How to Make Turkish Manti Dumplings – Traditional Recipe and History

Manti are small dumplings filled with spiced meat, widely eaten across Turkey, Central Asia, and the Caucasus. In Turkish cuisine, manti are usually boiled or steamed, and served with garlic yogurt sauce and melted butter infused with paprika or chili.

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Historical Background

• Manti likely originated from Central Asian Turkic tribes, who adapted Chinese-style dumplings (mantou) to their nomadic lifestyle.
• The earliest known mention of manti dates back to the 13th–14th centuries, as the Mongol Empire spread dumpling culture westward.
• Manti were introduced to Anatolia through the Seljuks and later the Ottomans, where it was localized with yogurt-based sauces.
• Variations of manti exist across many cultures:
  • Turkmen and Uzbek manti: larger, steamed, often pumpkin or lamb-filled.
  • Armenian manti: smaller, oven-baked, served with broth or yogurt.
  • Georgian khinkali and Russian pelmeni are considered related forms.

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Turkish Manti: Regional Styles

Region	Size/Shape	Cooking Method	Sauce
Kayseri	Very small (1–2 cm)	Boiled	Garlic yogurt + spiced butter
Ankara/Istanbul	Medium, folded	Boiled or baked	Garlic yogurt + tomato or chili butter
Cilicia (Armenian-style)	Open-faced, baked	Baked then served in broth	Garlic yogurt or soup-like sauce

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Turkish Manti Recipe (Simplified)

Dough

• 2 cups (260g) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• ~3/4 cup (180ml) warm water

Mix and knead into a soft dough. Cover and rest 30 min.

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Filling

• 200g ground beef or lamb
• 1 small onion, finely grated
• Salt and black pepper
  Mix well.

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Assembly

1. Roll out dough thinly and cut into 3 cm squares.
2. Place a small amount of filling in the center.
3. Fold corners together into a pyramid shape or pinch into a “hat” shape.
4. Boil in salted water for 8–10 minutes until cooked through.

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Serving Sauce

• Garlic Yogurt: 1 cup plain yogurt + 1–2 minced garlic cloves + salt
• Spiced Butter: Melt 2 tbsp butter, add 1 tsp paprika or Aleppo pepper

Drain manti, top with garlic yogurt, drizzle with hot butter.