Vegan Dumplings

Begin by making the Asian Sauce that will serve two purposes–for cooking and seasoning the vegetables and as a dipping sauce for the dumplings. To do this, simply whisk together all of the sauce ingredients in a medium-size bowl then set it to the side.

Cut up all of the vegetables to be used in the stuffing–cabbage, onions, mushrooms, carrots. What I like to do to make this even more simple is to purchase a 16-ounce bag of shredded slaw that already includes green cabbage, purple cabbage, and carrots. Then, all I have to dice up is mushrooms and onions.

I tend to use shiitake mushrooms in my dumplings but any type will work or leave them out completely. I like to buy the dried shiitake and then rehydrate them in warm vegetable broth or water for about 20-30 minutes.

In a large skillet, sauté the onions and mushrooms in a little water or veggie broth until they begin to brown. Toss in the cabbage mixture and carrots. Add more veggie broth (or water) one tablespoon at a time to prevent sticking and cook until the cabbage begins to wilt which should take about 5 minutes or so.

Once the veggies start to wilt (but don’t overcook them), whisk up the sauce again to make sure the thickener doesn’t settle at the bottom of the bowl, then pour HALF of the sauce slurry mixture into the pan and mix well. Save the other half to use as a dipping sauce. When it begins to bubble and thicken slightly, turn the pan off and remove it from the heat.

Use a large countertop space or cutting board to set up the stage for stuffing the dumplings. You’ll need the won ton wrappers, a small bowl of water, and vegetable filling.

The won ton wrappers come in square or round, and either one will work. I'm going to show you how to fold the square ones, but you can use either one. These can be found in the refrigerator section (not the freezer) of the grocery store.

You can stuff one dumpling at a time, or spread a few out to speed up the process. Moisten the edges of each of the won ton wrappers by dipping your finger into the water and running along the edges. Make sure they get nice and wet, so they will stick together when folded.

Fill each wrapper with about a tablespoon of the vegetable stuffing mixture right in the center. Don’t overfill, or they will become difficult to fold.

Next, there are two folding options for the square wrappers–rectangle or triangle. With either option, bring the sides of the wrapper up over the filling and use your finger to press them together to seal well. Then fold in the bottom corners and press them together. If the edges don’t seal together well, add a little more water and press them again. I‘ve made a diagram above in the article to show how easy the two options are.

As you make them, set each dumpling onto a dry surface, and if they begin to stick to the surface, dust it with a little flour. I didn’t have a problem with mine sticking, but others might. Continue folding dumplings until you run out of wrappers or stuffing. This recipe should make about 30-40.

There are basically 3 cooking methods to choose from. Some chefs might say that there are four and include boiling as an option, but I don’t recommend it. Boiling, more often than not, causes the dumplings to pop open and spill out the stuffing contents. The three better options are below.

While the dumplings are cooking is the perfect time to thicken up the other half of the sauce to be used for dipping. Whisk up the sauce again to make sure the thickener hasn’t settled at the bottom of the bowl (it probably has), then simply heat it up to activate the thickener. I like to do this by heating it in the microwave for about 30-60 seconds. Or, you could heat it in a saucepan on the stove until it begins to thicken just slightly.

Air Fry- This is my preferred method because it gets the dumplings nice and crispy on the outside. Place dumplings in your air fryer basket in a single layer and set to 400°F for about 7 minutes. You will need to cook them in batches because there will be so many, but they don’t take long. Check them after 5-6 minutes, and stop the cooking process once the edges become golden brown.

Bake- On a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper to prevent sticking, line up the dumplings in a single layer and bake at 400°F for approximately 10-minutes.

Steam- Fill a large stockpot with water to about 2″ then fit a steaming basket or insert over it. Line the steamer basket with parchment paper to prevent sticking, then cover and steam for about 6-8 minutes. You’ll need to steam them in batches until all are cooked.