Say hello to this comforting, cozy recipe for Gluten-Free Sticky Rice Potato Dumplings filled with melty mozzarella cheese pearls! The dumpling dough, made with fluffy cooked potatoes, mochiko flour, and a touch of tapioca starch, creates a soft and chewy texture that pairs perfectly with the gooey cheese filling.
These homemade dumplings are easy to make and offer a delightful twist on traditional rice dumplings. These dumplings have everything you want in a savory treat – it's one of my favorite comfort foods for when I'm craving a satisfying appetizer or a comforting snack.
Here's why I love this recipe
- no-bake, and so easy to prepare
- only 5 ingredients
- gluten-free
- savory, cheesy; chewy and soft
Ingredients Used to Make Gluten Free Sticky Rice Potato Dumplings
**I've linked some of these ingredients to amazon.com to give you an idea of what they are, but you should also be able to find them in your local Asian grocery store (or the natural & organic food section). They are also affiliate links, which means that I earn a commission as an Amazon Associate if you decide to purchase the items. The price will be the same for you, link or no link 🙂
- Glutinous Rice Flour - this goes by many names. You'll see Glutinous Rice Flour and Mochiko Flour (my favorite brand) in Asian grocery stores, and Sweet White Rice Flour in most other stores. ***Please note that regular white rice flour or brown rice flour is NOT the same thing as glutinous rice flour!!!
- Tapioca flour (flour but also called tapioca starch) - Arrowroot starch and Potato starch can also be used instead. I DO NOT recommend using cornstarch for this recipe.
- Salt - any fine salt of choice
- Cooked Potatoes - you'll need mashed potatoes in this recipe. I used steamed russet potatoes, but you're welcome to use other white potato varieties.
Note: While you can steam or bake the potatoes, I used the microwave to cook the potatoes in just about 10 minutes! Here's the shortcut microwave method (NOTE: this post is for sweet potatoes, but it works the same with regular white potatoes!)
Filling Ingredients
- We'll use pearl mozzarella cheese (also called mini mozzarella or snack mozzarella) in this recipe. Since they are already portioned into small sizes, they're perfect for filling our potato dumplings.
Step by Step Guide
How to Make Sticky Rice Potato Dumplings
STEP 1
Peel cooked potatoes while still warm and mash with a fork until no chunks remain.
STEP 2
In a large bowl, knead the potato, mochiko flour, tapioca flour and salt until the mashed potato is well incorporated with the dry ingredients.
STEP 3
Add the water and knead all the dough ingredients together until smooth and pliable, and no longer sticky.
TIP: more water may need to be added depending on the brand of glutinous rice flour you use. The goal is to get a soft and pliable dough that is easy to work with and doesn't crack when shaping. On the other hand, if the dough is too sticky, you can always add more glutinous rice flour to adjust the consistency.
STEP 4
Take a small portion of the dough and flatten it in the palm of your hand.
STEP 5
Place one mozzarella pearl in the center of the dough and gently fold the edges of the dough over the filling, rolling it into a smooth ball.
STEP 6
Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
STEP 7
Boil a quart or two of water in a large pot. Also, get a ice bath ready (such as a bowl of ice water)
Carefully drop the prepared balls into the boiling water. If using a smaller pot, work in batches. Once the glutinous rice balls are done cooking they'll float towards the top (takes about 5 minutes). Once done, use a sieve or tea strainer to pull them out of the water, and emerge in ice water until fully cooled.
STEP 8
Enjoy!
Potato Dumpling Filling Variations
There are many creative filling variations you can explore for these Sticky Rice Potato Dumplings. But for another savory twist, try filling with this Impossible Meat Filling (pic below)
FAQ: Do You Need to Fill the Sticky Rice Potato Dumplings?
Nope, filling these Potato Dumplings is completely optional. The dumplings can also be enjoyed as plain without any filling.
How to Store Gluten Free Potato Dumplings
- Unfortunately, sticky rice dumplings have the best texture and flavor when freshly made. But if you have leftovers or want to store them long term, here's what you can do: arrange the fully cooled dumplings on a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze. Once frozen, transfer them to a freezer-safe container or Ziploc bag. When you're ready to eat them, boil them in water or steam them to reheat before serving.
Final Tips
- Proper dough consistency - More water may need to be added depending on the brand of glutinous rice flour you use. The goal is to get a soft and pliable dough that is easy to work with and doesn't crack when shaping. On the other hand, if the dough is too sticky, you can always add more glutinous rice flour to adjust the consistency.
- Preventing dough from drying out - While working with the dough, cover the sticky rice dumplings dough with a damp cloth or plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out. This will make it easier to shape the dumplings and keep the dough moist.
- Filling - Be mindful of the amount of filling you put in each dumpling. Use about 1 teaspoon of filling to avoid overfilling, which could lead to difficulties sealing the dough or the filling leaking out during cooking.
Gluten Free Potato Dumplings Filled with Fresh Mozzarella Cheese
Ingredients
Potato Dumplings Dough
- 120 g russet potatoes , fully cooked. 120g was a little less than ½ cup mashed
- 70 g mochiko flour, sweet rice or glutinous rice flour , about ½ cup
- 7 g tapioca, potato or arrowroot starch , 1 Tbsp
- 2 g salt , or ¼ tsp
- 75 g hot water , 5 Tbsp
Filling Ingredients
- 12 small fresh mozzarella cheese balls , also called mozzarella pearls.
Instructions
Make the Dough
- Peel cooked potatoes while still warm and mash with a fork until no chunks remain.
- In a large bowl, knead the potato, mochiko flour, tapioca flour and salt until the mashed potato is well incorporated with the dry ingredients.
- Add the water and knead all the dough ingredients together until smooth and pliable, and no longer sticky. TIP: more water may need to be added depending on the brand of glutinous rice flour you use. The goal is to get a soft and pliable dough that is easy to work with and doesn't crack when shaping. On the other hand, if the dough is too sticky, you can always add more glutinous rice flour to adjust the consistency.
Assemble
- Take a small portion of the dough and flatten it in the palm of your hand.
- Place one mozzarella pearl in the center of the dough and gently fold the edges of the dough over the filling, rolling it into a smooth ball.
- Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
Cook the potato dumplings
- Boil a quart or two of water in a large pot. Also, get a ice bath ready (such as a bowl of ice water)
- Carefully drop the prepared potato dumplings into the boiling water. If using a smaller pot, work in batches.
- Once the potato dumplings are done cooking they'll float towards the top (takes about 5 minutes). Once done, use a sieve or tea strainer to pull them out of the water
- Let the dumplings cool fully in the ice water.
- Remove from the ice water and transfer to a broth of choice.
- Enjoy!
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