TURKEY AND DUMPLINGS (GLUTEN-FREE, DAIRY-FREE)
on Sep 13, 2024
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Light, fluffy dumplings are the perfect topper for a rich and savory stew featuring leftover Thanksgiving turkey!
You know the day after Thanksgiving when you have a fridge full of food but nothing actually sounds good? We’ve all been there.
The turkey that you took hours worrying about (well, unless you used my Simple Oven Roasted Turkey Breast Recipe with Gravy) is sitting in the fridge staring at you. A turkey sandwich is a good idea, but for something ultra comforting and cozy I’m partial to this Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Turkey and Dumplings recipe.
Leftover shredded turkey is added to a mixture of cooked onions, celery, and turkey stock. While you could gladly enjoy this quick turkey soup recipe, I go one step further by adding some pillowy gluten-free dumplings. It is a holiday, after all!
Now, I have a confession to get out of the way. I’m unsure if these gluten-free, dairy-free dumplings are really a dumpling or more of a biscuit. What I do know is that they are downright delicious!
Regardless, the bottoms are tender and soak up all the flavorful turkey broth while the tops are crispy after being broiled in the oven for a few minutes.
Whatever you call it, I dare you not to peel off the top and eat one before you make it to the table!
I hope this recipe adds some flare to your Thanksgiving leftovers and will give you a reason to be thankful for having a fridge full of turkey. Enjoy!
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Key Ingredients for Turkey and Dumplings
Go ahead and open up your fridge and grab your leftovers. We’re transforming them into something worthwhile with just a few added ingredients.
- Turkey: You’ll need about 2 to 3 cups of leftover turkey for this recipe. Or, if you want to make this outside of Thanksgiving time or you skipped the bird altogether, feel free to use cooked chicken or even rotisserie chicken.
- Frozen Mixed Veggies: You know that bag of frozen veggies that keeps getting shoved to the back of the freezer? Here’s where you can use it! Or, use additional leftover veggies like roasted carrots from Turkey Day.
- Stock: Use either turkey or chicken stock. Chances are you probably have a leftover container or two from cooking the turkey as well!
- Arrowroot Starch: This gluten-free powder helps thicken the broth mixture and is used in the dumpling batter too. You can also substitute cornstarch.
Pin this recipe for later!
Pin It- Plant-Based Milk: For the dumplings, you’ll need 1 cup of nut milk. You can use almond or cashew milk, however I like the taste of canned coconut milk as it’s extremely creamy and rich in flavor.
- Lemon Juice: Did you know that squeezing some lemon into milk — or in this case nut milk — turns it into buttermilk? Just let the mixture sit for a bit before adding into the rest of your dry ingredients.
- Gluten-Free Flour: For the best consistency, I’ve chosen Bob’s Red Mill Paleo Flour. I love that it’s only four ingredients and doesn’t contain any type of gums or fillers.
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda: These help the dumplings puff up as they cook in the rich turkey broth mixture.
- Plant-based Cream Cheese: Instead of butter, I’ve opted for dairy-free cream cheese. There are a lot of choices out there, but my preference is @miyokoscreamery because it has no added seed oils.
How to Make Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Turkey and Dumplings
To get started, preheat your oven to 400°F.
In a measuring cup, whisk together the nut milk and lemon juice. Set aside for 10 to 15 minutes. Voila, you’ve made your own dairy-free buttermilk!
In the meantime, heat the avocado oil in a Dutch oven or deep oven-proof skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onions and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 10 minutes. Once they are translucent, add the turkey stock and bring to a gentle boil.
While this simmers, make the dumpling dough. In a medium-sized bowl, measure out your gluten-free flour blend, ¼ cup arrowroot starch, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder. Stir together.
Using either a pastry cutter or two forks, cut in the cold cream cheese until the cream cheese bits are pea-sized. This ensures a flaky dumpling!
Stir in the milk and lemon juice mixture and mix until just combined and a loose dough forms. Avoid over-mixing or the dough will become really tough.
In a small bowl, mix 3 tablespoons of arrowroot starch with about ¼ of the turkey broth liquid from the Dutch oven. Stir the slurry starch mixture into the boiling stock.
Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, and then add the leftover turkey (or chicken) and frozen veggie mix.
Return to a boil and drop large scoops of dumpling dough on top of the boiling mixture. I like to use a cookie scoop to get the dough into even balls, but you can use a regular spoon for a more rustic look.
Season with salt and pepper and bake, uncovered, for 23 to 25 minutes. Turn the oven to broil and broil until biscuits are golden, 2 to 3 minutes.
Remove from the oven and dig in! Enjoy!
Other Cozy Seasonal Recipes to Try:
- Chuck Roast with Au Jus
- Classic Cozy Beef Stew
- Skillet Chicken Thighs with Mushroom Gravy
- Easy Dairy-Free Ground Beef Stroganoff
- Chuck Roast Chili
TURKEY AND DUMPLINGS (GLUTEN-FREE, DAIRY-FREE)
Ingredients
For the Turkey Broth:
- 1 small onion, diced small
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 2 stalks celery, sliced about ¼-inch thick
- 2-3 cups leftover turkey (or chicken), shredded into bite-sized pieces
- 12 ounce bag frozen mixed veggies (or any leftover from Thanksgiving day)
- 32 ounces turkey or chicken stock
- 3 tablespoons arrowroot starch
For the Dumplings:
- 1 cup plant-based milk of choice (I used coconut milk)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 cups gluten-free flour blend (I used Bob's Red Mill Paleo Flour)
- ¼ cup arrowroot starch
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Few grinds of black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 8 ounces plant-based cream cheese, chilled
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F.
- Make your own “buttermilk" by whisking the milk and lemon juice in a small jar and set aside for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat the avocado oil in a Dutch oven or deep oven-proof skillet over medium heat.
- Add the diced onions and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 10 minutes.
- While the onions and celery cook, make your dumpling dough by first mixing the dry ingredients (gluten-free flour, arrowroot starch, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder) together in a medium-sized mixing bowl.
- Cut in the cold cream cheese with a pastry cutter or two forks until the cream cheese bits are pea-sized.
- Stir in the milk and lemon juice mixture and mix until just combined and a loose dough forms.
- Once the onions and celery are translucent, add the turkey stock and bring to a gentle boil.
- In a small bowl, mix 3 tablespoons of arrowroot starch with about ¼ cup of the turkey broth liquid from the Dutch oven. Stir the slurry starch mixture into the boiling stock.
- Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, and then add the turkey and veggies.
- Return to a boil and drop large scoops of dumpling dough on top of the boiling mixture.
- Season with salt and pepper and bake, uncovered, for 23 to 25 minutes.
- Turn the oven to broil and broil until biscuits are golden, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, serve, and ENJOY!
