Easy Vegan Momos

Have you ever tried momos? This Tibetan version of steamed dumplings is packed with flavors, delicious, and incredibly versatile. 

Like my tofu dumplings, these vegan momos make a great appetizer or side dish that will impress even non-vegans! 

💚Why you will love this recipe 

• Juicy, moist, and incredibly flavorsome 
• Healthy, low-fat, yet delicious 
• Versatile and pairs well with most Asian dishes 
• Can be made ahead of time and are freezable 

🤔What are momos 

Momos, also known as dim sum, are bite-sized dumplings that originate from Tibet but are popular in Nepal and Northern India. They are stuffed with meat (usually chicken) and vegetable filling, then steamed until translucent. Sometimes, cheese, like paneer, is also used to fill these dumplings. 

They are usually served with some dipping sauce, the most common being momo chutney, a spicy sauce made from tomatoes, dried chilies, and aromatics. 

To make momos vegan, we will use crumbled tofu as a substitute for ground chicken. 

🧄What you will need 

📃Ingredient notes and substitutions 

• Dumpling wrappers - can be substituted with wonton wrappers. You can also make your wrappers at home using all-purpose flour, water, and salt. Check out this post on making dumpling wrappers if you want to make them from scratch. 
• Tofu - use extra-firm or firm tofu. You DO NOT need to press it beforehand. 
• Soy sauce - can be substituted with tamari or shoyu. Use a certified gluten-free one if you are sensitive to gluten. 

🔪How to make 

Making the filling 

Start by crumbling tofu, either using your hands or a fork. Set aside. 

Heat some oil in a non-stick pan/cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Once the pan is heated, add onion and saute until translucent. 

Add garlic next and fry for a minute until fragrant.

Then, add cabbage and carrot. Fry until veggies are soft. Add crumbled tofu to the pan. Fry until everything is hot. 

Remove from heat, then add green onion and soy sauce. Season with salt and pepper, and stir until everything is well incorporated. Let it cool down to room temperature before wrapping. 

Wrapping momos 

The easiest way to fold momos is to fold them into a half-moon shape. Simply place 1-1½ tablespoons 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 momos is to pleat them. 

To do so, start by placing a wrapper in the palm of your non-dominant hand. Place 1-1½ tablespoons 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 momo completely.

With the momo standing, lightly squish them to flatten the base. 

Cooking the momos 

The most common way to cook momos is to steam them. You can also bake, make them in the air fryer, or fry them! 

To steam, place momos in a steamer pan lined with parchment paper. Keep some space between them. 

Add some water to the bottom container, and bring the water to a boil. Steam momos for 6-8 minutes over medium heat or until they are translucent. Serve your vegan momos immediately after cooking. 

✅Helpful tips 

• To cut down on the prep time, chop veggies and onions in a food processor instead of doing it by hand. 
• Feel free to use other techniques to wrap your momos. For more details, check out this post - 10 ways of folding dumplings. 
• Make sure your vegan momos are not touching when steaming. Or not, they will stick together, and separating them will cause momos to break apart. 
• Serve momos immediately after steaming. Or not, the wrappers might dry out and turn hard. To revive stale momos, steam them again for a couple of minutes or until the wrappers are soft. 

👩‍🍳Other ways to cook momos 

Here are some other ways to cook your vegan momos other than steaming - 

Pan-steam method 

1. Heat some oil in a non-stick pan. Place in some of the momos, making sure they are not touching. 
2. Pan-fry for 2-3 minutes or until the base is golden brown. 
3. 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 your momos are semi-translucent. 
4. Remove the lid and let them cook for another 30 seconds to crisp up the base. Serve your vegan momos immediately.

Baking 

1. Preheat your oven to 180C/350F. 
2. Lightly grease a baking sheet, and arrange dumplings onto it. 
3. Coat dumplings with cooking spray, and bake for 15-20 minutes or until dumplings are lightly browned.

In the air fryer 

1. Place dumplings into the air fryer basket, and spray them with cooking spray. 
2. Cook for 6-8 minutes at 180C/350F or until golden brown.

Frying 

1. Heat about ½ to 1 inch of cooking oil in a frying pan or shallow saucepan over medium heat until tiny bubbles form.
2. Add a few momos into the pan, and fry for around 2-3 minutes, gently flipping them halfway through. 
3. Using a slotted spoon, gently remove them from the pan and transfer them to a baking sheet lined with paper towels. You can also take the extra step and pat them using paper towels to get rid of the excess oil.
4. Let vegan momos cool down for 5 minutes or so before enjoying them.

✨Variations 

Veggies - Feel free to substitute vegetables used in this recipe with other kinds of veg! Some that work particularly well in this recipe includes water chestnut, bell peppers, mushrooms, and green beans. 

Make it gluten-free - Use a gluten-free wrapper, or make your own gluten-free wrapper at home. As for the soy sauce, use a brand that is certified gluten-free. 

Tofu - If you are not a fan of tofu, substitute with your favorite brand of veggie ground instead. 

Make it spicy - add a generous pinch of chili flakes or chili powder to the filling. 

❄Storing suggestions 

I recommend freezing these vegan momos immediately if you are not planning to cook them immediately.  

1. After wrapping momos, place them on a baking sheet or large plate lined with parchment paper, ensuring they are not touching one another. 
2. Flash-freeze them for an hour or until they have hardened. 
3. Transfer them to a zip-top bag or container, which can be frozen for up to 3 months. 

You DO NOT need to thaw them before heating them. Steam them from frozen, increasing the cooking time by 2-3 minutes. 

🍛How to serve 

You can serve vegan momos as a snack. They are great as an appetizer or side dish for Asian mains. 

• Dipping - Momo chutney is the most common dip to serve with these Tibetan dumplings. Other great dips include soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, ketchup, or vegan sriracha mayonnaise. 
• Mains - I love serving my momos with Indian main dishes like soya chunks Manchurian, Indian fried rice, and moong masoor dal. 

❔Commonly asked questions

🍽More vegan Asian sides

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