Ninja Foodi Dumplings Without Suet

Dumplings Without Suet. How to make the most delicious and easiest ever vegetarian dumplings without suet. Perfect for adding to stews, casseroles and one pot dinners.

Even better, this dumplings recipe without suet is ideal for cooking in an air fryer or Ninja Foodi, freeze well, can be reheated, and also make a great side dish for soup.

Dumplings Without Suet

Last winter I shared with you how to make suet dumplings for stew in the air fryer. Many people loved the idea and the concept behind cooking their favourite old school suet dumplings in the air fryer and then dumping them into their stew or casserole later.

But there were others that shared with me that they either couldn’t get hold of suet, found it too expensive or wanted a quick non suet dumplings recipe.

Well, we listened and thought it would be great fun to get in the Milner kitchen and share with you the suet alternative that we make when we don’t have any suet in the pantry.

If you are looking for a super easy, but super delicious, homemade dumplings without suet recipe, then this is dedicated to YOU!

Plus, as well as our free newsletter, we also have a free air fryer mini course. It is ideal for air fryer beginners or those that want to get more confident with their air fryer. The free course runs for 5 days with a new lesson delivered each day to your inbox.

Can You Make Dumplings Without Suet?

YES, you can! I want to shout YES because dumplings without suet can be just as delicious and are perfect when you don’t have any suet or don’t like it.

I use a version of my favourite cheese scones recipe to make suet free dumplings.

I’m going back here to my first few months at big school. I was 11 years old and we had cookery classes once a week. In the first term we did basic cheese scones, then we used the scones to make picnic swirls, then we used a similar cheese scone mix to make casserole dumplings.

It was a fantastic learning curve because you were using the same cooking concept and the same ingredients for three recipes over three weeks.

Well, that same rule can be brought to this dumpling recipe without suet. And I will be sharing with you some great variations too.

PS. If you wanted to make real scones in the air fryer, then do check out our air fryer scones recipe!

Can You Use Butter Instead Of Suet In Dumplings?

Yes, you can. Suet is simply the fat that is being added into your dumplings and it is very easy to use the basic scone mixture, to create a butter version of homemade dumplings.

Dumpling Recipe No Suet Ingredients

Flour – To make no suet dumplings you will need self raising flour. Otherwise, you will have small dumplings that have not risen.

Fat – You can use either margarine, butter, lard, or a combination of the three. In old school dumplings they would use half lard and half butter, but I prefer margarine.

Egg – Just like old school scones, you use egg to bind together the flour and the fat. Though because you are using cheese, you need a little extra egg otherwise you will have a dry dumpling dough.

Milk – Along with the egg, you also use a little milk to combine. You can also swap this for cream if you prefer.

Cheese – I also recommend adding in grated cheese. It creates delicious cheesy dumplings that really have the wow factor. They are also perfect for when you have small amount of dough, as it will make it stretch further. You can also use any grated cheese, though we love ours with cheddar.

Seasoning – There is nothing worse than bland boring dumplings in your stew. I recommend mixed herbs, and rosemary. Along with salt and pepper. You can also mix and match such as using mustard powder, or tarragon.

Then for the kitchen gadgets that we have used in these dumplings, recipe, it has just been our Ninja Foodi. We have this one and it also doubles up as a slow cooker. You could partly cook your dumplings first, before making the stew and then finish them in the slow cooker later.

How To Make Dumplings Without Suet?

• Rub. Add your seasonings, self raising flour and butter into a mixing bowl and mix with your hands until they resemble coarse breadcrumbs. Then add in eggs, milk and grated cheese.
• Mix. Next mix with your hands until you have a dough ball, adding in a little extra milk if too dry or a little extra flour if too wet.
• Create. Roll out your dough on a floured worktop with a floured rolling pin. Make into dough balls and then place in your air fryer.
• Cook. Next air fry until they are ¾ done and then add to your stew or casserole pot an hour before the slow cooker dinner is cooked.

Yes, it really is that EASY to make no suet dumplings. Remember, these are what you are taught to make at school when you are 11 years old, just modified a little for the slow cooker.

How To Cook Dumplings Without Stew?

If you want to make dumplings without any stew, or to cook them separately then nothing beats using the air fryer to do so.

What I will do, is make a batch of dumplings and then load them into the air fryer basket like this:

Then when I come back I have perfectly cooked dumplings like these:

BUT if I am using dumplings without suet in the slow cooker, I will cook them to ¾ done, then load them from the air fryer to the slow cooker to finish cooking and to be submerged into the stew or casserole.

Dumplings Without Suet Variations

I have a few different ways that I like to make my non suet dumplings and it depends on what I am serving them with, to what ingredients I include.

The basic non suet dumplings recipe remains the same and I just mix and match the add ins.

For example, here are a few different options you can try at home that we regularly make:

Cheese Dumplings Without Suet – These are very similar to cheese scones but use the shape of cheese dumplings. They are easy to make and are perfect for making with the kids. And OMG you could have them with butter as a small bread roll alternative and the cheese melts in the middle perfectly, like you can see below:

Herb Dumplings Without Suet – Instead of cheese add the seasoning that matches what you are eating. For example, pair it with tarragon for a chicken stew, or with parsley for a fish stew. Though my favourite is to add rosemary if having a beef stew with dumplings.

Mustard Dumplings Without Suet – This works very well with a pork stew or for when you want less herbs and more of a kick to it from the mustard.

Vegetarian Dumplings Without Suet – The pictures you see in today’s recipe is from our slow cooker vegetable stew and dumplings. The dumplings are almost cooked then dumped into the slow cooker for the end of the cooking process. It makes a vegetarian stew a lot more interesting and tastes amazing too.

Listen To Ninja Foodi Dumplings

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Stews & Casseroles For Your Suet Free Dumplings

Are you looking for delicious stews and casseroles to serve with your homemade dumplings? If so, we have got you covered!

• Ninja Foodi Beef Stew
• Instant Pot Tuscan Bean Stew
• Instant Pot Beef Stew & Dumplings
• Instant Pot Sausage & Lentil Casserole
• Slow Cooker Turkish Beef Stew

Can’t make it now? Then pin it for later!