Filled with a savory tofu and vegetable filling, these tofu dumplings are a crowd-pleaser! They are juicy, savory, and taste much better than the frozen ones.
These tofu dumplings are one of my favorite side dishes! They are incredibly delicious, flavorful, and easy to make once you get the hang of things. I especially love serving them with my vegetable fried rice and vegan chop suey for a Chinese-inspired dinner!
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💚Why you will love this recipe
- Incredibly tasty, comforting, and are meat-eaters approved
- Healthy and packed with veggies and plant protein
- Relatively simple and easy to make
- Freeze well - the perfect meal prep recipe!
🥟What you will need
For the dumplings
For the dipping sauce
📃Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Dumpling wrappers - I use store-bought wrappers as they are much more convenient. You can get them in most well-stocked groceries or your local Asian market. Alternatively, get dumpling wrappers online through Amazon.
- Tofu - Use extra-firm or firm tofu that has been drained and pressed beforehand, either using a tofu press or by stacking something heavy on top.
- Soy sauce - Can be substituted with tamari or shoyu. Use gluten-free ones if needed.
- Sugar - Any kind of sweeteners can be used, like cane sugar, coconut sugar, or maple syrup.
🔪How to make
Making the filling
Start by crumbling your tofu into small pieces, using a fork or your hands. Set aside.
Combine all seasonings needed to make the stir-fry sauce.
Heat some oil in a large non-stick pan. Once heated, add garlic and ginger. Fry for a minute until fragrant.
Next, add cabbage, carrot, mushrooms, and a sprinkle of salt. Fry until the veggies are tender.
Add crumbled tofu along with the stir-fry sauce. Cook until tofu is hot.
Remove from heat and stir in the green onion. Give it a taste, adding more salt if needed. Let the filling cool down slightly before wrapping the tofu dumplings.
Wrapping dumplings (by pleating)
Start by placing a wrapper in the palm of your non-dominant hand. Place a tablespoon of filling at the center. Dip your finger in water and wet the bottom half rim of the wrapper, which is the side you will pleat.
Using your dominant hand, fold the bottom half of the wrapper over the filling to meet the top half. Pinch to seal at one end.
Form a pleat and pinch to seal and secure the pleat.
Repeat pleating until you reach the other end, and pinch to seal the dumpling completely. With the dumplings standing, lightly squish them to flatten the base.
Cooking dumplings (pan-steamed method)
Heat some oil in a non-stick pan. Place in some of the dumplings, making sure they are not touching. Pan-fry for 2-3 minutes or until the base is golden brown.
Pour in ¼ cup of water, and quickly place the lid on to trap the steam. Let it cook for 4-5 minutes or until most water evaporates. Remove the lid and let the dumplings cook for another 30 seconds to crisp up the base.
Making the dipping sauce
Simply combine all ingredients needed. Give it a taste, adding more of any seasonings if needed.
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✔️Helpful tips
- Keep wrappers covered - When wrapping the dumplings, cover unused wrappers with a damp cloth to prevent them from drying out.
- Other ways to fold dumplings - The simplest way is the half-moon method. Simply fold the wrapper in half and tightly seal it. For other techniques, I recommend checking out this post on 10 ways to fold dumplings by Red House Spice.
- Do not overstuff dumplings - An overfilled dumpling might not seal properly and break while cooking.
- Other ways of cooking dumplings - Dumplings can also be steamed in a bamboo or regular steamer for 8-10 seconds or boiled for 2-3 minutes.
- Dipping sauces - Other than the sauce in this recipe, you can use other condiments such as soy sauce, spicy teriyaki sauce, ketchup, or sriracha mayo.
❄️Storing suggestions
Cooked dumplings - You can refrigerate tofu dumplings in an airtight container for 3-4 days. When ready to enjoy, simply microwave them or heat them on the stove.
Freezing uncooked dumplings - Dumplings can be frozen for 3 months, but do flash freeze them for easy storage.
Arrange dumplings on a baking sheet in one layer without touching. Place them in the freezer for a few hours or until frozen. You can now transfer them to zip-lock bags to be stored.
Reheating - Dumplings can be reheated straight from frozen. You will need to cook them for 1-2 minutes more, regardless of the cooking method chosen.
❔Commonly asked questions
If your dumplings break apart during cooking, they are not sealed tightly enough. Lightly wet the bottom ½ edge of your dumpling wrappers before folding them to create a more secure seal.
Other than that, you might have overstuffed your dumplings, which increases the chances of the seal breaking while cooking.
Wonton wrappers are an excellent substitute for dumpling wrappers. Due to their rectangular shape, you might have to fold them differently. The easiest way is to fold them in half and seal the edges to create a triangular shape.
Dumplings are a great addition to soups! Once the soup comes to a boil, add a few dumplings. Be careful not to overcrowd the pot, or the dumplings might not cook properly.
Boil for a few minutes or until they float to the surface. Repeat until all dumplings are cooked.
Cooking tofu dumplings in the air fryer makes them crispy on the outside. Before cooking, spray some cooking oil on the dumplings to ensure they crisp up properly. Then, air fry them for 8-10 minutes at 375F/190C for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.
📖 Recipe
Tofu Dumplings
Ingredients
For the dumplings
- ½ block extra-firm tofu drained and pressed (about 7 oz/200g)
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari/shoyu
- ½ tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon shaoxing wine
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ tablespoon minced ginger
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 3 shiitake mushrooms chopped
- 1 cup shredded cabbage
- ½ medium carrot shredded
- 1 stalk green onion chopped
- salt to taste
- 25-30 dumpling wrappers *
For the dipping sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari/shoyu
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup or another liquid sweetener
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
Instructions
Making the filling
- Start by crumbling your tofu into small pieces, using a fork or your hands. Set aside.½ block extra-firm tofu
- Combine all seasonings needed for the filling.1 tablespoon soy sauce, ½ tablespoon rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon shaoxing wine, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1 teaspoon sugar
- Heat some oil in a large non-stick pan. Once heated, add garlic and ginger. Fry for a minute until fragrant.½ tablespoon minced ginger, 2 cloves garlic
- Next, add mushrooms, cabbage, carrots, and a sprinkle of salt. Fry until they are tender.3 shiitake mushrooms, 1 cup shredded cabbage, ½ medium carrot
- Add crumbled tofu along with the sauce. Cook until tofu is hot. Remove from heat and stir in the green onion.1 stalk green onion, salt
- Give it a taste, adding more salt if needed. Let the filling cool down slightly before moving on to wrapping the dumplings.
Wrapping the dumplings
- Start by placing a wrapper in the palm of your non-dominant hand. Place a tablespoon of filling at the center.25-30 dumpling wrappers
- Dip your finger in water, and wet the bottom half rim of the wrapper, which is the side you will pleat.
- Using your dominant hand, fold the bottom half of the wrapper over the filling to meet the top half. Pinch to seal at one end, and start to form a pleat. Once the pleat is formed, pinch it to seal. (watch the process shot for a clearer depiction)
- Repeat pleating until you get to the other end, and pinch to seal the dumpling completely.
- With the dumplings standing, lightly squish them to flatten the base.
Cooking dumplings (pan-steamed method)
- Heat some oil in a non-stick pan. Place in some of the dumplings, making sure they are not touching.
- Pan-fry for 2-3 minutes or until the base is golden brown.
- Pour in ¼ cup of water, and quickly place the lid on to trap the steam. Let it cook for 4-5 minutes or until most of the water evaporates, and the dumplings are semi-translucent.
- Remove the lid and let the dumplings cook for another 30 seconds to crisp up the base. Serve vegan Chinese dumplings immediately.
Making the dipping sauce
- Simply combine all ingredients needed. Give it a taste, adding more of any seasonings if needed.2 tablespoons rice vinegar, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, 2 teaspoons sesame oil
Video
Notes
- Keep wrappers covered - When wrapping the dumplings, cover unused wrappers with a damp cloth to prevent them from drying out.
- Other ways to fold dumplings - The simplest way is the half-moon method. Simply fold the wrapper in half and tightly seal it. For other techniques, I recommend checking out this post on 10 ways to fold dumplings by Red House Spice.
- Do not overstuff dumplings - An overfilled dumpling might not seal properly and break while cooking.
Save this recipe!
Email yourself a link to this page and come back later.
Also get a FREE high-protein vegan recipe eBook + weekly new recipes! Unsubscribe anytime.
Nutrition
Nutrition info calculated is just a rough estimate and is provided as a courtesy. Bear in mind that value will vary based on variables like specific brand or type of product used. To obtain the most accurate representation, it is highly recommended that you calculate it on your own with the actual amount and type of ingredient used.
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