmly. If a dumpling leaks, remove it with a slotted spoon and check the remaining pieces for weak seams before the next batch.

Storage and reheating. Refrigerate leftovers in a shallow container within 2 hours, keep at or below 4°C and use within 3–4 days. Reheat until the centre reaches 74°C. The dumplings are best freshly boiled because the dough softens in storage.

Nutrition per serving

Estimated nutrition per serving

  • Serving size: 3 dumplings
  • Calories: About 770 kcal
  • Carbohydrates: About 82 g
  • Protein: About 36 g
  • Fat: About 32 g
  • Fibre: About 4 g
  • Sodium: About 1,200 mg

Approximate estimate for one-eighth of the batch, using generic composition data for strong wheat flour, ground lamb, onion, thyme and pepper. Lamb fat percentage and flour brand affect energy and macros. Sodium estimates include the 24 g salt in the dough and filling; actual retention and product values vary. Use ingredient labels for a closer calculation.

Allergens and food safety

Allergens and food safety

Contains wheat (gluten). Check flour packaging for allergen cross-contact. Keep raw ground lamb at or below 4°C and separate it from ready-to-eat food. Wash hands and tools after contact with raw meat. Cook the centre of the ground lamb to at least 71°C, measured with a food thermometer; appearance is not a substitute. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and reheat to 74°C.

The result

The result

  • Tender pleated wrappers hold a juicy lamb filling with a distinct thyme note.
  • The round shape and lamb filling make this a home mountain-style khinkali, distinct from Meskheti's documented rectangular goose apokhti dumplings.
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