Pelmeni are a type of dumpling that originated somewhere in Russia (though there seems to be some debate about exactly where). The staffers here at Freezer Meal Frenzy were itching for something a bit exotic lately, so we figured it would be a great time to check out Trader Joe’s Chicken & Mushroom Pelmeni.
These are simple enough to cook up. Simply boil a pot of water, toss in some pelmeni, and let them boil for about four minutes. (To see the more detailed cooking instructions, check out our package scans at the bottom of this article.)
One serving size is about 11 pelmeni, and there are supposedly about five servings in a bag. Yes, that’s 55 pelmeni per bag. We didn’t count ours, but our bag definitely had more than we expected, quantity-wise.
Then again, these are also smaller than we expected. Each one is about the size of the head of a teaspoon.
Now, these things are loaded with chicken. Each piece has a meatball in the middle, and these little meatballs also include mushrooms and onions. We found that the onion flavor far overpowers the mushroom flavor. In fact, we couldn’t taste the mushrooms at all, which is a bit of a bummer since we love mushrooms here at Freezer Meal Frenzy.
The package recommends pairing these with some melted butter or sour cream, and we thought the latter option was sort of intriguing. We gave our pelmeni a dab of sour cream to see how it tasted. We have to admit, we actually prefer these plain. The flavor here is subtle enough that the sour cream overtakes it. Each piece has a chicken-broth flavor to it, but this is hard to detect amidst the sour cream.
One bag contains more pelmeni than any one person should reasonably eat in a sitting. It’s possible, certainly, but you’ll regret it. Trader Joe’s suggests 1/5 of a bag as a serving size, though we think it’s probably reasonable to eat half a bag. Since each serving has 160 calories and 250 mg of sodium, that means that our half-bag recommendation contains 400 calories and 635 mg of sodium. That’s not all that bad, but keep in mind that you’ll have to also consider whatever topping you decide to use — if you choose to use a topping at all.
The Trader Joe’s Chicken & Mushroom Pelmeni are a pretty decent treat, though we wish they were a bit heavier on the mushroom content. Flavor-wise, we’d say these are comparable to the Steamed Chicken Soup Dumplings, though we think the broth-filled portions really give the dumplings the edge over the pelmeni in a flavor contest. The dumplings are also more satisfying to bite into than the ear-shaped pelmeni.
To learn more about the nutrition content, cooking instructions, or ingredients for this Trader Joe’s pelmeni, check out our package scans below.
These are horrible. Definitely overpowered with onion. We are not picky eaters and tried our best to eat them but they just have an off-putting smell and flavor. Threw them away. Yuck.
Don’t be so mean a lot of people like these she tried her best.
Trader Joe’s Pelmeni taste good, although I suggest using less pepper. I ate homemade Pelmeni for 50 years, made by my Russian mother and these are the same size as her home made ones. She made the filling half pork, half beef with finely chopped onion and a little salt and pepper – and they were delicious.
Instead of spending 3 to 4 hours making my own, I am thrilled that Trader Joe’s offers these to us! Please continue offering them. I couldn’t find them at the south Huntington Beach market this week.
Leeda
I’m sorry but you really should do a little tiny bit of research first. These in fact are Russian/Ukrainian. Pelmeni did originate from Russia/Ukraine. They are not typically made with mushrooms. Only meats or fruit like cherries. We are very disappointed that they discontinued these because they were very good! I’m disappointed by this “review” and by the comments.
When we said “there seems to be some debate about exactly where,” weren’t saying these don’t actually come from Russia. We meant where EXACTLY in Russia. Traditionally, they’re assumed to come from Siberia, but the ingredients used to make them typically are grown/found in other parts of Russia and NOT Siberia. Hence the debate over the exact place of origin.
Also, almost every recipe we’ve been able to locate for Pelmeni includes mushrooms, so we’re not sure what you mean by “they are typically not made with mushrooms.”
Then again, we’re located in the United States, and the cuisine we get over here tends to be highly Americanized. So it’s possible that in Russia, it’s rare to find Pelmeni made from mushrooms. However, based on our research, mushroom does seem to be a fairly common ingredient, at least in the recipes that make it over here to the States.
Well…. Now, this is all pointless since Trader Joe’s stopped carrying these. Which is unfortunate. Making them from scratch is way too long. And all the ethnic markets charge triple than what TJ’s charged. If anyone knows where to get them, let me know!
Bring these back!! Why is everything good always getting ruined or discontinued??? TJ! whats your problem???? Bring them back! And with more fillings as well!