These vegan tofu dumplings are flavorful, delicious, and filled with a great tofu and vegetable filling. They are relatively easy to prepare and only call for simple ingredients. Paired with a flavorful soy dipping sauce, these vegan Chinese dumplings are a crowd-pleaser!
If you are looking for a vegan dumpling recipe that is not mushy and tastes good, you must try these tofu dumplings! They are packed with tons of flavor and taste much better than the frozen ones you get in the supermarket. You will be surprised by how easy it is to make dumplings at home.
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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
📃Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Dumpling wrappers - I am using store-bought ones as it is much more convenient.
- You can get them in most well-stocked groceries or your local Asian market. Alternatively, get dumpling wrappers online through Amazon.
- You can also choose to make your dumpling wrappers at home.
- 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
Here is a quick rundown on the steps involved in making tofu dumplings:
- Stir-fry the tofu vegetable filling
- Wrapping the dumplings
- Cooking them using the pan-steamed method
- Making the dipping sauce
Now, let us go into more detail!
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 wilted, and the mixture is dry.
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 moving on to wrapping the tofu dumplings.
Wrapping the dumplings
The easiest way is to fold dumplings into a half-moon shape. Simply place a tablespoon of filling in the middle and fold the wrapper over the filling to meet the other edge. Seal it by pinching the edges.
Lightly squish the dumplings to flatten the base. That’s it!
The other common way to seal dumplings is to pleat them.
To do so, 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, and start to form a pleat. Once the pleat is formed, pinch it to seal.
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 these Chinese tofu dumplings immediately.
Making the dipping sauce
Simply combine all ingredients needed. Give it a taste, adding more of any seasonings if needed.
🎥Watch how to make them
✔️Helpful tips
- You can chop your veggies in a food processor to make prepping easier.
- When wrapping the dumplings, cover unused wrappers with a damp cloth to prevent them from drying out.
- Don’t get too hung up with the shape of the dumplings; they will still be delicious! Make sure they are tightly sealed so the filling stays intact while cooking. As mentioned above, you can opt for the half-moon shape if you are unsure how to pleat them properly.
- Be careful not to overstuff dumplings. They might not seal properly and break while cooking.
- When cooking the tofu dumplings, ensure they are not touching one another to prevent them from sticking together.
🍴Other ways to cook dumplings
Other than the classic pan-steamed method, here are some other delicious ways to cook up your vegan Chinese dumplings:
Air fryer - Place dumplings into the air fryer basket, and spray them with cooking spray. Cook for 6-8 minutes at 180C/350F or until golden brown.
Baking - Preheat your oven to 180C/350F. Lightly grease a baking sheet, and arrange dumplings onto it. Coat dumplings with cooking spray, and bake for 15-20 minutes or until dumplings are lightly browned.
Steaming - You can steam tofu dumplings in a bamboo or a regular steamer. Before cooking, line the steamer with a non-stick liner. Steam for 8-10 minutes or until the dumplings are semi-translucent.
Boiling - Bring a pot of water to a boil, and gently slip in dumplings. You might need to use a spoon to push them around to prevent them from touching one another. Cover with a lid.
When the water starts to boil again, pour in ½ cup water, then cover. Repeat this step 2-3 times or until the dumplings float to the surface. Once cooked, remove them using a slotted spoon.
❄️Storing suggestions
Here is how to freeze uncooked tofu dumplings:
- Grease a baking sheet or other large plates with some cooking spray.
- Arrange dumplings on the baking sheet in one layer, ensuring they are not touching one another.
- Place them into the freezer for an hour or until the dumplings are frozen.
- Gently remove them from the baking sheet, and transfer them to a zip-top bag or storage container. They can be frozen for up to 3 months.
When ready to enjoy, simply reheat them from frozen, and increase the cooking time by 1-2 minutes. You DO NOT need to thaw them beforehand.
❔Commonly asked questions
Unfortunately, most dumplings are not gluten-free, as the wrapper is made from wheat flour. However, you can make these homemade tofu dumplings gluten-free by using gluten-free dumpling wrappers.
Rice papers are another great alternative, but you need to bake or air-fry your dumplings instead of pan-frying them.
If your dumplings break apart from cooking, you did not manage to seal them tightly enough. Lightly wet the bottom ½ edge of your dumpling wrappers to help securely seal them.
Other than that, you might have overstuffed your dumplings, which increases the chances of the seal breaking while cooking.
Most of the dumplings wrappers are made from wheat flour and water, making them naturally vegan. Sometimes eggs might be added to them, so it is always recommended to read the ingredients label to ensure they are free from animal products.
Wonton wrappers are an excellent substitute for dumpling wrappers. Due to their shape, you might have to shape them differently. The easiest way is to fold them in half and seal the edges to create a triangular shape.
🍽️More vegan side dishes
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📖 Recipe
Vegan Chinese Tofu Dumplings
Ingredients
For the dumplings
- ½ block extra-firm tofu (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 to make the stir-fry sauce.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, carrot, and a sprinkle of salt. Fry until the veggies are wilted, and the mixture is dry.3 shiitake mushrooms, 1 cup shredded cabbage, ½ medium carrot
- Add crumbled tofu along with the stir-fry 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 or video above 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
- You can get them in most well-stocked groceries or your local Asian market. Alternatively, get dumpling wrappers online through Amazon.
- You can also choose to make your dumpling wrappers at home.
- You can chop your veggies in a food processor to make prepping easier.
- When wrapping the dumplings, cover unused wrappers with a damp cloth to prevent them from drying out.
- Don’t get too hung up with the shape of the dumplings; they will still be delicious! You can also simply fold the wrapper in half and seal it to create a half-moon shape.
- Be careful not to overstuff dumplings. They might not seal properly and break while cooking.
- When cooking the tofu dumplings, ensure they are not touching one another to prevent them from sticking together.
- Grease a baking sheet or other large plates with some cooking spray.
- Arrange dumplings on the baking sheet in one layer, ensuring they are not touching one another.
- Place them into the freezer for an hour or until the dumplings are frozen.
- Gently remove them from the baking sheet, and transfer them to a zip-top bag or storage container. They can be frozen for up to 3 months.
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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