Vegetarian and vegan food options have become increasingly popular over the years, thanks to an increasing number of people who want healthier meals but still crave their favorite comfort foods.
Vegan dumplings fall into this category because they’re fun to eat while also being healthy (and not made out of flour).
They’re easy to prepare and don’t require any weird tricks or fancy equipment.
So if you’ve ever wanted to try a new vegan dish but didn’t know where to start, here’s how to make vegan dumplings using basic kitchen tools and simple recipes.
The first thing you’ll need to buy before you begin creating these tasty treats is a good vegan dumpling recipe.
You’ll find plenty of them online, so check around! Once you’ve found one you like, follow it closely to get all the steps right.
Then, simply use your own creativity to put your own spin on this classic Asian appetizer by adding whatever flavors appeal most to you.
For example, I love spicy food, so I usually add chili powder and/or red pepper flakes to my dumplings.
Others might prefer sweet fillings such as fruit compote or coconut cream.
Here we bring you a detailed guide to help you learn everything you need to know about making vegan dumplings at home.
We’ll walk you through each step of the process, explaining what each ingredient does and when to use it.
Plus, there’s information on which types of vegan dumplings work well together with other dishes, plus tips on serving them.
After you finish reading our article, you should feel much more confident about whipping up a batch of vegan dumplings to impress friends and family.
What Ingredients Are Typically Used In Vegan Dumplings?
Making vegan dumplings requires very few ingredients, so keep things simple.
In general, you only need two main ones — soy milk and cornstarch.
The rest of the ingredients listed below aren’t required unless you plan to experiment.
These include tofu, rice bran oil, baking soda, arrowroot starch, salt, water, sugar, sesame seeds, black beans, cabbage, ginger, garlic, green onion, fresh cilantro, hot sauce, and tamari.
If you want to spice up your dumplings, you can always add spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, chili peppers, crushed red pepper, or curry paste.
If you’d rather skip the spice altogether, just leave it out entirely.
Vegetarians and vegans often go overboard with the spices anyway, so why bother with something extra? Also, don’t worry too much about measuring the exact amount of ingredients needed.
Just eyeball enough of each to get the job done.
How Do You Make Vegan Dumplings From Scratch?
Once you’ve gathered the necessary ingredients, you’re ready to get started on preparing your dumplings.
Follow the instructions carefully and you shouldn’t have any problems.
Here’s what you need to do:
First, heat the soy milk until it starts bubbling.
Stir constantly and watch the temperature closely.
When it reaches 180ºF (82ºC), turn off the stove.
Second, combine 1 cup of the warm soy milk with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch.
Mix thoroughly so no lumps remain.
Keep stirring until thickened.
This takes longer than you think!
Third, stir in the remaining soy milk.
Continue mixing until fully combined.
Fourth, pour the mixture into a bowl large enough to accommodate the size of your pan.
Add the dry ingredients and mix completely.
It may look messy now, but remember that it gets better once you cook it.
Fifth, place a strainer or colander inside another container.
Pour the dumpling batter onto the strainer and cover it tightly with plastic wrap.
Let sit for 20 minutes.
Sixth, remove the covered strainer and let the excess liquid drain away.
Place it back into its original container and continue to repeat Step 5 until all the batter has been drained.
Seventh, transfer the dumpling mixture to a clean, dry surface.
Using both hands, roll the mixture into balls about the size of golf ball.
Place the dumplings on a greased cookie sheet.
Repeat Steps 5-7 until all the mixture is gone.
Eighth, preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
Take the dumplings out of the fridge and allow them to come to room temperature.
Carefully drop the dumplings into the heated pan without touching them directly.
Cook for 12 minutes, rotating halfway through.
Ninth, carefully flip the dumplings and return them to the oven.
Cook for another 8 minutes.
Remove from the oven and serve immediately.
What Type Of Dough Is Best For Making Vegan Dumplings?
There are many different ways to create a vegan dumpling dough, including potato starch, tapioca flour, chickpea flour, brown rice flour, white bean flour, and even almond meal.
However, the easiest way to ensure success is to use gluten-free, plant-based flours.
They provide more protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and amino acids than regular wheat products.
Many brands offer mixes specifically designed for vegan dumplings, which makes shopping easier.
You can use store-bought mixes or homemade versions.
Either way, it’s important to read the directions and follow them exactly.
In addition to the flour, you’ll need several other ingredients.
Some of these include eggs, vegetable shortening, margarine, peanut butter, and coconut oil.
To avoid having these ingredients in direct contact with each other, separate them with layers of aluminum foil.
Make sure you do this before proceeding with the next step.
What Flavorings Can You Add To Vegan Dumplings?
You can add almost anything to your vegan dumplings.
Try experimenting with herbs and spices such as basil, parsley, chives, fennel, marjoram, rosemary, sage, thyme, oregano, and cayenne.
You can also add dried fruits, chocolate chips, nuts, raisins, or shredded carrots.
Any kind of meat substitute works perfectly fine, too.
Finally, you could swap dairy cheese for nondairy alternatives.
Experimenting with various combinations is a great way to discover what tastes best to you.
What Vegan Substitutes Can Be Used In Vegan Dumplings?
As mentioned above, you can easily replace traditional animal proteins with plant-based ones.
Soymilk, tofu, tempeh, seitan, textured vegetable protein, and nutritional yeast are all excellent options.
Use these whenever possible instead of cow’s milk or chicken broth.
Another common replacement is soybean oil, which provides similar nutrition as olive oil.
You can also use sunflower seed butter instead of peanut butter.
What Are Some Vegan Dipping Sauces For Vegan Dumplings?
This is the part where experimentation really pays off.
There are endless combinations of vegan dumpling toppings available.
Some of my favorites include chopped peanuts, cashews, pine nuts, almonds, walnuts, pepitas, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, hempseeds, tahini, miso, agave nectar, maple syrup, molasses, honey, and coconut sugar.
Other possibilities include tomato ketchup and barbecue sauce.
Of course, you can always top your dumplings with plain ol’ mustard, ranch dressing, pesto, hummus, guacamole, salsa, and chimichurri.
How Can Vegan Dumplings Be Cooked?
After rolling your vegan dumplings into balls, you must then steam them.
Simply pop them into a steamer basket set over boiling water for 3-5 minutes.
Don’t overcook them or else they won’t expand properly during the final stages of cooking.
How Long Does It Take To Make Vegan Dumplings?
Depending on the size of your pan, it generally takes between 10 and 15 minutes to complete the entire cooking process.
Be patient though.
Dumplings are notoriously difficult to perfect, especially since you don’t want them to burn or stick to the pan.
What Can Be Served With Vegan Dumplings?
Dumplings are traditionally eaten alongside soups, stews, and broths.
But you can also pair them with salads, vegetables, grains, potatoes, pasta, and breads.
Whatever suits your palate the best.
What are the health benefits of vegan dumplings?
When you make vegan dumplings, you’re essentially eating a whole grain.
Whole grains are considered “heartier” sources of carbohydrates, meaning they contain less calories per gram compared to refined grains.
Since vegan dumplings don’t contain any animal fats, they’re also extremely low in fat.
And finally, they’re packed full of nutrients, such as dietary fibers, folate, iron, calcium, magnesium, vitamin B12, riboflavin, thiam
Equipment
- Saute Pan
Ingredients
Dumplings:
- 5 teaspoons sesame oil
- 2 cups carrots shredded
- 2 cups cabbage shredded
- 8 oz. mushrooms thinly sliced
- 4 green onions thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cube ginger minced
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- Kosher salt
- pepper fresh cracked
- 34 dumpling wrappers
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
Sauce:
- ½ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 cube ginger minced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 8 drops hot chili sesame oil
- Kosher salt
- pepper fresh cracked
Garnish:
- cilantro chopped
- green onion sliced
- sesame seeds
Instructions
- In a large saute pan over medium heat, heat the sesame oil.
- Add carrots, cabbage, and mushrooms, as well as a generous pinch of salt and pepper.
- Cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring frequently, or until the liquid from the vegetables has been released and begins to evaporate.
- Add the green onion, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and a pinch of salt and pepper to taste.
- Cook for one more minute. Then, transfer the filling to a bowl and place it in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes to completely cool.
- While the filling cools, whisk together the dipping sauce ingredients and set aside.
- To assemble the dumplings, wet the entire edge of the wrapper with water and place about a tablespoon of filling in the center.
- Fold the wrapper in half to form a half-moon. Pat the bottom of the dumpling gently on the countertop to ensure it stands on its own.
- Continue filling the remaining dumplings until all 34 are finished.
- In a large saute pan over medium heat, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil.
- Cook dumplings in batches of 7-8 depending on the size of your pan.
- Cook the dumplings for 2 minutes, or until a dark golden-brown crust forms on the bottom.
- Pour in 14 cup of water, cover the pan, and set aside for 2-4 minutes, or until the water has evaporated.
- Remove the lid and allow the dumplings to crisp up again on the bottom.
- Serve with cilantro, green onion, and sesame seeds as garnish. Enjoy with the dipping sauce!
Video
Nutrition
My blog is all about creating delicious meals with ingredients that are easy to find in your local grocery store. I’m passionate about making yummy meals that I can share with my friends and family.