Dumplings are one of my favorite dishes. Something about packing a delicious mixture of ingredients into a thin piece of dough, followed by a period of frying or steam, makes for a perfect meal. From start to finish, vegetable tofu dumplings can take a couple hours to make, but if you have some free time, it can be a great way to spend time with friends and family, while making the dumplings.

These tofu and vegetable dumplings have fairly simple ingredients, and you can either make your own dough for them, or buy some pre-made dumpling wrappers from the store.

This recipe is vegetarian, which differs from the traditional pork dumplings, because you will need to cook the filling prior to making the dumplings. This will soften the ingredients, and blend the flavors together.

What ingredients you’ll need:

Fresh Ginger, Green Onion, and Garlic – sauteing all three of these together will add sweetness and flavor to the filling
Napa cabbage – drained (pre-salt, and then wrap with a kitchen towel and squeeze to remove excess moisture
Seasonings – white pepper, chili garlic sauce, sesame oil, soy sauce, salt
Vegetables – carrots, Anaheim pepper (or similar to add a little heat), mushrooms (shiitake are best)
Protein – tofu and egg (scrambled, and cut up)
Dumpling wrappers

What kind of wrappers to use?

As far as dumplings are concerned, either round or square wrappers work. I’ve found the square ones can be easier to start with, but I usually go with the round wrappers. Making the dough from scratch, while it is the most time consuming, yields the best wrappers. They will be easier to work with and less prone to breaking.

Folding the dumpling:

To start, setup your work space. Get a small bowl, and fill it with some water. I use a cookie sheet with a light dusting of flour to place the finished dumplings. Begin by placing a dumpling wrapper on the inside of your hand. Add a tablespoon amount on the center of the dumpling wrapper.

Next, using your finger, dip it in the water, and run the water along the entire edge of the dumpling. Using your thumb, fold the wrapper in half, and pinch the top together, only in the middle to temporarily hold the dumpling together.

Using the image below as a guide, place both your thumbs on the top of the dumpling, and begin to close the dumpling, while folding each seam as to add the style you want the dumpling to be.

Options to cook the dumplings

There are three main ways you can cook the dumplings:

Frying – this method will yield dumplings with a crunch, and is one of my favorites. To fry dumplings, you will need to warm a medium to large skillet with some sesame seed oil. Gently place the dumplings on the warm skillet, so that each is at least an inch apart. After about 2-3 minutes flip them, to brown the other side. Now to finish cooking, get about 1 – 2 tbs water, and pour on skillet, and cover. Leave covered until water is evaporated (about 5-7 min.). With meat dumplings, you may need to add more water, since they will need to be cooked through with this step.
Steaming – steamed dumplings are softer, and one of the easiest ways to cook a lot of dumplings quickly. To steam dumplings, you will need some special equipment, some sort of steamer, I have a bamboo steamer, that is perfect for cooking dumplings. Begin by heating up 1-2 c. water in a sauce pan that will fit the steamer. Place extra napa cabbage over the steamer, which will prevent the dumplings from sticking to the steamer after they are done. Once boiling, place the dumplings in the steamer, making sure they do not touch each other. Cover and cooking for 6-8 min.
Boiling – This is done, similar to boiling other foods. Bring a couple cups of water to a boil and throw the dumplings in. Make sure to not add too many dumplings. Cook for 6-8 min. and remove from water.

What sauce to serve the Vegetable Tofu Dumplings with:

The sauce can be just as important as the dumpling itself. My favorite options are:

Balsamic Vinegar – for a spicy and sour sauce, mix 1/4 c. balsamic vinegar with 1 tbs chili garlic sauce. You can add more or less of either depending if you want more sour or more spice.
Soy sauce – mix 1 tbs chili garlic sauce with 1/4 cup soy sauce for a spicier sauce.

Vegetable Tofu Dumplings

Print Recipe

★ 5 Stars ☆ ★ 4 Stars ☆ ★ 3 Stars ☆ ★ 2 Stars ☆ ★ 1 Star ☆

No reviews

Author: Joel
Prep Time: 15 min.
Cook Time: 30 min.
Total Time: 45 min.
Yield: 40 dumplings 1x
Cuisine: Asian

Ingredients

Scale

3 tbs ginger (minced)
1 c. green onion (diced – about 3 stalks)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
2 c. napa cabbage (diced and *drained)
1 c. mushrooms (shiitake) diced
1 c. carrots (diced)
1 c. tofu (diced)
1 Anaheim pepper (diced)
1 tbs salt
1/2 c. sesame seed oil
3 tbs soy sauce
1/4 tsp white pepper
2 tbs chili garlic sauce

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Filling:

Heat large sauce pan or wok over medium heat. Add small amount of sesame seed oil, and saute the ginger, onion, and garlic until cooked through and fragrant ( about 7-8 min.)
Add the mushrooms, carrots, tofu, and anaheim pepper. Cook until the carrots are soft, about 10-15 min.
Add the remaining ingredients (salt, sesame seed oil, soy sauce, white pepper, and chili garlic sauce). Cook for an additional 5 min.

Folding:

Place the wrapper on the palm of your hand.
Add 1 tbs amount to the wrapper.
Using water, lightly rub your wet finger over the outside of the wrapper.
Fold the wrapper in half, and pinch the middle/top of the edges together
Using your thumbs, fold one side together to join the wrapper together completely.

Cooking:

Steam, boil, or fry the dumplings. Usually 5-7 min cook time per dumpling. See my notes above for details on each method.

Notes

To drain the Napa cabbage, dice, and lightly sprinkle with salt. Let sit for 5 min. Now wrap in a kitchen towel, and squeeze, until no more liquid comes out.
Mix together using a small bowl, 1 tbs chili garlic sauce with 1/4 cup soy sauce for a spicier dip, or mix 1 tbs chili garlic sauce with 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar for a more sour dip.