UPDATED with a new variation after the recipe.
Two weekends ago, we were at the grocery and, at the vegetable section, Sam asked if we could buy spinach. How would we cook it, I asked. She said we’d mix the spinach with cream cheese and use the mixture as filling for fried dumplings. Genius, I thought, and she got my attention, naturally.
I wasn’t aware that she got the attention of someone else — another shopper, a mommy, who was standing near enough to overhear our conversation. After picking a couple of bags of spinach, Sam walked off to find dumpling wrappers. The stranger-mommy approached me, told me how she heard parts of Sam’s idea of a spinach and cream cheese dumpling, and asked if I could repeat the whole thing to her. I was happy to oblige. Then, she asked if Sam were a culinary student and I told her no, she was not.
Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to make the dumplings before Sam went back to the condo. I could have made them, of course, but Sam would have gone into a fit — her idea and she wasn’t going to get a bite? So, the bags of spinach were used in some other dishes. Then, two weeks later, the spinach and cream cheese dumplings finally became a reality. My goodness, they were very, very good.
Spinach and cream cheese dumplings
Ingredients
- 1 large bag spinach blanched and excess water squeezed out
- 125 grams cream cheese at room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
- salt to taste
- pepper
- dumpling wrappers
- 1 and 1/2 cups cooking oil
Instructions
- Chop the spinach. Take a few pieces of kitchen paper, place over the spinach and press down to remove as much of the water as you can. I had to do this three times. Yes, even after squeezing the spinach after blanching, it will still contain a lot of water. And you want all that water gone because it will make the filling too wet and the dumplings soggy.
- Lightly beat the cream cheese. Stir in the salt, pepper and garlic.
- Then, mix in the spinach. Taste and adjust the seasonings, as needed.
- Separate the dumpling wrappers and place a teaspoonful of the filling at the center of each one. Wet the edges with a little water and fold to seal. Remember to squeeze out any air pockets that form inside.
- Now, a little tip. How should the dumpling be shaped? If you have round dumpling wrappers, half-moon shaped dumplings would be the most logical and the easiest too. But with square dumpling wrappers? I made one spring roll-style and when I fried it, the inside layer of wrapper didn’t get cooked through. Why? Cooking time is very, very short because the frying part is only to brown the wrapper and to heat the filling. There’s nothing in the filling that needs to get cooked. If the wrapping is thick, as it would be if made spring roll style, the short cooking time won’t be enough to cook the inside layer of wrapping. So, it’s best to keep the wrapping thin. With square wrappers, triangle-shaped dumplings are best.
- When you’ve filled all your wrappers or run out of filling, whichever comes first, heat the cooking oil. Fry the dumplings, a few at a time, and drain the cooked dumplings in a strainer or a stack of kitchen paper.
- Serve the dumplings immediately. No, they don’t need a dipping sauce.
Sam’s recent variation
Sam having created the original recipe, it follows that she’d come up with a variation sooner or later. A couple of weekends ago, she asked me to cook spinach and cream cheese dumplings again with a few additions to the filling — lentils and mushrooms. I did as she asked and the result was even better than the original. The lentils made the filling firmer while the mushrooms added an earthiness that enhanced the taste of the cream cheese. Other than the additional ingredients, the rest is the same as the original recipe.
Her name is Sam Lim and her matcha cookies are delicious
Another winner — I’ve been trying to Pin this with no luck, tsk-tsk.
Thanks as usual.
Connie,
Hi!
I’ve done this in the past. It is good and nutritious and healthy. Just a suggestion… Try this as an omelet filling. It is very good as well.
Jason
Clever!, pakopya po ng recipe ;)
Thanks for sharing..
If spinach is not available, what can you use instead?
Thanks.
You haven’t even tried looking for spinach…
have you tried using the whole leaves instead of chopping? you know, like crispy kangkong only there’s dumpling wrapper. i brought with me a packet of spinach seeds which i planted on my DIY dessert garden, they’re now sprouting and i hope they’ll be ready for christmas eve.
The cream cheese won’t blend well if the spinach is left whole.
Ma’am Connie, can i use lumpia shanghai wrapper?
Try and find out. :)
Yes, lumpia wrapper works well too :) I just tried.
This looks good. I’m gonna try it soon, as I am pregnant and would like to consume more spinach (they are rich in folic acid). I’m wondering though, if I can also substitute with malunggay (also rich in folic acid). Thanks!
I forgot to ask as well, can I also substitute the cream cheese for regular cheddar or processed cheese (like quickmelt). Cream cheese is yummy, but it is fattening (not to mention slightly more expensive).
Jea, you’re not merely substituting — you’re changing the entire recipe. That said, do so as you wish but I cannot guarantee results. :)
ooh, i could almost imagine how yummy this must be! this is a must try.
i love crab rangoon – it’s a similar recipe, but has crab meat flakes (imitation crabsticks will also do) instead of spinach. i ‘tweak’ mine with a little honey (just to give the cream cheese a delightfully sweet-salty taste).
thanks for sharing this, sam and ms. connie!
ma’am connie,
I’ve made dumplings too last 2 weeks ago and since napakahirap po talaga maghanap ng mga wrapper dito sa moscow kaya kilangan talagang gumawa ng sariling diskarte. Ma’am mas masarap po para sa akin kung handmade ang wrapper. ito po yong ing ko, 3 cups po ng flour, 3/4 cups po ng water, konting salt,3 kutsara ng sour cream (cmethana) in russian po at 1 itlog. pero ma’am minsan mag-aadjust ka po sa water or flour, depende po kasi minsan sa quality ng flour. masarap po sya ma’am kasi pag nafried po hindi po sya totaly crunchy like crisp na crisp. I don’t know po kung natry nyo na po ito but sa russian tradition tawag nila when you fill some meat mixture, ito ay “tsebureki” na po.
will definitely try this nutritious recipe of yours and Sam’s :)
Wow, this is definitely something I will make to give my kids their veggies fix for the day. :) I usually buy fresh spinach. I wonder if you remember how many grams is the spinach in the bag you used?
Spinach here is often not sold by weight but by bundle.
delicious, nutritious & easy to prepare! thanks for sharing the recipe.
hi ms connie, tried this yesterday evening. actually it’s my first time to eat spinach. i thought before it’s just the same as kangkong. anyway, i know this recipe is easy to make, but being a working mom, travelling from makati to laguna, let’s just say i just have to shorten it a little bit more. :) i used the cream cheese of pan de manila, the garlic parsley flavor and their good. my husband loved it.
thanks for another yummy recipe..
We just finished a batch! Yum!!! :D
spinach and cream cheese dumplings look delicious! yum! is it advisable or more appetizing if i add thyme or basil? if advisable, which do you prefer to add – thyme or basil? =)
Parsley. :)
Did this for new year’s. It’s sooo good! Thanks!
First time to join comments. Can I cook this in the oven? Maybe brush the dumplings with oil and bake. And I wonder if frozen chopped spinach can be used by just squeezing out the water. Thanks for your recipes. Enjoy your postings.
If you haven’t yet, please read #3 of the commenting guidelines. :)
Looks great. Sam’s so inventive. Kind of reminds me a bit of the spanakopita, those Greek triangles made with buttery puff pastry and a filling of spinach and cheese as well – but the cheeses used are ricotta, feta and parmesan – and they’re baked, not fried.