Spooky Stew with Dumplings is my Halloween recipe for a festive and creepy feast. It combines hearty ingredients with a spooky twist. This dish is perfect for entertaining guests with a Halloween flair.
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Spooky stew with dumplings recipe
Stew with dumplings has a hearty stew base and fluffy dumplings. It is popular in British and American cuisines. This comforting dish serves as a warming meal during colder months.
Pumpkin is the basic ingredient for Halloween stew. I added sweet potato, carrots, parsnips, and red lentils. My spice base was turmeric and cumin seeds.
The dumplings are the main elements of the Halloween theme. I cannot use suet for vegetarian and gluten-free dumplings. My dumplings resemble savory biscuits more than traditional ones.
If you don’t need them to be gluten-free, substitute the butter for the same amount of suet (either animal or vegetable) for fluffier dumplings. Almond flour is an option for gluten-free dumplings.
I shaped each dumpling into a ghost. Sultanas formed the eyes and mouths of ghost dumplings. The sultanas also added a certain sweetness to the dish. Here is how to cook Halloween stew with dumplings in the oven:
Halloween stew with dumplings
Ingredients
For the stew
- 1 baby pumpkin
- 4 carrots
- 2 parsnips
- 1 sweet potato
- 80 g red lentils
- 1/2 a large onion
- 1 clove of garlic
- 500 ml vegetable stock
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 bay leaf
- Black pepper to taste
For the dumplings
- 100 g self-raising flour gluten-free blend
- 50 g butter substitute for suet if not making gluten-free
- Sprinkling of salt
- 1/2 tsp mixed herbs
- 30 ml water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180oC.
- Peel and roughly chop the veg, deseeding the pumpkin. Finely chop the onion and crush the garlic.
- Heat a little oil in a large saucepan and put in the onion and garlic, cooking slowly until softened.
- Add the rest of the vegetables and mix in the spices. Add the stock, bring to the boil, then cover and simmer for 10 mins.
- Rinse, drain, and add the lentils to the pan. Leave to simmer for another 10 minutes.
- Transfer the stew to a casserole dish (if there is too much for your dish, reserve to make soup), cover and put into the oven for 20 mins.
- Meanwhile, make the dumplings. Put the flour, salt and herbs into a mixing bowl and combine. Then add the diced butter and incorporate into the flour using your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add a little of the water at a time and lightly bring together into a dough. Cut into four pieces and roll each one into a round shape.
- Create the ghost faces with three sultanas to each dumpling, then place the dumplings on top of the stew.
- Return the stew to the oven and cook uncovered for a further 20 mins until the dumplings are beginning to turn golden.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly.
- Serve with gravy made from vegetable stock and thickened with a little cornflour.
Notes
- Leftover stew can be transferred to the casserole dish. Use a blender to blitz it into a soup, add a little more liquid if necessary. Freeze for up to 2 months.
- Add beef, lamb, turkey, or chicken to the recipe for the protein version.
- Instead of using the oven, use an instant pot, slow cooker, or pressure cooker.
Nutrition
SIMILAR RECIPES
Pairing suggestions
Halloween stew with dumplings can be paired with a variety of drinks and foods.
- Beverages
- Pumpkin spice latte matches the pumpkin in the stew.
- Spiced apple cider echoes the autumn flavors and adds a festive touch.
- A robust red wine, such as a Syrah or Malbec, complements the earthy flavors of the stew.
- Cinnamon-spiced chai tea makes an excellent accompaniment.
- German wheat beer offers a pleasant contrast.
- Ginger-turmeric kombucha adds a refreshing effervescence.
- Desserts
- Spiced pumpkin pie or warm apple crisps maintain the autumn theme.
- Dark chocolate-covered dried fruits and nuts make an elegant ending.
- Sides
- Honey-glazed carrots reinforce the root vegetable theme.
- Crisp green salad with roasted pumpkin seeds and a maple vinaigrette provide a fresh contrast to the rich stew.
- A loaf of crusty whole-grain bread is a perfect choice.
- Roasted Brussels sprouts with balsamic glaze would add a caramelized depth to the meal.
- Roasted garlic mushrooms add an extra layer of earthiness to the meal.
Variations
Here are some creative variations of this spooky stew with dumplings recipe
- Root vegetable medley variation replaces the baby pumpkin with golden beets and purple carrots. This creates an enchanting color palette and the earthy flavors.
- Asian-inspired version
- Swap the cumin and mixed herbs for five-spice powder and star anise
- Add coconut milk to the broth for a creamy, aromatic twist
- Mediterranean versions
- Incorporate eggplant and zucchini instead of parsnips and sweet potato
- Add oregano, rosemary, and a handful of oil-cured black olives
- Protein-rich variations
- Add white beans
- Replace half the lentils with quinoa for a heartier stew
- Harvest-themed version
- Use butternut squash instead of pumpkin
- Add fresh sage to the dumplings
- Incorporate mushrooms for an earthy, autumnal flavor profile
- Spicier stew with dumplings
- Add chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- Replace the cumin seeds with smoked paprika