Vegetable Dumplings

Name: Vegetable Dumplings
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 10 min
Ingredients: 1 package of dumpling wrappers; 2 tbsp neutral oil; 1/2 large white onion (chopped); 1 cup shiitake mushrooms (chopped); 2 cups napa cabbage (chopped); 1 cup carrot (shredded); 1 tbsp ginger (minced); 3 cloves garlic (minced); 6 scallions or chinese chives (chopped); 1/2 tsp white pepper; 1/2 tbsp sesame oil; 2 tsp sugar; 2 tbsp shaoxing wine; 2 tbsp soy sauce; 1 tsp salt (to taste); 1/4 tsp msg

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June 10, 2022

Chinese Recipes Vegetables Vegetarian

These vegetable dumplings are packed with fresh aromatics and sautéed vegetables, and they are some of the best I’ve ever had! Chopped garlic and ginger paired with meaty shiitake mushrooms, shredded carrots, Napa cabbage, and chives are seasoned with a variety of classic Chinese seasonings to create these delicious dumplings.

Dumplings are one of the most widely recognized foods in the world, and pretty much every culture has them! The Japanese have gyoza, the Polish have pierogi, and Koreans have Mandu. There are so many different varieties and types of filling you can make, all deliciously wrapped in a tender, chewy dumpling wrapper. Whether you steam, pan fry, or boil them, they’re always so wonderful to eat!

Watch the Vegetable Dumpling Recipe Video Below!

Ingredients for Vegetable Dumplings

These vegetable dumplings are incredibly easy to make and only require a few ingredients and seasonings! Here is what you’ll need to make these amazing dumplings!

Shiitake Mushroom
Carrot
Napa Cabbage
White Pepper
Salt
Scallions or Chinese Chives
Garlic
Ginger
Sugar
Light Soy Sauce
Shaoxing Wine
Sesame Oil
MSG (optional)

My Top Ingredient Tips for Vegetable Dumplings

INGREDIENTS TIPS

DUMPLING WRAPPERS
I like to make dumplings in big batches (to freeze for later), so I usually use store bought wrappers. See picture above for the exact brand I used!

MUSHROOMS
I used Shiitake mushrooms for this recipe, but feel free to substitute these out with any mushrooms that you have on hand! Just make sure they are finely chopped.

NAPA CABBAGE
If you cannot find napa cabbage, you can try subbing with kale or swiss chard – I haven’t tried either vegetable subs but google tells me it should work 🙂 If you do end up trying, please let me know how they turned out!

SHAOXING WINE
If you cannot or do not want to use wine, you can sub with sherry, mirin, or chicken stock!

WHITE PEPPER
I get asked all the time if you can sub black pepper for white pepper – and my answer is, it depends BUT you need to watch the ratio. White pepper has a milder flavor profile than black pepper, so it’s a 1-1 substitute. I would start with less black pepper and add as you go. (But really, you should have white pepper in your pantry! It’s a staple in mine!)

Selecting Your Dumpling Wrappers

Not all dumpling wrappers are created equal! I have tried many brands and Wyzen has been my favorite brand for dumpling wrappers. The wrappers are supple, moldable, and strong enough to hold the filling without breaking. I found these at my local Asian market in the refrigerated sections! If you can find this brand at your local market, Dynasty also makes great wrappers as well.

Vegetable Mixture with dumpling wrappers

Cooking the Dumpling Filling

To cook the dumpling filling, start by adding 2 tbsp of neutral oil to a wok or pan over medium high heat. Saute the chopped garlic, ginger, and onions for about 30 seconds until fragrant and the onions are soft. Next, add in the mushrooms, carrot, and cabbage and season with salt!

The salt will not only season your dumpling, but also help draw out excess moisture from the vegetables. If you skip this step and don’t cook the filling down long enough, you will run the risk of having soggy dumplings. The dumpling filling should be slightly darker and more wilted after 4-5 minutes of sautéing, as shown in the photo below.

Once the filling is cooked, transfer it to a bowl to cool, then add scallions or chinese chives and the rest of your seasonings and mix well. Now you are ready to fold your dumplings!

Folding The Dumplings

Folding dumplings is quite easy once you get the hang of it! Like everything, it takes practice but the repetition will make the process easier (getting a large group of people to help fold the dumplings helps too!).

The first step in folding your dumpling is to take a dumpling wrapper and place about a 1/2 tsp of filling in the center of the dumpling. Next, you’ll want to dip your finger in water and brush around the edge of the dumpling wrapper to moisten it.

Next, fold the dumpling up to create a half circle and seal the dumpling making sure to remove any air from inside the dumpling. Once the dumpling is sealed, take your thumbs and using a push-pull motion, make about 4 or 5 pleats down on half of the dumpling. Repeat on down the other side and seal all sides to create a crescent shape! You can watch the video recipe above for a more detailed breakdown of the folding process!

My Key Recipe Tips for Vegetable Dumplings

RECIPE TIPS

WHAT DO I DO WITH SO MANY DUMPLINGS?
You can freeze them! I always make extra to freeze for the future. I like to lay them flat without touching each other on a baking sheet and freeze for 30 min – 1 hour before moving them to a freezer friendly Ziploc bag. When cooking, I would add an extra 1-2 minutes if they are frozen.

DRAW OUT MOISTURE
A key step in this recipe is to draw out at much of the excess water content from your vegetable mixture as possible. During the cooking process, adding salt is key to not only season your filling, but also help draw out the water content of the vegetables. Do not skip this step!

DO NOT OVERSTUFF YOUR DUMPLINGS!
Always underfill your dumplings – you want to make sure they are not overstuffed and can be sealed completely. If they are too full and not completely sealed, they will break when cooked and then we will be very sad 🙁

Once your dumplings are folded, you can pan-fry, steam, or boil them! Serve them with my favorite dumpling sauce and enjoy!