Tofu Dumplings

A plate of dumplings served with soy sauce with a pair of chopsticks and 2 cups of tea beside.

5 from 1 vote

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.

Prep Time30

Cook Time15

Total Time45

Course: Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine: American, Chinese

Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings: dumplings

Calories: 37kcal

Author: Meesha

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

*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.

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.

Storing suggestion - Uncooked dumplings can be frozen for 3 months. Flash-freeze them beforehand 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.

Nutrition